Why do Saju readings always ask for your "Time of Birth"?

When you seek a Saju (Korean Astrology) reading, the first question is almost always, "What time were you born?" But let’s be honest—how many of us actually know our exact birth time down to the minute?

You might ask your parents, only to hear vague answers like, "I think it was around breakfast time," or "It was definitely dark outside." Even birth certificates sometimes leave this field blank.

So today, let's dive deep into why birth time is considered the final puzzle piece in Saju, and how you can still get an accurate reading even if that piece is missing.

What is Saju (The Four Pillars)?

Saju (四柱) literally translates to "Four Pillars." In this system, the Year, Month, Day, and Hour of your birth are each viewed as a pillar supporting the structure of your destiny.

Each pillar consists of two characters: a Heavenly Stem (energy from the sky) and an Earthly Branch (energy from the ground). Since there are four pillars with two characters each, we get a total of eight characters. This is why it is also known as "Saju Palja" (Four Pillars, Eight Characters).

What Each Pillar Represents

Pillar	Timeframe	Life Area Symbolized
Year Pillar	Year of Birth	Ancestors, social background, childhood (Age 0–15)
Month Pillar	Month of Birth	Parents, siblings, career environment, youth (Age 16–30)
Day Pillar	Day of Birth	Yourself, your spouse/partner, middle age (Age 31–45)
Hour Pillar	Time of Birth	Children, career legacy, late life (Age 46+)

As you can see, the Hour Pillar (Siju) holds the keys to your later years, your relationship with children (or subordinates), and how you conclude your life's journey.

Why the Hour Pillar is Special

Among the four pillars, the Hour Pillar holds a unique position. Here is why it is so critical:

1. It Reveals Your "Harvest"

The Hour Pillar symbolizes the autumn and winter of your life—your post-46 years. Regardless of the seeds you planted in your youth, the Hour Pillar determines the quality of the harvest. It shows whether your later years will be peaceful, active, or challenging.

2. It Represents Your Legacy and Children

Traditionally called the Palace of Children, this pillar indicates your relationship with your offspring. In a modern context, it also represents your subordinates, students, or the creative legacy you leave behind.

3. It Unlocks Your Subconscious

Because the hour is the smallest, most precise unit of time in Saju, it reflects your most private self. While the Year and Month show your social mask, the Hour reveals your hidden desires, secret thoughts, and true inner nature that others might not see.

4. It Calibrates Your "Luck Cycles"

In Saju, everyone goes through 10-year cycles of luck called Daewoon. To calculate the exact age when your cycle shifts (e.g., does your luck change at age 3, 13, 23, or 5, 15, 25?), we need the birth time to measure the solar longitude precisely.

5. The Midnight Boundary (Rat Hour)

If you were born between 11:00 PM and 1:00 AM, you are born in the "Rat Hour." However, there is a distinction between the Early Rat (00:00–01:00) and the Late Rat (23:00–00:00). Depending on the school of thought, this can change your entire Day Pillar.

Note: Solzigi applies the traditional "Late Rat" theory. If you were born after 11:00 PM, we calculate the Hour Pillar based on the following day's energy.

What We Cannot Analyze Without Time

If the birth time is unknown, the Hour Pillar is missing. This limits the analysis in the following areas:

❌ The "Blind Spots"

Children Luck: Specifics about having children or the quality of the relationship.
Late Life Fortune: Detailed health or wealth projections for old age.
Specific "Stars" (Shinsal): Certain mystical stars (like the "Star of Romance" or "Noble People") might reside in the hour pillar, which we cannot see.
Hourly Fortune: Determining which hours of the day are luckiest for you.

What We CAN Analyze - The Power of the "Three Pillars"

Here is the good news: Even without the birth time, the Year, Month, and Day pillars (the "Three Pillars" or Samju) provide a massive amount of information.

✅ What the Three Pillars Reveal

1. Your Core Personality & Essence The Day Master (the Heavenly Stem of your birth day) represents "You." Just knowing this one character reveals your fundamental nature.

Gap (Yang Wood): Straightforward, leadership material, growth-oriented.
Eul (Yin Wood): Flexible, resilient, adaptable like a vine.
Byung (Yang Fire): Passionate, charismatic, like the sun.
Jeong (Yin Fire): Warm, detail-oriented, focused like a candle flame.
Mu (Yang Earth): Reliable, trustworthy, vast like a mountain.
Gi (Yin Earth): Nurturing, practical, productive like garden soil.
Gyeong (Yang Metal): Decisive, strong-willed, raw ore or an axe.
Sin (Yin Metal): Delicate, sharp, polished like jewelry.
Im (Yang Water): Wise, adaptable, flowing like the ocean.
Gye (Yin Water): Intuitive, sensitive, nurturing like rain or mist.

2. Elemental Balance The Three Pillars contain 6 out of the 8 characters. This is enough to see the "Big Picture" of your elemental balance. We can tell if you are "Fire heavy" or "lacking Water" with high accuracy.

3. The Flow of Major Luck (Daewoon) While the exact starting age might be an estimate, the sequence and direction of your 10-year luck cycles are determined by the Year and Month pillars. We can still map out the general seasons of your life (e.g., "You are entering a 20-year period of career growth").

4. Yearly Fortune (Seun) We can analyze how the energy of the current year interacts with your Day Master to predict general trends for the year ahead.

5. Social & Career Structure Your career potential and social style are largely determined by the relationship between your Day Master and the Month Pillar (the season of your birth). This is fully visible without the birth time.

How Solzigi Handles "Unknown Time"

Solzigi is designed to be inclusive. We have a dedicated "Three Pillars Mode" for users who don't know their birth time.

When Creating a Profile

Simply select "Time Unknown" when entering your birth details. Solzigi will automatically switch to a 6-character analysis mode.

In Your Report

Sections related to the Hour Pillar will be marked as "Information Unavailable," but we will provide a rich, detailed analysis based on the remaining pillars.

AI Consultation

Our AI is trained to recognize the limitations of a Three Pillar reading. Instead of guessing, it focuses on the certainties—your core character, your career strengths, and your current yearly luck—providing advice that is grounded in the available data.

Can I Estimate My Birth Time?

If you have a rough idea (e.g., "It was around dinner time"), you can narrow it down. Saju uses 2-hour blocks, so you don't need the exact minute.

1. Check Records

Hospital birth records.
Baby books or vaccination cards.
Parents' old diaries.

2. Reverse Engineering via Personality (The 12 Double-Hours)

This is subjective, but sometimes your personality traits align perfectly with a specific time zone's energy.

Time Zone	Animal Sign	Key Characteristics
23:00~01:00	Rat	Intuitive, private, active at night, thinker.
01:00~03:00	Ox	Diligent, stubborn, patient, slow-starter.
03:00~05:00	Tiger	Bold, independent, early riser, aggressive.
05:00~07:00	Rabbit	Gentle, diplomatic, stylish, avoids conflict.
07:00~09:00	Dragon	Ambitious, idealistic, charismatic, dreamer.
09:00~11:00	Snake	Wise, sharp-tongued, strategic, mysterious.
11:00~13:00	Horse	Passionate, social, loves freedom, energetic.
13:00~15:00	Sheep	Nurturing, realistic, peaceful, detail-oriented.
15:00~17:00	Monkey	Witty, adaptable, multi-talented, problem solver.
17:00~19:00	Rooster	Perfectionist, critical, sharp aesthetic sense.
19:00~21:00	Dog	Loyal, protective, honest, anxious.
21:00~23:00	Pig	Optimistic, romantic, foodie, open-minded.

Conclusion: An Incomplete Map is Still a Map

Many people believe, "If I don't know my time, I can't read my Saju." This is a myth.

Many Saju masters agree: The Three Pillars provide 70-80% of the picture. The Hour Pillar adds detail and precision to the final 20-30%.

Even without the time, you can discover your innate strengths, your elemental makeup, and the major waves of luck coming your way.

Don't let a missing hour stop you from understanding yourself.

Start your journey with Solzigi's Three Pillar analysis. You might be surprised at how much the stars can tell you, even with a little mystery remaining. And if you ever find that birth certificate in an old box? You can update your profile anytime.

Ready to explore your destiny, even without a birth time? Ask Solzigi AI now!

Why Birth Time Matters in Saju - And What to Do If You Don't Know It