Balance ≠ Success — Success Comes from Alignment, Not Balance
In BaZi (八字), many people believe that a balanced chart — one where all Five Elements (五行) are present and evenly distributed — guarantees a life of success and harmony. However, this is one of the biggest misconceptions in Chinese metaphysics.
In BaZi, life is not meant to be perfectly balanced — it is meant to be aligned. Find your alignment, and you will find your direction.
Balance Means Stability, Not Greatness
A balanced chart often indicates a steady, uneventful life — with neither extreme hardship nor outstanding achievement. The energy in such a chart is peaceful but lacks momentum.
In other words, balance brings comfort, not success. Individuals with balanced charts often lead calm, predictable lives:
- Good family
- Stable career
- Few crises
Yet they rarely achieve remarkable breakthroughs. They follow the flow rather than reshape it.
Why “Balance” Doesn’t Always Mean Success
The essence of BaZi lies in the interaction of strength and weakness, not in equal portions of the Five Elements. Every chart requires a clear Alignment and a Useful God (用神) — the element that drives its purpose and creates transformation.
When all elements are evenly distributed:
- Nothing dominates, so nothing leads
- Elements balance each other, leaving the chart without direction
This kind of balance can feel safe, but in destiny terms, it is static — the energy moves in circles instead of forward.
BaZi Alignment toward Useful Ten Gods (喜用神)
In BaZi, success is not simply about balance — it comes from alignment. A well-aligned chart means the BaZi structure is well supported by strong and healthy Useful Ten Gods (喜用神), which in turn reinforce other favorable elements in the chart. For example, a Yi 乙 Wood Follower (从格) Day Master requires alignment that strengthens Fire and Earth. These elements must dominate the chart and be much stronger than Water to maintain harmony and ensure the Day Master follows the flow successfully.
Special BaZi Structures (特殊命格) : Imbalanced BaZi chart structures
- Follow the Leader Structures (从格 Cong Ge)
- Follow the Power – 从杀格 (Cong Sha Ge). Chart dominated by Seven Killings (七杀). The term 从杀格 (Cong Sha Ge) is a general designation for both 从官 (Cong Guan) and 从杀 (Cong Sha). Therefore, if a BaZi chart has only the officer star (官星) but no Seven Killings (杀星), it is still considered a 从杀格 (Cong Sha Ge) not a 从官格 (Cong Guan Ge).
- Follow the Wealth – 从财格 (Cong Cai Ge). Chart dominated by Wealth stars (财才)
- Follow the Output (Follow the Son) – 从儿格 (Cong Er Ge). Chart dominated by Output stars (食神, 伤官).
- Follow the Friend – 从强格 (Cong Qiang Ge). Chart dominated by Friends (劫比) stars.
- Follow the Resource – 从旺格 (Cong Wang Ge) . Chart dominated by Resource stars (印卩).
- Pure/Single Element Zhuan Structures (专格 Zhuan Ge)
- 专旺格 (Zhuan Wang Ge, Pure Strong). One element overwhelmingly dominates the chart (e.g., all Wood).
- 专气格 (Zhuan Qi Ge, Pure Qi). Four pillars belong to the same Qi flow (same seasonal energy).
- Half-Follow / Pseudo-Follow Structures (假从格 Jia Cong Ge) . A follower BaZi chart, but the support for the Day Master is not completely gone.
All the above are examples of imbalanced BaZi chart structures.
Example 1: Balanced but Ordinary
Consider a woman born 5 January 1966, whose BaZi reflects a typical, stable life as a homemaker.
Year Pillar: 乙巳 (Yi Si)
Month Pillar: 戊子 (Wu Zi)
Day Pillar: 甲子 (Jia Zi)
Hour Pillar: 庚午 (Geng Wu)
At first glance, her chart seems ideal:
- Contains all Five Elements — Wood, Fire, Earth, Metal, Water
- Have all all Ten Gods (印卩, 劫比, 伤食, 财才, 官杀)
Her Day Master 甲 Wood is weak (弱), born in Zi month.
- Her favorable Resource (子印) is hidden and suppressed by 戊 Earth, clashing with 巳 Fire and 午 Fire → talent and knowledge are buried
- Her favorable Companion 乙劫 clashes with 戊 Earth and is exhausted on top of 巳 Fire → cannot retain wealth
- The killing star (七杀) is too distant to provide support → the chart is scattered
Outcome: A stable but ordinary life — peaceful home, steady career, and no major achievements.
Lesson: Even though this chart is balanced and complete, the Useful Gods are hidden or suppressed, leaving little upward momentum. This is a typical housewife’s BaZi — content, safe, but not remarkable.
Example 2: Tung Chee-hwa (董建華) — Unbalanced but Highly Successful
Now, contrast with Tung Chee-hwa (董建華), born 7 July 1937. He is a Hong Kong businessman and retired politician.
Year Pillar: 丁丑 (Ding Chou)
Month Pillar: 丁未 (Ding Wei)
Day Pillar: 乙未 (Yi Wei)
Hour Pillar: 戊子 (Wu Zi)
He has a 从财格 (Cong Cai Ge); this BaZi can also be categorized as 从儿格 (Cong Er Ge). This chart is clearly unbalanced, dominated by Fire and Earth, with almost no Water (Water near strong Earth) or Metal.
- Day Master: 乙 Wood, weak, born in Earth month
- Alignment: Follower (从格) — Strong Alignment toward supporting Useful God (用神) Earth
- Useful God (用神): Earth — abundant and fully supported
- Favorable God (喜神): Fire — strong and well-rooted
Because the Useful God and Favorable God are healthy and strong, everything aligns in Tung Chee-hwa’s life:
- Career achievements
- Wealth accumulation
- Influence and recognition
Many remarkable achievers also have this type of unbalanced but well-supported chart, including Jack Ma, Bill Gates, Pope John Paul II, and others.
Lesson: In BaZi, success comes from a clear, focused Alignment towards strong Useful Gods (喜用神) and favorable Ten Gods (喜神), not from perfect balance.
Comparison: Balanced vs Unbalanced Charts
| Aspect | Balanced but Ordinary | Unbalanced but Highly Successful |
|---|---|---|
| Person | Female, 5 Jan 1966 | Tung Chee-hwa, 7 Jul 1937 |
| Day Master | 甲 Wood (弱, weak) | 乙 Wood 从财格 (Cong Cai Ge); this BaZi can also be categorized as 从儿格 (Cong Er Ge). |
| Month / Season | Zi 子 month (Water) | Wei 未 month (Earth) |
| Element Balance | All Five Elements present | Dominated by Fire and Earth; Water & Metal minimal |
| Ten Gods | All Ten Gods (印卩, 劫比, 伤食, 财才, 官杀) | Useful Gods: Earth(财才); Favorable Gods: Fire (伤食) |
| Useful God (用神) | Hidden / suppressed → weak impact | Strong, fully supported → clear direction |
| Favorable Gods (喜神) | Weak / drained → limited benefit | Strong & well-rooted → supports growth |
| Structure (格局) | Weak (弱) Jia 甲 Wood Day Master, all 5 elements scattered, no dominant force | Follower (从格) Yi 乙Wood Day Master — Strong Alignment toward supporting Useful God (喜用神) Earth and favorable (喜神) Fire, aligned with these two dominant elements |
| Talent / Wealth Expression | Suppressed → cannot fully utilize skills or save money | Fully expressed → career, wealth, influence |
| Life Outcome | Stable but ordinary | Remarkable success |
| Key Lesson | Balance without support ≠ success | Unbalance with strong Useful God → achievement |
The Real Key to Success
In BaZi, success does not come from balance — it comes from clarity and strength of Alignment which support his Useful Ten Gods (喜用神):
- A strong chart needs control to express its power
- A weak chart needs support to grow
- A follower chart needs flow to thrive
When the Structure is correctly identified and the Useful God is strong, life moves forward with purpose and momentum.
Key Takeaways
- Balance ≠ success. Balance brings stability and comfort, not breakthroughs.
- Structure and alignment is everything. The chart must have a clear, functioning Structure, focused Alignment and strong Useful Gods to create momentum.
- Unbalance with support leads to achievement. Many highly successful people have unbalanced but well-supported charts.
- Look at interactions, not just presence. A chart can contain all elements but fail if the Useful God is suppressed.
In BaZi, life is not meant to be perfectly balanced — it is meant to be aligned. Balance brings comfort, while Alignment brings destiny.
In BaZi, success is not determined by balance, but by alignment with a powerful, rooted, and thriving Useful Ten God (喜用神) and its associated elements. This alignment reinforces the favorable Ten Gods (喜神), allowing the BaZi structure (八字命格) to flourish.