BaZi Chart Structures (格局辨析)
The first step in any professional BaZi audit is determining the Chart Structure (Ge Ju 格局). This determines the "Useful God" (Yong Shen) and sets the criteria for auspiciousness.
Common Structures (普通格局)
Established primarily from the Month Decree (月令 Branch). The eight standard structures are determined by the strongest element emerging from the Month Branch's Hidden Stems:
- Direct Officer (正官格): Authority, ethics, public service. Favors stable official careers.
- 7-Killings (七殺格): Power, ambition, pressure. Creates leadership through struggle.
- Direct Wealth (正財格): Stable assets, discipline, earned income.
- Indirect Wealth (偏財格): Dynamic windfalls, business, speculation.
- Food God (食神格): Creativity, contentment, health, arts.
- Hurting Officer (傷官格): Intelligence, rebellion, innovation, law.
- Direct Seal (正印格): Knowledge, academic achievement, support from authority.
- Indirect Seal (偏印格): Esoteric wisdom, specialization, unconventional paths.
Special Structures (變格/奇格)
When the Month Decree fails to produce a standard Useful God, the chart may transform into a special category:
- Follower Types (從格): Following the strongest element when the Day Master is overwhelmed. Includes: Follow Wealth (從財格), Follow Power (從殺格), Follow Output (從兒格).
- Vibrant Types (專旺格): The chart's energy is concentrated in a single element, creating a specialist whose Useful God is the supporting element of that concentration. Includes: Jia Wood Forest (曲直格), Bing Fire Blazing (炎上格), Wu Earth Mountain (稼穡格), Geng Metal Strength (從革格), Ren Water Flow (潤下格).
- Yang Blade (羊刃格): Extreme concentration of the Day Master's element. Requires an Outlet (食傷) or Officer/Killer to direct the force.
Technical Priority Rule
"When the keypoint (Month Branch) has Use, the keypoint is heavy." (提綱有用提綱重)
Source: Zi Ping Zhen Quan (子平真詮)