Traditional methods and schools
Separate methods, separate calculations
| Method | Basis | Reading structure |
|---|---|---|
| 梅花 / Plum Blossom | 八卦数、农历年支月日时 / Trigram numbers and lunar time | 体、用、互、变 / Body, use, nuclear, changed |
| 纳甲 / Najia | 六爻、八宫、月建日辰 / Lines, palaces, month/day | 六亲、世应、用神 / Relatives, host/guest, selected focus |
| 四柱 / Four pillars | 出生瞬间与节气 / Birth instant and solar terms | 日主、月令、干支配合 / Day master, season, interactions |
| 紫微 / Ziwei | 农历生日、时辰与独立安星规则 / Lunar birth and separate star rules | 十二宫与星曜 / Twelve palaces and stars |
Shared words do not establish shared rules
Plum Blossom body/use distinguishes the stationary and moving trigrams. Di Tian Sui discusses body/use in a natal structure. Najia focus follows the question; Ziping Zhenquan begins useful-factor analysis from the month command. These are not interchangeable formulas.
Expose conventions before computing
Four pillars resolve timezone and DST before comparing actual solar-term instants. Day boundary, civil/apparent-solar clock and cycle conversion are visible options. When results differ, check the original record and convention rather than hiding the difference behind a claim of unique accuracy.
Interpretation needs conditions beyond a structure
Month break, void and day clash are checkable relations, whose effects need further conditions. Visible element counts can be checked but do not establish strength. Explanations distinguish computed facts, textual conditions and conclusions that remain unsupported.
Open a separate tool →Reviewed 2026-10-08; primary text and modern interpretation are distinct.