创业不难，守业不易. Starting a business is not difficult; maintaining and preserving it is.
Building a business may bring opportunities for wealth, but sustaining that success over the long term can be a greater challenge. Cui’s life story provides an interesting BaZi case study of business opportunities, financial gains, investment success, and periods of financial difficulty.
Cui was born on February 28, 1952, during the Wu 午 hour (11:00 AM–1:00 PM), and his BaZi chart is shown above.
A Jia 甲 Wood Day Master born in the Yin 寅 (Tiger) month indicates a strong Jia Wood Day Master. This is referred to in ancient texts as the “Jian Lu Structure” (建禄格, Established Prosperity Structure). However, the quality of a chart, its success or failure, and its fortune or misfortune have nothing to do with the name of the structure. Knowing the terminology is harmless, but becoming overly attached to it does not provide much benefit.
1986 (Bing-Yin 丙寅 year): His boss immigrated, and Cui took over the business operations. Over the following years, from Chen 辰 to Si 巳, Wu 午, and Wei 未, his financial fortunes were smooth. In 1993, he purchased a house.
1999 (Ji-Mao 己卯 year): His business performed poorly, and a Sino-Hong Kong shipping and transportation joint venture with a friend eventually dissolved. Excessive gambling led to financial difficulties and marital disputes.
In 1998 (Wu-Yin 戊寅 year) and 1999 (Ji-Mao 己卯 year), Cui made 200,000 from stock investments. As business income declined, investment income increased. However, his gambling losses exceeded his winnings.
Cui’s journey reflects the meaning behind 创业不难，守业不易. His experience shows that opportunities to build wealth may arise during favourable periods, but maintaining that wealth requires navigating changing circumstances, business cycles, investments, and personal decisions.
From taking over a business to experiencing periods of financial gains and setbacks, his life provides an interesting example of how BaZi can be studied alongside real-life events. Ultimately, wealth is not only about how much one can gain, but also about how well one can preserve and manage what has been gained.