The Day Master: The Character That Is You

Why is the Day Master "you"?

Of the eight characters of a saju, the top character of the birth day is called the Day Master (일간, 日干), and this character is taken to be you. The other seven characters are all read in relation to the Day Master. The same character can be a friend, or wealth, or pressure, depending on what the Day Master is.

The ten Day Masters

One Day Master cannot describe a whole person. Even the same Day Master looks very different depending on the season of birth and the surrounding characters. Traditional readings treat a candle in midwinter and a candle in midsummer differently. Halmeoni reflects this difference in the strength calculation through gaining the season (득령), that is, whether the birth month backs the Day Master, and does not calculate the seasonal temperature adjustment (조후) separately.

How to read the descriptions of each Day Master

Below, the ten Day Masters are looked at one by one. The traits are only common tendencies drawn from old images, not a promise that a Day Master is always like that. So next to each trait there are also facts that are fixed by calculation: which months of birth give the help of the season, which stem it combines with and which it clashes with, and which energies help when it is on the strong side and when it is on the weak side.

The help of the season (득령) is received when the main energy inside the month branch (월지), the lower character of the birth month, is the same element as the Day Master or generates it. Even within one season, the four season-change months 辰 (jin), 未 (mi), 戌 (sul) and 丑 (chuk) have earth as their main energy, so the result splits. Months change at the solar terms, not on the 1st of the solar calendar month (the month branch becomes the 寅 month at Ipchun (입춘), about 4 February, and moves on one month at a time after that), so the solar-calendar periods given below are rough dates that shift by a day or two each year. The exact solar-term dates are covered in "The 24 Solar Terms and the Month Pillar: The Day the Month Changes". The Prosperity position (녹) is the branch where the Day Master stands on its own strength, and if the month branch is the Prosperity position, the structure (격국) becomes the Prosperity structure (건록격).

As the table shows, yang Day Masters combine with Direct Wealth and yin Day Masters with Direct Officer. 戊 (mu) and 己 (gi) have no stem that clashes with them. The helpful energy is not set by the Day Master character alone. Old books are full of images that name the character each Day Master needs, such as "a big tree becomes timber when it is shaped with metal", but Halmeoni first calculates from the whole chart whether the Day Master is strong or weak, and then decides. This is only one method, balancing by strength (억부), and some schools look first at the balance of the seasons (조후). If the Day Master is on the strong side, it picks Output (식상), Wealth (재성) and Officer (관성), which let the strength go outward; if it is on the weak side, it picks Resource (인성) and Companions (비겁), which add strength; and if it is balanced (중화), none is set. The "helpful energies" in the descriptions below translate this rule into elements.

甲 갑 (Yang Wood): a tall tree growing straight

Yang Wood is likened to a big tree stretching straight up. It is seen as pressing steadily in a direction once chosen and as not shrinking from standing at the front of a group. Just as a big tree does not grow overnight, its strength is read as showing best in things built up over time. On the other hand, it finds bending hard, so in a place where pride is at stake it can seem to lack flexibility.

Born in a 亥, 子, 寅 or 卯 month (roughly early November to early January, and early February to early April, in the solar calendar), it gains the season. Even in winter, the 丑 month around January is left out because earth is its centre. The Prosperity position is 寅 and the Blade (양인) is 卯. Among the stems it combines with 己 (gi), which for Yang Wood is Direct Wealth, standing for steady household management. It clashes with 庚 (gyeong), which is the Seven Killings that presses on Yang Wood. The helpful energies are fire (Output), earth (Wealth) and metal (Officer) if it is strong, and water (Resource) and wood (Companions) if it is weak.

乙 을 (Yin Wood): grass and vines that bend but do not break

Yin Wood is likened to grass and vines that bend in the wind but do not break. Its strength is counted as adaptability: changing shape to suit the surroundings and finding a way among people. It is seen as soft on the surface but with a perseverance that does not easily let go of what it has taken hold of. However, because it is so attentive to those around it, it may put off decisions, or be misunderstood because it does not say everything it thinks.

The months that give the season's help are the same as for Yang Wood: 亥, 子, 寅 and 卯. The Prosperity position is 卯, and since Halmeoni places the Blade only on yang stems, Yin Wood has no Blade. It combines with 庚 (gyeong), which for Yin Wood is Direct Officer, read as joining hands with the energy of rules and work. It clashes with 辛 (sin), which is the Seven Killings. The helpful energies are the same as for Yang Wood: fire, earth and metal if it is strong, and water and wood if it is weak.

丙 병 (Yang Fire): the bright sun

Yang Fire is likened to the sun in the sky. It is bright and has little to hide, and its strength is the power of expression that makes the place where it stands bright. It has great power to begin, and tends to draw people. As quickly as the heat rises, finishing and fine-grained management easily get pushed back, and the frankness of saying at once what it wants to say can land hard on the other person.

Born in a 寅, 卯, 巳 or 午 month (roughly early February to early April, and early May to early July, in the solar calendar), it gains the season. The 辰 month between them (roughly early April to early May) is left out because earth is its centre. The Prosperity position is 巳 and the Blade is 午. It combines with 辛 (sin), which for Yang Fire is Direct Wealth. It clashes with 壬 (im), which is the Seven Killings. The helpful energies are earth (Output), metal (Wealth) and water (Officer) if it is strong, and wood (Resource) and fire (Companions) if it is weak.

丁 정 (Yin Fire): a lamp that lights what is near

Yin Fire is likened to a candle or lamp that lights what is near in the dark. Rather than lighting everyone like the sun, it is seen as pouring its heart for a long time into one person or one task. Its consideration is delicate and it has a sharp eye for the mood. However, because it keeps its thoughts warming inside for a long time, worries can build up, or hurt feelings can be shown late.

The months that give the season's help are the same as for Yang Fire: 寅, 卯, 巳 and 午. The Prosperity position is 午, and there is no Blade. It combines with 壬 (im), which for Yin Fire is Direct Officer. It clashes with 癸 (gye), which is the Seven Killings. The helpful energies are the same as for Yang Fire: earth, metal and water if it is strong, and wood and fire if it is weak.

戊 무 (Yang Earth): a dependable big mountain

Yang Earth is likened to a big mountain or a wide hill. Its strength is counted as a dependability that does not shake easily and that holds many people. It gives trust more by keeping its place than by words. However, its movements are heavy, so it may react slowly to change, or be called stuffy because it does not show what is inside.

Born in a 丑, 辰, 巳, 午, 未 or 戌 month, it gains the season. In addition to the four season-change months, the 巳 and 午 months (roughly early May to early July in the solar calendar), whose main energy is fire, also generate earth. The Prosperity position is 巳 and the Blade is 午. It combines with 癸 (gye), which for Yang Earth is Direct Wealth. There is no stem that clashes with it. The helpful energies are metal (Output), water (Wealth) and wood (Officer) if it is strong, and fire (Resource) and earth (Companions) if it is weak.

己 기 (Yin Earth): fields that raise grain

Yin Earth is likened to fields that raise grain. It is seen as a practical and meticulous energy that raises what it receives and returns it as a harvest. It is strong at caring for people and looking after the household, and its practical judgement is quick. On the other hand, because it takes in so many circumstances, its thoughts multiply and looking after its own share is easily put off.

The months that give the season's help are the same as for Yang Earth: 丑, 辰, 巳, 午, 未 and 戌. The Prosperity position is 午, and there is no Blade. It combines with 甲 (gap), which for Yin Earth is Direct Officer. Like Yang Earth, no stem clashes with it. The helpful energies are the same as for Yang Earth: metal, water and wood if it is strong, and fire and earth if it is weak.

庚 경 (Yang Metal): firm rock and raw iron

Yang Metal is likened to rock or raw iron before it is shaped. Its strengths are the decisiveness to push on with what it believes is right and the loyalty to keep a bond once made. It hesitates little in finishing or cutting things off. However, its words and manner are firm, so they easily come across rougher than intended, and it may find it hard to change a judgement once made.

Born in a 丑, 辰, 未, 申, 酉 or 戌 month, it gains the season. These are the 申 and 酉 months of autumn (roughly early August to early October in the solar calendar), and the four season-change months, whose centre is the earth that generates metal. The Prosperity position is 申 and the Blade is 酉. It combines with 乙 (eul), which for Yang Metal is Direct Wealth. It clashes with 甲 (gap), which is Indirect Wealth. The helpful energies are water (Output), wood (Wealth) and fire (Officer) if it is strong, and earth (Resource) and metal (Companions) if it is weak. The example chart in "What Is Saju?" is a Yang Metal born in a 申 month, so the month branch is the Prosperity position and the structure is calculated as the Prosperity structure.

辛 신 (Yin Metal): a sparkling jewel and a blade

Yin Metal is likened to a well-polished jewel or a keen-edged blade. Its senses are sharp and it likes things neat, and it is seen as strong at raising the finish of what it makes. It has clear standards of its own and values appearances. For the same reason, even small words may weigh on it, or it may find it hard to bear what falls short of its standards.

The months that give the season's help are the same as for Yang Metal: 丑, 辰, 未, 申, 酉 and 戌. The Prosperity position is 酉, and there is no Blade. It combines with 丙 (byeong), which for Yin Metal is Direct Officer. It clashes with 乙 (eul), which is Indirect Wealth. The helpful energies are the same as for Yang Metal: water, wood and fire if it is strong, and earth and metal if it is weak.

壬 임 (Yang Water): the wide sea and great rivers

Yang Water is likened to the wide sea and great rivers. Its strengths are a broad range of thought, seeing the big picture, and a drive that flows around an obstacle when blocked. It likes freedom from ties and takes in new things quickly. However, because its interests are broad, it finds it hard to stay long in one place, and plans may only grow bigger while the finishing comes late.

Born in a 申, 酉, 亥 or 子 month (roughly early August to early October, and early November to early January, in the solar calendar), it gains the season. These are the winter months, whose centre is water, and the autumn months, whose centre is the metal that generates water. The Prosperity position is 亥 and the Blade is 子. It combines with 丁 (jeong), which for Yang Water is Direct Wealth. It clashes with 丙 (byeong), which is Indirect Wealth. The helpful energies are wood (Output), fire (Wealth) and earth (Officer) if it is strong, and metal (Resource) and water (Companions) if it is weak.

癸 계 (Yin Water): rain and dew that wet the ground

Yin Water is likened to rain and dew that wet the ground. Its strengths are counted as the intuition and delicacy to seep in unseen and read people and situations. It tends to help quietly and build lasting relationships. On the other hand, it often keeps thoughts and feelings inside, so it may let worries grow alone, or its ups and downs of mood may not show to others.

The months that give the season's help are the same as for Yang Water: 申, 酉, 亥 and 子. The Prosperity position is 子, and there is no Blade. It combines with 戊 (mu), which for Yin Water is Direct Officer. It clashes with 丁 (jeong), which is Indirect Wealth. The helpful energies are the same as for Yang Water: wood, fire and earth if it is strong, and metal and water if it is weak.

The descriptions of traits are not meant to sort people into types but to give you a thread for looking at yourself. In an actual reading, Halmeoni looks at the strength, the structure, the distribution of the elements and the relations with other characters together with the Day Master.