In Ba Zi, Academic Mentors are known as the Intelligence Star, a part of the Auxiliary Stars within each individual's Destiny Chart. These Auxiliary Stars represent specific Qi energies associated with the Chinese zodiac signs. Interactions between these stars, the heavenly stems, and earthly branches in Cycle 60 offer deeper insights into a person's personality, traits, and destiny.

Introducing a layer of intricacy to Ba Zi analysis, the effects of these Auxiliary Stars were meticulously studied by Dong de Zhang, a renowned astrologer of the Ming dynasty who devoted his life to their exploration. For more information about Auxiliary Stars read the articles What are the Auxiliary Stars in Ba Zi? and 27 Ba Zi Auxiliary Stars Revealed

What Is the Significance of the Intelligence Star in Ba Zi

Academic mentors are those invaluable individuals armed not with financial backing but with their wealth of experience and knowledge, propelling you towards personal growth and fulfilling your dreams. In life, to thrive and prosper, one must possess both knowledge and practical experience.

Contrary to popular belief, the Intelligence Star in Ba Zi astrology doesn't merely reflect a person's IQ. Rather, it embodies a profound reservoir of knowledge, a knack for rapid learning, the ability to comprehend intricate information, and, most importantly, the skill to transform this knowledge into tangible gains or benefits.

When analyzing a Destiny Chart, individuals seek out the Intelligence Star, particularly within the Luck Pillars. Its presence here signals opportunities to monetize acquired knowledge or to embark on a learning journey tailored to one's aspirations.

If the Intelligence Star is absent, it indicates possessing knowledge but lacking the insight to apply it effectively – an instance where education remains untapped, such as having a degree in engineering but failing to utilize it in practice.

Check on your Ba Zi Advisor - Profile which of your contacts can be academic mentors for you? The details about all of them are presented for users with a Golden subscription. However, even in its absence, you will discover which animal (Earthly Branch) represents the Intelligence Star for you, and you can search for it yourself in the Destiny Charts of your contacts.

In scenarios where the Intelligence Star is missing from one's chart or has transitioned beyond the pillars of fortune, a deliberate technique called synastry can be employed. Synastry entails seeking out individuals whose charts complement one's own and pinpointing potential mentors who can offer guidance and expertise in specific domains.

These mentors, depending on their placement within the pillars, can provide assistance in various facets of life:

Year Pillar: Offering guidance in societal interactions, networking, and industry insights.
Month Pillar: Providing career advice, aiding in business development, and fostering personal growth.
Day Pillar: Assisting with relationship issues, emotional support, and interpersonal dynamics.
Hour Pillar: Imparting strategic planning, investment counsel, and encouragement toward realizing aspirations.

Assistance from these mentors means they help you elevate and transition to a new level in your life – putting into practice what you learn (e.g., not just reading a book or learning something as a hobby). Theory combined with practice yields results.

Consideration: What kind of education should you invest in? The primary Qi element of the Intelligence Star represents the area in which you can enhance your knowledge (e.g., Snake – Fire element: metaphysics, energy sector, IT, etc). Always the God from the primary Qi of the Intelligence Star is EG and the secondary is IW.

In other words, the Intelligence Star can be interpreted differently. Notice that the primary Qi is EG (i.e., intelligent, creative, innovative, seeking new challenges, capable of turning knowledge into wealth) – hence, it's crucial to invest in education, especially in the domain where the element/deity resides – EG and IW (either fire, water, wood, earth, or metal).

For example, let's determine what element represents the Intelligence Star:

(Snake = Fire) – Fire represents industries (e.g., energy sector, metaphysics, technology, IT, food industry, and services) – thus, we can invest in personal development within these domains.
(Tiger = Wood) – Wood symbolizes education, construction, botany, and fashion – here, we can invest in ourselves to acquire more knowledge.

When investing in education, consider your strongest profile in the chart (from the ten possible profiles), alongside the Intelligence Star and the strongest profile. The primary profile is generally determined by the primary Qi in the Month Pillar (as this pillar contains information related to career and profession). If you wish to study multiple domains simultaneously, consider the secondary Qis.

In the following, we'll remind you of the domains associated with the elements, the main characteristics, and the hidden talents of each of the ten possible profiles.

Activity domains based on elements

Wood:
- Culture
- Fashion and clothing
- Handcrafted woodwork
- Furniture
- Plants and herbs
- Botany
- Teaching and Education
- Religious preaching
Fire:
- Petroleum, fuel
- Restaurants, food industry
- Airlines (flight)
- Futuristic technologies
- Metaphysics
- Engines, electrical, electronics
- Computers
- Firearms, military artillery
- Laser, fire, heating, and related fields
- Promotions, services
Earth:
- Properties, real estate
- Natural resources
- Cement, bricks, construction materials
- Medical field
Metal:
- Jewelry, gold-related
- Automobiles and vehicles
- Finance
- Iron ore, metal, aluminum equipment
- Mechanical fields
Water:
- Aquatic, fisheries
- Navigation, shipping
- Tourism
- Commerce, transportation
- Maritime transport
- Journalism
- Water-related, dry cleaning, sewage
- Aspects related to wisdom, strategic thinking
- Flow, the industry of movement.

Ten God's Characteristics and Hidden Talents

Direct Resource (DR):
- Characteristics: Dedicated, loyal, responsible, analytical, despotic.
- Key: Meticulous, data-driven decision-making.
- Hidden talents: Skilled teacher, methodical researcher, innovator, proficient in policy/statistics development, adept at creating new technologies/structures/systems, proficient in financial/data analysis, proficient in fund management, continuous learner, expertise amplifies knowledge.
Indirect Resource (IR):
- Characteristics: Intuitive, resourceful, visionary, non-traditional approach.
- Key: Perceptive thinking, curiosity.
- Hidden talents: Recognizes market trends, intuitive problem solver, holistic thinker, out-of-the-box problem-solving abilities, emotional detachment, skilled in analysis and solution-seeking.
Eating God (EG):
- Characteristics: Intelligent, passionate, flexible, innovative.
- Key: Artistic, creative.
- Hidden talents: Proficient in various art forms (design, painting, music, writing), talented communicator/storyteller, innovative in arts and gastronomy, contributes to culture creation, strategic in business.
Hurting Officer (HO):
- Characteristics: Charismatic, efficient, inspiring, engage in causes.
- Key: Good communicator, and motivator.
- Hidden talents: Proficient in performing arts, eloquent public speaker, attention-grabbing, adept at motivating others, excellent at consultation and counseling, strategic in business and personal branding.
Direct Officer (DO):
- Characteristics: Diplomatic, systematic, dynamic.
- Key: Peaceful, cultivator/developer.
- Hidden talents: Skilled in leadership/operations/system management, adept at conflict resolution, proficient in mediation, counseling adhering to rules/regulations, effective in regulation enforcement, adept politicians.
Seven Killings (7K):
- Characteristics: Adventurous, determined, altruistic.
- Key: Courageous, conscientious.
- Hidden talents: Strategic and tactical prowess, hardworking, effective trainer/motivator, leadership skills, adept at client entertainment, frontline courage.
Direct Wealth (DW):
- Characteristics: Authoritative, responsible, reformative.
- Key: Disciplined, authoritative.
- Hidden talents: Effective in government/administration, efficient in project management/leadership, inspires others, team coordinators, operation/finance directors, and risk-takers.
Indirect Wealth (IW):
- Characteristics: Practical, responsible, self-assured, transformative.
- Key: Entrepreneurial, confident.
- Hidden talents: Ventures into new territories/markets, profitable entrepreneurship, develops/sells visions/ideas, innovates, understands economy/market/trends, proficient in risk management.
Friends (F):
- Characteristics: Enthusiastic, optimistic, generous, networker.
- Key: Resourceful, supportive.
- Hidden talents: Skillful in connecting ideas/objects, team/event leaders, proficient in sales/marketing/negotiation, networking, consulting/advising in a friendly manner.
Rob Wealth (RW):
- Characteristics: Influential, sociable, convincing, loyal.
- Key: Ambitious, charismatic.
- Hidden talents: Inspires others through generosity and attention, influences people effectively, adept at leadership/negotiation/networking, proficient in event hosting/entertainment art.