Consulting a fortuneteller for an auspicious birthdate for a child compatible with their parents' ages is a familiar spiritual custom, reflecting the desire for the child to have a smooth start and a prosperous life. Parents often carefully consider elements such as Heavenly Stems, Earthly Branches, Five Elements, and Eight Trigrams to choose an appropriate birth year, hoping for a beautiful future for their child. So, how does one consult an auspicious birthdate for a child compatible with their parents' ages based on these four factors? Let's find out with Ru9 in this article!
1. The Significance of Consulting an Auspicious Birthdate for a Child Compatible with Their Parents' Ages
Consulting a child's birth age to be compatible with their parents' is a long-standing cultural practice, originating from Eastern philosophy on Yin and Yang and the Five Elements. According to traditional beliefs, everyone is born with a certain fate, which can be mutually supportive or conflicting with others. Therefore, when a child's age is compatible with their parents, it helps create balance and harmony in the family, thus bringing a peaceful, convenient, and lucky life to everyone.
Although there is no specific scientific basis, many people still believe that giving birth to a child with a compatible age will help the child be healthy, intelligent, and have good fortune. At the same time, the relationship between parents and children is also said to be more harmonious, with fewer conflicts during upbringing.
Today, even though society is more modern and mindsets have changed, consulting a child's birth age is still highly valued by many families. It is not just a spiritual factor but also reflects the parents' concern, expectations, and love for their child. By choosing a suitable birth year, parents wish to give their child a good start, full of blessings and prosperity in the future.
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2. Criteria for Consulting a Child's Birth Age Compatible with Their Parents' Ages
The most common way to consult an auspicious birthdate for a child compatible with their parents' ages is to examine whether the Five Elements, Earthly Branches, Heavenly Stems, and Eight Trigrams of the child and parents are in harmony. If the elements are compatible or mutually supportive, it is concluded that the child's age is compatible. Conversely, if they are conflicting or mutually restraining, the child's age may be incompatible with the parents.
Below is a detailed guide on how to consult a child's birth age that you can refer to when choosing an auspicious birthdate for a child compatible with their parents' ages. After the theoretical part, Ru9 will provide examples to analyze the specific application.
Five Elements
The Five Elements consist of 5 basic elements: Metal, Wood, Water, Fire, Earth, representing the law of movement and transformation of all things in nature. Each element has a relationship of mutual generation and mutual overcoming, creating balance and sustaining life.
The mutual generation relationship follows the order Water -> Wood -> Fire -> Earth -> Metal, meaning:
- Water generates Wood
- Wood generates Fire
- Fire generates Earth
- Earth generates Metal
- Metal generates Water
Conversely, the mutual overcoming relationship consists of opposing pairs as shown in the diagram:
- Water overcomes Fire
- Fire overcomes Metal
- Metal overcomes Wood
- Wood overcomes Earth
- Earth overcomes Water
When consulting a child's birth age according to the Five Elements, the first step is to determine the innate Five Elements of the parents. From there, choose a child's birth year such that the child's Five Elements are mutually generating or at least not mutually overcoming with the parents. This aims to create harmony in the family, help the child's destiny develop favorably, and at the same time support the parents' lives to be more smooth and peaceful. The Five Elements are not only a feng shui rule but also represent the connection between humans and the universe.
Table for checking the Five Elements (Nạp Âm) by birth year:
| Birth Year | Element (Nạp Âm Five Elements) |
|---|---|
| 1920 | Bích Thượng Thổ |
| 1921 | Bích Thượng Thổ |
| 1922 | Tang Đố Mộc |
| 1923 | Tang Đố Mộc |
| 1924 | Đại Khê Thủy |
| 1925 | Đại Khê Thủy |
| 1926 | Sa Trung Kim |
| 1927 | Sa Trung Kim |
| 1928 | Sơn Hạ Hỏa |
| 1929 | Sơn Hạ Hỏa |
| 1930 | Bình Địa Mộc |
| 1931 | Bình Địa Mộc |
| 1932 | Kiếm Phong Kim |
| 1933 | Kiếm Phong Kim |
| 1934 | Sơn Đầu Hỏa |
| 1935 | Sơn Đầu Hỏa |
| 1936 | Giản Hạ Thủy |
| 1937 | Giản Hạ Thủy |
| 1938 | Thành Đầu Thổ |
| 1939 | Thành Đầu Thổ |
| 1940 | Bạch Lạp Kim |
| 1941 | Bạch Lạp Kim |
| 1942 | Dương Liễu Mộc |
| 1943 | Dương Liễu Mộc |
| 1944 | Tuyền Trung Thủy |
| 1945 | Tuyền Trung Thủy |
| 1946 | Ốc Thượng Thổ |
| 1947 | Ốc Thượng Thổ |
| 1948 | Tích Lịch Hỏa |
| 1949 | Tích Lịch Hỏa |
| 1950 | Tùng Bách Mộc |
| 1951 | Tùng Bách Mộc |
| 1952 | Trường Lưu Thủy |
| 1953 | Trường Lưu Thủy |
| 1954 | Sa Trung Thổ |
| 1955 | Sa Trung Thổ |
| 1956 | Kim Bạch Kim |
| 1957 | Kim Bạch Kim |
| 1958 | Phúc Đăng Hỏa |
| 1959 | Phúc Đăng Hỏa |
| 1960 | Thiên Hà Thủy |
| 1961 | Thiên Hà Thủy |
| 1962 | Đại Trạch Thổ |
| 1963 | Đại Trạch Thổ |
| 1964 | Phúc Đăng Hỏa |
| 1965 | Phúc Đăng Hỏa |
| 1966 | Thiên Hà Thủy |
| 1967 | Thiên Hà Thủy |
| 1968 | Đại Trạch Thổ |
| 1969 | Đại Trạch Thổ |
| 1970 | Thoa Xuyến Kim |
| 1971 | Thoa Xuyến Kim |
| 1972 | Tang Đố Mộc |
| 1973 | Tang Đố Mộc |
| 1974 | Đại Khê Thủy |
| 1975 | Đại Khê Thủy |
| 1976 | Sa Trung Kim |
| 1977 | Sa Trung Kim |
| 1978 | Thiên Thượng Hỏa |
| 1979 | Thiên Thượng Hỏa |
| 1980 | Bình Địa Mộc |
| 1981 | Bình Địa Mộc |
| 1982 | Đại Hải Thủy |
| 1983 | Đại Hải Thủy |
| 1984 | Hải Trung Kim |
| 1985 | Hải Trung Kim |
| 1986 | Lư Trung Hỏa |
| 1987 | Lư Trung Hỏa |
| 1988 | Đại Lâm Mộc |
| 1989 | Đại Lâm Mộc |
| 1990 | Lộ Bàng Thổ |
| 1991 | Lộ Bàng Thổ |
| 1992 | Kiếm Phong Kim |
| 1993 | Kiếm Phong Kim |
| 1994 | Sơn Đầu Hỏa |
| 1995 | Sơn Đầu Hỏa |
| 1996 | Giản Hạ Thủy |
| 1997 | Giản Hạ Thủy |
| 1998 | Thành Đầu Thổ |
| 1999 | Thành Đầu Thổ |
| 2000 | Bạch Lạp Kim |
| 2001 | Bạch Lạp Kim |
| 2002 | Dương Liễu Mộc |
| 2003 | Dương Liễu Mộc |
| 2004 | Tuyền Trung Thủy |
| 2005 | Tuyền Trung Thủy |
| 2006 | Ốc Thượng Thổ |
| 2007 | Ốc Thượng Thổ |
| 2008 | Tích Lịch Hỏa |
| 2009 | Tích Lịch Hỏa |
| 2010 | Tùng Bách Mộc |
| 2011 | Tùng Bách Mộc |
| 2012 | Trường Lưu Thủy |
| 2013 | Trường Lưu Thủy |
| 2014 | Sa Trung Thổ |
| 2015 | Sa Trung Thổ |
| 2016 | Sa Trung Thổ |
| 2017 | Sa Trung Thổ |
| 2018 | Bình Địa Mộc |
| 2019 | Bình Địa Mộc |
| 2020 | Bích Thượng Thổ |
| 2021 | Bích Thượng Thổ |
| 2022 | Kim Bạch Kim |
| 2023 | Kim Bạch Kim |
| 2024 | Phúc Đăng Hỏa |
| 2025 | Phúc Đăng Hỏa |
Earthly Branches
When consulting a child's birth age to be compatible with their parents' ages according to Earthly Branches, East Asians often rely on principles regarding the relationships between the 12 zodiac animals, representing the 12 Earthly Branches. Each zodiac animal corresponds to a number from 1 to 12 and is divided into Yin branches (even numbers) and Yang branches (odd numbers). The 6 zodiac animals belonging to Yang are: Horse, Dragon, Dog, Rat, Monkey, Tiger, and the 6 zodiac animals belonging to Yin are: Snake, Goat, Pig, Ox, Rooster, Rabbit.
The combination of Earthly Branches is evaluated through factors such as six harmonies (nhị hợp), three harmonies (tam hợp), four conflicting elements (tứ hành xung), six clashes (lục xung), and six harms (lục hại).
Six Harmonies (Nhị hợp)
Six Harmonies is the harmonious pairing of two Yin-Yang zodiac animals across an axis of symmetry, creating mutual support and complementary energy.
The six harmony pairs include:
- Rat - Ox
- Tiger - Pig
- Rabbit - Dog
- Dragon - Rooster
- Snake - Monkey
- Horse - Goat
Three Harmonies (Tam hợp)
Three Harmonies is a group of three zodiac animals with similar characteristics and energies, which, when combined, generate auspicious energy, bringing much luck and convenience. These are ideal age groups when choosing a birth year for a child.
The way to calculate three harmonies is that zodiac animals with 3 zodiac animals in between form a group. The three harmony groups are:
- Tiger – Horse – Dog
- Snake - Rooster - Ox
- Monkey - Rat - Dragon
- Pig – Rabbit – Goat
Four Conflicting Elements (Tứ hành xung)
Four conflicting elements are groups of zodiac animals with opposing characteristics, prone to conflict. The way to calculate four conflicting elements is that zodiac animals with 2 zodiac animals in between form a group. The four conflicting element groups are:
- Rat - Horse - Rabbit - Rooster
- Tiger - Monkey - Snake - Pig
- Dragon - Dog - Ox - Goat
Six Harms (Lục hại)
Six harms are pairs of zodiac animals that, if combined, will cause difficulties, breakdowns, and conflicts in marriage and work.
The six harm pairs:
- Rat – Goat
- Ox – Horse
- Tiger – Snake
- Rabbit – Dragon
- Monkey – Pig
- Rooster – Dog
Six Clashes (Lục xung)
In contrast to six harmonies, six clashes are relationships that imply hindrance, depletion of fortune, and health.
The six clash pairs:
- Rat – Horse
- Ox – Goat
- Tiger – Monkey
- Rabbit – Rooster
- Dragon – Dog
- Snake – Pig
Therefore, when choosing a child's birth year, parents should prioritize years belonging to the six harmonies or three harmonies groups with their own ages. Conversely, it is advisable to avoid choosing a child's birth age whose Earthly Branch belongs to a four conflicting elements, six clashes, or six harms relationship with the parents, to avoid negative impacts on the child's destiny and family harmony.
Heavenly Stems
Heavenly Stems is a system of 10 elements: Jia, Yi, Bing, Ding, Wu, Ji, Geng, Xin, Ren, and Gui, playing an important role in determining birth year, destiny, and when consulting a child's birth age according to feng shui. Each Heavenly Stem carries distinct Yin-Yang and Five Elements characteristics, reflecting the movement and transformation of nature:
-
Jia (Yang Wood), Yi (Yin Wood)
-
Bing (Yang Fire), Ding (Yin Fire)
-
Wu (Yang Earth), Ji (Yin Earth)
-
Geng (Yang Metal), Xin (Yin Metal)
-
Ren (Yang Water), Gui (Yin Water)
In the Heavenly Stem system, there are four main relationships to note:
|
Relationship |
Heavenly Stem Pairs |
|
Mutual Combination |
|
|
Mutual Clash |
|
|
Mutual Generation |
|
|
Mutual Overcoming |
|
When choosing a child's birth year, combining the Heavenly Stems of parents and child in a way that is compatible or mutually generating will contribute to favorable family relationships and the child's destiny. Conversely, if there are clashes or overcoming relationships, it may lead to discord or obstacles in life.
Eight Trigrams (Cung Phi Bát Trạch)
Birth years are categorized into 8 Trigrams: Qian, Kan, Gen, Zhen, Xun, Li, Kun, Dui, divided into 2 groups:
- East Group (Đông Tứ Mệnh) includes 4 trigrams: Kan, Li, Zhen, Xun.
- West Group (Tây Tứ Mệnh) includes 4 trigrams: Qian, Kun, Gen, Dui.
Regarding groups, East combines with East, West combines with West, and East-West combinations are considered incompatible. Within the trigrams themselves, there are also conflicting or compatible relationships.
Compatible relationships are divided into 4 auspicious stars, which are signs of good luck, prosperity, and success, including:
- Sheng Qi (Wealth, career, health): Best
- Tian Yi (Longevity, meeting noble people): Good
- Yan Nian (Happiness, harmony, love): Good
- Fu Wei (Peace, stability): Mildly good
Conflicting relationships are divided into 4 ominous stars, which are signs of bad luck and misfortune, including:
- Jue Ming (Illness, danger to life): Worst
- Wu Gui (Disasters, losses, career setbacks): Bad
- Liu Sha (Gossip, lawsuits, broken relationships): Bad
- Huo Hai (Bad luck): Bad
When consulting an auspicious birthdate for a child compatible with their parents' ages, try to choose birth years where the Child's Trigram is compatible or at least not conflicting with the parents'.
Eight Trigrams Compatibility Chart
| Parent \ Child | Qian | Kan | Gen | Zhen | Xun | Li | Kun | Dui |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Qian | Fu Wei | Liu Sha | Tian Yi | Wu Gui | Huo Hai | Jue Ming | Yan Nian | Sheng Qi |
| Kan | Liu Sha | Fu Wei | Wu Gui | Tian Yi | Yan Nian | Sheng Qi | Jue Ming | Huo Hai |
| Gen | Tian Yi | Wu Gui | Fu Wei | Liu Sha | Jue Ming | Huo Hai | Sheng Qi | Yan Nian |
| Zhen | Wu Gui | Tian Yi | Liu Sha | Fu Wei | Sheng Qi | Yan Nian | Huo Hai | Jue Ming |
| Xun | Huo Hai | Yan Nian | Jue Ming | Sheng Qi | Fu Wei | Liu Sha | Wu Gui | Tian Yi |
| Li | Jue Ming | Sheng Qi | Huo Hai | Yan Nian | Liu Sha | Fu Wei | Wu Gui | Tian Yi |
| Kun | Yan Nian | Jue Ming | Sheng Qi | Huo Hai | Wu Gui | Liu Sha | Fu Wei | Tian Yi |
| Dui | Sheng Qi | Huo Hai | Yan Nian | Jue Ming | Tian Yi | Wu Gui | Liu Sha | Fu Wei |
Eight Trigrams Chart by Birth Year:
| Birth Year | Male (Cung Phi) | Female (Cung Phi) |
|---|---|---|
| 1920 | Kun | Xun |
| 1921 | Kan | Gen |
| 1922 | Li | Qian |
| 1923 | Gen | Dui |
| 1924 | Dui | Gen |
| 1925 | Qian | Li |
| 1926 | Kun | Xun |
| 1927 | Xun | Kun |
| 1928 | Zhen | Zhen |
| 1929 | Kun | Xun |
| 1930 | Kan | Gen |
| 1931 | Li | Qian |
| 1932 | Gen | Dui |
| 1933 | Dui | Gen |
| 1934 | Qian | Li |
| 1935 | Kun | Xun |
| 1936 | Xun | Kun |
| 1937 | Zhen | Zhen |
| 1938 | Kun | Xun |
| 1939 | Kan | Gen |
| 1940 | Li | Qian |
| 1941 | Gen | Dui |
| 1942 | Dui | Gen |
| 1943 | Qian | Li |
| 1944 | Kun | Xun |
| 1945 | Xun | Kun |
| 1946 | Zhen | Zhen |
| 1947 | Kun | Xun |
| 1948 | Kan | Gen |
| 1949 | Li | Qian |
| 1950 | Gen | Dui |
| 1951 | Dui | Gen |
| 1952 | Qian | Li |
| 1953 | Kun | Xun |
| 1954 | Xun | Kun |
| 1955 | Zhen | Zhen |
| 1956 | Kun | Xun |
| 1957 | Kan | Gen |
| 1958 | Li | Qian |
| 1959 | Gen | Dui |
| 1960 | Dui | Gen |
| 1961 | Qian | Li |
| 1962 | Kun | Xun |
| 1963 | Xun | Kun |
| 1964 | Zhen | Zhen |
| 1965 | Kun | Xun |
| 1966 | Kan | Gen |
| 1967 | Li | Qian |
| 1968 | Gen | Dui |
| 1969 | Dui | Gen |
| 1970 | Qian | Li |
| 1971 | Kun | Xun |
| 1972 | Xun | Kun |
| 1973 | Zhen | Zhen |
| 1974 | Kun | Xun |
| 1975 | Kan | Gen |
| 1976 | Li | Qian |
| 1977 | Gen | Dui |
| 1978 | Dui | Gen |
| 1979 | Qian | Li |
| 1980 | Kun | Xun |
| 1981 | Xun | Kun |
| 1982 | Zhen | Zhen |
| 1983 | Kun | Xun |
| 1984 | Kan | Gen |
| 1985 | Li | Qian |
| 1986 | Kun | Kan |
| 1987 | Xun | Kun |
| 1988 | Zhen | Zhen |
| 1989 | Kun | Xun |
| 1990 | Kan | Gen |
| 1991 | Li | Qian |
| 1992 | Gen | Dui |
| 1993 | Dui | Gen |
| 1994 | Qian | Li |
| 1995 | Kun | Kan |
| 1996 | Xun | Kun |
| 1997 | Zhen | Zhen |
| 1998 | Kun | Xun |
| 1999 | Kan | Gen |
| 2000 | Li | Qian |
| 2001 | Gen | Dui |
| 2002 | Dui | Gen |
| 2003 | Qian | Li |
| 2004 | Kun | Kan |
| 2005 | Xun | Kun |
| 2006 | Zhen | Zhen |
| 2007 | Kun | Xun |
| 2008 | Kan | Gen |
| 2009 | Li | Qian |
| 2010 | Gen | Dui |
| 2011 | Dui | Gen |
| 2012 | Qian | Li |
| 2013 | Kun | Kan |
| 2014 | Xun | Kun |
| 2015 | Zhen | Zhen |
| 2016 | Kun | Xun |
| 2017 | Kan | Gen |
| 2018 | Li | Qian |
| 2019 | Gen | Dui |
| 2020 | Dui | Gen |
| 2021 | Qian | Li |
| 2022 | Kun | Kan |
| 2023 | Xun | Kun |
| 2024 | Zhen | Zhen |
| 2025 | Kun | Xun |
3. Example of how to view auspicious birth years for parents
Parents' ages and projected birth year for the child:
- Father: Born August 6, 1995 (Ất Hợi) → mệnh Sơn Đầu Hỏa (Fire on Mountain Top), Heavenly Stem Ất, Earthly Branch Hợi, Life Trigram Kun (West Group).
- Mother: Born March 16, 2000 (Canh Thìn) → mệnh Bạch Lạp Kim (White Wax Gold), Heavenly Stem Canh, Earthly Branch Thìn, Life Trigram Li (East Group).
- Child (projected): Born 2027 (Đinh Mùi) → mệnh Thiên Hà Thủy (Water in the Sky), Heavenly Stem Đinh, Earthly Branch Mùi, Life Trigram Kan (East Group) if a boy, or Gen (West Group) if a girl.
Five Elements (Ngũ hành)
- Father Fire – Child Water: Fire overcomes Water → child is incompatible with father.
- Mother Metal – Child Water: Metal generates Water → mother gives birth to child, very good.
- Analysis: Child is incompatible with father, compatible with mother. However, if parents know how to balance energy (through feng shui, living environment, etc.), this influence can be somewhat mitigated.
Earthly Branches (Địa chi)
- Father Hợi – Child Mùi: Hợi – Mão – Mùi is a Three Harmonies group, very good.
- Mother Thìn – Child Mùi: Thìn – Tuất – Sửu – Mùi is a Four Conflicts group, so mother and child are somewhat conflicting.
- Analysis: Child is compatible with father, incompatible with mother.
Heavenly Stems (Thiên can)
- Father Ất – Child Đinh: Both Ất and Đinh belong to the Fire element, indicating balance and favorable relations.
- Mother Canh – Child Đinh: Canh overcomes Đinh (Metal overcomes Fire), the relationship is quite tense.
- Analysis: Heavenly Stems clearly show that the child is balanced with the father, but incompatible with the mother.
Eight Trigrams (Bát trạch)
Boy (Kan Trigram – East Group)
- Father Kun (West Group) – Child Kan (East Group): Absolute Demise (Tuyệt Mệnh) → very bad, father-child relationship prone to disagreement.
- Mother Li (East Group) – Child Kan (East Group): Rebirth (Phục Vị) → quite good, child is compatible with mother, protected and supported.
- Analysis: A boy born in 2027 is compatible with the mother, incompatible with the father.
Girl (Gen Trigram – West Group)
- Father Kun (West Group) – Child Gen (West Group): Longevity (Diên Niên) → very good, harmonious family, compatible with father.
- Mother Li (East Group) – Child Gen (West Group): Five Ghosts (Ngũ Quỷ) → bad, mother and child are somewhat conflicting.
- Analysis: A girl born in 2027 is compatible with the father, incompatible with the mother.
=> A child born in 2027 is not compatible with father born in 1995 and mother born in 2000. The child is compatible with one parent and incompatible with the other, making complete harmony difficult.
Suggested auspicious birth years for parents
Considering father 1995 Ất Hợi (Kun – West Group, Fire) and mother 2000 Canh Thìn (Li – East Group, Metal): The couple already has different life trigrams (East – West), so it is very difficult to choose a year where the child is completely compatible with both.
We prioritize:
- Five Elements that are mutually generating for both father and mother.
- Earthly Branches that do not strongly conflict with the parents.
- Life Trigrams that are balanced, if not, choose the appropriate gender.
Some more compatible birth years:
- 2026 Bính Ngọ (Thiên Hà Thủy, Life Trigram Xun – East Group for boys / Kun – West Group for girls)
- 2029 Kỷ Dậu (Đại Dịch Thổ, Life Trigram Xun – East Group for boys / Kun – West Group for girls)
- 2030 Canh Tuất (Thoa Xuyến Kim, Life Trigram Gen – West Group for boys / Dui – West Group for girls)
Parents can also refer to this automatic lookup tool to check if their calculations are correct: https://lichngaytot.com/sinh-con-hop-tuoi.html
4. What to consider when choosing a birth year for a child?
When choosing a birth year for a child, in addition to compatibility factors according to Heavenly Stems, Earthly Branches, and Five Elements, parents should maintain a flexible perspective and not overly rely on feng shui to avoid superstition. More importantly, ensure the mother's health – because pregnancy is a period that requires careful physical and mental preparation. Pregnancy should occur when the mother is in good health and receives full medical supervision.
Furthermore, economic conditions are also a key factor. Raising a child requires significant expenses, so couples need to consider their financial capacity to ensure a stable future for the child. If it is not possible to give birth in an auspicious year, parents can consider factors such as the month, day, or hour of birth to improve fortune.
Ultimately, the most important factors remain love, care, and a positive living environment. A child raised with careful nurturing and a positive spirit will develop comprehensively regardless of whether their birth year is "compatible" or not.
Conclusion
Above are basic analyses of the Five Elements, Heavenly Stems, and Earthly Branches in determining auspicious birth years for children based on parental compatibility. While these factors can help parents choose an appropriate time, they are only a small part of a child's life. If finding an ideal birth year is difficult, parents should not be too rigid, because the living environment, society, and family love are the crucial factors that determine a child's future and happiness.
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