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Chinese Metaphysics · BaZi 八字

Master the Art of BaZi the Way the Sages Intended.

No fluff. No superstition. The classical method of the Four Pillars of Destiny, taught in plain English — from the five elements and the daymaster through the ten gods and the Ten-Year Elemental Phases (大运), to a full chart read end to end.

17 modules90 lessonsLifetime access

  • Read any chart in front of you: its structure, its useful god, its strength, and the decade it is living through.
  • Reason from the classics rather than memorised keywords — every rule is shown with the logic behind it.
  • Apply it to a real life: career, wealth, relationships and the year ahead, with a template you keep.
Enrol — $1,688.00 USDSee the curriculum

Self-paced and online · Lifetime access, updated as the course grows · Payment plan available at checkout

An illustrated scholar at a lamplit desk, drawing a BaZi chart on a scroll beside an armillary sphere, a full moon at the window
A BaZi chart: the four pillars and their Ten GodsThe natal chart of the course's example — the year pillar 己亥, the month pillar 丁卯, the day pillar 丙辰 and the hour pillar 丁酉 — each with its Heavenly Stem, its Earthly Branch, its Ten God and the stems hidden inside the branch, and below them the first four Ten-Year Elemental Phases: 丙寅, 乙丑, 甲子 and 癸亥.四柱 · The Four Pillars日主 丙 · Yang FireYear年柱傷官己亥壬七殺甲偏印Month月柱劫財丁卯乙正印Day日柱日主丙辰戊食神乙正印癸正官Hour時柱劫財丁酉辛正財天干地支藏干大運 · Ten-Year Elemental Phasesfrom age 44丙寅14乙丑24甲子34癸亥
The four pillars with their Ten Gods, and the Ten-Year Elemental Phases beneath them — the chart every lesson in this masterclass teaches you to read.

The System

What is BaZi? Four Pillars of Destiny

BaZi 八字 — "eight characters" — reads a life from the moment it began. The year, month, day and hour you were born each become a pillar: a Heavenly Stem above an Earthly Branch, eight characters in all. The day you were born is you — the daymaster — and every other character is read as what feeds it, drains it, supports it or fights it.

  • Four pillars, eight characters, and one daymaster at the centre of them.
  • The Ten Gods name what each of the others is to you — resource, output, wealth, officer, companion.
  • The Ten-Year Elemental Phases (大運) set the decade; the chart shows what you do with it.

The Problem

Annual zodiac forecasts are not BaZi.

You do not read a chart from the Year Branch alone. That throws away most of the chart — the daymaster, the ten gods, the structure, the ten-year phase. If last Chinese New Year's forecast could have been written for a hundred million people, it was never about you.

  • One branch is not a chart

    The Year Branch is one character of eight. The other seven decide whether it helps you or works against you.

  • No ten-year phase

    The Luck Pillars (大运) set the decade. A year means little without the phase it lands in.

  • Keywords, not method

    A list of traits for your animal sign is not analysis. It is a horoscope column in older packaging.

  • Nobody shows the work

    “Trust me, I am the master” cannot be checked, learned or reproduced. It is not a method.

Curriculum Overview

What You'll Learn

A complete journey from ancient philosophy to living, breathing chart analysis — the way BaZi was always meant to be taught.

  • Foundation

    Yin Yang & The Five Elements

    陰陽 · 五行

    • How the ancient Chinese perceived the cosmos
    • The unity of Heaven & Humanity (天人合一)
    • Yin & Yang through the lens of the Four Seasons
    • Why the polarity of an element truly matters

  • Module 2

    The 10 Heavenly Stems

    十天干

    • Characteristics of all 5 Yang & 5 Yin Stems
    • Relationships & combinations between Stems
    • How Stems form the core "day" of your chart

  • Module 3

    The 12 Earthly Branches

    十二地支

    • Hidden Stems inside each Branch
    • Cardinal, Growth, and Tomb Branches explained
    • Combinations, Clashes, Punishments, Harms & Breaks

  • Module 4

    The 60 Pillars & Nà Yīn

    六十甲子 · 纳音

    • How Stems + Branches combine into the 60 Pillars
    • The concept of "Elemental Sound" (纳音)

  • Module 5

    The 10 Gods

    十神

    • Officer, Resource, Companion, Output & Wealth Gods
    • What each God reveals about personality & fate
    • The people each God represents in your life (六亲)

  • Module 6

    Fundamentals of BaZi Analysis

    八字分析基础

    • The concept of Balance (中和为贵)
    • Identifying the "Useful God" (用神) — the cornerstone of every reading
    • Auspicious & inauspicious chart structures
    • Special charts & when general rules don't apply

  • Module 7

    The Analytical Framework

    分析框架

    • 5-phase system from chart calculation to life narrative
    • Assessing chart strength & constitution
    • Timing destiny through Luck Pillars (大运)

  • Module 8

    Advanced Theory

    进阶理论

    • Symbolic Correspondence thinking (取象思维)
    • The 12 Qi Phases (十二长生) & their significance
    • Void Emptiness (空亡) and its applications
    • Interpreting Annual & Elemental Luck Phases

  • Module 9

    Auxiliary Stars

    神煞

    • What Auxiliary Stars reveal beyond the main chart
    • Major auspicious deities (神) & calamity stars (煞)
    • How to layer 神煞 into a live reading

  • Modules 10 – 11

    Your First Full Chart Reading

    初次完整分析

    • Applying the full framework step by step
    • Case study: pitfalls of superficial analysis
    • Battle-tested techniques — Climate Control, Tomb vs Storage, Guest vs Host

  • Module 12

    Techniques & Case Studies

    技法与案例

    • Analysing relationships, career, wealth & business potential
    • Real charts broken down by Daymaster type
    • A reusable template for structured readings

  • Module 13

    Reading Your Own Destiny

    解读自己的命盘

    • Deciphering your own chart with confidence
    • Translating knowledge into lived self-awareness
    • Where to go next on your BaZi journey

The curriculum

17 modules · 90 lessons · 9 free preview lessons

  1. Welcome Message & Important Notices4 lessonsFree preview
    1. [IMPT] Chinese New Year 2026 MessageFree preview
    2. A Message To New StudentsFree preview
    3. An Important Reminder: Ethics and Responsibility On BaZiFree preview
    4. Some Rules For This School & Online CoursesFree preview
  2. Let's Get Started: Overview of What You'll Learn5 lessonsFree preview
    1. History & Philosophy - Why It Matters, A LotFree preview
    2. Yin Yang & The 5 ElementsFree preview
    3. Heavenly Stems & Earthly BranchesFree preview
    4. The 10 Gods In BaZI (十神)Free preview
    5. No Need To Feel Pressured! Are You Ready?Free preview
  3. Module 1: Yin Yang & The 5 Elements7 lessons
    1. Understanding How The Chinese Viewed The Universe
    2. The Unity of Heaven & Humanity (天人合一)
    3. The Concept Of Yin & Yang: Part 1
    4. The Concept Of Yin & Yang: Part 2
    5. Appreciating Yin & Yang via The Four Seasons
    6. The 5 Elements: An Introduction
    7. Does The Yin And Yang Of An Element Really Matter?
  4. Module 2: The 10 Heavenly Stems4 lessons
    1. The 10 Heavenly Stems (十天干)
    2. The 5 Yang Stems
    3. The 5 Yin Stems
    4. Relationship & Combinations Between 10 Heavenly Stems - A Snapshot
  5. Module 3: The 12 Earthly Branches8 lessons
    1. What Are The 12 Earthly Branches?
    2. Hidden Stems Within The 12 Branches
    3. The Four Cardinal Branches
    4. The Four Growth Branches (四生)
    5. The Four Tombs (四墓)
    6. The Complete Picture & Extra Tips
    7. Relationship Between The 12 Earthly Branches - Combinations (合), Clashes (冲), Punishment (刑), Sabotage (害), Break (破)
    8. What Do You Know About The Branches?
  6. Module 4: Bringing The Heavenly Stems and Earthly Branches Together2 lessons
    1. Heavenly Stems + Your Earthly Branches = 60 Pillars
    2. Nà Yīn (纳音) - "Elemental Sound" or "Melodic Element"
  7. Module 5: The 10 Gods In BaZi (十神)8 lessons
    1. Understanding The Formula Behind Plotting The BaZi Chart - Plotting The 10 'Gods'
    2. Officer 'Gods' - Direct Officer (正官) & Indirect Officer/7-Killings (偏官/七殺)
    3. Resource 'Gods' - Direct Resource (正印) & Indirect Resource (偏印/枭神)
    4. Companion 'Gods' - Companion (比肩) & Rob Wealth (劫财)
    5. Output 'Gods' - Hurting Officer (伤官) & Eating God (食神)
    6. Wealth 'Gods' - Direct Wealth (正财) & Indirect Wealth (偏财)
    7. The People Represented By The 10 'Gods' (六亲)
    8. Pick The Correct 'God'
  8. Module 6: Fundamentals Of BaZi (八字) Analysis13 lessons
    1. The Concept Of Balance In All Things (中和为贵)
    2. The "Useful God" (用神): Get This Wrong And All Fails
    3. The Different Types of 用神
    4. Connecting to the Root - 通根
    5. Chart Structure (格局)
    6. Auspicious Structures (Oooh, lucky AF aren't you?)
    7. Inauspicious Structures (Get Saved or Get F***ed)
    8. Special Cases - When General Rules Of Thumb Doesn't Apply
    9. Understanding The Different Parts Of A BaZi Chart - Part 1
    10. Understanding The Different Parts Of A BaZi Chart - Part 2
    11. What BaZi (八字) Can And Cannot Do
    12. Pick The 通根 Stem!
    13. Pick The Right 用神
  9. Module 7: The Framework For Analyzing A Chart6 lessons
    1. Phase 1: Laying the Foundation - Chart Calculation & Core Components
    2. Phase 2: Assessing the "Body" - Strength & Constitution
    3. Phase 3: Diagnosis & Prescription - Finding Favorable Elements
    4. Phase 4: The Art of Synthesis - Reading the Chart's Story
    5. Phase 5: Timing the Destiny - The Luck Pillars
    6. Summary: The Analytical Mindset
  10. Module 8: Advance Theory8 lessons
    1. 取象思维方式 - 'Symbolic Correspondence'
    2. Knowing What Brings Out The Best In Each Element
    3. The 12 'Qi' Phases (十二长生) & It's Significance
    4. Void Emptiness (空亡)
    5. How To Interpret The Elemental Phases (大运) - Part 1
    6. How To Interpret The Elemental Phases (大运) - Part 2
    7. How To Analyse Annual Phases (流年运)
    8. Pick The Right 空亡 Position!
  11. Module 9: Auxiliary Stars (神煞)5 lessons
    1. What are 神煞 or Auxiliary Stars?
    2. Major Auspicious 神 (Deities)
    3. Major Inauspicious 煞 (Calamities/Killers)
    4. How to Apply 神煞 in Practice
    5. Guess What This Person Is Like!
  12. Module 10: Prepping For Your First Chart Analysis3 lessons
    1. Remember The Framework
    2. Case Study - A Superficial Analysis Done By Beginners
    3. Comment On Your Own Chart
  13. Module 11: Secrets & Battle-Tested Techniques4 lessons
    1. Climate Control First? Or balance?
    2. Analyse this chart and tell me what you think.
    3. Tomb vs. Storage - A Critical Difference
    4. Guest vs. Host (主客)
  14. Module 12: Techniques & Case Studies10 lessons
    1. Techniques For The Different Aspects of Life
    2. Case Studies By Daymaster
      1. Yang Wood 甲
      2. Yang Metal 庚
      3. Yin Metal 辛
      4. Yin Water 癸
      5. Yang Water 壬
    3. Cases By Aspect Of Life
      1. Marriage & Relationships
      2. Career & Wealth
      3. Are You Suitable For Business?
    4. Template For Analysis
  15. Module 13: OK, You Learned A Lot of Things. Now What?1 lesson
    1. Deciphering Your Own Chart
  16. Quizzes!1 lesson
    1. Analyse this chart
  17. Survey & Feedback1 lesson
    1. Survey

What's included

  • 90 lessons in 17 modules
  • Lifetime access
  • Online, at your own pace
  • Payment plan: 3 monthly payments, then it stops automatically.
Sean Chan, arms crossed and smiling, leaning against a stone pillar beside a shophouse's red lacquered windows

Your Instructor

Hi, I'm Sean.

I have practised Chinese metaphysics professionally for over fifteen years, and BaZi is where I began. My work is not to hand you a reading and leave you dependent on it — it is to teach you the mechanics well enough to read a chart yourself, and to check my reasoning while you learn.

That is why every rule in this masterclass comes with its logic, its classical source and its failure cases. I do not sell charms, I do not upsell tiers, and I do not tell clients what they want to hear.

“The purpose of a chart is not to tell you what will happen. It is to show you where you are standing, and what you can still do about it.”
  • Practitioner since 2010
  • BaZi, Zi Wei Dou Shu, Qi Men Dun Jia and Feng Shui
  • Featured in Harper's Bazaar, Channel NewsAsia and The Straits Times
Read my story

The Way

What Sets Us Apart

義 · Our values

  • Autonomy — a strategy so you do not need a master forever.
  • Scholar's rigour — every claim tested against historical precedent, not modern opinion.
  • Feudal classics — the curriculum built faithfully from the original Chinese texts.
  • Radical transparency — the why and the how behind every insight, fully explained.
  • Exceptional value — one price, everything included, no hidden tiers.

忌 · The industry norm

  • Zodiac forecasting scams, designed to keep you coming back every year.
  • Certification mills — "practitioners" certified in three days, teaching the week after.
  • Watered-down courses — "New Age" interpretations that are unreliable and misleading.
  • No logic explained — "trust me", with zero accountability.
  • Expensive & Shallow — tiered courses that cost five times more and deliver far less.
  • 10,000+professional readings
  • 15years of practice

As featured in

  • CNA
  • South China Morning Post
  • Harper's Bazaar
  • Lianhe Zaobao
  • Rice Media
  • T Singapore, The New York Times Style Magazine
  • Our Grandfather Story
  • HeyKaki
  • ZULA

Have questions?

Frequently Asked Questions

  • Who is this course for?

    Beginners and intermediate learners alike. Whether you are entirely new to BaZi or already have some foundations, this masterclass takes you to the point where you can analyse a chart — your own included — and say something true about it.

    If you have tried studying BaZi on your own, or from another course, you will find this one moves faster and explains more.

  • Do I need any prior knowledge of Chinese metaphysics?

    None. The masterclass starts at the five elements and the ten stems, and every term is introduced in English with its Chinese alongside. No knowledge of the Chinese language is needed.

  • What will I be able to do at the end?

    Plot and read a chart: its structure, its strength, its useful god, and the Ten-Year Elemental Phases (大运) that time it. You will be able to work through a meaningful forecast of your own chart, predict events, and point out your direction of growth — applied to career, wealth, relationships and health.

  • What makes this different from other BaZi courses?

    I am a battle-tested practitioner with over fifteen years of live consultations, and I have spent that time arguing against the parts of this industry that benefit from staying unregulated. This curriculum is built from the classical texts, and every rule is shown with the reasoning that makes it true — so you can check it, and eventually argue with it.

  • Where is the course held?

    Online, on this academy, entirely self-paced. It works in any browser on your phone, tablet or computer, with no app to install.

  • Will I have lifetime access?

    Yes — lifetime access to the whole masterclass, including the lessons and modules I add to it afterwards. In the extremely unlikely event that the school has to close, you will be told well in advance.

Enrolment

Everything You Need. One Price.

No tiers, no upsells, no inner circle. One payment for the whole masterclass — every module, every lesson, and every update I add to it afterwards.

  • The complete curriculum, beginner through intermediate
  • Lifetime access, with the curriculum updated as it grows
  • A payment plan, if you would rather spread it

BaZi「八字」Masterclass

17 modules · 90 lessons · lifetime access

  • Pay in full$1,688.00 USD one-time payment
  • 3 monthly payments$638.00 USD every month for 3 months
Enrol now

Secure checkout · Self-paced · Questions before you enrol? Message me on Instagram @masterSeanChan