Definition
BaZi (八字) — literally "eight characters" — is a classical Chinese system of destiny analysis. A person's birth year, month, day, and hour are each expressed as a pair of characters (Heavenly Stem + Earthly Branch), producing four pillars and eight characters in total. The system uses these characters, and the Five Elements they represent, to analyse personality, life timing, relationships, career, and elemental balance. Also called Four Pillars of Destiny (四柱命理) and the Zi Ping method (子平法).
Reference
What Is BaZi (八字)?
A comprehensive encyclopedic reference on the Four Pillars of Destiny system — its structure, history, schools, and scope.
On this page
Etymology and names
BaZi (八字) literally means "eight characters." Each BaZi chart consists of four time pillars (year, month, day, hour), each expressed as a pair of characters — one Heavenly Stem (天干) and one Earthly Branch (地支) — yielding eight characters in total.
Sì Zhù Mìnglǐ (四柱命理) is the formal name: 四 (four) + 柱 (pillars) + 命 (fate/destiny) + 理 (principles). Translated literally: "the principles of fate based on the four pillars." In English this is rendered Four Pillars of Destiny.
Other names
- 八字命理 (Bāzì Mìnglǐ) — emphasises the eight characters as core data
- 子平命理 / 子平术 (Zǐpíng Mìnglǐ) — the Zi Ping method, named after Song dynasty master Xu Zi Ping
- 四柱推命 (Shichū Suimei) — Japanese rendering; widespread in East Asian metaphysics literature
- 사주 (Saju) — Korean term for the same system
Historical origins
The conceptual basis of BaZi — Heavenly Stems, Earthly Branches, Yin-Yang, and Five Element cycles — traces to the Shang dynasty (c. 1600–1046 BCE), where stem-branch notation appeared on oracle bones for timekeeping. The formal four-pillar system emerged in the Tang-Song period.
Li Xuzhong (李虚中)
Formalised a three-pillar fate system (year, month, day). Emphasised the year branch and Five Element cycles as the main diagnostic framework.
Xu Zi Ping (徐子平)
Added the hour pillar to create the four-pillar system. Critically, shifted the primary reference point from the year pillar to the Day Stem — the Day Master (日主). This is the defining reform from which all classical BaZi descends.
Wan Yu Wu, Liu Ji (刘基)
Produced San Ming Tong Hui (三命通会) and Di Tian Sui (滴天髓) — landmark texts elaborating structures, Yong Shen theory, and elemental balance.
Shen Xiaozhan (沈孝瞻)
Zi Ping Zhen Quan (子平真詮) — systematises Zi Ping principles with emphasis on month command, structures, and Ten God applications. Still a core reference text today.
Wei Qianli (韦千里)
Qian Li Ming Gao (千里命稿) — summarised and updated classical methods. Wei Qianli was one half of the celebrated "South Yuan, North Wei" (南袁北韦) pairing and served Chiang Kai-shek.
The Zi Ping method (子平法) is dominant today because it centres the Day Master as reference, uses the month branch for seasonal context, and provides a structured grammar of Ten Gods and structures (格局) that later commentaries elaborated systematically.
The Four Pillars — structure
A BaZi chart has four pillars, each consisting of a Heavenly Stem (upper) and an Earthly Branch (lower). Together they produce eight characters.
年柱
Year Pillar
Ancestry, early environment, family background, public image
月柱
Month Pillar
Parents, formative environment, temperament. Month branch (月令) sets seasonal strength for the whole chart.
日柱
Day Pillar
Self (Day Master = Day Stem), spouse. The Day Pillar is the chart's anchor.
时柱
Hour Pillar
Children, inner mind, later years, creative output and legacy.
Calendar basis: BaZi uses the solar calendar and the 24 solar terms (节气 / Jié Qì), not the lunar calendar. Months are defined by solar terms (e.g. 立春 / Start of Spring), because seasonal elemental energy — not the moon — determines element strength. The year also begins at 立春 (around 4 February), not Lunar New Year. The hour pillar requires local solar time, corrected for longitude — a half-hour error can change the hour branch entirely.
Ten Heavenly Stems (天干)
| Stem | Pinyin | Element | Polarity | Classical image |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 甲 | Jiǎ | Wood | Yang | Tall tree |
| 乙 | Yǐ | Wood | Yin | Vine, flower |
| 丙 | Bǐng | Fire | Yang | Sun |
| 丁 | Dīng | Fire | Yin | Candle flame |
| 戊 | Wù | Earth | Yang | Mountain |
| 己 | Jǐ | Earth | Yin | Fertile soil |
| 庚 | Gēng | Yang | Sword, axe | |
| 辛 | Xīn | Yin | Jewellery | |
| 壬 | Rén | Water | Yang | Ocean, river |
| 癸 | Guǐ | Water | Yin | Dew, rain |
Twelve Earthly Branches (地支) and Hidden Stems (藏干)
Each Earthly Branch contains one to three hidden stems (藏干) — the internal elemental content of the branch. Hidden stems are crucial for assessing elemental strength, Ten God distribution, and combination/clash behaviour. Much of a chart's real content sits inside branches rather than in visible stems.
| Branch | Pinyin | Zodiac | Element | Hidden stems |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 子 | Zǐ | Rat | Water | 癸 |
| 丑 | Chǒu | Ox | Earth | 己 辛 癸 |
| 寅 | Yín | Tiger | Wood | 甲 丙 戊 |
| 卯 | Mǎo | Rabbit | Wood | 乙 |
| 辰 | Chén | Dragon | Earth | 戊 乙 癸 |
| 巳 | Sì | Snake | Fire | 丙 庚 戊 |
| 午 | Wǔ | Horse | Fire | 丁 己 |
| 未 | Wèi | Goat | Earth | 己 丁 乙 |
| 申 | Shēn | Monkey | 庚 壬 戊 | |
| 酉 | Yǒu | Rooster | 辛 | |
| 戌 | Xū | Dog | Earth | 戊 辛 丁 |
| 亥 | Hài | Pig | Water | 壬 甲 |
The Five Elements (五行 / Wǔ Xíng)
The Five Elements are the foundational energies of BaZi. They are not literal substances but dynamic phases of Qi transformation, each with classical associations across medicine, nature, and cosmology.
木
Wood
Spring · East
Liver · Green
Growth, rise, idealism
火
Fire
Summer · South
Heart · Red
Heat, visibility, expression
土
Earth
Transitions · Centre
Spleen · Yellow
Stability, mediation, containment
水
Water
Winter · North
Kidneys · Black
Flow, depth, wisdom
Producing cycle (相生 / Shēng)
Wood → Fire → Earth → Metal → Water → Wood
Each element nourishes the next. The producer is drained; the produced is strengthened.
Controlling cycle (相克 / Kè)
Wood controls Earth · Earth controls Water · Water controls Fire · Fire controls Metal · Metal controls Wood
Each element restrains the next in the cycle.
Draining cycle (泄 / Xiè)
The inverse of the producing cycle. If Wood produces Fire, Fire simultaneously drains Wood. When a Day Master over-produces output elements, it becomes depleted. This is how excessive creativity or output can exhaust the self.
Counter-controlling cycle (反克 / Fǎn Kè)
When an element is overwhelmingly powerful, it can damage the element attempting to control it. Metal normally controls Wood — but if the Wood is a massive forest, the blade snaps. This is why extreme chart imbalances require special structural logic (从格) rather than standard rules.
The Ten Gods (十神 / Shí Shén)
The Ten Gods are symbolic relationship categories derived from how each element in the chart relates to the Day Master — via producing, controlling, same element, or being produced. They are not literal deities but archetypal roles describing life themes, personality tendencies, and relationship dynamics.
Polarity rule: For Wealth, Officer/Killings, and Resource pairs — Direct (正) always indicates opposite polarity to the Day Master; Indirect (偏) indicates same polarity. Output (食神/伤官) and Parallel (比肩/劫财) pairs follow their own internal logic as shown below.
| Chinese | English | Relationship to Day Master | Core themes |
|---|---|---|---|
| 比肩Bǐ Jiān | Companion | Same element, same polarity | Independence, peers, self-reliance, confidence |
| 劫财Jié Cái | Rob Wealth | Same element, opposite polarity | Competition, social networks, resource rivalry |
| 食神Shí Shén | Food God | DM produces, same polarity | Creativity, enjoyment, children, talent, stable output |
| 伤官Shāng Guān | Hurting Officer | DM produces, opposite polarity | Brilliance, rebellion, eloquence, non-conformity |
| 正财Zhèng Cái | Direct Wealth | DM controls, opposite polarity | Stable income, discipline, pragmatism, earned wealth |
| 偏财Piān Cái | Indirect Wealth | DM controls, same polarity | Windfalls, investment, charisma, irregular income |
| 正官Zhèng Guān | Direct Officer | Controls DM, opposite polarity | Legitimate authority, status, order, structured career |
| 七杀Qī Shā | Seven Killings | Controls DM, same polarity | Intense power, ambition, pressure, decisive action |
| 正印Zhèng Yìn | Direct Resource | Produces DM, opposite polarity | Learning, mentorship, institutional support, formal knowledge |
| 偏印Piān Yìn | Indirect Resource | Produces DM, same polarity | Intuition, unconventional paths, alternative knowledge |
Explore all ten in BaZi World's Relationship Atlas →
“Students ask me to explain their chart in one sentence. I tell them: a chart is not a sentence, it is a conversation between eight characters — and your job is to learn who is speaking.”
Day Master strength (身强 / 身弱)
The Day Master (日主 / Rì Zhǔ) — the Heavenly Stem of the Day Pillar — represents the person in the chart. All Ten Gods, structures, and elemental relationships are evaluated relative to it. This Day Master-centric approach was the defining reform of Xu Zi Ping's Song dynasty method.
A Day Master is considered strong (身旺) if it is born in its favourable season and has multiple roots in the Earthly Branches. It is weak (身弱) if it lacks seasonal support and rooting. Three factors determine this:
Seasonal strength
The month branch sets elemental season. A Wood Day Master born in Yin/Mao month (spring) is seasonally strong; born in Shen/You month (autumn) — when Metal dominates — it is weak.
Root in branches
Presence of the same element hidden inside Earthly Branches (通根 / rooting). A Day Master with roots in the month and day branches is substantially stronger.
Stem support
Presence of Resource stars (印) and Companion stars (比肩/劫财) in the stems, and relative weakness of controlling elements (官/杀).
Special structures (特殊格局): Some charts are so imbalanced that normal strength logic is overridden. In 从格 (Cóng Gé / Following structures), the Day Master is extremely weak and completely submerged by a dominant element — the chart "follows" that element rather than resisting it. Adding more of the dominant element is actually favourable; trying to strengthen the Day Master breaks the structure. Other special profiles include 专旺格 (extreme Day Master dominance) and 化气格 (transformative-Qi structures centred on a full three-harmony frame).
Luck Pillars (大运 / Dà Yùn)
Luck Pillars are sequential ten-year cycles that overlay the natal chart, describing major life phases. They are the primary timing mechanism in BaZi — the natal chart shows innate structure; Luck Pillars show when doors open or close.
Calculation
The starting age of the first Luck Pillar is found by counting days from birth to the next (or previous) solar term, then dividing by three to convert to years. Direction through the sexagenary cycle:
- Yang year male / Yin year female → forward through the cycle
- Yin year male / Yang year female → backward through the cycle
Each Luck Pillar consists of a stem (adding Ten God influence across the decade) and a branch (interacting with natal branches via combinations, clashes, and hidden stems). A Luck Pillar is favourable when it supports the chart's Yong Shen (用神 / useful element) and unfavourable when it strengthens harmful elements (忌神 / Ji Shen).
Hierarchy of time layers
Interactions between stems and branches
BaZi analysis relies heavily on combinatory and conflicting relationships. Whether combinations actually transform into a new element depends on seasonal support, presence of the target element, and absence of interfering clashes.
Heavenly Stem Combinations (天干合)
Five pairing combinations: 甲+己→Earth · 乙+庚→Metal · 丙+辛→Water · 丁+壬→Wood · 戊+癸→Fire. When both stems appear, they combine. Whether they fully transform into the indicated element depends on contextual support.
Six Harmonies — Branch Pairs (六合)
子+丑 · 寅+亥 · 卯+戌 · 辰+酉 · 巳+申 · 午+未. Creates locked relational bonds. Transformation into a specific element is claimed by some lineages but many Zi Ping schools treat these as support/constraint relationships rather than full transformation.
Three Harmonies (三合)
Triads forming strong elemental frames: 申子辰 (Water) · 亥卯未 (Wood) · 寅午戌 (Fire) · 巳酉丑 (Metal). When all three are present and not severely clashed, they create a strong concentration of that element.
Three Penalties + Self-Penalties (三刑 / 自刑)
寅巳申 (ungrateful penalty — cold betrayal, legal danger) · 丑戌未 (bullying penalty — isolation, being taken advantage of) · 子卯 (uncivilised penalty — boundary violations, relational disrespect). All three represent internal friction and self-sabotage rather than clean external events. Additionally: 辰辰 · 午午 · 酉酉 · 亥亥 are self-penalties (自刑) — when a branch meets itself — indicating self-destructive patterns, addictive tendencies, or errors driven by ego.
Six Clashes (六冲)
子午 · 丑未 · 寅申 · 卯酉 · 辰戌 · 巳亥. Direct oppositions representing confrontation, movement, and turning points. Not inherently negative — whether favourable depends on what the chart needs.
Six Harms (六害)
子未 · 丑午 · 寅巳 · 卯辰 · 申亥 · 酉戌. Quieter, passive friction — ongoing obstruction and slow erosion rather than dramatic events.
Six Breaks (六破)
子酉 · 丑辰 · 寅亥 · 卯午 · 申巳 · 酉子 (variations exist by school). Sudden disruption or breaking of existing structures.
Special structures (格局 / Gé Jú)
A 格局 is the chart's dominant pattern, usually determined by the month branch and the primary Ten God it produces. Identifying the structure is like identifying a business model — it tells you what the chart is fundamentally trying to do: accumulate wealth, wield authority, nurture knowledge, express creativity.
The eight regular structures (八格) include Officer Structure (官格), Wealth Structure (财格), Resource Structure (印格), Food God Structure (食神格), Hurting Officer Structure (伤官格), and Companion Structure (比劫格), among others. Whether a structure is "formed" (成格) or "broken" (破格) shapes the entire reading.
External/special structures (外格) — including Following Structures (从格) and Transformative-Qi Structures (化气格) — apply when charts deviate from regular month-command logic. Misclassifying a 从格 chart as a regular chart leads to inverted judgments about favourable elements.
Schools and sects of BaZi
BaZi has multiple schools (派 / pài), each emphasising different analytical priorities. There is no single official orthodoxy, but mainstream classical practice is heavily Zi Ping-based. Schools are listed here from most to least orthodox by classical standards.
The mainstream classical school derived from Xu Zi Ping and codified in 渊海子平, 子平真詮, and 滴天髓. Day Master-centric analysis, month command (月令) for seasonal strength, Ten Gods and structures (格局) as layered interpretive tools. The foundation of most formal BaZi education globally and in Singapore.
Singapore: Dominant in professional and academic BaZi practice.
Named because it was historically transmitted by blind practitioners. Emphasises three methods: 理法 (stem-branch laws), 象法 (symbolic image reading), and 技法 (case-based technique). Does not centre Day Master strength or detailed 格局 analysis. Relies heavily on formulaic oral rules and symbolic star (神煞) weighting. Fast and intuitive by design.
Singapore: Present in folk and informal practice; common in street-level fortune-telling and many online BaZi apps.
Places chart structure (格局) identification as the first and primary analytical step. Classifies charts into detailed structure categories and interprets all other features through the quality of that structure (成格 vs. 破格). Closely tied to 子平真詮 and 渊海子平. Strong in Hong Kong and Taiwan.
Singapore: Taught by teachers with classical HK/Taiwan lineage; present in structured course settings.
Treats identification of the Yong Shen (用神) — the pivotal "useful element" — as the primary diagnostic task. Influenced heavily by 滴天髓 commentaries. Supporting elements are called 喜神; harmful ones 忌神. Debate exists on whether Yong Shen selection should prioritise structure integrity or seasonal temperature adjustment.
Singapore: Yong Shen identification is widely used as a diagnostic tool across most Singapore schools.
Reads charts as ecosystems requiring temperature and moisture balance — analogous to classical Chinese medicine. Month branch defines whether the chart is too hot, cold, damp, or dry; Yong Shen is chosen to adjust the climate. Closely cross-references Di Tian Sui and the almanac text 穷通宝鉴.
Singapore: Present in advanced or niche teaching; often used as a sub-approach within Yong Shen analysis.
Uses a diagnosis-prescription metaphor: the chart has "illnesses" (病) such as over-abundance, imbalance, or broken structure, and requires "medicine" (药) elements as remedies. Conceptually overlaps with Yong Shen and Seasonal Adjustment thinking but framed through a medical lens.
Singapore: Found among more traditional readers; often integrated with other analytical frameworks.
Emphasises symbolic stars (神煞) — special configurations associated with particular fates: Heavenly Noble (天乙贵人), Peach Blossom (桃花), Travelling Horse (驿马), Literary Star (文昌), and dozens more. In classical Zi Ping, Shen Sha are secondary markers. In Mang Pai and popular systems, they can become primary predictive tools, which classical scholars consider unreliable.
Singapore: Shen Sha are widely cited in popular horoscopes and tabloid-style readings; downplayed in rigorous classical practice.
An older system assigning each of the 60 sexagenary pairs a sound-resonance five-element label (e.g. "Metal in the Sea," "Wood of the Forest"). Predates Zi Ping and was used for broad elemental classification and compatibility. Classical Zi Ping largely replaced it; modern rigorous BaZi practice does not use Na Yin as a core tool.
Singapore: Mostly of historical interest. Survives in some date-selection and folk traditions.
Scope and limits
What BaZi addresses
- ✓Personality and character tendencies
- ✓Career aptitude and vocational themes
- ✓Relationship and marriage dynamics
- ✓Wealth patterns and financial timing
- ✓Health constitution (via elemental balance)
- ✓Timing of major life phases via Luck Pillars and annual pillars
What BaZi does not do
- ✕Predict specific events with certainty (dates, names, amounts)
- ✕Replace medical, legal, or financial professional judgement
- ✕Render absolute moral judgement on character
- ✕Guarantee outcomes regardless of effort and environment
一命二运三风水四积阴德五读书
The full classical hierarchy of destiny: First fate (命), second luck cycles (运), third Fengshui (风水), fourth accumulated virtue / good deeds (积阴德), fifth education (读书).
BaZi covers the first two dimensions — the natal chart and its luck cycles — which classical theory treats as the baseline conditions of a life. The remaining three tiers represent what a person can actively shape: their environment, conduct, and development. Ming (命) is fixed; Yun (运) can be read and navigated; the rest are within personal agency.
BaZi vs. other systems
Western astrology
Western astrology uses planetary positions against zodiac constellations; BaZi uses Chinese stem-branch calendar cycles and Five Elements. Western astrology asks "what is your Sun sign?"; BaZi identifies the Day Master element. Different philosophical foundations — planets vs. elemental Qi cycles — though both address personality and life timing.
Zi Wei Dou Shu (紫微斗数)
Also a Chinese destiny system, but star-palace based rather than element-pillar based. BaZi uses birth time encoded in stem-branch pillars; Zi Wei Dou Shu assigns fixed stars across 12 palaces. Both are practiced in Singapore; BaZi is widely used in Fengshui consultancy while Zi Wei Dou Shu has a strong following among more specialised practitioners.
Yi Jing (易经 / I Ching)
BaZi and Yi Jing share underlying Yin-Yang and Five Element cosmology but serve different functions. Yi Jing uses hexagrams derived through divination (not birth data) to provide situational guidance on specific questions. BaZi is a natal analysis system, not a divination tool. Some practitioners use both complementarily.
Fengshui (风水)
BaZi and Fengshui are complementary disciplines. BaZi diagnoses personal elemental needs and timing patterns; Fengshui adjusts the living or working environment to support those needs. Singapore consultants commonly offer combined BaZi + Fengshui packages. In classical theory, BaZi (destiny) ranks first; Fengshui operates on the third tier of the 一命二运三风水 hierarchy.
BaZi in Singapore and Southeast Asia
BaZi arrived in Singapore and Southeast Asia with Chinese migrants from Fujian and Guangdong from the 19th century onward. Temple astrologers, street fortune-tellers, and later organised courses established BaZi as a mainstream practice in Chinese Singaporean life.
In the 1980s–90s, inflows of masters from Hong Kong and Taiwan — and the publication of English-language BaZi courses — expanded the audience beyond traditional Mandarin-speaking communities. Today, BaZi is used across generations for marriage date selection, business timing, career decisions, child naming, and annual fortune assessment.
Dominant methodology in Singapore is Zi Ping-based, often taught by teachers rooted in HK/Taiwan traditions. Mang Pai (Blind Sect) techniques exist in folk and informal practice. Shen Sha-heavy readings are common in popular horoscope columns but downplayed by rigorous practitioners. Singapore's practice is generally more commercialised and blended with modern coaching language compared to mainland China or Taiwan.
Common misconceptions
BaZi is just the Chinese zodiac
The zodiac animal (year branch) is only one of eight characters. Serious BaZi focuses on the Day Master and the full four-pillar interaction. Year-sign horoscopes are a simplified folk derivative, not classical BaZi.
BaZi fixes fate absolutely
Classical BaZi distinguishes between 命 (natal fate, fixed) and 运 (luck cycles, navigable). BaZi shows probabilities and tendencies, not certainties. Personal action, environment, and timing all shape outcomes.
Online BaZi calculators give a complete reading
Most online tools calculate elemental ratios or year signs but omit hidden stems, solar term-based month pillars, Day Master strength assessment, structures, and Luck Pillar analysis. Classical BaZi is substantially more complex.
The Blind Sect (盲派) is the same as classical BaZi
The Blind Sect is a folk lineage using formulaic oral techniques and heavy symbolic star weighting. It does not use classical Day Master strength assessment or chart structures. Classical Zi Ping practitioners generally treat it as a separate approach.
Ten Gods are literal gods or moral judgements
"Seven Killings" does not mean murderous; "Rob Wealth" does not mean theft. The Ten Gods are elemental relationship archetypes describing energetic tendencies, career themes, and personality orientations — not divine entities or moral verdicts.
A missing element must be added via jewellery, clothing, or names
Adding an element simply because it is absent in the chart can actively harm balance. If the chart is a strong Earth profile, its lack of Water may be structurally beneficial, not a flaw. The correct question is whether the missing element serves as the Yong Shen (用神 / useful element). Only then is supplementing it useful.
A clash or penalty year always means disaster
Clashes signify movement, structural change, and radical transition — not automatically harm. If an incoming year clashes an unfavourable branch that obstructs your chart, that clash can clear the blockage, triggering a positive pivot, career change, or breakthrough. Context — what is being clashed, and whether it is useful or harmful to the chart — determines outcome.
Frequently asked questions
Is BaZi the same as the Chinese zodiac?
No. The Chinese zodiac (rat, ox, tiger, etc.) is derived from the year branch only — one of eight characters. BaZi uses all four pillars (year, month, day, hour) and focuses primarily on the Day Master (the Day Stem), not the year sign. Zodiac-based horoscopes are a much simplified folk derivative.
Does BaZi predict fixed fate?
Classical BaZi distinguishes between 命 (mìng — natal fate, fixed) and 运 (yùn — luck cycles, navigable). The saying "一命二运三风水" places destiny first but acknowledges that timing, environment, and action all play roles. Most classical and modern practitioners treat BaZi as probabilistic guidance, not deterministic prediction.
What calendar does BaZi use — lunar or solar?
BaZi uses the solar calendar and the 24 solar terms (节气 / Jié Qì). Months are defined by solar terms (e.g. 立春 / Start of Spring), not lunar months. The year also begins at 立春 (around 4 February), not at Lunar New Year — a common source of error in online calculators.
What is the difference between classical BaZi and online BaZi tools?
Classical BaZi uses full stem-branch calculations based on solar terms, hidden stems, Day Master strength assessment, Ten Gods, structures (格局), and multi-layered timing analysis (Luck Pillars, annual, monthly). Most online tools simplify to year-sign descriptions or basic elemental ratios and omit hidden stems, seasonal strength, and structural logic.
Is the Blind Sect (盲派) the same as classical BaZi?
No. The Blind Sect is a folk lineage that uses formulaic oral techniques, symbolic image reading, and heavy reliance on special stars (神煞). It does not use classical Day Master strength assessment or chart structures (格局). Classical Zi Ping practitioners generally consider it a separate and heterodox approach.
Go deeper
Learn BaZi properly
This page is a reference. If you want to understand BaZi as a system — how to actually read a chart, interpret Ten Gods, and follow Luck Pillar timing — that requires structured study. Yixin Academy offers courses in Singapore taught by Master Yixin, a fourth-generation disciple of Wei Qianli and a practitioner with over ten years of professional experience.