Saju (Free Korean Four Pillars)
Last updated: 2026-06-25
Saju (the Four Pillars) is the 8 characters made by converting your birth year, month, day, and hour into heavenly stem / earthly branch pairs. Enter your birth date and time to get your saju 8 characters, the Five Elements (Wood, Fire, Earth, Metal, Water) distribution, your zodiac animal, and your day master — free.
The year pillar uses stem[(year−4)%10] and branch[(year−4)%12]; the day pillar uses the Julian Day Number (JDN)-based sexagenary cycle. Example: 2000 = Gyeongjin (Metal Dragon), 2024 = Gapjin (Wood Dragon).
⚠️ The stem-branch (8 characters) and Five Elements distribution are computed accurately by formula, but the interpretation is for entertainment only. Do not use it for important decisions.
Enter your birth date & time (solar)
My saju 8 characters
Five Elements distribution
| Zodiac animal | |
|---|---|
| Day master (your symbol) | |
| Lunar birthday (reference) | |
| Element balance |
How to use
- Enter your birth date — Type your solar birth year, month, and day. If your date is lunar, convert it to solar first.
- Choose your birth hour — Pick the hour you were born. If unknown, choose 'Unknown time' to read the chart without the hour pillar.
- View the result — Press 'Read my saju' to see your saju 8 characters (year, month, day, hour pillars), Five Elements distribution, zodiac animal, and day master in a table.
How saju is calculated: heavenly stems & earthly branches
Saju (四柱, "four pillars") refers to the four pillars of your year, month, day, and hour. Each pillar consists of one heavenly stem and one earthly branch, so there are eight characters in total. The 10 heavenly stems are Gap (甲), Eul (乙), Byeong (丙), Jeong (丁), Mu (戊), Gi (己), Gyeong (庚), Sin (辛), Im (壬), Gye (癸), and the 12 earthly branches are Ja (子), Chuk (丑), In (寅), Myo (卯), Jin (辰), Sa (巳), O (午), Mi (未), Sin (申), Yu (酉), Sul (戌), Hae (亥).
The year pillar is found with stem[(year−4)%10] and branch[(year−4)%12]. The day pillar is set by the remainder of the Julian Day Number (JDN) divided by 60; FortuneMoa uses (JDN+49)%60 so that 2000-01-01 consistently resolves to the Muo (戊午) day. The hour pillar is derived from the day master and the birth hour branch using the five-rat method.
| Characters | Type | Element |
|---|---|---|
| Gap (甲), Eul (乙) | Stem | Wood (木) |
| Byeong (丙), Jeong (丁) | Stem | Fire (火) |
| Mu (戊), Gi (己) | Stem | Earth (土) |
| Gyeong (庚), Sin (辛) | Stem | Metal (金) |
| Im (壬), Gye (癸) | Stem | Water (水) |
| Ja, Hae | Branch | Water (水) |
| In, Myo | Branch | Wood (木) |
| Sa, O | Branch | Fire (火) |
| Sin, Yu | Branch | Metal (金) |
| Chuk, Jin, Mi, Sul | Branch | Earth (土) |
By counting how many of each Five Element (Wood, Fire, Earth, Metal, Water) appear among the 8 characters, you read the balance. Which elements are abundant and which are missing is interpreted as personality tendencies — a traditional view and content for fun. To learn the basics of the Five Elements and the 12 zodiac animals, see our easy guide to saju, the Five Elements, and the Chinese zodiac.
Note: FortuneMoa's month pillar does not apply solar terms (like Ipchun); it approximately maps the solar month to a month branch — a simplified, for-fun calculation. It may differ from a precise solar-term-based saju.
Frequently asked questions (FAQ)
How is saju (the Four Pillars) calculated?
Saju is the 8 characters made by converting your birth year, month, day, and hour into stem-branch pairs (10 heavenly stems, 12 earthly branches). FortuneMoa computes the year pillar from stem[(year-4)%10] and branch[(year-4)%12], and the day pillar from the JDN-based sexagenary cycle. For example, 2000 is the Gyeongjin (Metal Dragon) year and 2024 is the Gapjin (Wood Dragon) year.
Can I still read my saju if I don't know my birth time?
Yes. Without the time you skip only the hour pillar and still see the year, month, and day pillars (6 characters), the Five Elements distribution, zodiac animal, and day master. Enter the time to include the hour pillar for the full 8 characters. Choose 'Unknown time' to omit it.
How do I enter a lunar birthday?
Saju computes the stem-branch from the solar (Gregorian) date. If you only know your lunar birthday, convert it to solar for accuracy. FortuneMoa includes a 2024–2035 lunar conversion table and shows the matching lunar date in the result for reference.
What is the day master (ilgan)?
The day master is the heavenly stem of your birth day and symbolizes 'you' in saju. Gap/Eul are Wood, Byeong/Jeong are Fire, Mu/Gi are Earth, Gyeong/Sin are Metal, and Im/Gye are Water. The Five Elements balance is read relative to the day master.
Should I trust this saju result?
The stem-branch (8 characters) and Five Elements distribution are computed by formula and are accurate, but the interpretation and fortune reading are for entertainment only. There is no scientific or statistical basis, so do not base important decisions about career, marriage, or investment on it.
Related fortunes & guides
Chinese Zodiac 2026
Check this year's overall, wealth, and love forecast for your zodiac animal.
Zodiac Compatibility
See two people's compatibility score by Chinese zodiac.
Daily Horoscope
Find your star sign from your birthday and read today's horoscope.
Saju & Five Elements basics
An easy guide to saju, the Five Elements, and the Chinese zodiac.
Last updated: 2026-06-25