What Are the Six Relations?
The Six Relations (Liu Qinrefer to the six categories of kin most closely connected to the chart-holder: parents, siblings, spouse, children, as well as paternal and maternal grandparents. In BaZi destiny analysis, the Six Relations are assessed through two methods: the Palace Position Method (Gong Wei Fa, examining each pillar's Earthly Branch) and the Ten Gods Method (Shi Shen Fa, examining the Ten Gods relationships of the Stems and Branches).
The Palace Position Method: The Four Pillars and the Six Relations
| Pillar | Palace Position Symbolism |
|---|---|
| Year Pillar | Ancestors, natal family foundation |
| Month Pillar | Parents, siblings |
| Day Pillar | The Day Master (Ri Yuan; spouse (Day Branch is the Spouse Palace) |
| Hour Pillar | Children, later life |
The Ten Gods Method: The Six Relations' Five Element Correspondence
With the Day Master as the center, each relation is defined through the Five Elements' generating and controlling relationships:
| Relation | Corresponding Ten Gods (relative to Day Master) |
|---|---|
| Father | Indirect Wealth / Pian Cai (, most schools); Direct Wealth / Zheng Cai (, some schools) |
| Mother | Direct Seal / Zheng Yin (; Indirect Seal / Pian Yin, may also apply) |
| Siblings | Peer (Bi Jian, Rival (Jie Cai |
| Spouse (female) | Direct Officer / Zheng Guan (, for Yin Day Masters); Seven Killings / Qi Sha (, for Yang Day Masters) |
| Spouse (male) | Direct Wealth / Zheng Cai (, for Yin Day Masters); Indirect Wealth / Pian Cai (, for Yang Day Masters) |
| Children (male chart) | Output God / Shi Shen (, for daughters); Hurting Officer / Shang Guan (, for sons); or Seven Killings / Direct Officer |
| Children (female chart) | Output God / Shi Shen (, for daughters); Hurting Officer / Shang Guan (, for sons) |
Note: Different schools have slightly different correspondences between the Six Relations and the Ten Gods; the above represents the more mainstream classification.
Methods of Six Relations Analysis
- Examine the Ten Gods of the Palace Position's Stems and Branches: For example, determine which Ten God the Stem and Branch of the Day Branch (Spouse Palace) correspond to, in order to infer the spouse's personality and Five Element attributes.
- Assess the Strength of that Ten God: If the Ten God representing a particular relation is strong, that relation exerts significant influence in the chart-holder's life; if the Ten God is weak or under control, that relation may be distant or the relationship may face obstacles.
- Integrate Luck Cycles and Annual Luck: When the Ten God representing a particular relation is activated (by union, clash, generation, or control) during a Luck Cycle (Da Yunor Annual Luck (Liu Nian, this often corresponds to changes involving that relation during that period.