What’s Four Pillars (SaJu) ?

The Four Pillars of Destiny

i. Introduction to the Four Pillars of Destiny

The Four Pillars of Destiny (사주팔자, 四柱八字) is a traditional astrological system widely practiced in China, Japan, and Korea, to determine a person’s fate and character. As it was prone to be regarded as superstition in the modern age, it vanished in Japan after Maji Revolution, and disappeard in China after communist government launched. But fortunately this two-thousand-year-old wisdom survived in westernized Korea, and have secretly succeeded to new scholars and passionate practitioners. The system, also known as “Eight Characters (팔자, 八字)” referring to the eight Chinese characters derived from one’s birth year, month, day, and hour. Each of these four time units forms a pillar (주, 柱), and each pillar consists of two elements:

• A Heavenly Stem (천간, 天干) – representing one of the 10 Elements (positions of the sun)
• An Earthly Branch (지지, 地支) – representing one of the 12 Zodiac Animals

This system is based on the concept that the cosmic energies present at the moment of birth influence a person’s life path, personality, health, career, and relationships.

ii. Connection to Yin-Yang (음양, 陰陽) Theory

The Four Pillars of Destiny is deeply rooted in the principle of Yin-Yang (陰陽), which describes the dualistic nature of the universe:

• Yin (陰) is passive, dark, cold, and feminine.
• Yang (陽) is active, bright, hot, and masculine.

Each of the Ten Heavenly Stems and Twelve Earthly Branches in Bazi is classified as either Yin or Yang. A well-balanced chart should ideally contain both Yin and Yang energies, as extreme imbalances may indicate challenges or disharmony in a person’s life.

Thus, balancing Yin and Yang in the Four Pillars helps determine a person’s strengths and weaknesses.

iii. Connection to the Five Elements (五行)

The Five Elements—Wood (木), Fire (火), Earth (土), Metal (金), and Water (水)—form the core of the Four Pillars of Destiny. Each element interacts dynamically through cycles of generation (生) and control (剋):

• Generating Cycle (生):
  • Water nourishes Wood (trees grow with water).
  • Wood fuels Fire.
  • Fire produces Earth (ash turns into soil).
  • Earth creates Metal (minerals form in soil).
  • Metal produces Water (condensation).
• Controlling Cycle (剋):
  • Water extinguishes Fire.
  • Fire melts Metal.
  • Metal cuts Wood.
  • Wood penetrates Earth (roots break the ground).
  • Earth blocks Water (dams).

In “Eight Characters” analysis, a person’s dominant and weak elements are examined to understand their fate. If a person has an excess of one element, they may experience challenges related to that element. For example:

• Too much Fire → prone to anger and impulsivity.
• Too little Wood → lack of growth, creativity, and ambition.

A person’s missing elements can be compensated through lifestyle choices, careers, or even Feng Shui adjustments.

iv. Practical Application in Life and Destiny

In Northeast Asia, people use the Four Pillars of Destiny for various life aspects:

1. Personality & Career Guidance – Certain elements favor specific careers (e.g., Fire-related professions like chefs, Earth-related fields like real estate).
2. Marriage Compatibility – Comparing two individuals’ Four Pillars helps assess relationship harmony.
3. Health Diagnosis – Weak or excessive elements indicate potential health concerns (e.g., weak Water may indicate kidney issues).
4. Feng Shui – Personal elemental imbalances can be adjusted through Feng Shui placements at home or work.

v. Difficulty in Analysing Four Pillars and Eight Characters

The concept of the Four Pillars of Destiny (四柱命理, SaJu) is based on the belief that individuals are born with an inherent set of “Eight Characters” (八字), derived from their birth year, month, day, and hour. However, the interpretation of these Eight Characters is highly complex. Even when two individuals share the same characters, the unique configurations of their Four Pillars influence the expression of these elements, leading to variations in destiny.

Within the traditional East Asian lunar calendar, time is structured in a hierarchical, cyclical system: a 60-year cycle governs the years, while months follow a 12-month cycle, days progress within a 30-day framework, and each day is divided into 12 two-hour segments. These temporal cycles are fundamentally linked to the dual forces of Yin-Yang (陰陽) and the dynamic interactions of the Five Elements (五行)—Wood, Fire, Earth, Metal, and Water. As a result, a person’s Four Pillar destiny corresponds to one of 1,296,000 possible combinations (60 years × 12 months × 30 days × 12 hours × 5 elements). Furthermore, when individuals interact—such as in the case of a man and a woman forming a partnership—their combined destinies undergo mutual influence, increasing the complexity to 16,796,160,000,000 possible variations (1,296,000 × 1,296,000).

This intricate system operates within a deterministic cosmic structure that is beyond the immediate perception of human cognition. Consequently, what appears to be mere coincidence or chaos is, in fact, governed by an underlying order that transcends sensory awareness. While the fundamental principles of the Four Pillars (SaJu) may appear straightforward in theory, their application demands extensive knowledge, deep analytical skills, and experiential insight. Mastery of this system requires not only theoretical understanding but also the ability to discern esoteric patterns and interpretative methodologies that reveal the deeper meanings embedded within an individual’s Four Pillars.

Summary

The Four Pillars of Destiny is a sophisticated system that blends astrology, philosophy, and natural laws. Its deep interconnection with Yin-Yang and the Five Elements shows how human life is influenced by cosmic forces. By analyzing one’s Four Pillars, individuals can understand their strengths, mitigate weaknesses, and align themselves with natural harmony to achieve balance and success.