01
Start with birth details
The Gregorian birth date is required. A selected birthplace supplies coordinates and an IANA timezone. Birth time is optional; when it is absent, the hour pillar is omitted instead of being guessed.
Method · 方法
How Ming Path calculates your reading
Ming Path uses a deterministic calculation. The same valid inputs produce the same chart, element balance, and Day Master every time.
The reading is designed for self-reflection and cultural exploration. It is not professional medical, legal, financial, or mental-health advice.
02
Resolve historical civil time
The IANA timezone provides the historical UTC offset, including daylight saving time when it applied. Repeated clock times require an earlier-or-later choice; nonexistent clock times are rejected.
03
Derive true solar time
When both birthplace and birth time are available, longitude and the equation of time adjust the recorded civil time to local apparent solar time. The original and corrected values are kept in the calculation record.
04
Build the Four Pillars
A calendar library converts the resulting date and time into the year, month, day, and optional hour pillars used by the fixed calculation.
05
Map stems to the Five Elements
The Heavenly Stems and the hidden stems returned for each pillar are mapped to Wood, Fire, Earth, Metal, or Water and counted.
06
Normalize the balance
The counts become a Ming Path element balance, rounded and adjusted to total 100%. This is an internal comparison, not a universal BaZi score. The highest count becomes the dominant element; the lowest becomes the element to nourish.
What the chart means
Day Master, season, and focus
The Day Master comes from the Heavenly Stem of the day pillar. Its element and yin-yang quality anchor the report's interpretation.
The month branch is compared with the Day Master to record whether the Day Master is supported by the seasonal element or by the generating cycle.
Your selected question changes the focus lens of the written interpretation; it does not change the calculated pillars or Ming Path element balance.
Current scope
Limits are stated plainly
For readings with a resolved birthplace and birth time, Ming Path uses its coordinates, IANA timezone, historical UTC offset including daylight saving time, and longitude plus the equation of time to derive true solar time before calculating the pillars.
If birth time is absent, the hour pillar is omitted and time correction is skipped. Repeated daylight saving time entries require an earlier-or-later choice; nonexistent local times are rejected instead of guessed.
Every new corrected reading records method version ming-path-bazi-v2.0.0. Existing saved report snapshots stay unchanged rather than being silently recalculated.
The element percentages are an internal balance derived from the counted stems in this implementation. They are not a universal score shared by every BaZi school.
Transparent method