Chart Pattern: The Skeleton of a Chart
In a Nutshell
Chart Pattern is the method for reading a chart's "skeleton": look at what Ten God the Month branch reveals, then give the chart its "surname" — surnamed Officer, Wealth, or Seal.
MoZhu Wiki · Level: Intermediate · Category: Chart Pattern
lang: en
中文版 Chinese version: 格局入门：先看命局的骨架
See also: The Ten Gods · Hidden Stems · The Useful God
Quick facts
| Item | Detail |
|---|---|
| Deciding factor | The Month branch (the "monthly commander") — it carries the most weight |
| Method | See which of the Month branch's Hidden Stems shows through to the surface |
| Standard structures | 8 (Officer, Killings, Seals ×2, Wealth ×2, Output ×2) + Jian Lu + Sheep Blade |
| Special structures | Following structures, transforming-qi structures |
| What it's for | Sets the direction for choosing the Useful God |
Fixing the structure: the Month branch rules
The Month branch is the chart's "monthly commander," carrying the largest share of energy. To fix the structure, look at which of its Hidden Stems shows through to the visible stems:
| Month branch reveals | Structure name |
|---|---|
| Direct Officer | Direct Officer Structure |
| Seven Killings | Seven Killings Structure |
| Direct Seal | Direct Seal Structure |
| Indirect Seal | Indirect Seal Structure |
| Direct Wealth | Direct Wealth Structure |
| Indirect Wealth | Indirect Wealth Structure |
| Eating God | Eating God Structure |
| Hurting Officer | Hurting Officer Structure |
| Friend Star (the Month branch itself is a Friend Star) | Jian Lu ("Established Salary") Structure |
| Rob Wealth (the Month branch itself is Rob Wealth) | Sheep Blade Structure |
Example: a Jia Wood Day Master born in a You month — You hides Xin Metal, and Xin showing through is Direct Officer: a Direct Officer Structure. A Jia born in a Mao month — Mao is itself Rob Wealth: a Sheep Blade Structure.
Beyond the standard structures: special cases
- Following structures: the chart leans so far one way — the Day Master isolated and helpless, or overwhelmingly strong — that you don't push or suppress; you go with the flow. There are "follow the strong" and "follow the weak" (follow Wealth, follow Killings, follow the Output — i.e., follow Eating God / Hurting Officer) variants.
- Transforming-qi structures: the five stem combinations successfully transform — e.g., Jia–Ji transforming to Earth, Yi–Geng transforming to Metal — and the reading changes accordingly.
Learn the names at the beginner level; the fine print is intermediate material.
What structure is for
- It sets the direction for choosing the Useful God: different structures call for different approaches (see The Useful God). Structure is the "skeleton"; the Useful God is the "prescription." Fix the skeleton first, and the prescription has a direction.
- It reads the structure's "purity": a pure, unmixed, unbroken structure is traditionally called a "clear structure" — a plus, but only one dimension of the analysis.
A reminder
Schools disagree quite a bit on structure theory; this wiki presents the standard beginner framework. And one honest word: structure is an analytical tool, not a caste system — a "low" structure doesn't mean an unsuccessful life. Between structure and achievement lie the Luck Pillars, the years, and your own choices.
MoZhu tip
Fixing the structure takes four words to remember: "month reveals stem." Look at the Month branch, then see which of its Hidden Stems appears among the visible stems — and the structure is mostly settled. Try it on your own chart once; nothing teaches faster.
Classical sources
Chart Pattern (ge ju) theory is documented across classical BaZi literature, including Zi Ping Zhen Quan ("True Interpretation of Zi Ping").
*For entertainment purposes only.*