(57) Year of Gi-Chuk Ominous for National Leaders

By Janet Shin

In January, we reviewed the fortune for 2009 based on the 60-year cycle. This is the year of gi-chuk (yin earth for both stem and branch). In previous articles, we briefly described that gi-chuk means both a cold-swampy field and a cold-dark grave.

This year, Koreans have grieved heavily over the deaths of the country's first Roman Catholic cardinal, Stephen Kim Sou-hwan, in February, then the former President Roh Moo-hyun in May, and former President Kim Dae-jung this month. With the successive deaths of national leaders, the year of gi-chuk has lived up to its billing, causing widespread concern.

By observing the birth year, month and date, one can learn the four pillars of a person's life. In studying saju, we need to understand astronomy and statistics. How the movement of the sun, the moon and the earth affect the shade and brightness, coldness and warmth, dryness and wetness of human living conditions and how it contributes to the generation and restriction of the five elements ― wood, fire, earth, metal and water, in connection with yin and yang theory ― is imperative to deciphering saju.

By observing the regularity of natural phenomena, wise people came to understand the universal principles and reasons of human relationships.

Before we go into the specifics of year fortune, let's start with the classification of the 12 branches, which can be divided into three groups.

1. The first group is a living place

in sin sa hae (energy to start new elements)

2. The second group is a flourishing place

ja o myo yu (middle energy of each element)

3. The third group is a repository place

jin sul chuk mi (changing energy from one element to next)

Classification of 12 Branches by Lunar Calendar