The 60 Day Pillars — All 60 in One Place
Your Day Pillar (日柱) is the pair of characters for the day you were born. Of the eight characters in your saju, it’s the one that holds both you yourself (Day Master) and your spouse’s seat (Day Branch), which makes it the first place to look for your temperament and spouse ties. We’ve worked out all 60 Day Pillars, down to Ten Gods, 12 Life Stages, Void (Gongmang), and special stars.
What Is a Day Pillar?
Saju is the four pillars of your birth year, month, day, and hour, each made of two characters — eight in total. Among them, the pillar of your birth day is your Day Pillar. The top character is called the Day Master (日干), and the bottom one the Day Branch (日支).
The Day Master stands for Yourself and is the reference point for every reading. The Day Branch is where your spouse sits and also the ground you stand on. That’s why just these two characters reveal the big picture of your temperament and spouse ties.
You can find your Day Pillar even without knowing your birth time. All you need is your birth date. The only pillar that needs your birth time is the Hour Pillar (時柱).
Gap Wood (甲木) Day Master — 6 Day Pillars
It doesn’t really know how to bend. Once it picks a direction, it heads straight up without looking sideways. That gives it a remarkable power to start things, and people naturally give it the front seat. But once it snaps, it takes a long time to stand back up.
Eul Wood (乙木) Day Master — 6 Day Pillars
Its softness is its survival skill. Instead of hitting things head-on, it winds around them and eventually reaches where it wants to be. It may look fragile, but it’s usually the one still standing at the end. But with nothing to lean on, it wears itself out and collapses.
Byeong Fire (丙火) Day Master — 6 Day Pillars
It can’t hide anything — and has no intention of trying. Likes and dislikes show all over its face. Wherever it is, it lights up the room and draws people in. But because the temperature of its emotions shows so plainly, others end up walking on eggshells.
Jeong Fire (丁火) Day Master — 6 Day Pillars
It isn’t big, but it never goes out. It places warmth exactly where it’s needed. It has the power to care for one person for a long time, and the people beside it are the first to notice. But burning itself to light up others, it ends up burning out.
Mu Earth (戊土) Day Master — 6 Day Pillars
Not being shaken is its greatest weapon. Even when things get urgent, it doesn’t speed up. Because of that weight, people confide their most important stories in it. But it holds firm even when it should change, and misses its moment.
Gi Earth (己土) Day Master — 6 Day Pillars
It’s the most practical of all. Rather than talking about ideals, it sorts out what’s within reach right now. It shines especially in roles that nurture other people’s talents, building trust as a supporter and planner. But looking after its own needs always comes last.
Gyeong Metal (庚金) Day Master — 6 Day Pillars
It draws clear lines and cuts cleanly. It can’t stand ambiguity for long, so it reaches a conclusion first. Deeply loyal, once you’re one of its people, it protects you even at its own cost. But until it’s been polished, its words cut just as they are.
Sin Metal (辛金) Day Master — 6 Day Pillars
Its standards are high, and it holds itself to them before anyone else. It wins on polish. Clean and sharp, its work stands out at a glance. But spot a single flaw and it can’t bear the whole thing, so it grinds itself down.
Im Water (壬水) Day Master — 6 Day Pillars
Calm on the surface, deep underneath. It thinks big and far ahead. Able to flow anywhere, it’s great at redrawing the whole game. But it doesn’t show what’s inside, so even people close to it can’t tell how much of it is sincere.
Gye Water (癸水) Day Master — 6 Day Pillars
Small, but it seeps in everywhere. Its intuition is so keen it picks up on what’s left unsaid. It slips in quietly and changes things quietly, so its presence only shows later. But just as it seeps in, hurt soaks in too.
FAQ
How is your Day Pillar determined?
Your Day Pillar is the stem-branch pair of the day you were born. Pairing the 10 Heavenly Stems with the 12 Earthly Branches in order gives 60 combinations — the 60 Day Pillars (sexagenary cycle). Since these 60 rotate day by day, your birth date alone determines your Day Pillar. Your birth time isn’t needed.
How is a Day Pillar different from a zodiac sign?
Your zodiac sign looks at just one Earthly Branch from your birth year, while your Day Pillar is the two characters — Heavenly Stem and Earthly Branch — of your birth day. In saju, the Day Pillar carries far more weight than the zodiac sign. Even with the same zodiac sign, a different Day Pillar means a different temperament and different spouse ties.
Can you check compatibility with Day Pillars?
You can see the big picture. Since the Day Branch is the spouse’s seat, two people whose Day Branches form a Six Harmony or Three Harmony get along easily, while a Clash or Resentment means they tend to butt heads. But the Day Pillar is only two of the eight characters, so an accurate compatibility reading also needs the Month Branch and the Useful God.
Why are there 60 in the cycle?
Pairing the 10 Heavenly Stems with the 12 Earthly Branches in order brings you back to the first combination at 60, the least common multiple of 10 and 12. It starts with Gapja, ends with Gyehae, then returns to Gapja. That’s also where the Korean word hwangap (your 60th birthday) comes from.
What does Jeombom base its saju calculations on?
Jeombom is a Korean saju service that builds its saju calendar from the Korea Astronomy and Space Science Institute’s solar-term data and corrects your birth time to true solar time to calculate the eight characters of your chart.
| Item | Jeombom standard |
|---|---|
| Solar terms · saju calendar | Solar-term data from the Korea Astronomy and Space Science Institute (KASI) |
| Birth time | True solar time correction — subtracts the 30-minute gap between standard time (135°E) and central Korea (about 127.5°E), adjusted by the equation of time, which varies by date |
| Daylight saving time | 12 periods applied: 1948–1951, 1955–1960, 1987–1988 |
| Former standard time | 127.5°E period from Mar 21, 1954 to Aug 9, 1961 applied |
| Input | Solar birth date (convert a lunar birthday to solar before entering) |
Why correct for true solar time?
Because clock time and the sun’s actual time can be about 30 minutes apart. If you were born during daylight saving time or the former standard time period, your Hour Pillar can shift by one slot without the correction. Detailed records are in Korean Standard Time records and Hour Pillar check. For what to check when choosing a free saju reading, see How to choose a free saju reading.
Where can I see the sources behind Jeombom’s readings?
- Korea Law Information Center — Standard Time Act
- National Institute of Korean Language Standard Dictionary — meaning of “saju palja”
- Wikipedia (Korean) — Saju palja
- Wikipedia (Korean) — Korean Standard Time (daylight saving history)
- KASI Astronomy Knowledge Portal — monthly solar/lunar calendar
Can I take the horoscope results at face value?
Jeombom’s fortune results are entertainment content, for fun and reference. For important decisions about health, law or investing, please consult a qualified professional.