What is Saju? A beginner’s guide

Saju (사주, 四柱) is a Korean system of self-knowledge based on the exact moment of your birth. Its name means “four pillars”. This guide explains from scratch how it works, without myths and without promises.

In one sentence

Saju describes a person through four pillars (birth year, month, day and hour), each made of one character from heaven and one from earth: eight characters in total. That is why it is also called Saju Palja (사주팔자, “four pillars, eight characters”).

The four pillars

In the tradition each pillar represents an area of life:

• Year Pillar: roots, family and the context you come from.
• Month Pillar: character, environment and the way you relate to the world.
• Day Pillar: your essence and close life. Its upper character is the Day Master.
• Hour Pillar: the inner world, projects and later life.

Heavenly stems and earthly branches

Each pillar combines a heavenly stem (one of ten: 甲乙丙丁戊己庚辛壬癸) and an earthly branch (one of twelve: 子丑寅卯辰巳午未申酉戌亥). The ten stems are the five elements in Yang and Yin versions; the twelve branches match the twelve zodiac animals. Together they form a cycle of 60 pairs used to name years, months, days and hours.

You can read about each animal’s character on the page for the Korean zodiac signs.

Five elements and Yin-Yang

The tradition describes nature with five elements (Wood, Fire, Earth, Metal and Water) that nourish and control one another, and with the Yin-Yang polarity. Your whole map is read as a balance between them. We explain it in the guide to the five elements.

How a chart is calculated

You need your date, your time (if you know it) and, for more precision, your birth city. Three details matter:

• The Saju year changes at Lichun (around February 4), not on January 1.
• The months change at the solar terms (moments when the Sun reaches specific points of its path), not on the 1st.
• The hour is adjusted to the true solar time of your birthplace.

Our free calculator does these calculations in your own browser: your birth date is not sent to any server.

Saju, Bazi and Western astrology

Korean Saju and Chinese Bazi (八字) share the same origin: the four-pillars system. Each tradition has its own nuances of interpretation and vocabulary. Both differ greatly from Western astrology, which starts from the positions of the planets and the sun sign; Saju starts from the calendar of stems and branches.

What it is and what it is not

At sajucoreano we understand it as a symbolic language for knowing yourself better: a philosophy that offers images (the tree, the candle, the mountain) to reflect on your character and rhythms. It does not predict the future, does not determine your destiny and does not replace medical, financial or legal advice. Your decisions are yours.

A living tradition in Korea

According to a report by Korea.net (in Spanish), reading saju is so widespread in South Korea that it is common to find a consultation shop in every neighborhood. For many people it is a cultural conversation topic, much like asking someone’s zodiac sign.

Where to start

1. Calculate your chart and find your Day Master.
2. Read its page in The 10 Day Masters.
3. Meet your animal sign in Korean zodiac signs.
4. Explore your life cycles in Great Cycles (Da Yun).

Frequently asked questions

What is Saju?

Saju (사주, "four pillars") is a Korean cultural philosophy of Chinese origin that describes a person with four pillars —year, month, day and hour of birth— each made of a heavenly stem and an earthly branch. It is used as a symbolic tool for self-knowledge.

Does Saju predict the future?

No. It is a symbolic and cultural reading that describes tendencies and metaphors to reflect on yourself. It does not determine your destiny or replace medical, financial or legal advice.

How is it different from Western astrology?

Western astrology starts from the Sun’s position in the zodiac; Saju uses the 24-term solar calendar and combines four pillars with the five elements (Wood, Fire, Earth, Metal and Water). Your animal sign depends on the Saju year, which starts around February 4.

How do I calculate my Saju chart for free?

Enter your birth date (and, if you know it, the time and city) in the calculator on sajucoreano.com. The calculation runs in your own browser and no sign-up is needed.