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Methods, Sources and Editorial Policy
In short: every chart, rating and date on Four Pillars comes from fixed, published rules of Chinese metaphysics, applied the same way for everyone. This page lists those rules, where our data comes from, and how we write and correct content. Everything here is for entertainment and self-reflection.
排盘Birth chart (BaZi calculator)
The year changes at Lichun (the sun at 315° ecliptic longitude), months follow the twelve solar jie terms, the day pillar is counted from the Julian Day Number in the unbroken 60-day cycle, and hours use two-hour branches; births from 23:00 count as the next day. Stems for months and hours follow the classical Five Tigers and Five Rats rules. The sun's position uses Jean Meeus's low-precision formula (accurate to about 15 minutes). Clock time in the chosen time zone is used, without true solar time. Details: About.
年份Zodiac years and Chinese New Year dates
Chinese New Year dates 1930–2026 come from calendar tables based on Hong Kong Observatory data and are published as open data (CSV and JSON, DOI 10.5281/zenodo.23189503). Year pages show both conventions: the popular zodiac changes at Chinese New Year, BaZi changes at Lichun.
流年2027 forecasts, Tai Sui and lucky colors
2027 is Ding Wei (Yin Fire over the Goat). Sign readings follow the classical branch relationships with Wei: clash (Ox), self (Goat), harm (Rat), punishment (Dog), six harmony (Horse), trine (Rabbit, Pig) and the Fire directional group (Snake). Lucky colors pick the element that supports or balances each sign's branch element in a Fire-Earth year, with the traditional colors, He Tu numbers and directions of that element.
月日Monthly and daily horoscopes
Months start at each solar term; days follow the 60-day cycle. Each sign's rating combines its branch relationship with the month or day branch (same, six harmony, trine, clash, harm, none) and the stem element's relationship to the sign's element, on a one-to-three-star scale, with clash and harm capped at two stars. The same rules drive the monthly and daily pages.
择日Auspicious days
The auspicious days list uses two widely used almanac rules: the Twelve Officers (counted from the day branch and the solar month) and the Yellow Path deities. Our calculation was checked against published almanac entries for October 7, 2026 and December 13, 2025. Almanac schools add further rules, which we do not apply.
风水Kua numbers and flying stars
Kua numbers use the standard digit-sum method on the solar year (Lichun boundary); a man's 5 becomes 2 and a woman's 5 becomes 8. The four favorable directions were checked against a published Eight Mansions table. The 2027 flying stars place the 9 Purple star in the center, in the Lo Shu flight order, checked against a published 2027 chart.
合婚Compatibility
Zodiac pair scores follow fixed rules: clash 1.5, six harmony 5 (4.5 with a punishment), trine 5, harm 2 (1.5 with a punishment), punishment 2.5, same sign 4 (3.5 for self-punishing branches), otherwise by the fixed elements of the two branches. The full compatibility report reads both birth charts.
来源Sources
- Jean Meeus, Astronomical Algorithms (sun position and Julian Day Number)
- Hong Kong Observatory Gregorian–lunar calendar conversion tables (Chinese New Year dates)
- Classical BaZi concepts as set out in widely used texts such as Zi Ping Zhen Quan and Di Tian Sui (Day Master, Ten Gods, strength, luck cycles)
- Traditional Tong Shu (Chinese almanac) rules for the Twelve Officers and Yellow Path deities
- Eight Mansions (Ba Zhai) feng shui for Kua numbers; Xuan Kong flying stars for the annual chart
When we use a published table (for example a feng shui direction table or an almanac entry), we check it against at least two independent sources before publishing, and leave out anything we cannot confirm.
原则Editorial policy
- Same rules for everyone. Ratings and texts follow the rules above; we never adjust a reading to sell something.
- No guarantees. We do not promise outcomes, offer “cures” for sale, or give medical, legal, financial or psychological advice.
- Honest about what we are. An independent site, not a lineage master; no invented credentials, reviews or sales figures.
- Dates and updates. Each page shows when it was last changed; yearly pages are updated before each new Chinese year.
- Corrections. Email [email protected]; confirmed errors are fixed and the page date is updated.
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Who writes Four Pillars?
Four Pillars is an independent website run by Liu Bin. Pages are written and checked with the help of software tools, following the rules on this page. We do not claim titles such as master or grandmaster.
Are the readings scientific?
No. BaZi, the Chinese almanac and feng shui are cultural traditions. We calculate them carefully and explain the rules, but readings are for entertainment and self-reflection, not predictions or advice.
How do I report a mistake?
Email [email protected] with the page address and what looks wrong. We check against the rules and sources on this page, correct confirmed errors, and update the page date.