Different Views on Bazi Marriage Compatibility Among Major Chinese Astrology Schools

In the development of Chinese metaphysics, different schools of thought have their own theoretical emphases and analytical methods regarding Bazi compatibility. Below is a brief overview of the main differences among these schools:

• Ziping School (Traditional School): The Ziping school, founded by Xu Ziping during the Song Dynasty, forms the orthodox foundation of today's Bazi system. Ziping compatibility emphasizes overall balance, incorporating both folk elements like symbolic stars and zodiac signs, as well as core principles such as the Five Elements (Wu Xing), mutual generation and restriction, and the use of beneficial elements (Yong Shen). Traditional Ziping methods stress the mutual support of the Day Pillar and Yong Shen: ideally, the day stems of husband and wife should generate or combine with each other, avoiding conflict or clashes. The Spouse Palace (Day Branch) should not be afflicted by punishment or harm and preferably combines with the favorable elements. It's crucial that both charts’ favorable elements benefit one another; one person's favorable element should never be the other's unfavorable one. Ziping also examines Ten Gods and Six Kinships information, such as whether the man's Wealth Star and the woman's Officer Star are well-matched, or whether their peer and Hurting Officer stars counteract each other. Traditional views also consider the Year Pillar (e.g., heavenly and earthly combinations or clashes) and zodiac compatibility (Six Harmonies are good, Six Clashes and Six Harms are to be avoided), but these are secondary. In summary, Ziping advocates for “Four Pillar Integration”, asserting that compatibility should be judged on the overall harmony of both charts. If the union creates smooth elemental flow and balances hot and cold energies, leading to mutual benefit in their fates, it is considered an ideal match. Conversely, if the union disrupts each other’s original structure, it is seen as a poor match. In short: “Day Pillars should generate each other, favorable elements should complement; avoid clashes in stems and branches—conflict brings disharmony in marriage.”

• Blind School (Mangpai): The Blind School is a folk tradition named after visually impaired masters who passed it down. Its compatibility method differs from traditional ones, emphasizing practical verification and simplified formulas. Their core view is: "The essence of compatibility is not about compensating each other’s weaknesses, but about sharing the same favorable elements." That is, both partners should favor the same element. The idea is that if both charts are strengthened by the same element, the couple is more likely to share values, interests, and perspectives, forming a strong foundation for marriage. In contrast, if one favors Water and the other Fire, their innate needs are opposed, and harmony becomes difficult. The Blind School also emphasizes matching levels of fortune: comparing the overall wealth and destiny levels in both charts. If one has a high-ranking chart destined for success and the other an ordinary one, the mismatch in destiny levels can doom the relationship. This is similar to the concept of “equal social status” in traditional marriage. Additionally, they value synchronization of marital trajectory: if one is destined for lifelong marriage and the other for multiple marriages or spouse loss, problems will arise. To summarize, the Blind School focuses on three aspects: same favorable element, equal destiny level, synchronized life path. They de-emphasize zodiac signs or year pillars, arguing that apparent clashes are secondary—the real issue is elemental mismatch. Their sharp observations often point directly to potential problems, urging people not to be misled by superficial signs.

• Modern School: The "Modern School" refers to various reformist thinkers in the 20th century who innovated traditional Bazi theories. These practitioners combine multiple schools and adopt a flexible, pragmatic approach. In compatibility, they don’t rely solely on old zodiac charts, nor do they ignore traditional techniques. Instead, they promote multi-layered analysis. For example, renowned modern master Zhu Guoying classified marriage compatibility into three categories: Na Yin Type, Ten Gods Type, and Palace Type, analyzing from birth year Na Yin, Ten God interaction, and Four Pillars positional relationships. Thus, they assess Na Yin element compatibility, mutual support of favorable elements, and Spouse Palace interactions. The Modern School believes that the core lies in the Five Elements’ interaction and favorable element compatibility. Zodiac signs and Na Yin serve only as references and should not be overly relied on. In a nutshell: “Compatibility should focus on the Five Elements and beneficial elements; Na Yin is just a reference.” Modern practitioners also adapt to social changes such as dual-income families and late marriages. They downplay traditional standards like “wife must support husband and bear children,” instead emphasizing emotional connection and career support. They may even use data analysis and psychology to validate their insights, making their advice more relevant today. In short, the Modern School blends tradition with modernity—they respect fate but are not bound by it. They apply various techniques but also consider real-life compatibility to give practical guidance.

• Ditian Sui School: This school is based on the classic Ditian Sui, emphasizing the overall Qi dynamic and structure of the Bazi chart. They elevate compatibility analysis to the level of essence, energy, and spirit. The Ditian Sui school uses a unique scoring system: they insist on analyzing all Four Pillars and oppose partial interpretations. Their scoring steps include: first, evaluating Marriage Star and Spouse Palace (i.e., Spouse Star and Day Branch), which accounts for nearly 50% of the score, since harmony and stability form the basis of marriage. Next, they assess structure gods and favorable elements, which account for about 30%, as they are the chart's backbone. Then comes the strength of the Day Master, contributing 5–10%, to understand the personalities and compatibility. Finally, they analyze the overall relationships—generation, restriction, combination—between these factors to calculate the final score. A score above 70 indicates a good match; above 90 is extremely rare and ideal; around 60 is average and needs effort; below 50 signals major issues and caution is advised. This method reflects the systematic and in-depth approach of the school. They don’t judge based on zodiac or singular signs, but rely on complex chart mechanics. They also stress attitude in reading charts: “True transmission is not lightly given.” It often requires master-level expertise to interpret and advise. In short, Ditian Sui School summarizes compatibility as “Scoring the core elements, harmonizing two charts.” It's appealing for advanced learners but may be challenging for beginners without professional guidance.

• Structure School (格局派): Though not a formal school, the Structure School refers to those who emphasize chart structures and balance of strength. Their ideas are close to traditional Ziping but with more focus on matching levels and complementary strengths. They first judge the structure type and level: wealth structure, officer structure, or special configurations like “Follow the Strong.” They believe the difference in level should not be too large, or one will overpower or drag the other. They emphasize complementing strengths and weaknesses: strong matches strong, weak matches weak, or strong matched with a chart that can balance it. For instance, a man with a strong wealth chart should ideally match a woman with strong officer or peer stars to counterbalance his wealth stars—this avoids one dominating or draining the other. A woman with a strong officer structure is advised to match a man with strong Resource or peer stars that support her energy. They also stress preserving the original structure: if a chart is of noble “Officer-Seal” type and the partner's chart is full of Hurting Officer stars, it can ruin the structure and lead to disharmony. On the other hand, if charts form mutual enhancement (e.g., wealth generates officer), it’s a top match. In essence, the Structure School prioritizes matching levels and energy balance. It echoes the traditional idea of “matching social status” and applies yin-yang dynamics to marital balance. It’s quite practical: if two people have widely different fates, their values and habits may conflict, and the cost of adjustment will be high. Still, structure is not the only determinant of marital success. That’s why many practitioners recommend post-marital remedies (personal improvement, Feng Shui, etc.) when mismatches are found.

In summary, each school offers a different perspective on Bazi compatibility: Traditional Ziping values holistic balance and classical principles; Blind School emphasizes shared favorable elements and life path synchronization; Modern School integrates innovation and multi-angle analysis; Ditian Sui School applies detailed scoring based on chart essence; Structure School focuses on level-matching and strength balance. Despite these different focuses, their ultimate goal is the same: to use Bazi to gain insights into potential marital dynamics, offering guidance for partner selection and relationship management. Today’s practitioners often draw from multiple schools, blending tradition with modern values for a more objective analysis. Ultimately, Bazi compatibility is just a reference tool—it can reveal potential harmonies and risks, but a happy marriage still depends on mutual understanding and effort. As stated in Ditian Sui: “Marriage is destined from previous lifetimes.” Bazi may reflect the depth of fate, but the journey ahead is one the couple must walk together. Proper use of compatibility analysis allows us to enhance strengths and avoid pitfalls, creating better conditions for a harmonious marriage.