Today's fortune
Today's fortune complete guide
— from iljin to the Ten Gods
The ingredients of today's fortune are fixed. Here are iljin, day pillar, Ten Gods, Five Elements and Gongmang, all in one place.
Today's fortune is made from the day's iljin × your Saju. Iljin is the pair of characters attached to each day; it runs on a 60-day cycle and is the same for everyone. Compare it with your Day Master and you get a Ten Gods relationship, which becomes the day's tone. That's why its resolution differs from a fortune based on your zodiac animal alone.
How is today's fortune made?
The ingredient is iljin; the reference point is your Day Master. Step by step, it goes like this.
- Find the day's iljinTwo characters: a Heavenly Stem plus an Earthly Branch. It cycles every 60 days and is the same for everyone.
- Compare it with your Day MasterThe Day Master is the upper character of your birth day — the reference point that stands for "you" in Saju.
- Get the Ten Gods relationshipOne of ten names, such as Companion, Eating God, Direct Wealth or Direct Officer. This is the day's tone.
- Add the Five Elements balanceCompare the energy your chart lacks with the day's energy to decide what to balance out.
Are iljin and today's fortune the same thing?
No. Iljin is the ingredient; today's fortune is the dish. Iljin is the same no matter who looks at it, while today's fortune differs from person to person.
| Category | Iljin | Today's fortune |
|---|---|---|
| What it is | The day's two stem-branch characters | An interpretation comparing iljin with your Saju |
| Person to person | Same | Differs |
| Cycle | 60 days | Depends on your Saju |
| Right answer | One (a calendar calculation) | Varies by perspective |
How is it different from fortune by zodiac animal?
Fortune by zodiac animal uses only one of the eight characters. Because it looks only at the Earthly Branch of your birth year, the possibilities shrink to twelve, and millions of people with the same zodiac animal get the same sentence.
It's fine as light reading. But its resolution is too low to serve as a basis for deciding what to do today. Most of the differences between apps come down to this too — see Why today's fortune differs from app to app for details.
Today's fortune: read these firstIngredients and method
Why does today's fortune differ from app to app? — three approaches
The difference between looking at one zodiac animal and comparing iljin with your birth chart — and how to actually use it.
BasicsWhat is iljin (日辰)? — how it differs from today's fortune
Two characters attached to each day, on a 60-day cycle. The same "ingredient" for everyone.
BasicsDay pillar (日柱) and Day Master — which character is 'you' in Saju?
The reference character among the eight that stands for you. The starting point for every reading.
ToolsToday's Iljin — stem-branch pair, lunar date, Son-eomneun-nal, next solar term
Check today's stem-branch pair right away, no sign-up needed. It shows the next solar term too.
Tools for reading the toneTen Gods · Five Elements · Gongmang · Sinsal
The 10 Ten Gods (十神) — the names that set the tone of your day
Companion, Eating God, Direct Wealth, Direct Officer… not good versus bad, but differences in tone.
BasicsFive Elements (五行) balance and what to eat today — meals that make up for missing energy
Five energies: Wood, Fire, Earth, Metal, Water. How to make up for what's lacking with one meal today.
BasicsGongmang (空亡) — what an 'empty' seat means
Not "missing, so it's bad," but a view of it as a position where less force is applied.
BasicsTwelve Sinsal — all twelve explained, with a lookup table
Including Yeongma, Dohwa and Hwagae: twelve stars whose names sound scary but whose meanings are plain.
HubAll 60 Day Pillars — Find Your Day Pillar
From Gapja to Gyehae. Nayin element, Gongmang and Ten Gods on your own day pillar page, all at once.
HubSaju Glossary — 41 terms, one line each
When you come across an unfamiliar term, look it up here in one line.
How to use it every dayWhat to do after reading
Why do we stop opening Saju apps after three days?
Four things that make an app worth opening every day — starting with whether today is any different from yesterday.
About the appAre fortunes actually right? — a Hit Ledger that shows the misses too
Forecasts are locked in ahead of time and scored at the weekend. The record is open for free.
Big daysThe night-before-the-interview routine
An example of turning a fortune you've read into one concrete thing to do.
FAQ
How is today's fortune made?
It's made by comparing the day's iljin with your Saju. Iljin (日辰, the day's stem-branch pair) is a pair of characters that cycles every 60 days, and it's the same for everyone. Compare it with your Day Master and you get a Ten Gods relationship, which becomes the day's tone.
Are iljin and today's fortune the same thing?
No. Iljin is the ingredient; today's fortune is the dish. Iljin is the same no matter who looks at it, and since it's a calendar calculation there's only one right answer. Interpretation varies by person and perspective.
Why are there only twelve zodiac-animal fortunes?
Because out of the eight characters, it uses only the one from your birth year. With the possibilities cut down to twelve, millions of people with the same zodiac animal get the same sentence.
How do I actually use today's fortune?
The most practical use is to change the order of things. On a day when words tend to run ahead of you, push important calls to the afternoon; on a day that favors thoroughness, review your documents. If you use it to have your day judged good or bad, you won't get much out of it.
Start by opening today's rhythm card
Today's tone, comparing the day's iljin with your birth chart. The morning card is free.
Get the app for iPhone & Android