Counting Eight Characters as Five Energies
The ten Heavenly Stems and twelve Earthly Branches each belong to one of the Five Elements (五行) — Wood (木), Fire (火), Earth (土), Metal (金), Water (水). By counting the characters in the natal chart by their respective elements, we can determine which energy is strong and which is weak.
However, we do not only count the numbers. We also consider whether the month of birth supports that energy. Even the same character can have different strengths depending on whether it meets its season. This is called the Month Sign (月令), and it is divided into five stages: Wang (旺), Sang (相), Hyu (休), Su (囚), and Sa (死).
Strength of the Day Stem — Strong and Weak
After counting the strengths of the five elements, we assess whether the Day Stem is strong or weak. The criterion is the ratio of energies aligned with the Day Stem.
The energies aligned with the Day Stem are Resource and Companion — the energies that give birth to me and those that are similar to me. Since there are two out of five, if there is no bias, it will be around 40%. We treat the area around that figure as balanced, and read above and below it as strong or weak.
| Ratio of Day Stem Aligned Energies | Assessment | What Does It Mean? |
|---|---|---|
| 45% or higher | Strong Day Pillar (身强) | The energies supporting the Day Stem are abundant. |
| 35% or higher and less than 45% | Balanced (中和) | It is difficult to conclude in either direction. |
| Less than 35% | Weak Day Pillar (身弱) | The energies supporting the Day Stem are weak. |
The numbers in this table are not transcribed from the text but are read directly from the engine. If the rules change, this document will change as well.
Strength is Not Good or Bad
Being strong does not mean good, and being weak does not mean bad. If strong, there is the power to push forward, but it is easy to lean to one side; if weak, it is easier to borrow the strength of others, but one may tire easily when enduring alone. The needed energies differ in either case.
Determining that 'needed energy' is the balancing element, and it continues in Balancing Element.