In recent exchanges with a fellow enthusiast of the art of divination, who, lacking a master’s guidance, has pursued his studies independently and considers himself accomplished, I presented him with some astrological charts for analysis. However, he merely delved into the superficial principles of clashes, combinations, harmonies, and elemental interactions, disregarding both the nuanced interpretations of celestial influences and the comprehensive scope of the charts. When queried about the origins of his theoretical framework, he cited contemporary interpretations of astrological charts, gleaned from certain authors’ works… Such autodidacts, treading the path of self-instruction, abound. Long have I contemplated penning scholarly treatises to steer aspirants through the labyrinth of Ba Zi destiny analysis, sparing them from meandering detours. As the adage goes, myriad teachings guide the quest for truth, myriad learnings mold true individuals. Regardless of the domain of instruction, a teacher ought to espouse the principle of authenticity, for without it, any endeavor yields not merit but missteps.
A cursory examination of the development and essence of Ba Zi destiny analysis reveals that its lineage traces back to Li Xuzhong of the Tang dynasty. The earliest documented reference to this art can be found in “Li Xuzhong’s Book of Destiny,” while “Three Lives through the Almanac” and “Ocean of Master Yuan” also explicitly attribute the origins of Ba Zi to Li Xuzhong. By the Song dynasty, Xu Ziping further enriched and refined the study of Ba Zi destiny analysis, crystallizing it into a comprehensive theoretical framework. Another viewpoint suggests that Xu Ziping, building upon Li Xuzhong’s Three Pillars method (calculations based on the year, month, and day), innovated the Four Pillars method (adding the hour pillar to the calculations). In divining one’s destiny, the utilization of the Four Pillars of Destiny, based on the Heavenly Stems and Earthly Branches, facilitates the exploration of the intricate interplay within the Eight Characters. This method, often referred to as the art of “fortune-telling,” wields a profound societal impact, so much so that it has earned the alternative titles of the Zi Ping Method or Zi Ping Art by later generations. Moving forward to the Ming Dynasty, Wan Minying authored “San Ming Tong Hui,” which primarily expounded upon the configurations and celestial signs of various life paths. It served as an accessible introduction to the knowledge of Eight Characters divination, although its accuracy remained moderate. In the Qing Dynasty, the renowned Eight Characters prognosticator Ren Tieqiao, in his meticulous work “Di Tian Zhui,” provided detailed examples and annotations, refuting the prevalent emphasis on peculiar configurations and celestial signs in the contemporary Eight Characters divination. His efforts redirected the field towards the rightful path of Yin-Yang and the Five Elements, reviving the essence of destiny analysis. Ren Tieqiao’s influential role in the study of Eight Characters divination is comparable to Zhu Xi’s position in the realm of Neo-Confucianism. Numerous masters and classic works in the field, such as Li Xu Zhong, Xu Zi Ping, Ren Tieqiao, and Wan Minying, have collectively shaped the wisdom of millennia. The fusion of their insights, along with subsequent validations by countless scholars, has culminated in the recognition of certain classical works in the field, including “Di Tian Zhui,” “Yuan Hai Zi Ping,” “Zi Ping Zhen Quan,” “Qiong Tong Bao Jian,” and “San Ming Tong Hui.” These ancient texts stand as the guiding principles of destiny, and those delving into the study of destiny cannot exceed their boundaries—much like rivers and the moon, immutable and everlasting. Only by earnestly comprehending and learning these profound theories of antiquity, then integrating and applying them appropriately, can one avoid straying into erroneous paths. The field of modern fortune-telling is chaotic, inundated with innovators. Nowadays, among those who delve into the study of fate, there are some who disregard the significance of overall configurations, others who overlook the pivotal role of auspicious and inauspicious deities, some who fail to analyze the strength and weakness of the daymaster, and even those who disregard the interplay of the Five Elements… Many of these teachings are passed down through generations, transmitted orally from master to disciple. Consequently, learners, after enduring extensive periods of study, become deeply ingrained with these teachings, their minds shaped by preconceived notions, rendering them less receptive to alternative theories. Even if their previous learnings proved incorrect and their predictions inaccurate, there is a propensity to persist in error voluntarily. Indeed, the reason why many view fortune-telling as superstition is because genuine experts in the field of Zi Wei Dou Shu, for instance, constitute less than 10% of those claiming expertise. Many individuals propagate new theories in fortune-telling, often under the guise of ancestral or masterly teachings, despite these theories not being mentioned in classical texts. It is precisely this proliferation of innovation over generations that has led to a significant distortion of fortune-telling, with much of what the public encounters being pseudo-science. Furthermore, an increasing number of individuals, lacking expertise and blindly idolizing, further exacerbate the situation, resulting in a proliferation of self-proclaimed “masters” in the modern field of metaphysics. In the practice of Ba Zi fortune-telling, emphasis must be placed foremost on the overall configuration, followed by the analysis of the auspicious and inauspicious deities.
