In order to understand this section, some definitions will be helpful. They do not correspond directly to the graphic representation.

YIN and YANG: complementary poles of energy, originally the northern, dark side of the mountain (YIN) and the southern, sunny slope (YANG). These terms have taken on a broad range of associations: negative and positive, receptive and penetrating, dark and bright, still and active, sinking and rising, female and male, and so on.

FIVE PHASES: a cycle of five steps --

WOOD, FIRE, EARTH, METAL, and WATER.

TWELVE ANIMALS: a cycle of twelve steps -

RAT, OX, TIGER, HARE, DRAGON, SNAKE, HORSE, SHEEP, MONKEY, FOWL, DOG, and PIG.

HEAVENLY STEMS: a cycle of ten steps --

JIA, YI; BING, DING; WU, JI; GENG, XIN; REN, GUI.

•	The STEMS alternate YANG and YIN.

•	Each of the YANG-and-YIN pairs is associated with one of the FIVE PHASES.

EARTHLY BRANCHES: a cycle of twelve steps -

ZI, CHOU, YIN, MAO, CHEN, SI, WU, WEI, SHEN, YOU, XU, and HAI.

•	Each BRANCH is associated with one of the TWELVE ANIMALS.

•	The BRANCHES also alternate YANG and YIN, and each BRANCH is associated with one of the FIVE PHASES (though in different sequence than the STEMS.)

YUAN CYCLE: a 60-step cycle, each step of which is composed of the interaction of a Heavenly STEM and an Earthly BRANCH. Since the STEMS and BRANCHES are only combined YANG to YANG and YIN to YIN, the YUAN Cycle also alternates YANG and YIN. Each combination of STEM and BRANCH makes one step of the YUAN (or, "Origin") Cycle.

PILLARS OF FATE: the basic accounting system of the Chinese Calendar, consisting of one PILLAR each for Year, Month, Day, and Hour. Each PILLAR contains one step of the YUAN Cycle.

LUNAR DAY: the number of the day of the LUNAR MONTH, beginning with the day of the New Moon (on its date in China, which is always the basis for Chinese Astrological calculations.) Each LUNAR MONTH has 29 or 30 days, each of which is regarded as generally favorable or adverse. Some LUNAR DAYS are also favorable or adverse for specific activities (listed in the FAVORABLE and ADVERSE boxes.)

Dot indicating the favorability of the LUNAR DAY number is shown to the left of the DAY PILLAR, at the level of the LUNAR DAY notation.

LUNAR MONTH: the number of the month in the LUNAR YEAR. There may be 12 or 13 Moons in a year, but only 12 numbers, as the extra moon wherever it falls (indicated by *) always repeats the number, characteristics, and FESTIVALS of the previous month.

LUNAR YEAR: the number of the year since the traditional date of adoption of the Lunar Calendar during the reign of Emperor Yao, fourth of the legendary Five Emperors who are credited by the Chinese with the establishment of civilization.

PILLARS OF FATE for the Day, Month, and Year: in the top row of each box are the Heavenly STEM (on the right) and its PHASE (on the left). In the bottom row are the Earthly BRANCH (on the right) and its associated ANIMAL (on the left).

Dots indicating the internal QI and auspiciousness of the PILLAR are in the middle of the box.

Dot indicating the interaction of the three STEMS for the current day, month, and year is at the left of the box for the DAY PILLAR, and aligned with the top row.

Dot indicating the interaction of the three BRANCHES for the current day, month, and year is at the left of the box for the DAY PILLAR, and aligned with the bottom row.

PHASE: a cycle of ten steps made up of YANG-and-YIN pairs for each of the FIVE PHASES. This PHASE is calculated from the STEM and BRANCH of each PILLAR, an is usually referred to as the HIDDEN (or "RULING") PHASE.

Dot indicating the interaction of the PHASES of the three PILLARS for the day is at the left of the DAY PILLAR, at the level of the PHASE notations.

NINE STARS: a complex system of divination based on the mathematical "Magic Square of Three" (the LUO SHU), dating traditionally from 2200 BCE. The numbers, or STARS, migrate through the nine divisions of the square, the center always holding the Ruler, associated with a Color-Element shown below it. Each Ruler has auspices applying to FENG SHUI, Compass Divination, FIVE PHASE Analysis, Fate Calculation, etc.

Dot indicating the interaction of the NINE STARS for the three PILLARS of the day is to the left of the HOUR PILLAR, at the level of the Color-Elements notations.

Note: The column of Dots at the left of the DAY PILLAR makes up a set of Secondary QI Cycles, inferior to the indicators for LUNAR LODGE and SOLAR INDEX (shown above and below the Date.) However, LUNAR DAYS 1, 2, 3, 15, 16, 17, 18, 29, and 30, can be regarded as being Primary in influence, and are shown with dots equal to the LUNAR LODGE and the SOLAR INDEX.