Climate balance: the climate element

In Four Pillars of Destiny (BaZi), climate balance means choosing the element that settles a chart’s cold, warmth, dryness or damp. That element, the climate element (调候用神), follows from the Day Master’s element and the birth month. The books weigh it alongside the structure taken from the month, not in place of it.

The previous lesson found which way a chart’s climate leans. The Chinese name of the climate element uses “useful element” in the sense Commentary on the True Interpretation of Ziping (子平真诠评注; ROC, 1936) gives it: the element chosen to balance the chart. The lesson on roles in the chart sets the two senses of the word side by side.

Climate and structure together

The True Interpretation of Ziping (子平真诠; Qing dynasty, 18th century) puts it this way:

论命惟以月令用神为主，然亦须配气候而互参之。

Our translation: In judging a chart, the useful element of the month branch comes first; yet it must also be matched with the climate, and the two weighed together.

A chart is judged first by the structure taken from the month, with the climate weighed alongside. The book compares this to a hero: born at the right time, a hero achieves twice as much with half the effort; born out of time, even great ability finds success hard. A structural pivot is the same: it works fully only with a fitting climate.

The True Interpretation of Ziping · On Weighing the Useful Element Against the Climate

Commentary on the True Interpretation of Ziping sets climate beside support and restraint: in choosing the useful element, the climate must be weighed as well as support and restraint, and this is climate balance. Once strength is weighed and the elements the chart welcomes are known, look at the climate too. Among the book’s example charts, some first taken as another structure are looked at again by climate.

Commentary on the True Interpretation of Ziping · On Weighing the Useful Element Against the Climate

By Day Master and month

Climate balance looks at two things: the month sets which way the chart leans, and the Day Master’s element decides which element is taken to balance it. Dripping Heavenly Marrow Elucidated (滴天髓阐微; Qing dynasty, 19th century), on dry and damp, gives two examples: summer Wood needs Yang and Yin Water to generate it and the damp Earth of the Ox or Dragon to nurture it; winter Metal can use Yang and Yin Fire.

Dripping Heavenly Marrow Elucidated · Dry and Damp

The True Interpretation of Ziping gives its examples within particular structures:

The True Interpretation of Ziping · On Weighing the Useful Element Against the Climate; Commentary on the True Interpretation of Ziping · On Weighing the Useful Element Against the Climate

The same pairing reads differently in another season. Wood in spring meeting Fire is called Wood and Fire shining together; Wood in summer meeting Fire has too much Fire, and is not called so. Metal in autumn meeting Water is called Metal and Water nourishing each other; Metal in winter meeting Water is not called so either. The book says this is because energy rises and falls with the season, so the choice differs.

The True Interpretation of Ziping · On Weighing the Useful Element Against the Climate; Commentary on the True Interpretation of Ziping · On Weighing the Useful Element Against the Climate

A month-by-month table

The Precious Mirror of Adversity and Success (穷通宝鉴; Qing dynasty, 19th century) sets out the ten day stems month by month and lists the element taken in each month, often in order: a first choice, a second, and sometimes a helper. This order is the book’s own. This series uses the book as a supporting reference, to confirm points the other books already make, never as the sole ground for a conclusion. For a Yang Wood Day Master in the eleventh month, for example, the book takes Yin Fire first and Yang Metal second, with Yang Fire as a helper: winter Wood needs Fire, as The True Interpretation of Ziping says.

The Precious Mirror of Adversity and Success · General Discussion of Yang Wood

Months with more than one path

For some months, the book gives more than one choice. A Yang Fire Day Master in the tenth month takes Yang Metal when Wood is strong, Yang Earth when Water is strong, and Yang Water when Fire is strong. A Yin Wood Day Master in the eighth month takes Yin Water before the Autumn Equinox; after it, Yang Fire first, then Yin Water.

The Precious Mirror of Adversity and Success · General Discussion of Yang Fire; The Precious Mirror of Adversity and Success · General Discussion of Yin Wood

Within one month, the four pillars combine in different ways, so the choice divides. Dripping Heavenly Marrow Elucidated, on hard and soft, notes that an element chosen by month must be read together with the four pillars: Yang Metal born in the seventh month wants Yang Water, but if Wood and Fire already stand plainly in the chart and Yang Water does not, take the element from what the chart already shows. Commentary on the True Interpretation of Ziping likewise says that climate balance is arranged to fit each chart, with no fixed rule, except that a Metal Day Master with a Water Hurting Officer born in winter cannot do without Fire; what matters most is what the Day Master needs. So read a month-by-month table together with the whole chart: the table gives the direction, and the whole chart decides which element to take.

Dripping Heavenly Marrow Elucidated · Hard and Soft; Commentary on the True Interpretation of Ziping · On Weighing the Useful Element Against the Climate

Try it on your chart

1. Take the two results from the previous lesson: cold and warm, and dry and damp.
2. From the Day Master’s element and the month, write down the balance the chart needs: Fire to warm a cold chart, Water to moisten a warm one; dry for a damp chart, damp for a dry one. If the previous lesson found that the chart balances itself, note that climate balance is not pressing.
3. Compare with the table above: if your structure is among the book’s examples, follow what the book says.
4. Look up what The Precious Mirror of Adversity and Success takes first and second for your Day Master and month. For a month with more than one path, see which case your four pillars match.
5. Write the element climate balance calls for beside your structural pivot, and see whether they agree. Where they do not, follow the book’s weighing, as with a winter Metal Day Master with a Water Hurting Officer meeting the Officer.
6. If the chart lacks this element, note it, and keep it for the lesson on decade phases and your structure.

See also: Cold, warm, dry and damp

See also: Support or restrain: which elements your chart welcomes

See also: Chart structure starts from the month

See also: The Hurting Officer structure

See also: The Food Star structure

See also: Roles in the chart: useful element, enabler, ailment and remedy element (and bridging element)