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Also known as Eight Characters or Ba Zi, the Four Pillars of Destiny is a profound system of fortune telling. In true fact, it is the translation of the four components of a person's birth data (year, month, day and hour) each into a pair of Chinese characters, each pair referred as a 'pillar'. Restructured by Xu Zi Ping, this fortune telling technique is based on the principle of the five elements, as well as meteorology and astronomy. It is believed that at the time of birth, the positions of the different planets of the solar system create a strong influence on a person's life.

The study of the four pillars is no witchcraft. It is merely a way of reading the interaction of these magnetic forces using codes and methods. By interpreting these codes and methods correctly, one could easily calculate the ups and downs of a person. This is the traditional art of fortune telling.

The Four Pillars of Destiny uses heavenly stems and earthly branches to record a birth data. There are ten heavenly stems and twelve earthly branches.

A pillar consists of 2 Chinese characters, placed on top of each other. The top one is known as the Heavenly Stem and the bottom one, the Earthly Branch and these 8 Chinese characters, result in 4 pillars.

Many people know what their Chinese animal sign (Chinese Horoscope) are, depending on the year they were born in. For example, if you were born in 2002, you will probably know that you are born in the Year of the Horse.

Some will know that 2002 is the year of the Water Horse, and this is what is known as a pillar. The Horse represents the Earthly Branch, while the Water, represents the Heavenly Stem and together, they make the Year Pillar for 2002. An example of a set of Four Pillars erected on 7 June 2002, 12 pm: