In Chinese Metaphysics, the study of the Elements that make up the Destiny Chart and the relationships between them is the foundation of any analysis, diagnosis, forecast, or the application of remedies and corrective measures.
A Destiny Chart consists of Four Pillars corresponding to the Year, Month, Day, and Hour of Birth, each containing some of the 5 Elements with their Yin or Yang polarities, and at most four Zodiac Animals, whose characteristics are derived from the attributes of the elements representing their main and secondary Qi.
If the Element in the Heavenly Stem (upper part) of the Day Pillar provides information about someone's personality and abilities, and is also known as the Day Master, the analysis of the other Elements is done through the relationships they have with the Day Master, according to the Principles of the 5 Elements. This analysis is extremely complex and occurs on different layers, with some of them being particularly intricate due to the vast number of possible interactions that need to be taken into account. Therefore, decoding the Chart and systematically presenting the results is extremely useful.
However, sometimes there is so much to analyze and understand that we typically do it when it comes to ourselves and those close to us. But when it concerns someone else, it's helpful to have a specific area of interest in mind from the beginning and focus the analysis through this lens. This could be related, for example, to prosperity, career, relationships, or health. BaZi Advisor is available for the immediate analysis of any person, and if you’re interested in learning more or becoming a consultant yourself, the online course is available, along with many practical Easy Guides. With consistent practice and dedication, you can soon become a specialist yourself.
Despite this complexity, in many cases, it is possible to gain fascinating insights about a person after just a quick glance at their Destiny Chart.
Next, we will take a practical example of analyzing the chart of a hypothetical person, let's call him John Doe.

Day Master Analysis

It can be observed that the Day Master of this person is Yang Water. If we are not familiar with what Yang Water tells us about John, we can quickly consult the Keynotes page on BaZi Advisor. There, in the panel dedicated to Elements, under Water, we will find the following:

While the Water principles describe important personality traits of John, the Associated activities section shows the areas with which John has the greatest affinity—fields in which, if he were to engage, he would have a higher chance of succeeding more easily in life.
To summarize briefly, the principles of the 5 Elements are as follows:

Wood principle: growing, strength, and flexibility
Fire principle: passion, dynamism, and expansivity
Earth principle: balance, patience, and stability
Metal principle: competence, control, and determination
Water principle: wisdom, introspection, and flexibility

The next thing that can be easily observed is the distribution of the Elements in his Chart. Ideally, we should find all the Elements in a balanced proportion, meaning no missing elements or excess elements that dominate the chart. None of these situations is desirable. You can understand the potential effects of missing or excessive elements from the article Ba Zi - Five Stars Analysis. However, we notice that we are now talking about the Five Stars, not the Five Elements. Why? Because, as we mentioned in the introduction, the key factor is their relationship with the Day Master.

Five Stars Analysis

To find out which Elements correspond to the Five Stars, let's first look at the possible relationships between the Elements, as shown in the figure below.

It can be observed that there are three main cycles:

Production cycle: The first element is wood which burning generates fire which consumes and produces earth (ash) which the metal is extracted from and produces water by condensation which nurtures wood and the cycle is now completed
Consuming cycle: Wood is consuming the water which is nourishing it. By rusting it is consuming the metal which weakens the earth after extraction, this one is consuming fire which also consumes wood for burning. This cycle, also called the destruction cycle, is the reverse of the producing one.
Controlling cycle: The controlling cycle manifests as follows: wood stabilizes the earth which determines the water banks which in turn extinguishes the fire which is melting the metal that cut the wood.

Let’s continue now with the example above, where the Day Master is Water. Elements of the same type, meaning both Yin Water and Yang Water, are called Friends Star (FS), and they contain information about competition and competitors, leisure, and holidays. The absence of Friends Star shows that a person doesn’t interact well with others in society, while an excess indicates that the person risks spending far too much time with friends, leaving little time for themselves.

The element that produces Water in this case is Metal, Yin or Yang, which represents the Resource Star (RS). This star relates to health, self-control, personal documents, and accumulated knowledge. The absence of Resource Star shows a weak connection with the person’s inner self and difficulty finding happiness, while an excess indicates a lazy or suspicious person.

The Output Star is the element produced by Water, which is Wood, and it generally signifies the means of livelihood and the source of wealth for the person. Since it’s Wood, the areas in which John is likely to succeed are literature and education, writing and drawing, agriculture, medicine, civil engineering, and design. The absence of Output Star indicates that the person will not have affinities with the fields mentioned above and generally has poor communication abilities.

The element controlled by Water is Fire, and in this relationship, Fire represents the Wealth Star for John. The presence or absence of the Wealth Star in the Destiny Chart gives us information about the likelihood of John becoming wealthy. In the absence of the Wealth Star, it is very unlikely for the person to become rich, but an excess suggests that too much wealth may harm one’s health.

Lastly, the element that controls Water is Earth, and through this relationship, it is known as the Influence Star. It tells us about charisma, leadership, control and power, self-control, and discipline. This star is important for people aiming to achieve a respected position in society. If the Influence Star is missing from the chart, it would be better for the person to own their business, and they may be difficult to control. For a woman, it might be challenging to find a husband, while an excess could indicate multiple marriages.

What happens if one or more of these stars are missing or excessive in the Destiny Chart is described in detail in the article Ba Zi - Five Stars Analysis. Practically, on the Profile Analysis page of BaZi Advisor, in the Brief Profile Info / Deeper Insights panel, a detailed analysis of each star is provided for the specific chart being studied. This page also systematically presents all five elements, the stars they represent, and their Power, Number, and Quality.

What happens if one or more of these Stars are missing or excessive in the Destiny Chart is explained in detail in the article Ba Zi - Five Stars Analysis. On the Profile Analysis page of BaZi Advisor, within the Brief Profile Info / Deeper Insights panel, a detailed analysis of each Star is provided for the specific chart being examined. This page also systematically presents all five elements, the Stars they represent, along with their Strength, Number, and Quality.

A more detailed analysis, moving to a higher level of complexity, considers the Yin or Yang polarity of each Element. When these two opposing polarities are applied to the five elements, they result in ten different combinations known as the Ten Gods. The significance of these is explored in depth in the article Exploring the Ten Gods in Ba Zi Analysis.

However, staying within the scope of this article—focusing on what can be observed at first glance when analyzing a Destiny Chart—the absence of certain Ten Gods in a chart will be addressed in the next chapter.

Ten Gods Analysis

As previously mentioned, the Ten Gods are derived from the Five Stars when considering their Yin and Yang polarities, but also in relation to the polarity of the Day Master. What truly matters is whether they share the same polarity as the Day Master or not.

From the Friend Star, we derive Friend God (F) (same polarity) and Rob Wealth (RW) (opposite polarity). Those who have Rob Wealth in their chart tend to have a more international and diverse circle of friends.

Hurting Officer (HO) has the opposite polarity to the Output Star and represents creativity, talent, the potential for self-expression, and artistic abilities, while Eating God (EG) shares the same polarity and is associated with knowledge, intellect, and learning.

Indirect Wealth (IW) derives from the Wealth Star and has the same polarity, while Direct Wealth (DW) has the opposite polarity. The absence of IW in a chart, with only DW present, makes the individual risk-averse, preferring stable ventures with predictable revenue. On the other hand, excessive Indirect Wealth Stars indicate greed to the extent that nothing ever seems to satisfy them.

From the Resource Star, we derive Indirect Resource (IR) (same polarity as the Day Master) and Direct Resource (DR) (opposite polarity). Indirect Resource is linked to the unconventional, unorthodox, or even paranormal, while Direct Resource signifies internal support, self-improvement, and personal growth based on internal strengths.

Seven Killings (7K) derives from the Influence Star, sharing the same polarity as the Day Master, and represents competitiveness, assertiveness, and strategic thinking. It reflects a person’s ability to overcome challenges and achieve goals. Direct Officer (DO), on the other hand, has the opposite polarity and symbolizes discipline, structure, and order.

Returning to John Doe’s Destiny Chart example, we can observe in the Gods Analysis Panel that Direct Wealth and Direct Officer are completely absent. Instead, Seven Killings appears three times, and Indirect Wealth is particularly strong.

The absence of Direct Officer in John’s chart indicates that he lacks affinity with authority, law, and imposed order. He would be entirely unsuitable for a military career. However, the strong presence of Seven Killings reveals a courageous individual, ready to face challenges—though not always by conventional means. For him, this concept hardly matters, as rules and authority are seen more as obstacles than benefits.

Having only Indirect Wealth suggests that John is better suited for success and prosperity as an entrepreneur rather than as an employee. Wealth does not come to him easily—he must create it himself—but he possesses all the necessary qualities. The strength and superior nature of this God indicate that he has the potential to achieve financial success through his own efforts.

Conclusion

Throughout this article, we have demonstrated that even with just a few basic concepts and minimal knowledge, a quick glance at a person's Destiny Chart can provide an immediate first impression. Everything that follows builds upon this foundation, gradually refining the overall picture with increasingly precise details as the analysis deepens.

As you gain experience, you’ll find that recognizing key patterns becomes second nature, and you’ll be able to spot important insights right from the start.

No matter how complex a final analysis may be, the fundamentals remain crucial—understanding the Five Elements, assessing their balance, and analyzing the Stars and Gods provide essential insights that serve as the backbone of any reading. These core principles will always hold value, with further refinements adding nuance rather than altering the foundation.

Whether you’re a beginner or an advanced practitioner, BaZi Advisor is here to support your journey. Our platform provides not only essential knowledge but also powerful analysis tools, detailed explanations, easy guides, and an online course to help you deepen your understanding and master the art of BaZi.