Brief Explanation about Birth Code Calculation
Before you can read a Birth Code (Saju) chart, it must first be calculated.
This process converts your birth date and time into a structured set of symbols. You do not need to learn the full calculation method, but understanding the basic idea will help you understand what the chart represents.
In traditional practice, this calculation was done using an almanac system that organizes time into repeating cycles. This system is known in Korean tradition as a Manseyeok.
Instead of calculating everything manually, people would use this system to look up the correct combination of symbols for a specific date and time.
One important difference from the modern calendar is that this system does not rely only on numerical dates. It is based on natural time cycles, especially seasonal divisions known as solar terms. These divisions mark changes in the seasons and are based on the position of the sun.
For example, the beginning of a month in this system does not always match the first day of a calendar month. It follows seasonal transitions instead.
Because of this, timing boundaries are very precise.
A person born just before or just after a seasonal change may have a different chart, even if the calendar date appears the same. This is one reason why accurate calculation is important.
Each part of your birth time — year, month, day, and hour — is converted into a pair of symbols.
These symbols come from two sets:
- Heavenly Stems
- Earthly Branches
Each pair forms one pillar, and together they create the Four Pillars of the chart.
Each of these symbols is connected to Yin and Yang and the Five Elements.
This means your birth time is translated into a pattern of elemental energy.
The chart is a structured way of displaying that pattern.
The full calculation process is complex and involves multiple layers of time cycles. For this reason, most people do not calculate charts manually. Instead, beginners usually use an online calculator. This allows you to quickly generate your chart and focus on understanding its structure.
At this stage, the most important thing is not how the chart is calculated in detail, but how to recognize the structure that results from it.
You will learn how to read that structure in the next chapters.
You can generate your Birth Code (Saju) chart using the calculator at CodeByBirth.com