This can often be very confusing. One practitioner tells you that you belong to the element metal while another tells you that you are fire. Who is right?

Well, both of them are likely to be right. How can this be?

The principle of the Five Elements is pervasive in the Chinese studies. It is used in Feng Shui, Chinese Astrology, Qi-Gong, Face Reading etc.

There are many systems of Chinese Astrology, the more popular ones being BaZi and Zi Wei Dou Shu. Both systems make use of the Five Elements but in a different way.

In BaZi the heavenly stem of the day is known as the day master. In a Ba Zi analysis, this day master is referenced against the remains year, month and hour pillar as well as with the decade pillars and hidden stems to reveal a persons destiny and life path.

In Zi Wei Dou Shu there is an element that is the Na Yin (melodic element) of the stems and branch combination of the Fate or Self court. The main use of this element is to determine the start year of your decade luck for example from 2-11 years, 3-12 years, 4-13 years etc.

Then there is the element of the year of your birth. Let’s take an example of someone born in 1969 or Ji You year. Since stem Ji belongs to the earth element while ‘You’ is associated with the animal sign Rooster this person is said be an Earth Rooster.

As you can see from the above a person personal element can be earth based on the year of birth, have a fire element day master in BaZi and a water element Na Yin element in Zi Wei.

You should not be surprise if another practitioner tells you that you belong to another element. He could be using a different system.

So do not worry too much about elements. It is only means to achieving the final objective which is a highly accurate destiny and life path analysis!