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Qi-stage and xun-void methodology

How to Calculate Life Stages and Void in Bazi

Calculate the Twelve Life Stages and six xun voids, then read pillar, timing, filling, clash, and combination rules without literal predictions.

Editorially reviewed:

Overview

The Twelve Life Stages map each Heavenly Stem to a branch-relative qi position, while Void identifies the two branches absent from a ten-pair xun. Both are deterministic lookups once the stem, Jiazi, direction convention, and table are fixed; neither produces a standalone strength score or event verdict.

At a glance

Catalog
Bazi Life-Stage and Void Methods
Catalog entries
12 reference entries
Reading role
This category covers stage definition and calculation, forward and reverse traversal, Four-Pillar placement, strength and timing boundaries, void definition, six-xun calculation, filling, clashing, combining, and common errors.
Evidence standard
A defensible claim records the reference stem or Jiazi, branch, direction rule, table version, pillar, natal or timed layer, direct contact, school-specific condition, counterevidence, and the conclusion that would change if an input changes.
Interpretive boundary
Stage names such as Death or Embryo are not literal medical, mortality, fertility, or pregnancy findings. Void does not mean a person or matter disappears, and filling, clash, or combination does not automatically cancel it or guarantee an event.

Explore concepts

What the Bazi Life-Stage and Void Methods catalog covers

This category covers stage definition and calculation, forward and reverse traversal, Four-Pillar placement, strength and timing boundaries, void definition, six-xun calculation, filling, clashing, combining, and common errors.

This hub organizes 12 indexed topics under one editorial model so definitions, derivations, interpretation order, and limits remain consistent across the catalog.

  • Begin with the definition before using an interpretive keyword.
  • Keep the named concept connected to stems, branches, season, placement, and the complete chart.

How to use the topic index

Every Bazi Life-Stage and Void Methods entry preserves its workbook name and Chinese term, then places it inside a smaller conceptual group for easier comparison.

Use neighboring entries to compare similar rules, but verify each page independently because a shared family name does not make two concepts interchangeable.

  • Search by English title, simplified term, traditional term, or a common alias.
  • Follow related concepts when a rule depends on another part of the Bazi system.

A disciplined reading sequence

Fix the chart and source convention, calculate the exact stage or xun pair, preserve pillar and time layer, then compare direct stems, branches, season, roots, relations, and counterevidence before interpreting the auxiliary label.

Record the observed chart facts first, then state the rule being applied, and only afterward form a bounded interpretation. This separates calculation from judgment.

  • Confirm the input, lookup anchor, and chart position before interpreting.
  • Check whether season, strength, combinations, and timing support or weaken the proposed reading.

Evidence, school differences, and limits

A defensible claim records the reference stem or Jiazi, branch, direction rule, table version, pillar, natal or timed layer, direct contact, school-specific condition, counterevidence, and the conclusion that would change if an input changes.

Stage names such as Death or Embryo are not literal medical, mortality, fertility, or pregnancy findings. Void does not mean a person or matter disappears, and filling, clash, or combination does not automatically cancel it or guarantee an event.

  • Treat named rules as evidence with a stated scope, not as automatic life-event predictions.
  • When traditions differ, identify the convention instead of blending incompatible thresholds.

Sources and editorial basis

  1. 《御定星曆考原》卷一
    A historical source for stem and branch Yin-Yang, Five Phase, direction, seasonal, and calendrical correspondences.
  2. 《三命通會》 (Sanming Tonghui)
    A historical compilation covering stems and branches, Ten Gods, Nayin, Shen Sha, and multiple classical pattern systems.
  3. 《五行大義》 (Essential Meanings of the Five Phases)
    A systematic historical synthesis of Five Phases correspondences and relationships.
  4. OpenFate Editorial Methodology
    OpenFate separates deterministic chart calculation, traditional interpretation, and modern editorial explanation.

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