Expert: Bill Hajdu - 6/20/2006

Question
Dear Bill,
According to my Bazi, my self element is Yang Fire. But when it comes to my Ming Gua element, it is Water. Which one of these is the one to be considered when calculating my destiny?

Answer
Hi Chow,

As with anything that has been around for a long time, Chinese astrology has developed a number of different traditions. Perhaps the most basic variation is the use of the solar (often preferred by feng shui practitioners) vs the lunar calendar. I would have to know your birth info and the chart that produced your conclusions to answer for sure.

Nevertheless, i'm confident the short answer to your question is both.

I have not done an exhaustive study of whether the lunar or solar, or whether one tradition or the other, is more accurate. All i can say is i've done thousands of readings using the lunar calendar with the Ming Shu tradition and have had highly satisfactory results. Two notable people who do likewise are Kwok Man-Ho and Derek Walters.

You should use the system that works best for you. Perhaps the best way is to get a reading from a competent practitioner of both. Then compare what they say about your past to determine which is the more accurate.

Of course the difference could be due to the abilities of the practitioners, but you have to trust something. It might also turn out that both systems provide relatively accurate readings. In that case you can use them to supplement each other.

Thank u for your question.