Manseoryeok (the Ten-Thousand Year Calendar) is often called the "map of destiny." In the modern era, you no longer need to perform complex astronomical calculations yourself; simply entering your birth date and time into a smartphone app or website instantly reveals eight Chinese characters. Learning to interpret these characters is the very first step in Saju (Four Pillars) analysis.
When you open a Manseoryeok, the first things you’ll notice are the four columns arranged from right to left. Starting from the right, these are called the Year Pillar (Yeon-ju), Month Pillar (Wol-ju), Day Pillar (Il-ju), and Hour Pillar (Si-ju). Each pillar consists of two characters, one above the other. The top character is known as the Heavenly Stem (Cheongan), while the bottom is the Earthly Branch (Jiji). The core of the analysis lies in examining the complex interactions between these eight characters.
The most important protagonist in a Saju structure is the Ilgan (Daily Stem), which is the top character of the Day Pillar. The Ilgan symbolizes your true essence and the core of your "self." For instance, if your Ilgan is 'Gap' (甲), you are seen as having a temperament like a towering tree—possessing strong drive and a desire for honor. On the other hand, if it is 'Gye' (癸), you are interpreted as having a flexible and wise nature, much like a gentle rain or a flowing stream.
Once you have identified the Ilgan, the next step is to examine the Wol-ji (Monthly Branch), which represents the season of your birth. The Wol-ji determines the "temperature" and "humidity" of the environment surrounding the Ilgan. For example, a tree born in the height of summer requires completely different elements to survive than a tree born in the middle of winter. The subsequent stage of analysis involves checking the quantity and harmony of the Five Elements (Ohaeng). You look to see which energies—Wood, Fire, Earth, Metal, or Water—are excessively dominant or lacking within your Saju.
If there is too much Fire (火), you need Water (水) to cool the heat or Earth (土) to drain the excess energy. Conversely, if the chart is too cold, the energy of Fire becomes desperate. The decisive character that balances these skewed energies is called the Yongsin (Useful God), and finding it is considered the highlight of a Saju reading. Finally, one must look at the Daewun (Great Fortune). If the Saju-palja (the eight characters) represents the performance of the car you were born with, the Daewun represents the condition of the road that car is driving on. By observing this flow of luck, which shifts in 10-year cycles, you can gauge whether you are currently traveling on a bumpy unpaved road or a wide-open highway.
Ultimately, examining one's Saju is not merely about fortune-telling or predicting good and bad luck; it is the process of identifying the distribution of your inherent energies and adjusting the pace of your life accordingly. However, one must avoid becoming overly obsessed. It is best to treat Saju as a tool for gaining insight rather than an absolute truth. Using these findings as a practical guide for self-reflection allows you to maintain a healthy perspective without letting destiny dictate your every move.