BaZi Chart Categories — Standard Structures and Follow Patterns (格局與從格)
One of the most practically useful analytical layers in BaZi is the classification of a chart into a recognised Ge Ju (格局, Chart Structure). The structure determines: (1) which element is the Yong Shen (用神, Useful God); (2) which elements are favourable (Xi Shen 喜神) vs unfavourable (Ji Shen 忌神); and (3) how to grade the chart and assess Luck Pillar quality.
Charts fall into two master categories: Common Structures (derived from the Month Decree) and Special Structures (including Follow patterns). The classical principle is: 提綱有用提綱重 — "When the Month Command yields a Useful God, the Month Command takes priority."
Common Structures (普通格 Pǔtōng Gé)
The eight standard common structures identified in the Di Tian Sui (滴天髓) and Zi Ping Zhen Quan (子平真詮) are derived by identifying which Ten God is represented by the dominant hidden stem of the Month Branch:
- Direct Officer (正官格 Zhèng Guān Gé): Structure of authority, ethics, and governance. Favoured configurations: Officer nourished by Wealth; Officer and Seal both complete (官印雙全). Fears: Hurting Officer clashing it; mixing with Seven Killings without control.
- Seven Killings / Indirect Officer (七殺格 Qī Shā Gé): Structure of power, aggression, and strategic thinking. Controlled by Food God (食神制殺) or supported by Seal (殺印相生). Indicates entrepreneurship, military, and high-pressure careers.
- Direct Wealth (正財格): Stable assets, disciplined income, career in finance or business. Best when Wealth engenders Officer (財旺生官) or is supported by Food God output.
- Indirect Wealth (偏財格): Dynamic windfalls, business expansion, speculative gains. Favours active careers and entrepreneurship.
- Food God (食神格): Creativity, contentment, health, and quality of life. Food God engendering Wealth is the ideal flow. Can also control Seven Killings (食神制殺).
- Hurting Officer (傷官格): Intelligence, artistic talent, rebellion against authority. Favourable configurations: Hurting Officer adorned with Seal (傷官佩印); Hurting Officer engendering Wealth (傷官生財). Metal-Water Hurting Officer is the rare exception that can use the Officer star.
- Direct Seal (正印格): Academic knowledge, compassion, institutional support. Best when the Seal is used by Officer or Seven Killings to transform their pressure into nourishment for the Day Master.
- Indirect Seal (偏印格): Esoteric knowledge, isolation, specialised skills. Requires careful management — when abundant, Wealth is needed to break the excess Seal.
Yang Ren and Jian Lu Structures
Yang Ren Ge (陽刃格) — Goat Blade structure — forms when the Day Master's Yang Ren branch appears in the Month Branch. The intense energy of Yang Ren is best channelled through Seven Killings (Yang Ren uses 7K) or the Direct Officer. Without proper control, it indicates a violent or turbulent life.
Jian Lu Yue Jie Ge (建祿月劫格) — forms when the Month Branch is the Day Master's own Lu (祿, Prosperity) or Rob Wealth (劫財) position. Indicates a self-reliant chart that must generate its own opportunities through Wealth, Officer, or Output.
Special Structures — Follow Patterns (從格 Cóng Gé)
When the Day Master is extremely weak and has no supporting roots or Resources in the chart, it may "follow" the dominant force rather than resist it. These are the Follow structures (從格):
- Follow Wealth (從財格): Day Master follows the dominant Wealth element. Favourable: Wealth and Output elements. Unfavourable: Resource (Seal) stars that would empower the Day Master to resist.
- Follow Authority (從官殺格): Day Master follows the dominant Officer/Seven Killings. Indicates careers in public service, military, or positions of institutional authority.
- Follow Output/Children (從兒格 / 從食傷格): Day Master follows the dominant Food God or Hurting Officer. Chart must show the Day Master extremely weak, Month Branch in Food/Hurting Officer, with no Seal or Officer appearing. Yong Shen is Output; favours Wealth and Parallel stars in Luck Pillars when Wealth is present in the chart.
- He Hua Ge (合化格): A Heavenly Stem combination transforms the Day Master into a different element entirely (e.g., Jia+Ji→Earth). Requires the transformed element to dominate the chart without resistance from the original element.
False Follow (假從 Jiǎ Cóng)
A chart that appears to follow a pattern but retains a hidden root for the Day Master in the Earthly Branches is a False Follow (假從). Such charts are unstable: they may appear to follow during some Luck Pillars but revert to a standard chart pattern in others, causing violent reversals of fortune. Identifying genuine vs false follow is one of the most demanding skills in advanced BaZi analysis.
Grading and Luck Pillar Analysis
Once the structure is identified, Luck Pillars are graded based on whether they reinforce the structure or undermine it. For a Direct Officer chart with Wealth as the supportive element, Luck Pillars in Wealth and Officer phases are favourable; Luck Pillars in Hurting Officer or Rob Wealth phases are unfavourable. This two-step process — identify structure, then assess pillar alignment — is the foundation of classical BaZi forecasting.