Although literally translated as “eight characters”, ba zi is also commonly known as the Four Pillars of Destiny because the eight characters are born of four pairs of ideograms. Ba zi involves the hour, day, month and year of one’s birth and is believed to reveal the patterns of their luck cycle—it’s a concept of destiny analysis.

“Using one’s ba zi, we can not only identify the traits they lack, but also their five elements of nature. We will as such incorporate characters with favourable elements into their name to help ‘support’ them,” explains Master Tan.

But it’s not just about ‘filling in the gaps’. It’s imperative to also consider the compatibility of the characters and elements used.

“There must not be any clashes among the surname, middle name, last name, and ba zi,” he warns.

A ‘good’ Chinese name should also have an auspicious number of strokes as they are believed to have a positive influence on one’s intrinsic nature and interaction with his external environment.

“The number of strokes of each Chinese character is an important consideration as it gives rise to the Heavenly Character, Personal Character, Earthly Character, Overall Character, and External Character of a name,” says Master Tan.

In feng shui, Heavenly Character is believed to foretell one’s fate from birth; Personal Character, their destiny; Earthly Character, their relations with people in their immediate circle; Overall Character, their life after 35 years of age; and External Character, their relations with people within society at large.

He adds apart from being appropriate for the baby’s gender, the name should also be pleasant to hear, easy to write, and easy to remember. And, of course, have auspicious meaning.

“Chinese characters have profound culture and meaning, but can be even more meaningful if skilfully combined.”

Why the need for an auspicious name? According to the Chinese metaphysical practice, it ensures that a baby carries with them a blessing for the rest of their life.

“Our name is like an intangible personal belonging that we carry with us everywhere. With the inclusion of favourable elements to complement their ba zi, an auspicious name can counter the disharmony in one’s birth chart and attract positive energy. It gives them a head start and will help them cultivate the confidence to excel in life,” asserts Master Tan.

Suffice it to say, given the many considerations that go into picking out a ‘good’ Chinese name, it is recommended that you consult a feng shui master instead of doing it yourself.

“If you must pick the name yourself, at least have it reviewed by a feng shui master to ensure that it is appropriate for your baby. You can also ask to be involved in the name selection process to ensure that it is something you are happy with.”

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