What Is Chart Structure?
Chart Structure (Ge Ju /) is the core system in Bazi destiny analysis for classifying and evaluating chart types. Based on the Ten Gods (Shi Shen) corresponding to the Hidden Stems within the Month Command that appear in the Heavenly Stems, a chart is assigned to a specific "structure" (Ge), and the direction of the Useful God is determined according to that structure's favorable and unfavorable elements. The Chart Structure is the "skeleton" of the destiny — when the structure is pure and potent, the chart owner's life direction is clear and focused; when the structure is mixed or damaged, life tends to be fraught with setbacks.
The Three Major Categories of Chart Structure
| Category | Characteristics | Common Structures |
|---|---|---|
| Standard Structure | Month Command reveals ordinary Ten Gods; Day Master has root and qi | Output God, Direct Officer, Seven Killings, etc. (eight types) |
| Special Structure | Chart is unusual; cannot be classified as Standard | Specialized Prosperity, Following, Vapor Transformation |
Standard Structures (Eight Structures)
The structure is determined by the Ten God corresponding to the Hidden Stem within the Month Command that appears in the Heavenly Stems (excluding Peer / Bi Jian and Rival / Jie Cai), making eight Standard Structures in total. The principle for determining the structure is: if Seven Killings is present, address it first; only when no Seven Killings is present should other structures be considered. The fundamental principle for judging favorable and unfavorable gods in Standard Structures is: "When the Day Master is strong, use restraining and draining; when the Day Master is weak, use nourishing and supporting."
Special Structures
Special Structures are chart structure types outside the Standard Structures, applicable when the Five Elements in the chart are extremely polarized:
- Specialized Prosperity Structure (Zhuan Wang Ge): The Day Master is extremely strong, cannot be classified as a Standard Structure, and instead uses the prosperous element itself as the Useful God. Includes Bending & Straightening (Wood), Flaming Upward (Fire), Sowing & Reaping (Earth), Following & Transforming (Metal), and Moistening Downward (Water).
- Following Structure (Cong Ge): The Day Master is extremely weak and rootless, completely following the strongest Five Element in the chart. Includes Following Wealth, Following Authority, Following Output, and Following Power.
- Vapor Transformation Structure (Hua Qi Ge): A Five Union (Wu He) of Heavenly Stems is formed and the transformation is pure, with the transformed element as the ruling force.
Chart Structure and the Useful God
Only after determining the Chart Structure can one identify the Useful God (Yong Shen) — the Useful God is a product of the Chart Structure system. For Standard Structures, the Useful God is primarily based on supporting-and-suppressing (supporting the weak and suppressing the strong). For Special Structures, the Useful God follows the principle of going with the flow (following the prosperous momentum). Using the wrong Useful God leads to entirely misguided analysis.
For detailed favorable/unfavorable conditions and structure-qualifying criteria for each structure type, please refer to the individual structure entries.