About The Four Pillars of Destiny
About The Four Pillars of Destiny
The Four Pillars of Destiny—referred to as simply “Four Pillars”—is one of several traditional
forms of astrology still practiced in China today. It’s estimated to be at least 5,000 years
old (some experts date it as originating 7,000 or even 10,000 years ago). Four Pillars aims
to help us better understand ourselves as physical, emotional, and spiritual beings as well
as to explain for the "why" and "how" of our interaction among people and the environment in
relation to how our destiny unfolds.

Extensive Feng Shui compass
Four Pillars is a fruit born of the same tree as the likes of Feng Shui (風水) and Zhi Wei Dou
Shu (紫微斗數), incorporating the elements of many other ancient Chinese institutional
forms—including Taoism (道教). It is said that the practice of Four Pillars astrology began
long ago in the Xia (夏) dynasty around 2200 to 1700 B.C.E. The first concrete recordings of
it appear in the Song (宋) dynasty from 960 A.D. onward, when the first comprehensive
astrological system had materialized and the first theories of the Four Pillars was written
down by Xu Zi-Ping (徐子平), called the “Yuan Hai Zi Ping (渊海子平)”—now commonly referred to
as “the eight characters” (八字) or Four Pillars of Destiny.
Ba Gua Hexagrams
The Cardinal Directions

Wu Xing: The Five Phases
Four Pillars categorizes the elements of the universe into phases called the Wu Xing
(五行): Fire, Earth, Metal, Water and Wood. These five elements interact with one-another
in a dynamic way—with creation and destruction; invasion and rebellion; and with bold
vigor and subtle gentleness.
For example fire burns into ashes which collect to form earth, earth compacts into dense
solids which in turn compress into metal, metal disperses under its own weight and melts
into water, water flows from being liquid and so nourishes wood, wood grows so it spreads
out to feed fire, and so the creation-destruction cycle continues both literally and
figuratively.
The Ba Gua

Energetic transference of the Five Phases
Furthermore fire melts metal yet is extinguished by water, earth traps water yet is
vulnerable to wood, metal chops wood yet is melted by fire, water extinguishes fire
yet is entrapped by earth, and wood invades earth yet is cut down by metal. This is
an example of the overcoming cycle.
The characteristics of these elements are applied to absolutely every facet of this
reality; they are evident in every interaction and account of the natural world, our own
personality, our relationships with family and friends, our health, our abilities, our
visions, our dreams, and our path.
The lunar cycle
Four Pillars categorizes the elements of the universe into phases called the Wu Xing (五行):
Fire, Earth, Metal, Water and Wood. These five elements interact with one-another in a
dynamic way—with creation and destruction; invasion and rebellion; and with bold vigor and
subtle gentleness.

Wu Xing: The Five Phases
For example fire burns into ashes which collect to form earth, earth compacts into dense
solids which in turn compress into metal, metal disperses under its own weight and melts
into water, water flows from being liquid and so nourishes wood, wood grows so it spreads
out to feed fire, and so the creation-destruction cycle continues both literally and
figuratively.
The Ba Gua
Furthermore fire melts metal yet is extinguished by water, earth traps water yet is
vulnerable to wood, metal chops wood yet is melted by fire, water extinguishes fire yet
is entrapped by earth, and wood invades earth yet is cut down by metal. This is an example
of the overcoming cycle.

Energetic transference of the Five Phases
The characteristics of these elements are applied to absolutely every facet of this reality;
they are evident in every interaction and account of the natural world, our own personality,
our relationships with family and friends, our health, our abilities, our visions, our
dreams, and our path.
The lunar cycle
Yin and Yang is another concept unique to ancient Chinese convention. Absolutely everything in
the universe is either one, the other, or a combination of both simultaneously. Yin is
represented by femininity, coldness, calmness, moisture, and darkness—to name a few—while
Yang is represented by masculinity, warmth, excitement, dryness, and brightness.
Four Pillars astrology uses the elements, the Yin and Yang, and its impressive analects of
time division on a fundamentally integral level. Because of this it provides a remarkably
detailed, accurate, and meaningful deliverance on your life.
We look forward to crossing paths with you soon.
Explore My Astrology