八字师傅BaZi SiFu
八字师傅
Sì Xiàng (四象), often translated as the Four Images or Four Symbols, refers to four great astronomical constellations that divide the celestial equator into four sectors. Each constellation is associated with a season, a cardinal direction, and a group of stars that form part of the traditional Chinese astronomical system used in Chinese cosmology, BaZi, and other metaphysical disciplines.
Contrary to a common misconception, Sì Xiàng (四象) does not mean "four elephants" or simply "four shapes." Instead, it refers to four immense celestial constellations that divide the sky into four equal sectors, also known as quadrants.
The two equinoxes and two solstices mark the beginning of the four seasons. In traditional Chinese astronomy, these seasonal turning points are identified through celestial observations involving specific stars along the ecliptic and the cyclical movements of the Sun and Moon.
The sky is therefore divided into four seasonal sectors, each represented by one of the Four Images:
During any given season, one of these constellations dominates the night sky and serves as the primary celestial reference for that period. Together, the Four Images provide the framework upon which several traditional Chinese systems are organized.
Embedded within these four celestial sectors are many of the foundational components of Chinese metaphysics, including the Ten Heavenly Stems (十天干 Shí Tiān Gān), the Twelve Earthly Branches (十二地支 Shí'èr DìZhī), and the Twenty-Eight Lunar Mansions (二十八宿 Èr Shí Bā Xiù).
What Are the 28 Lunar Mansions (二十八宿 Èr Shí Bā Xiù)?
The Moon completes one revolution around the Earth relative to the fixed stars in approximately 27 days, 7 hours, and 43 minutes. This period closely corresponds to the traditional division of the sky into 28 celestial sectors.
Each of the four quadrants contains seven groups of stars or asterisms, resulting in a total of 28 celestial sectors. These sectors trace the path of the Moon along the ecliptic and are known as 二十八宿 (Èr Shí Bā Xiù), commonly translated as the 28 Lunar Mansions or 28 Lunar Lodgings.
The Lunar Mansions function as a celestial coordinate system that tracks the Moon's movement through the sky. They form an important astronomical and calendrical foundation for traditional Chinese astrology, BaZi, date selection, and other systems that rely on cyclical observations of time and celestial motion.