Four Pillars & Five Elements
Explore a traditional chart and its interpretation from birth details.
See examples and explanations ↓Supports Gregorian dates in 1900–2050 and Korean lunar dates that convert into that range. Time zones follow tzdb 2026e records. Regional clock histories have limitations, and future time-zone rules may change. Possible charts are shown together near solar-term boundaries.
Local civil clock · Day changes at 23:00 · Year at Ipchun · Month at jie terms · No solar-time correction. Gregorian input range: 1900–2050.
Chart and reflections
Check your inputs and press Calculate. Restored inputs are not calculated automatically.
What this tool explores
Inspect the stems and branches of four pillars and basic element counts under the selected calendar, zone and calculation convention. When timing is uncertain, read the possible charts instead of treating one as certain.
Step by step
- Choose Gregorian or Korean lunar input and enter the date. For lunar input, also match the record’s leap-month status.
- Enter the birth time and region’s IANA zone. Select unknown if the time is unavailable; for a repeated time, choose the offset matching the record.
- Calculate, then review candidate charts, element counts, reflection questions and calculation versions.
What to look for in these results
The table runs year, month, day, then hour. Elements are counts, not scores or strength assessments. An unknown time omits the hour pillar and leaves six characters. Minimum and maximum counts describe alternatives separately; combining all minima does not create a valid chart.
Questions about this tool
Why can one date produce several candidate charts?
A date with unknown time can span the 23:00 day-pillar change. Near a solar term, year or month pillars may also differ. The app retains possible combinations. Do not enter an invented time just to remove the uncertainty.
Does the Korean interface imply Korean time?
No. Interface language and the selected zone are independent. For a birth abroad, check the zone appropriate to that region. Changing zones can map the same clock reading to a different absolute instant.
Inputs and calculation rules
Lunar/solar conversion uses records acquired from the Korea Astronomy and Space Science Institute API. Every Gregorian date mapping from 1900 through 2050 has been checked. Calculation uses static data in your browser and does not send input dates to an external API.
Choose the calendar first. Korean lunar input uses separate year, month, day and leap-month fields. The converted Gregorian date must be between January 1, 1900 and December 31, 2050. Calendar, birthplace and interface language are independent.
Before 1970 in particular, one zone name may not represent every historical clock in its region. Older results carry this limitation. The accepted input range is not a claim that every year has been independently validated. IANA time-zone data scope
The selected IANA zone uses pinned tzdb 2026e for historical offsets and daylight saving. If a local time occurred twice, choose the offset matching the record. A nonexistent date or time is not shifted automatically. Historical records have not been validated for every region.
ToffeeLab uses the local civil clock without solar-time correction. Year pillars change at Ipchun, month pillars at the 12 jie terms, and day pillars at 23:00. The Zi hour runs from 23:00 until just before 01:00. Other traditions may use different conventions.
Reading alternatives and elements
All 3,672 solar terms across 1899–2051 were compared with solar-position samples from JPL Horizons. This is separate from lunar/solar date-conversion verification. The comparison does not establish every regional clock history or future time-zone legislation. JPL Horizons
The 1954 Korean standard-time change is recorded at March 21, 00:30 in the gazette and at 00:00 in the current tzdb. We do not silently reconcile that difference; affected inputs carry a separate notice on screen and in images. National Archives records and gazette
An unknown birth time is not replaced with noon. All possible intervals for the local date are retained, and the hour pillar is omitted. If day pillars differ across 23:00 or year/month pillars differ across a term, possible combinations are shown together. Keeping alternatives within 30 minutes of a term estimate is not a guaranteed error bound across the whole range.
Elements count each visible stem and branch once: eight characters with a known time and six without it. Alternatives show minimum–maximum counts. These are not strength calculations using hidden stems or seasonal weights. A zero does not imply a personality flaw or health problem.
Frequently asked questions
What do comparison and daily readings mean?
These are authored reflection questions linked to traditional symbols. They do not predict relationship success or future events. The same chart, date, time zone and versions select the same daily sentences; refreshing does not reroll them. Sentences can repeat on different dates because the catalog is finite.
Where do saving and image downloads happen?
They happen in your browser. With consent, only inputs are saved on the device; results require another click of Calculate. Uncheck consent or use the Saju delete button to remove them. Cookie and device settings offer deletion across platforms. An image may contain personal results, so review what you share.
Source review: 2026-10-06. Comparison references: KASI lunar/solar records · IANA tzdb · Astronomy Engine · 6tail · License notices · Lunar data attribution