Luck & annual pillars
Annual Pillar (流年) in BaZi
Each year has its own stem-branch pillar. In BaZi it changes at 立春 (around February 4), not on January 1 and not at the lunar new year.
Luck pillars (大运) and annual pillars (流年) are the timing layer of BaZi. The natal chart describes the structure; these pillars describe which elements and Ten Gods are emphasised in each period of life.
01
Finding the year pillar
The calculator shows the annual pillar for any year you pick, with the exact 立春 instant that starts it.
02
Ten God of the year
As with luck pillars, read the year stem as a Ten God relative to the Day Master.
03
Interaction with natal pillars
The calculator lists combinations and clashes between the year and your natal pillars — for example a year branch clashing the day branch.
04
Layering
Natal chart → luck pillar (10 years) → annual pillar (1 year). Each layer is read in the context of the one above.
05
Months
Some readers go further to monthly pillars; this site focuses on the year level.
06
Worked example
The example chart below (1990-05-18 09:30, clock time, Asia/Shanghai, female option) is computed live. In the calculator, the same input lists the luck direction, the starting age in years-months-days and every ten-year pillar with its Ten God.
| Year | Month | Day | Hour |
|---|---|---|---|
Direct Resource 正印庚gēngMetal午wǔFire Hidden stems
| Indirect Resource 偏印辛xīnMetal巳sìFire Hidden stems
| Day Master癸guǐWater未wèiEarth Hidden stems
| Indirect Wealth 偏财丁dīngFire巳sìFire Hidden stems
|
Charts on this site use the published rule set: true solar time by default, the year changes at 立春 (Start of Spring), months change at the 12 节 solar terms and the day changes at 23:00. Example charts below are computed live by the same engine.
BaZi is a traditional cultural system. This page explains how the symbols are defined and read; it does not make scientific claims or predictions about your health, money or relationships.
07
What each Ten God brings in a period
When a luck or annual stem arrives, read it as a Ten God relative to your Day Master. The themes below are traditional associations used as a starting point, always weighed against balance.
- 比Friend (比肩)self, peers, independence and equal partners
- 劫Rob Wealth (劫财)drive, rivalry, boldness and shared risk
- 食Eating God (食神)expression, enjoyment, output and gentle creativity
- 伤Hurting Officer (伤官)bold expression, talent, critique and breaking convention
- 偏Indirect Wealth (偏财)opportunity, flexible income, trade and social reach
- 正Direct Wealth (正财)earned income, budgeting, diligence and commitments
- 七Seven Killings (七杀)pressure, challenge, discipline under stress and decisive authority
- 正Direct Officer (正官)structure, rules, reputation and responsibility
- 偏Indirect Resource (偏印)unconventional learning, intuition, specialist skills and solitude
- 正Direct Resource (正印)support, learning, credentials, care received
08
Key terms
| Term | Meaning |
|---|---|
| Luck pillar 大运 | ten-year pillar derived from the month pillar |
| Annual pillar 流年 | the pillar of a calendar year, changing at 立春 |
| 起运 starting age | age at which the first luck pillar begins |
| 交运 transition | the date one luck pillar hands over to the next |
| 顺/逆 direction | forward or backward stepping through the 60-cycle |
| 节 solar term | the 12 terms that start BaZi months and set luck timing |
| 岁运并临 | the annual pillar repeats the current luck pillar exactly, doubling its theme |
| 伏吟 / 反吟 | a period pillar identical to, or fully clashing with, a natal pillar |
These terms describe structure, not outcomes. A repeated or clashing pillar marks a period worth examining closely; what it means depends on whether the elements involved help or hurt the balance of the natal chart, which is why every reading starts from the Day Master and the month branch.
09
Practising with annual pillar (流年) in bazi
The fastest way to understand annual pillar (流年) in bazi is to look at real charts rather than memorise rules. Enter a birth date, time and city in the BaZi Calculator, then locate where annual pillar (流年) in bazi appears: in a visible stem, hidden inside a branch, in the current luck pillar or in this year's annual pillar. Note the position, because the year pillar is usually read as background and early life, the month pillar as environment and career setting, the day pillar as the self and close partner, and the hour pillar as later life and output.
- Compare two or three charts where annual pillar (流年) in bazi is prominent and two where it is absent; write down what differs in the overall balance.
- Check the month branch first: seasonal strength changes how much any factor matters.
- Use the hidden-stems and Ten Gods tables in the calculator output instead of guessing.
- Treat single factors as clues, never as verdicts; classical texts always weigh the whole chart.
- Write the luck pillar and annual pillar beside the natal chart and mark every combination or clash they form with the four natal branches.
- Re-check results around transition dates and the 立春 boundary, where off-by-one errors are most common.
Different schools describe annual pillar (流年) in bazi with slightly different emphasis. This site follows widely used conventions (solar-term months, true solar time optional, Zi hour setting configurable) and states them openly so you can compare results with a book or another calculator.
10
Checklist
- Confirm birth time precision; luck timing is sensitive near solar terms.
- Read the natal chart first: Day Master, season, balance.
- Find the current luck pillar and its Ten God.
- Check relations between luck, year and natal branches.
- Treat the result as a framework for reflection.
Related topics: starting age, direction, reading a pillar, annual pillar, transitions, interactions. The luck pillar calculator computes all of them for your chart.
FAQ