How Many Types of Bazi Destiny Patterns Are There? What Are the Common Bazi Structures?

In Bazi numerology, "destiny pattern" (命格) and "structure" (格局) are two concepts that are both related and distinct.

I. Types of Bazi Destiny Patterns: From Broad to Detailed

From the broadest perspective, the types of Bazi destiny patterns are infinite. This is because they are based on the combinations of Heavenly Stems and Earthly Branches in the four pillars of year, month, day, and hour, resulting in a theoretical total of 518,400 permutations (though considering practical circumstances and certain special combinations, the actually viable ones are fewer). Each combination represents a unique life energy field, thus, from this viewpoint, everyone's destiny pattern is unique.

However, for ease of analysis and understanding, numerology categorizes these infinite combinations into several broad classes and specific structures, which can mainly be divided into two major types:

1. Ordinary Structures (or Regular Structures): This refers to situations where the energy state of the Day Master (the Heavenly Stem of the birth day, representing the person themselves) is relatively balanced (strong, weak, robust, frail), or even if unbalanced, a point of equilibrium can be found through the generation, restriction, control, and transformation of the Five Elements. Additionally, there is a clear corresponding relationship with the Ten Gods (Friend, Rob Wealth, Eating God, Hurting Officer, Direct Wealth, Indirect Wealth, Direct Officer, Seven Killings, Direct Resource, Indirect Resource) revealed in the Monthly Branch (the Earthly Branch of the birth month). These structures are the most common and numerous in Bazi numerology.

2. Special Structures (or Transformative Structures / Irregular Structures): When the Five Element energy distribution in a Bazi chart is extremely imbalanced, the Day Master may be unable to independently carry out its mission, or a particular Five Element energy may become so overwhelmingly strong that it forms a specialized trend. In such cases, special structures are formed. The judgment and analysis methods for these structures differ from ordinary structures, requiring adherence to special principles.

   • From Patterns: The Day Master is extremely weak, lacking roots and energy, and must completely submit to the strongest Five Element force in the Bazi chart.
     • From Wealth Pattern: The Day Master lacks roots and support, and the wealth star (财星) is extremely strong in the Bazi chart; the Day Master follows wealth.
     • From Official/Seven Killings Pattern: The Day Master lacks roots and support, and the official/seven killings stars (官杀) are extremely strong in the Bazi chart; the Day Master follows official/seven killings.
     • From Child Pattern (From Eating God/Hurting Officer Pattern): The Day Master lacks roots and support, and the eating god/hurting officer stars (食伤) are extremely strong in the Bazi chart; the Day Master follows eating god/hurting officer.
     • From Prosperity Pattern: The Day Master is extremely strong, and the friend/rob wealth (比劫) and resource stars (印星) are extremely strong in the Bazi chart; the Day Master follows the trend of friend/rob wealth and resource stars.
   • Exclusive Prosperous Patterns: The Day Master is extremely strong and prosperous, and only one or two Five Elements (either of the same type as the Day Master or generating the Day Master) dominate the Bazi chart, with other Five Elements being almost absent or extremely weak.
     • Bending and Straight Benevolent Longevity Pattern (Wood): The Bazi chart has strong Wood, and the Day Master is Wood.
     • Flaming Upward Pattern (Fire): The Bazi chart has strong Fire, and the Day Master is Fire.
     • Sowing and Reaping Pattern (Earth): The Bazi chart has strong Earth, and the Day Master is Earth.
     • Transformation Pattern (Metal): The Bazi chart has strong Metal, and the Day Master is Metal.
     • Flowing Downward Pattern (Water): The Bazi chart has strong Water, and the Day Master is Water.
   • Transformation Patterns: The Heavenly Stem of the Day Master successfully combines and transforms with one of the Monthly or Hourly Heavenly Stems, changing the Five Element nature of the Day Master.
     • Jia-Ji Transforms to Earth Pattern
     • Yi-Geng Transforms to Metal Pattern
     • Bing-Xin Transforms to Water Pattern
     • Ding-Ren Transforms to Wood Pattern
     • Wu-Gui Transforms to Fire Pattern
   • Two-Element Formation Patterns (Two-Deity Formation Patterns): In the Bazi chart, only two Five Element forces are very powerful, mutually generating or confronting each other, forming a state of opposition yet balance.
   • One-Element Dominant Pattern (Pure Dominant Pattern): In the Bazi chart, a single Five Element is uniquely prosperous and pure, almost occupying the energy of all Earthly Branches or Heavenly Stems.
   • Other Special Structures: Such as Gong Lu Pattern (Arching Prosperity), Gong Gui Pattern (Arching Nobility), Jin Shen Pattern (Golden Deity), Kui Gang Pattern, Dao Shi Pattern (Indirect Resource Robbing Eating God), Fei Tian Lu Ma Pattern (Flying Heaven Prosperity Horse), etc. These are special judgment rules formed based on specific Heavenly Stem-Earthly Branch combinations or Five Element generation and restriction relationships.

II. Common Bazi Structures

"Structure" (格局) is the core of destiny analysis, mainly determined by the corresponding relationship between the Monthly Branch (月支) and the Day Master (日干), combined with the influence of other Heavenly Stems and Earthly Branches. Common Bazi structures are mainly divided into "Regular Structures" and "Special Structures."

A. Regular Structures (Ordinary Structures)

The determination of Regular Structures typically prioritizes the revealing of the main qi, middle qi, or residual qi hidden within the Monthly Branch to the Heavenly Stems. If the main qi of the Monthly Branch is revealed in a Heavenly Stem, that Ten God defines the structure. If the main qi is not revealed, then check if the middle qi or residual qi is revealed. If no qi from the Monthly Branch is revealed in the Heavenly Stems, then the main qi of the Monthly Branch determines the structure.

1. Direct Officer Pattern:

   • Formation: The main qi of the Monthly Branch is Direct Officer, or a hidden Heavenly Stem in the Monthly Branch reveals Direct Officer, and Direct Officer is a favorable god in the Bazi chart.
   • Characteristics: Indicates a person who is upright, law-abiding, responsible, values reputation, and possesses managerial talent, but can sometimes be overly reserved or conservative.
   • Auspicious/Inauspicious: Favors wealth generating officer, and resource protecting officer; disfavors hurting officer encountering officer (breaking the pattern) and mixed officer and seven killings.

2. Indirect Officer Pattern (Seven Killings Pattern):

   • Formation: The main qi of the Monthly Branch is Indirect Officer, or a hidden Heavenly Stem in the Monthly Branch reveals Indirect Officer.
   • Characteristics: Indicates a person with courage, decisiveness, active drive, and leadership ability, but can be impetuous and impulsive, possessing authority and pioneering spirit.
   • Auspicious/Inauspicious: Favors eating god subduing killings, resource transforming killings, and Yang Ren combining with killings; disfavors a weak Day Master with strong and unsubdued killings (prone to disaster), and excessively strong and unsubdued killings.

3. Direct Wealth Pattern:

   • Formation: The main qi of the Monthly Branch is Direct Wealth, or a hidden Heavenly Stem in the Monthly Branch reveals Direct Wealth.
   • Characteristics: Indicates a person who is diligent and frugal, practical, good at managing finances, steady and grounded, with a sense of responsibility towards family. However, can sometimes be overly stingy or lack foresight.
   • Auspicious/Inauspicious: Favors eating god/hurting officer generating wealth, and friend/rob wealth protecting wealth (if Day Master is weak); disfavors friend/rob wealth snatching wealth (if Day Master is strong).

4. Indirect Wealth Pattern:

   • Formation: The main qi of the Monthly Branch is Indirect Wealth, or a hidden Heavenly Stem in the Monthly Branch reveals Indirect Wealth.
   • Characteristics: Indicates a person who is generous, has a wide social network, possesses business acumen, dares to take risks, and easily gains unexpected or large sums of wealth. However, can sometimes be prone to extravagance.
   • Auspicious/Inauspicious: Favors eating god/hurting officer generating wealth, and friend/rob wealth assisting wealth (if Day Master is weak); disfavors resource star subduing wealth (if Day Master is strong).

5. Direct Resource Pattern:

   • Formation: The main qi of the Monthly Branch is Direct Resource, or a hidden Heavenly Stem in the Monthly Branch reveals Direct Resource.
   • Characteristics: Indicates a person who is kind and benevolent, learned, wise, values reputation, often receives help from benefactors, and possesses good fortune. However, can sometimes be overly reliant or lack independence.
   • Auspicious/Inauspicious: Favors officer/seven killings generating resource; disfavors wealth star damaging resource (breaking the pattern) and excessively strong and unsubdued resource stars.

6. Indirect Resource Pattern (Owl God Pattern):

   • Formation: The main qi of the Monthly Branch is Indirect Resource, or a hidden Heavenly Stem in the Monthly Branch reveals Indirect Resource.
   • Characteristics: Indicates a person with unique thinking, creativity, strong comprehension, a fondness for research, and an interest in metaphysics or unconventional knowledge. However, can sometimes be suspicious, lonely, or poor at socializing; if "Owl God Robbing Eating God" occurs, there will be calamity.
   • Auspicious/Inauspicious: Favors wealth star subduing owl, and eating god expressing talent; disfavors eating god encountering owl (robbing eating god).

7. Eating God Pattern:

   • Formation: The main qi of the Monthly Branch is Eating God, or a hidden Heavenly Stem in the Monthly Branch reveals Eating God.
   • Characteristics: Indicates a person who is gentle and kind, generous, enjoys abundant blessings and prosperity, is content with what they have, versatile, and values enjoyment.
   • Auspicious/Inauspicious: Favors generating wealth and subduing killings; disfavors indirect resource robbing eating god, and excessively strong eating god (prone to laziness).

8. Hurting Officer Pattern:

   • Formation: The main qi of the Monthly Branch is Hurting Officer, or a hidden Heavenly Stem in the Monthly Branch reveals Hurting Officer.
   • Characteristics: Indicates a person who is intelligent and clever, highly talented, creative, rebellious and uninhibited, loves to show off, and dares to challenge authority. However, can sometimes be arrogant due to talent, speak harshly, or be undisciplined.
   • Auspicious/Inauspicious: Favors generating wealth, wearing resource (Hurting Officer with Resource), and Hurting Officer dominating killings; disfavors hurting officer encountering officer (breaking the pattern) and unsubdued hurting officer.

9. Establishment of Prosperity Pattern (Friend Star Pattern):

   • Formation: The Day Master's sitting branch or the Monthly Branch is the Day Master's 'Lu' (prosperity) location, meaning the Monthly Branch is the 'Lin Guan' (official's position) location for the Day Master.
   • Characteristics: The Day Master is self-prosperous, possesses an independent personality, strong autonomy, and good health. It needs to be combined with other Heavenly Stems and Earthly Branches to see if there are favorable gods like wealth, officer, or resource.
   • Auspicious/Inauspicious: Favors officer/seven killings subduing the self, wealth star consuming the self, and eating god/hurting officer expressing talent; disfavors excessively strong and unsubdued friend/rob wealth (snatching wealth).

10. Yang Ren Pattern (Rob Wealth Star Pattern):

    • Formation: The Monthly Branch is the Day Master's Yang Ren.
    • Characteristics: The Day Master is extremely strong, possesses a fierce temperament, courage, and daring, but can also be impulsive and combative. Yang Ren with killings indicates authority, while unsubdued Yang Ren is prone to disaster.
    • Auspicious/Inauspicious: Favors officer/seven killings subduing Yang Ren, and eating god/hurting officer expressing talent; disfavors unsubdued and unexpressed Yang Ren, which is prone to harm and injury.

B. Special Structures (Transformative Structures)

The judgment of special structures is more complex and stringent than regular structures; it is better to consider them as ordinary structures than to lightly classify them as special structures. Once determined as a special structure, its favorable gods and auspicious/inauspicious judgments often differ significantly from ordinary structures.

1. From Patterns (e.g., From Wealth, From Official/Seven Killings, From Child, From Prosperity, as mentioned previously):

   • Characteristics: The Day Master lacks roots and support, completely submitting to the strongest Five Element in the Bazi chart. Following it brings prosperity, opposing it brings demise. Favorable gods are that particular Five Element and those that generate it; disfavors elements that restrict that Five Element, and also disfavors elements that support the Day Master.

2. Exclusive Prosperous Patterns (e.g., Bending and Straight, Flaming Upward, Sowing and Reaping, Transformation, Flowing Downward, as mentioned previously):

   • Characteristics: The Day Master is extremely strong and specialized; only one or two Five Elements (the Day Master itself and those that generate it) are uniquely powerful in the Bazi chart. Favorable gods are that extremely strong Five Element and those that generate it; disfavors elements that restrict that Five Element.

3. Transformation Patterns (e.g., Jia-Ji Transforms to Earth, Yi-Geng Transforms to Metal, as mentioned previously):

   • Characteristics: The Day Master successfully combines and transforms, completely changing the Five Element nature of the Day Master. Favorable gods are the Five Element formed by the transformation and those that generate it; disfavors elements that restrict the transformed qi and elements that impede the combination and transformation.

4. Two-Element Formation Patterns (Two-Deity Formation Patterns):

   • Characteristics: In the Bazi chart, only two Five Element forces are balanced and prosperous, mutually non-invasive. Favorable gods are these two Five Elements, and the elements that generate them; disfavors elements that disrupt this balance.

5. Other Special Structures:

   • Kui Gang Pattern: Possessing the Kui Gang star in the chart, indicates a strong personality, intelligence, decisiveness, and leadership ability, but is prone to disputes.
   • Jin Shen Pattern (Golden Deity): Possessing the Jin Shen star in the chart, indicates a resolute personality and prestige, but is prone to inviting disputes.
   • Gong Lu/Gong Gui Patterns (Arching Prosperity/Nobility): The Four Pillars do not explicitly contain the 'Lu' (prosperity) or 'Gui Ren' (noble person) positions, but through the combination of Earthly Branches, they implicitly 'arch out' these positions, indicating hidden enjoyment of blessings.

Summary

The types of Bazi destiny patterns are numerous, and their core lies in the comprehensive judgment of the Day Master's strength and weakness, and the balance and flow of the Five Elements. Whether it's a regular structure or a special structure, dynamic analysis must be combined with the changes in the Grand Cycle (大运) and Annual Flow (流年) to derive accurate predictions regarding fortune and misfortune, career and wealth, marriage and family, etc. The classification of structures is to simplify analysis, but the true depth lies in grasping the overall momentum of the Bazi chart and the relationships of Five Element generation, restriction, control, and transformation. Therefore, determining the structure is only the first step in Bazi analysis; more importantly, the accurate identification of "Favorable Gods" and "Unfavorable Gods" is the key to determining the trajectory of one's destiny.