The ten Day Masters
Your Day Master is the top character of the day pillar in a BaZi chart. Traditionally it stands for you, and everything else in the chart is read in relation to it. There are ten: five elements, each in a Yang and a Yin form.
You probably know your Chinese zodiac animal already. In a BaZi chart that animal is one character out of eight, and it belongs to the year you were born in. Your Day Master is the one that stands for you. Here is why both matter.
Find yours below. If you don't know it yet, the free card will tell you in about ten seconds.
Yang Wood Jiǎ
A tall tree
Yang Wood is the big tree in the yard. It grows straight up, it has deep roots, and it is not interested in being talked out of its shape. People find you dependable and a little stubborn, sometimes in the same afternoon.
What comes easy
- Starts things and stays with them.
- Fair, and expects fairness back.
- Gives shade to whoever is standing nearby.
What can be hard
Trees do not bend well. When plans change, a Yang Wood can dig in even when a small adjustment would be easier. Asking for help and taking real rest are the skills to practice.
If you want to lean on Water
On the card, Water is your supporting element, because Water feeds Wood in the five-element cycle. This is a first look, not necessarily what your whole chart favors. If you like the idea, try something blue, navy, or black where you spend time: a throw, a mug, a wall hanging. A glass of water on the desk counts too. North is its direction, so a desk that faces north is one way to try it. None of it is required.
Colors: Blue, Navy, Black. Direction: North.
Back to all tenYin Wood Yǐ
Vine and flowers
Yin Wood is the vine, the ivy, the flower that finds the one sunny crack in the wall. It looks soft and it is very hard to stop. You tend to read a room quickly and know which way to lean.
What comes easy
- Finds a way around instead of through.
- Easy company, and good at bringing people together.
- Patient with slow progress.
What can be hard
A vine needs something to climb. A Yin Wood can lean on the wrong person, or hold back a real opinion to keep the peace. Choosing your own trellis is the work.
If you want to lean on Water
On the card, Water is your supporting element, because Water feeds Wood in the five-element cycle. This is a first look, not necessarily what your whole chart favors. If you like the idea, try something blue, navy, or black where you spend time: a throw, a mug, a wall hanging. A glass of water on the desk counts too. North is its direction, so a desk that faces north is one way to try it. None of it is required.
Colors: Blue, Navy, Black. Direction: North.
Back to all tenYang Fire Bǐng
The sun
Yang Fire is the sun over the whole yard. Warm, generous, and visible from far away. You walk in and the room gets a little brighter, whether you meant it to or not.
What comes easy
- Openhanded with time, praise, and food.
- Optimistic when everyone else is stuck.
- Says what they think, and says it cheerfully.
What can be hard
The sun does not take days off, and a Yang Fire can run on empty while everyone warms their hands. Small, regular rest works better than one big vacation.
If you want to lean on Wood
On the card, Wood is your supporting element, because Wood feeds Fire in the five-element cycle. This is a first look, not necessarily what your whole chart favors. If you like the idea, try green plants, wooden furniture, and anything leafy in the room. East and southeast are its directions. A pothos on the windowsill is a fine start, as long as you can keep it alive. None of it is required.
Colors: Green, Teal. Direction: East, Southeast.
Back to all tenYin Fire Dīng
A candle flame
Yin Fire is a candle, a lamp, the stove on low. Small light, steady, lit for a reason. You notice detail and feel things closely, and you do your best thinking with one or two people instead of twenty.
What comes easy
- Warm and attentive one on one.
- A good eye for detail and taste.
- Keeps going quietly once committed.
What can be hard
A flame needs fuel and a little shelter from the wind. A Yin Fire can burn out carrying worries alone, or take a passing remark to heart. Steady fuel and a sheltered hour or two are the fix.
If you want to lean on Wood
On the card, Wood is your supporting element, because Wood feeds Fire in the five-element cycle. This is a first look, not necessarily what your whole chart favors. If you like the idea, try green plants, wooden furniture, and anything leafy in the room. East and southeast are its directions. A pothos on the windowsill is a fine start, as long as you can keep it alive. None of it is required.
Colors: Green, Teal. Direction: East, Southeast.
Back to all tenYang Earth Wù
A mountain
Yang Earth is the mountain behind the house. It has been there a long time and it will be there after the argument is over. People bring you their problems because you do not panic.
What comes easy
- Steady in a crisis.
- Keeps promises.
- Holds a group together without making a show of it.
What can be hard
Mountains do not like to move, even when moving would help. A Yang Earth can resist change and keep quiet about being tired. Saying "I need a hand" out loud is the practice.
If you want to lean on Fire
On the card, Fire is your supporting element, because Fire feeds Earth in the five-element cycle. This is a first look, not necessarily what your whole chart favors. If you like the idea, try warm light and warm colors: a lamp with a soft bulb, a red or orange cushion, a candle on the table. South is its direction. None of it is required.
Colors: Red, Orange, Purple. Direction: South.
Back to all tenYin Earth Jǐ
Garden soil
Yin Earth is garden soil: soft, dark, and full of things waiting to grow. You take in what is around you, and you make other people feel it is fine to still be a work in progress.
What comes easy
- Practical and good with details.
- Nurtures people and projects.
- Adapts to whatever a situation needs.
What can be hard
Soil soaks up everything, including other people's stress. A Yin Earth can worry a lot and put its own needs last. A clear "no" now and then keeps the garden in good shape.
If you want to lean on Fire
On the card, Fire is your supporting element, because Fire feeds Earth in the five-element cycle. This is a first look, not necessarily what your whole chart favors. If you like the idea, try warm light and warm colors: a lamp with a soft bulb, a red or orange cushion, a candle on the table. South is its direction. None of it is required.
Colors: Red, Orange, Purple. Direction: South.
Back to all tenYang Water Rén
The ocean
Yang Water is the ocean or a wide river. Big, moving, hard to hold in a small cup. You are curious about everything and restless when a plan sits still too long.
What comes easy
- Adaptable, and good with big ideas.
- Generous and open-minded.
- Connects people from different worlds.
What can be hard
A river without banks floods. A Yang Water can start too many things or drift. A few firm banks, like a schedule or a small routine, give all that movement a direction.
If you want to lean on Metal
On the card, Metal is your supporting element, because Metal feeds Water in the five-element cycle. This is a first look, not necessarily what your whole chart favors. If you like the idea, try metal and pale colors: a brass bowl, a white or gray table runner, clean silver hardware. West and northwest are its directions. A tidy, uncluttered shelf suits it. None of it is required.
Colors: White, Gray, Gold. Direction: West, Northwest.
Back to all tenYin Water Guǐ
Rain and dew
Yin Water is rain, mist, and morning dew. Gentle, quiet, and everywhere. You pick up on what people leave unsaid, and you often understand a situation before you can explain how.
What comes easy
- Intuitive and observant.
- Imaginative and thoughtful.
- Patient, and good at soaking in what matters.
What can be hard
Water in a small dish goes still and stale. A Yin Water can overthink and keep feelings inside. Talking it through with one trusted person, or writing it out, gets things moving again.
If you want to lean on Metal
On the card, Metal is your supporting element, because Metal feeds Water in the five-element cycle. This is a first look, not necessarily what your whole chart favors. If you like the idea, try metal and pale colors: a brass bowl, a white or gray table runner, clean silver hardware. West and northwest are its directions. A tidy, uncluttered shelf suits it. None of it is required.
Colors: White, Gray, Gold. Direction: West, Northwest.
Back to all tenQuestions people ask
Is this my full BaZi chart?
No. A full chart reads four pillars (year, month, day, hour) and the ten-year cycles that run through them. The card is the first step: it tells you which of the ten Day Masters is yours. It is a starting point, not a full reading.
I know my animal. Isn't that enough?
Your animal is a real part of the picture, but it is one character out of eight in a BaZi chart: the branch of your birth year. Your Day Master is a different character, the one that stands for you, and the rest of the chart is read in relation to it. Knowing both is fuller than knowing either alone. One catch: most BaZi readers change the year at Li Chun in early February, not at Lunar New Year, so if you were born in January or early February your BaZi animal may differ from the one you grew up with. Someone born February 9, 2021, for example, grew up a Rat (Lunar New Year that year was February 12) but is a BaZi Ox (Li Chun had already come on February 3). The card shows your BaZi animal, and says so.
What does "supporting element" mean?
In the five-element cycle, Water feeds Wood, Wood feeds Fire, Fire feeds Earth, Earth feeds Metal, and Metal feeds Water. The card shows the element that feeds yours, as a simple first look. A full chart weighs the season you were born in and the rest of the pillars, and it can find that this element helps you, that it doesn't, or that a different element matters more. Treat the card's answer as a starting point, not the final word.
Do I need my birth time?
Not for the card. Your Day Master comes from the day you were born. The one exception is a birth between 11 PM and midnight, where readers disagree about which day it counts for. The card asks you to choose in that case.
What do the colors and direction mean?
Traditional Feng Shui links each element with colors and compass directions. The ones on your card are traditionally linked with your supporting element. Wear the color if you like it. Skip it if you don't. Nothing bad happens either way.
Is it really free?
Yes. It is a gift. You don't have to buy anything, sign up for anything, or share it with anyone. If you like it and want to pass it on, the link is fengshui.mom. If you don't, that is fine.
What happens to my email?
Only what you choose. If you add your email, we send you one email with a copy of the card, and that is the only email we will send. There is no mailing list. Your birth date stays in your browser. The privacy page has the details.
Is this fortune telling or advice?
No. It is a traditional way of describing temperament and habits, offered for reflection. It doesn't predict anything, and it is not medical, legal, or financial advice.