The basic concept :

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The basic principle  

The Solar Calendar   

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T he Yin Dynasty

Four Pillars of Destiny has its origin in the Shang dynasty which was in ancient China from B.C. 1600 to 1050. The Shang dynasty transferred the capital to Yin of a Yellow River down-stream region in the last stage, therefore this dynasty is often called the Yin dynasty. The Yin was the agricultural society based on slavery, and the king reigned over the land and people using the divination as heavenly will. It was at the beginning of the 20th century that many shells of tortoises and bones of animals were unearthed from the ruins in Anyang. Various inscriptions in archaic Chinese language can be seen on these flat cattle bones and tortoise carapaces. And various records of prediction made by the fortune-tellers of those days regarding this Yin dynasty were also included in these fragments. It seems that moreover, in those days, there were the Yin Yang principle similar to dualism, the Five Elements as physical properties, and the Ten Stems and Twelve Branches as numerals of Chinese calendar. All these prove that there was already the origin of the thought and calendar of the Chinese horoscope in the last stage of this ancient dynasty.

The Warring States Period

Ancient China from B.C. 771 to 221 is called the Spring Autumn and Warring tates period. This era can be divided into the Spring and Autumn period from B.C. 771 to 403 when the control power of the ruler by slavery was gradually lost, and the Warring States period from B.C. 403 to 221 when some small countries fought mutually and were vying in hegemony. In this time, science and technology greatly progressed and the foundation of the Chinese philosophy was also built. In the field of technology, ironware began to be produced, farm implements were therefore improved, and astronomical research also progressed. Moreover, the accurate calendar based on the movement of the sun was made mainly for the agricultural purpose. In the field of thought or philosophy, change of things became the main theme. Circulation of the four seasons symbolized by the winter solstice and summer solstice, or causal relationship between nature and man. These things attracted the interest of people of those days. Furthermore, the prosperity and decline of dynasties were explained using the Five Elements, Wood, Fire, Soil, Metal, and Water. And Ying Yang and the Five Elements which have both the origins in the Ying dynasty were united in this time of war, were combined with the solar calendar, and became the basic principles of this Chinese astrology.