The Day Master: Your Core Identity in Saju
Discover what the Day Master (일간) reveals about your fundamental nature. Learn how this central element shapes your personality and life approach.
The Heart of Your Chart
In Saju (Korean Four Pillars), the Day Master (일간/日干, Ilgan) is the Heavenly Stem of your Day Pillar—and it’s considered the most important single element of your entire chart. While all four pillars contribute to a complete picture, the Day Master represents who you fundamentally are.
Think of it this way: if your Four Pillars were a solar system, the Day Master would be the sun around which everything else orbits.
Why the Day Master Matters
It Represents You
The Day Master is you in your chart. Other elements are interpreted in relation to it:
- How elements support or challenge your Day Master
- What resources you naturally have
- What you need for balance
It Defines Your Core Element
Every Day Master belongs to one of the Five Elements, giving you a fundamental elemental identity:
- Wood Day Masters: Growth-oriented, creative, initiating
- Fire Day Masters: Passionate, inspiring, transformative
- Earth Day Masters: Stable, nurturing, grounding
- Metal Day Masters: Structured, principled, refined
- Water Day Masters: Adaptive, wise, flowing
It Includes Yin/Yang Polarity
Beyond the element, your Day Master has Yang (양) or Yin (음) polarity:
- Yang stems express their element actively, outwardly
- Yin stems express their element receptively, inwardly
The Ten Day Masters
Wood Day Masters
甲 (Gap/갑) - Yang Wood: The Pioneer
You are the great tree—rooted yet reaching, strong yet growing. Gap individuals have natural leadership and a clear sense of direction. You prefer to forge new paths rather than follow others.
Strengths: Leadership, initiative, vision, courage
Challenges: Stubbornness, impatience with details, inflexibility
乙 (Eul/을) - Yin Wood: The Diplomat
You are the vine—flexible, persistent, finding ways around obstacles. Eul individuals succeed through adaptation and cooperation rather than force.
Strengths: Flexibility, diplomacy, artistic sense, persistence
Challenges: Indecision, conflict avoidance, dependency
Fire Day Masters
丙 (Byeong/병) - Yang Fire: The Radiant One
You are the sun—bright, warm, impossible to ignore. Byeong individuals naturally inspire and uplift others with their optimism and generosity.
Strengths: Charisma, generosity, optimism, inspiration
Challenges: Burnout, naivety, drama, impulsiveness
丁 (Jeong/정) - Yin Fire: The Refiner
You are the candle—providing steady light and focused warmth. Jeong individuals excel at details and maintain their course with quiet determination.
Strengths: Attention to detail, refinement, loyalty, persistence
Challenges: Worry, perfectionism, grudge-holding, anxiety
Earth Day Masters
戊 (Mu/무) - Yang Earth: The Mountain
You are the mountain—solid, reliable, unmovable. Mu individuals provide stability and security to everyone around them.
Strengths: Reliability, patience, ethics, groundedness
Challenges: Rigidity, slowness, missing opportunities, boring others
己 (Gi/기) - Yin Earth: The Nurturer
You are the fertile soil—enabling growth in others. Gi individuals create supportive environments and care for those in their orbit.
Strengths: Nurturing, supportive, methodical, observant
Challenges: Self-neglect, worry, being taken for granted
Metal Day Masters
庚 (Gyeong/경) - Yang Metal: The Warrior
You are the sword—strong, sharp, principled. Gyeong individuals stand for what’s right and take decisive action.
Strengths: Courage, decisiveness, justice, strength
Challenges: Aggression, rigidity, harshness, impatience
辛 (Sin/신) - Yin Metal: The Artisan
You are the polished gem—refined, precise, beautiful. Sin individuals appreciate quality and hold themselves to high standards.
Strengths: Refinement, precision, aesthetic sense, elegance
Challenges: Critical nature, melancholy, coldness, isolation
Water Day Masters
壬 (Im/임) - Yang Water: The Explorer
You are the ocean—vast, powerful, ever-moving. Im individuals think big and navigate life with resourcefulness and intelligence.
Strengths: Intelligence, resourcefulness, adaptability, vision
Challenges: Calculation, commitment issues, detachment
癸 (Gye/계) - Yin Water: The Sage
You are the gentle rain—nourishing, subtle, essential. Gye individuals possess deep intuition and wisdom that nurtures growth.
Strengths: Intuition, wisdom, perception, depth
Challenges: Passivity, escapism, mystery, assertiveness
Day Master Strength
Beyond which element you are, practitioners assess whether your Day Master is “strong” or “weak” based on:
Factors That Strengthen
- Same-element presence in other pillars
- Elements that generate your element
- Born in a season that supports your element
- Multiple supporting elements
Factors That Weaken
- Controlling elements present
- Few supporting elements
- Born in a challenging season
- Many draining relationships in chart
What Strength Means
A strong Day Master suggests:
- Self-reliance
- Clear sense of identity
- Less need for external support
- May need controlling elements for balance
A weak Day Master suggests:
- Benefits from support
- More adaptable to circumstances
- Needs resources and help
- May need generating elements for balance
Neither is inherently better—they suggest different life approaches.
Day Master Relationships
Your Day Master’s element creates specific relationships with the other elements:
| Relationship | Element | Meaning |
|---|---|---|
| Peer | Same as Day Master | Collaborators, competitors |
| Output | Generated by Day Master | Creativity, expression, children |
| Wealth | Controlled by Day Master | Resources you can utilize |
| Power | Controls Day Master | Authority, pressure, structure |
| Resource | Generates Day Master | Support, learning, nurturing |
These relationships form the basis for understanding how different chart elements affect you.
Finding Your Day Master
To know your Day Master, you need to:
- Know your birth date (and ideally time)
- Calculate your Four Pillars
- Look at the Heavenly Stem of your Day Pillar
Use our Saju Calculator to instantly determine your Day Master and see your full interpretation.
Beyond the Day Master
While the Day Master is central, remember:
- All four pillars contribute to your full picture
- The Day Branch pairs with your Day Master
- Month and Year Pillars contextualize your core
- Hour Pillar reveals inner depths
The Day Master is your foundation, but you are more than any single element.