BaZi Patterns Complete Guide: Zheng Ge, Zhuan Wang & Cong

What Are BaZi Patterns? The Structural Backbone of Chart Analysis

In Chinese metaphysics, the concept of Pattern (格局, ge ju) is the single most important framework for understanding a BaZi chart's fundamental character. A pattern is not a personality label or a fortune category — it is a structural diagnosis of how the elemental forces in your chart are organized, what role each element plays, and what kind of energetic dynamics will define your life trajectory.

The Qing dynasty master Shen Xiaozhan (沈孝瞻) opens Zi Ping Zhen Quan (子平真诠) with an unambiguous declaration: "The method of studying destiny takes the Month Branch as the guiding principle and Pattern classification as the governing framework." The Ming dynasty compendium San Ming Tong Hui (三命通会) puts it even more directly: "The Pattern is the skeleton of destiny; the Useful God is its marrow."

Pattern classification is determined primarily by the relationship between the Day Master (日主) — the Heavenly Stem of your birth day, representing you — and the dominant element of the Month Branch (月令). When the Hidden Stem (藏干) of the Month Branch appears in the Heavenly Stems of the chart (a condition called "revealing" or 透干), the Ten God relationship between that revealed element and the Day Master defines the pattern.

Patterns fall into four broad categories: the Eight Regular Patterns (正格, zheng ge), Following Patterns (从格, cong ge), Specialized Strength Patterns (专旺格, zhuan wang ge), and Transformation Patterns (化气格, hua qi ge). This article covers all four systems comprehensively.

Part One: The Eight Regular Patterns (正格)

Regular Patterns are the most common, applying to the vast majority of charts. They are "regular" because the Day Master retains meaningful strength — it can act on the chart rather than being overwhelmed by it. Zi Ping Zhen Quan systematizes eight regular patterns, all derived from the Month Branch.

1. Established Prosperity Pattern (建禄格, Jian Lu Ge)

The Established Prosperity Pattern forms when the Month Branch is the Day Master's "Lu" position (临官) — the stage in the Twelve Growth Phases where the Day Master's energy reaches full maturity. For example: Jia Wood Day Master born in Yin month (寅 is Jia's Lu), Geng Metal born in Shen month, Ren Water born in Hai month.

In this pattern, the Day Master is inherently strong because the Month Branch directly empowers it. Zi Ping Zhen Quan states: "In the Established Prosperity Pattern, the Month Branch is the Day Master's own prosperity — this means Shoulder to Shoulder energy. The pattern favors Wealth, Officer, and Output stars as Useful Gods, and dislikes additional Companion stars that make the Day Master excessively strong."

Because the Day Master is already robust, the chart needs elements that channel or direct its strength productively — Wealth (financial drive), Officer (discipline and structure), or Food God/Hurting Officer (creative output). Additional same-element support would create excess without outlet, degrading the pattern.

2. Blade Pattern (羊刃格, Yang Ren Ge)

The Blade Pattern is the more intense sibling of Established Prosperity. It forms when the Month Branch occupies the Day Master's "Emperor" position (帝旺) — the absolute peak of elemental strength in the Twelve Growth Phases. Only Yang Stems form true Blade Patterns: Jia Wood born in Mao month (卯), Bing/Wu Fire born in Wu month (午), Geng Metal born in You month (酉), Ren Water born in Zi month (子).

The Blade is classified as a fierce star (凶神). The Day Master at peak strength becomes aggressive, sharp-edged, and volatile. Di Tian Sui (滴天髓) warns: "When the Blade is dominant, it must be controlled by Officer or Killings stars. Without control, the Blade unleashes its ferocity, often indicating violence and clashes."

The ideal Blade Pattern features strong Officer or Seven Killings stars that discipline the Blade's excess energy — a configuration called "Blade and Killings in equilibrium" (刃杀相停). This produces charts associated with military commanders, political leaders, and individuals who wield significant authority. Without adequate control, the pattern tends toward recklessness and destructive confrontation.

3. Eating God Pattern (食神格, Shi Shen Ge)

The Eating God Pattern forms when the Month Branch's main Hidden Stem is the Day Master's Eating God — the element the Day Master generates, of the same Yin-Yang polarity. For example: Jia Wood (Yang) generating Bing Fire (Yang) makes Bing the Eating God of Jia. When Bing Fire dominates the Month Branch and appears in the Heavenly Stems, the Eating God Pattern is established.

Zi Ping Zhen Quan praises this pattern highly: "The Eating God brings longevity; it is the most gracious arrangement of creative forces." Charts with this pattern tend toward intellectual talent, material comfort, generosity of spirit, and good health. The Eating God represents the Day Master's natural creative output flowing smoothly into the world.

The optimal configuration is "Eating God Generating Wealth" (食神生财) — the Eating God produces, Wealth stars receive the production, and energy flows harmoniously from Day Master through Output to Wealth. The critical threat is the Indirect Seal (偏印, also called the Owl, 枭神), which directly controls the Eating God. When the Owl "robs" the Eating God (枭神夺食), the pattern collapses. Zi Ping Zhen Quan devotes an entire chapter to this dynamic, emphasizing: "The Eating God fears the Owl and welcomes Wealth."

4. Hurting Officer Pattern (伤官格, Shang Guan Ge)

The Hurting Officer Pattern forms when the dominant Month Branch element is the Day Master's Hurting Officer — the generated element of opposite Yin-Yang polarity. Jia Wood (Yang) generating Ding Fire (Yin) makes Ding the Hurting Officer of Jia.

This is the most complex and variable of the eight regular patterns. The Hurting Officer is brilliant but rebellious — it directly attacks the Officer star (hence its name, "Hurting Officer"), which represents authority, convention, and official status. The classical warning "Hurting Officer sees Officer, calamity upon calamity" (伤官见官，祸患百端) reflects this tension.

However, Zi Ping Zhen Quan is careful to distinguish multiple sub-types, each with different Useful God requirements. "Hurting Officer with Seal" (伤官配印) works when the Day Master is weak and the Seal star restrains the Hurting Officer while nourishing the Day Master. "Hurting Officer Generating Wealth" (伤官生财) works when the Day Master is strong enough to sustain the output, channeling it into financial gain. And the famous "Metal-Water Hurting Officer" (金水伤官) — a Geng or Xin Metal Day Master with Water output — can actually benefit from seeing Officer stars, an exception to the general rule.

The Hurting Officer Pattern is widely considered the most difficult regular pattern to master, because correct Useful God identification depends heavily on the specific Five Element composition and the Day Master's exact strength.

5. Indirect Wealth Pattern (偏财格, Pian Cai Ge)

The Indirect Wealth Pattern forms when the Month Branch's dominant element is the Day Master's Indirect Wealth — the element controlled by the Day Master, of the same Yin-Yang polarity. Jia Wood (Yang) controlling Wu Earth (Yang) makes Wu the Indirect Wealth of Jia.

Indirect Wealth represents "wealth of the crowd" — income from business, investment, social networks, and commercial activity rather than salary. The pattern favors Output stars generating Wealth (food god producing revenue) and a Day Master strong enough to command the wealth it controls. The critical danger is Companion stars (比劫) robbing wealth — when peers compete for the same resources, the chart holder loses.

Qiong Tong Bao Jian notes that when Officer or Killings stars accompany Indirect Wealth to "protect" it, the pattern elevates toward both wealth and status.

6. Direct Wealth Pattern (正财格, Zheng Cai Ge)

The Direct Wealth Pattern forms identically to Indirect Wealth, except the controlled element has opposite Yin-Yang polarity. Jia Wood (Yang) controlling Ji Earth (Yin) makes Ji the Direct Wealth.

Direct Wealth represents earned income — steady, legitimate, proportional to effort. The pattern's highest expression is "Wealth Generating Officer" (财旺生官), where strong Wealth produces strong Officer stars, and the Day Master-Wealth-Officer chain flows smoothly. Zi Ping Zhen Quan calls this configuration "the most noble expression of the Direct Wealth Pattern."

7. Seven Killings Pattern (七杀格, Qi Sha Ge)

The Seven Killings Pattern forms when the Month Branch's dominant element controls the Day Master with the same Yin-Yang polarity. Geng Metal (Yang) controlling Jia Wood (Yang) makes Geng the Seven Killings of Jia.

Seven Killings is the most aggressive force in BaZi. Unlike the Direct Officer, which controls through legitimate authority, Seven Killings attacks without mercy — it represents raw pressure, competition, crisis, and the necessity of survival. The core principle for this pattern is four characters: "Killings must be controlled" (杀要有制).

Two control methods exist. First, "Eating God Controls Killings" (食神制杀): the Output star directly restrains the Killings star, converting aggressive external pressure into productive achievement. Second, "Seal Transforms Killings" (印绶化杀): the Seal star absorbs the Killings energy and redirects it to nourish the Day Master, turning threat into support.

Zi Ping Zhen Quan states: "In the Seven Killings Pattern, using Food God to control it produces purity and power, indicating nobility. Using Seal to transform it creates the Killings-Seal mutual generation dynamic, also indicating great nobility." When Killings are uncontrolled (孤杀无制), the chart indicates extreme pressure without productive outlet — historically associated with violence, instability, and crisis.

Di Tian Sui adds: "Killings with control carry the subtle presence of authority and power. Killings without control produce nothing but a brute."

8. Direct Officer Pattern (正官格, Zheng Guan Ge)

The Direct Officer Pattern forms when the controlling element has opposite Yin-Yang polarity to the Day Master. Xin Metal (Yin) controlling Jia Wood (Yang) makes Xin the Direct Officer of Jia.

This is traditionally the most esteemed of all regular patterns. The Direct Officer represents legitimate authority, moral integrity, professional advancement, and social recognition. The pattern thrives when both Wealth and Seal stars are present — Wealth feeds the Officer (providing resources for authority), while the Seal protects the Day Master (ensuring the chart holder can bear the weight of responsibility).

The cardinal prohibition is "Hurting Officer sees Officer" — the Hurting Officer directly attacks the pattern's defining star, potentially destroying the chart's structural integrity. Equally dangerous is "Officer-Killings mixing" (官杀混杂), where both Direct Officer and Seven Killings appear, creating confused authority signals. Resolution requires combining away one of the two (合杀留官 or 合官留杀).

Part Two: Following Patterns (从格)

Following Patterns represent a fundamentally different structural principle. In regular patterns, the Day Master has enough strength to act as an independent agent within the chart. In Following Patterns, the Day Master is so weak — completely without roots, support, or assistance — that it abandons its own identity and "follows" the dominant force in the chart.

Di Tian Sui establishes the principle: "When Following is genuine, analyze only the Following dynamic. The followed spirit carries both fortune and misfortune." The critical word is "genuine" (真). True Following requires the Day Master to be absolutely rootless — no same-element support anywhere in the four pillars, no Seal stars with real strength. If even a trace of root exists, the chart is "false Following" (假从) and must be analyzed as a regular pattern.

Following Patterns are genuinely rare. Perhaps one in a thousand charts qualifies.

Following Strength (从强格): The Day Master is overwhelmingly strong, with Companion and Seal stars dominating the entire chart and virtually no Wealth, Officer, or Output stars present. The Day Master rides its own momentum. Useful God: more Companions and Seals. Avoid: Wealth, Officer, Output.

Following Output (从儿格): Output stars (Eating God and Hurting Officer) dominate completely while the Day Master has no support. The Day Master yields to its own creative production. Useful God: Output and Wealth stars. Avoid: Seals and Companions.

Following Wealth (从财格): Wealth stars flood the chart while the Day Master is rootless. The Day Master surrenders to the financial current. Useful God: Wealth, Output (feeding Wealth), Officer/Killings (Wealth generating authority). Avoid: Companions (robbing Wealth) and Seals (draining Wealth to feed the Day Master against the current). When genuine, this pattern indicates remarkable financial fortune.

Following Killings (从杀格): Officer and Killings stars overwhelm a rootless Day Master. The Day Master submits to external authority. Useful God: Officer/Killings and Wealth (feeding them). Avoid: Output stars (which would attack the dominant force) and Companions (which would resist it). This pattern often correlates with success within highly structured hierarchies — military, government, corporate.

Part Three: Specialized Strength Patterns (专旺格)

Specialized Strength Patterns occur when a single element so thoroughly dominates the chart that no opposing force can check it. Five varieties exist, one for each element, traditionally named after that element's classical virtue.

Qu Zhi Pattern (曲直格) — Wood Dominant: Jia or Yi Wood Day Master with Earthly Branches concentrated in the eastern wood direction (Yin, Mao, Chen) or forming a Wood combination (Hai-Mao-Wei). No Metal to control Wood. The chart follows Wood's nature of growth and benevolence. Favors: Water (generating Wood), Wood (reinforcing), Fire (productive outlet). Avoids: Metal (destructive control).

Yan Shang Pattern (炎上格) — Fire Dominant: Bing or Ding Fire Day Master with Branches in the southern fire direction (Si, Wu, Wei) or forming a Fire combination (Yin-Wu-Xu). No Water to extinguish. Follows Fire's nature of radiance and expression. Favors: Wood (fuel), Fire (reinforcing), Earth (productive outlet). Avoids: Water (destructive control).

Jia Se Pattern (稼穑格) — Earth Dominant: Wu or Ji Earth Day Master with multiple Earth Branches (Chen, Xu, Chou, Wei) and strong Fire support. No Wood to uproot. Follows Earth's nature of stability and accumulation. Favors: Fire (generating Earth), Earth (reinforcing), Metal (productive outlet). Avoids: Wood (destructive control).

Cong Ge Pattern (从革格) — Metal Dominant: Geng or Xin Metal Day Master with Branches in the western metal direction (Shen, You, Xu) or forming a Metal combination (Si-You-Chou). No Fire to melt. Follows Metal's nature of decisiveness and reform. Favors: Earth (generating Metal), Metal (reinforcing), Water (productive outlet). Avoids: Fire (destructive control).

Run Xia Pattern (润下格) — Water Dominant: Ren or Gui Water Day Master with Branches in the northern water direction (Hai, Zi, Chou) or forming a Water combination (Shen-Zi-Chen). No Earth to dam the flow. Follows Water's nature of intelligence and adaptability. Favors: Metal (generating Water), Water (reinforcing), Wood (productive outlet). Avoids: Earth (destructive control).

All five Specialized Strength Patterns are uncommon. They require an extraordinary concentration of a single element with virtually no opposing presence — a configuration that the normal distribution of Stem-Branch combinations rarely produces.

Part Four: Transformation Patterns (化气格)

Transformation Patterns represent the rarest and most debated category. They occur when two Heavenly Stems form one of the five canonical combinations — Jia-Ji combining to transform into Earth, Yi-Geng into Metal, Bing-Xin into Water, Ding-Ren into Wood, Wu-Gui into Fire — and the transformation actually takes effect.

The conditions for "true transformation" (真化) are stringent. The two combining Stems must be adjacent in the chart (typically the Day Master combining with the Month or Hour Stem). The resulting element must be supported by the Month Branch — the seasonal energy must favor the transformation product. And no element in the chart should be actively disrupting the combination.

When genuine, a Transformation Pattern means the Day Master effectively changes its elemental identity. A Jia Wood Day Master combining with Ji Earth, if the transformation into Earth is real, now functions as an Earth Day Master for analytical purposes. The entire reading reorients around this transformed identity.

Transformation Patterns are controversial precisely because the conditions are so demanding that many apparently transforming charts fail the "true transformation" test upon careful inspection. Both Zi Ping Zhen Quan and Di Tian Sui warn repeatedly against mistaking proximity for genuine transformation.

Why Patterns Matter: The Practical Implications

Pattern classification is not an academic exercise. It directly determines three things that shape every subsequent analytical conclusion.

First, the pattern defines the Useful God (用神). A Seven Killings Pattern needs control (Eating God or Seal). An Eating God Pattern needs productive flow (Wealth). A Blade Pattern needs discipline (Officer or Killings). Misidentify the pattern and the Useful God selection goes wrong, cascading errors through the entire reading.

Second, the pattern frames the interpretation of Luck Pillars and annual energies. A decade of strong Fire energy is excellent news for a chart whose Useful God is Fire and catastrophic for one whose Useful God is Metal. The pattern tells you which decades and years will elevate your trajectory and which will test it.

Third, the pattern reveals the structural logic of personality and life themes. Seven Killings Patterns produce people who thrive under pressure and seek positions of power. Eating God Patterns produce people with natural creative abundance and generous temperaments. Hurting Officer Patterns produce brilliant nonconformists who challenge authority. These are not stereotypes — they are structural tendencies encoded in the elemental architecture of the chart.

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Frequently Asked Questions

How many BaZi pattern types are there?

Under the Zi Ping school, there are four major categories: Eight Normal Patterns (Jian Lu, Yang Ren, Shi Shen, Shang Guan, Pian Cai, Zheng Cai, Qi Sha, Zheng Guan), Four Following Patterns, Five Dominant Patterns, and Five Transformation Patterns — approximately 22 main types in total.

How do you evaluate pattern quality?

Three key factors: ①Is the Useful God effective (strong and unbroken)? ②Is the pattern pure (no disruptive elements)? ③Do the luck periods cooperate (favorable luck periods elevate the pattern)? High-quality patterns typically indicate greater achievement, but lower-quality patterns are not necessarily bad.

What if my chart has no clear pattern?

Strictly speaking, every chart has a pattern — some are just less obvious or mixed. When the Month Branch hidden stems cannot establish a clear pattern, other pillars may be examined, or the analysis may focus primarily on Day Master strength.

Can luck periods change the pattern?

The natal pattern does not change, but luck periods can temporarily "complete" or "break" it. For example, a Direct Officer pattern encountering an Hurting Officer luck period has the Officer attacked, temporarily damaging the pattern; encountering a Resource luck period strengthens it.

Want to know your pattern type? Free chart analysis →

Further Reading

- Understanding the Useful God — Patterns determine the Useful God method - What Is the Day Master? — The prerequisite for pattern determination - BaZi Basics Guide — The foundational framework\n- Pattern Misjudgment Traps and Pattern-Breaking Conditions — Deep analysis of common mistakes in pattern determination