BaZi bone weight (Cheng Gu, 称骨)
Bone weighing is an almanac method attributed to Yuan Tiangang of the Tang: the lunar year, month, day and hour of birth each carry a weight, and the four are added. It reads positions in the calendar, not the five elements, so it is a different thing from a BaZi chart. Below, the weight is worked out — and then where it stands among everyone else.
How heavy is heavy?
Weigh every day and every hour from 1900 to 2030 — 574,164 in all — and the weights fall like this:
2.0 liang3.0 liang4.0 liang5.0 liang6.0 liang7.0 liang
- The middle is 4.0 liang: half are lighter, half heavier.
- 5 liang or more: about 14%. 6 or more: about 1%. Under 3: about 8%.
- Lightest 2.1 liang, heaviest 7.1 liang. The fabled “seven liang two” cannot be made from the table: the heaviest year (Earth Rabbit or Earth Horse, 己卯 戊午) is 1.9, month (3rd, 9th) 1.8, day (18th, 26th) 1.8, hour (Rat or Snake, 子 巳) 1.6 — 7.1 in all.
- It is not a smooth bell: the month and day weights come in only a few sizes, and their sums bunch together.
Famous people’s bone weights
Most birth hours are not published, so this is the range over the twelve hours; where an hour is on record, its weight is given too.
| Person | Lunar birth date | Weight |
|---|---|---|
| Michelle Yeoh | day 7 of the 7th month, Water Tiger year (壬寅年七月初七) | 3.2 liang–4.2 liang |
| Mahathir Mohamad | day 20 of the 5th month, Wood Ox year (乙丑年五月二十) | 3.5 liang–4.5 liang |
| Lee Kuan Yew | day 6 of the 8th month, Water Pig year (癸亥年八月初六) | 4.2 liang–5.2 liang |
| Tony Fernandes | day 19 of the 3rd month, Wood Dragon year (甲辰年三月十九) | 3.7 liang–4.7 liang |
| Jimmy Choo | day 15 of the 10th month, Earth Rat year (戊子年十月十五) | 3.9 liang–4.9 liang |
| Lim Goh Tong | day 18 of the 1st month, Earth Horse year (戊午年正月十八) | 4.9 liang–5.9 liang |
| Jack Ma | day 5 of the 8th month, Wood Dragon year (甲辰年八月初五) | 4.5 liang–5.5 liang |
| Andy Lau | day 18 of the 8th month, Metal Ox year (辛丑年八月十八) | 4.6 liang–5.6 liang |
| Yao Ming | day 4 of the 8th month, Metal Monkey year (庚申年八月初四) | 4.4 liang–5.4 liang |
| Teresa Teng | day 15 of the 12th month, Water Dragon year (壬辰年腊月十五) | 3.1 liang–4.1 liang |
| Bruce Lee | day 28 of the 10th month, Metal Dragon year (庚辰年十月廿八) | 3.4 liang–4.4 liang Dragon hour (辰) 3.7 liang |
| Lisa | day 19 of the 2nd month, Fire Ox year (丁丑年二月十九) | 2.6 liang–3.6 liang |
| Mao Zedong | day 19 of the 11th month, Water Snake year (癸巳年冬月十九) | 2.7 liang–3.7 liang Dragon hour (辰) 3.0 liang |
| Jensen Huang | day 24 of the 1st month, Water Rabbit year (癸卯年正月廿四) | 3.3 liang–4.3 liang |
| Jay Chou | day 20 of the 12th month, Earth Horse year (戊午年腊月二十) | 4.5 liang–5.5 liang |
| Li Ka-shing | day 13 of the 6th month, Earth Dragon year (戊辰年六月十三) | 4.2 liang–5.2 liang |
| Faye Wong | day 26 of the 6th month, Earth Rooster year (己酉年六月廿六) | 4.5 liang–5.5 liang |
| Elon Musk | day 6 of the leap 5th month, Metal Pig year (辛亥年闰五月初六) | 4.3 liang–5.3 liang |
| Donald Trump | day 15 of the 5th month, Fire Dog year (丙戌年五月十五) | 2.7 liang–3.7 liang Snake hour (巳) 3.7 liang |
| Leslie Cheung | day 8 of the 8th month, Fire Monkey year (丙申年八月初八) | 4.2 liang–5.2 liang |
| Jackie Chan | day 5 of the 3rd month, Wood Horse year (甲午年三月初五) | 5.5 liang–6.5 liang |
| Lei Jun | day 8 of the 11th month, Earth Rooster year (己酉年冬月初八) | 3.6 liang–4.6 liang |
| JJ Lin | day 22 of the 2nd month, Metal Rooster year (辛酉年二月廿二) | 3.8 liang–4.8 liang |
| Anwar Ibrahim | day 24 of the 6th month, Fire Pig year (丁亥年六月廿四) | 4.7 liang–5.7 liang |
| Robert Kuok | day 26 of the 8th month, Water Pig year (癸亥年八月廿六) | 4.5 liang–5.5 liang |
| Xi Jinping | day 5 of the 5th month, Water Snake year (癸巳年五月初五) | 3.4 liang–4.4 liang |
| Terry Gou | day 8 of the 9th month, Metal Tiger year (庚寅年九月初八) | 4.9 liang–5.9 liang |
| Lai Ching-te | day 5 of the 9th month, Earth Pig year (己亥年九月初五) | 4.9 liang–5.9 liang |
| Ma Ying-jeou | day 29 of the 5th month, Metal Tiger year (庚寅年五月廿九) | 3.6 liang–4.6 liang |
| Tsai Ing-wen | day 26 of the 7th month, Fire Monkey year (丙申年七月廿六) | 3.8 liang–4.8 liang |
| Chiang Kai-shek | day 15 of the 9th month, Fire Pig year (丁亥年九月十五) | 5.0 liang–6.0 liang Horse hour (午) 5.4 liang |
| Sun Yat-sen | day 6 of the 10th month, Fire Tiger year (丙寅年十月初六) | 3.5 liang–4.5 liang Tiger hour (寅) 3.6 liang |
| Nicholas Tse | day 19 of the 7th month, Metal Monkey year (庚申年七月十九) | 2.8 liang–3.8 liang |
| Warren Buffett | day 7 of the 7th month, Metal Horse year (庚午年七月初七) | 3.2 liang–4.2 liang |
| Zhou Enlai | day 13 of the 2nd month, Earth Dog year (戊戌年二月十三) | 3.5 liang–4.5 liang |
| Deng Xiaoping | day 12 of the 7th month, Wood Dragon year (甲辰年七月十二) | 4.0 liang–5.0 liang |
| Yang Chen-Ning | day 11 of the 8th month, Water Dog year (壬戌年八月十一) | 4.0 liang–5.0 liang |
| Vladimir Putin | day 19 of the 8th month, Water Dragon year (壬辰年八月十九) | 3.6 liang–4.6 liang |
| Lee Chong Wei | day 5 of the 9th month, Water Dog year (壬戌年九月初五) | 5.0 liang–6.0 liang |
| Taylor Swift | day 16 of the 11th month, Earth Snake year (己巳年冬月十六) | 2.8 liang–3.8 liang |
| Bill Gates | day 13 of the 9th month, Wood Goat year (乙未年九月十三) | 3.8 liang–4.8 liang |
| Beyoncé | day 7 of the 8th month, Metal Rooster year (辛酉年八月初七) | 4.5 liang–5.5 liang |
| Jeff Bezos | day 28 of the 11th month, Water Rabbit year (癸卯年冬月廿八) | 3.5 liang–4.5 liang |
| Oprah Winfrey | day 25 of the 12th month, Water Snake year (癸巳年腊月廿五) | 3.3 liang–4.3 liang |
| Kim Kardashian | day 13 of the 9th month, Metal Monkey year (庚申年九月十三) | 4.0 liang–5.0 liang |
| Soong Ching-ling | day 10 of the 12th month, Water Dragon year (壬辰年腊月初十) | 3.7 liang–4.7 liang |
| P. Ramlee | day 12 of the 2nd month, Earth Snake year (己巳年二月十二) | 3.5 liang–4.5 liang |
| Run Run Shaw | day 14 of the 10th month, Fire Goat year (丁未年十月十四) | 3.6 liang–4.6 liang |
| Jiang Zemin | day 10 of the 7th month, Fire Tiger year (丙寅年七月初十) | 3.7 liang–4.7 liang |
| Ding Ling | day 4 of the 9th month, Wood Dragon year (甲辰年九月初四) | 4.7 liang–5.7 liang |
| S. R. Nathan | day 2 of the 6th month, Wood Rat year (甲子年六月初二) | 4.4 liang–5.4 liang |
| Lin Yutang | day 22 of the 8th month, Wood Goat year (乙未年八月廿二) | 3.6 liang–4.6 liang |
| I. M. Pei | day 6 of the 3rd month, Fire Snake year (丁巳年三月初六) | 4.5 liang–5.5 liang |
| Wee Kim Wee | day 27 of the 9th month, Wood Rabbit year (乙卯年九月廿七) | 3.9 liang–4.9 liang |
| Hua Guofeng | day 9 of the 1st month, Metal Rooster year (辛酉年正月初九) | 3.6 liang–4.6 liang |
| Kang Youwei | day 5 of the 2nd month, Earth Horse year (戊午年二月初五) | 4.8 liang–5.8 liang |
| Ye Jianying | day 27 of the 3rd month, Fire Rooster year (丁酉年三月廿七) | 4.5 liang–5.5 liang |
| Tsung-Dao Lee | day 20 of the 10th month, Fire Tiger year (丙寅年十月二十) | 3.5 liang–4.5 liang |
| Mao Dun | day 24 of the 5th month, Fire Monkey year (丙申年五月廿四) | 2.5 liang–3.5 liang |
| Donnie Yen | day 7 of the 6th month, Water Rabbit year (癸卯年六月初七) | 4.2 liang–5.2 liang |
| Ding Liren | day 29 of the 9th month, Water Monkey year (壬申年九月廿九) | 4.7 liang–5.7 liang |
| Lin Dan | day 9 of the 9th month, Water Pig year (癸亥年九月初九) | 3.8 liang–4.8 liang |
| Pony Ma | day 11 of the 9th month, Metal Pig year (辛亥年九月十一) | 5.0 liang–6.0 liang |
| Joan Chen | day 12 of the 3rd month, Metal Ox year (辛丑年三月十二) | 4.8 liang–5.8 liang |
| Tony Leung Chiu-wai | day 26 of the 5th month, Water Tiger year (壬寅年五月廿六) | 3.8 liang–4.8 liang |
| Leung Chun-ying | day 14 of the 7th month, Wood Horse year (甲午年七月十四) | 4.7 liang–5.7 liang |
| Yo-Yo Ma | day 22 of the 8th month, Wood Goat year (乙未年八月廿二) | 3.6 liang–4.6 liang |
| Wang Yi | day 12 of the 9th month, Water Snake year (癸巳年九月十二) | 4.8 liang–5.8 liang |
| Yuan T. Lee | day 6 of the 10th month, Fire Rat year (丙子年十月初六) | 4.5 liang–5.5 liang |
| Hu Jintao | day 14 of the 11th month, Water Horse year (壬午年冬月十四) | 4.0 liang–5.0 liang |
| Chloé Zhao | day 7 of the 3rd month, Water Dog year (壬戌年三月初七) | 4.2 liang–5.2 liang |
| Tu Youyou | day 11 of the 11th month, Metal Horse year (庚午年冬月十一) | 3.3 liang–4.3 liang |
| Yoichiro Nambu | day 10 of the 12th month, Metal Monkey year (庚申年腊月初十) | 3.5 liang–4.5 liang |
| Jawaharlal Nehru | day 22 of the 10th month, Earth Ox year (己丑年十月廿二) | 3.0 liang–4.0 liang |
| Anita Mui | day 23 of the 8th month, Water Rabbit year (癸卯年八月廿三) | 4.1 liang–5.1 liang |
| Jin Yong | day 2 of the 1st month, Wood Rat year (甲子年正月初二) | 3.4 liang–4.4 liang |
| Lu Xun | day 3 of the 8th month, Metal Snake year (辛巳年八月初三) | 3.5 liang–4.5 liang |
| Yuan Longping | day 15 of the 7th month, Metal Horse year (庚午年七月十五) | 3.4 liang–4.4 liang |
| Qian Xuesen | day 21 of the 10th month, Metal Pig year (辛亥年十月廿一) | 4.1 liang–5.1 liang |
| Tunku Abdul Rahman | day 11 of the 1st month, Water Rabbit year (癸卯年正月十一) | 3.3 liang–4.3 liang |
| Lee Hsien Loong | day 15 of the 1st month, Water Dragon year (壬辰年正月十五) | 3.2 liang–4.2 liang |
| Stephen Chow | day 21 of the 5th month, Water Tiger year (壬寅年五月廿一) | 3.0 liang–4.0 liang |
| Chow Yun-fat | day 27 of the leap 3rd month, Wood Goat year (乙未年闰三月廿七) | 3.7 liang–4.7 liang |
| Brigitte Lin | day 8 of the 10th month, Wood Horse year (甲午年十月初八) | 4.5 liang–5.5 liang |
| Jacky Cheung | day 28 of the 5th month, Metal Ox year (辛丑年五月廿八) | 2.6 liang–3.6 liang |
| Morris Chang | day 25 of the 5th month, Metal Goat year (辛未年五月廿五) | 3.4 liang–4.4 liang |
| Hu Shih | day 17 of the 11th month, Metal Rabbit year (辛卯年冬月十七) | 3.6 liang–4.6 liang |
| Tan Cheng Lock | day 28 of the 2nd month, Water Goat year (癸未年二月廿八) | 2.8 liang–3.8 liang |
| Eileen Chang | day 19 of the 8th month, Metal Monkey year (庚申年八月十九) | 3.4 liang–4.4 liang |
| Liang Qichao | day 26 of the 1st month, Water Rooster year (癸酉年正月廿六) | 3.8 liang–4.8 liang |
| Cai Yuanpei | day 17 of the 12th month, Fire Rabbit year (丁卯年腊月十七) | 2.7 liang–3.7 liang |
| Lee Teng-hui | day 29 of the 11th month, Water Dog year (壬戌年冬月廿九) | 4.1 liang–5.1 liang |
| Ang Lee | day 27 of the 9th month, Wood Horse year (甲午年九月廿七) | 4.6 liang–5.6 liang |
| Gong Li | day 9 of the 12th month, Wood Snake year (乙巳年腊月初九) | 2.6 liang–3.6 liang |
| Jet Li | day 3 of the 4th month, Water Rabbit year (癸卯年四月初三) | 3.5 liang–4.5 liang |
| Wong Kar-wai | day 1 of the 6th month, Earth Dog year (戊戌年六月初一) | 4.1 liang–5.1 liang |
| Nicol David | day 18 of the 7th month, Water Pig year (癸亥年七月十八) | 3.9 liang–4.9 liang |
| Goh Chok Tong | day 25 of the 4th month, Metal Snake year (辛巳年四月廿五) | 3.6 liang–4.6 liang |
| Lawrence Wong | day 13 of the 11th month, Water Rat year (壬子年冬月十三) | 2.8 liang–3.8 liang |
| Lang Lang | day 23 of the leap 4th month, Water Dog year (壬戌年闰四月廿三) | 3.3 liang–4.3 liang |
Why the verses are not here
In the almanacs each weight comes with a verse judging a whole life — poor or rich, high or low. The verses circulate in two sets, one for men and one for women, with different verdicts for the same weight. This site does not hand out verdicts on a life by sex, so it gives the weight and the working, and not the verses.
The tables
Year (lunar year, from the first day of the first month)
Wood Rat (甲子) 1.2 liang
Wood Ox (乙丑) 0.9 liang
Fire Tiger (丙寅) 0.6 liang
Fire Rabbit (丁卯) 0.7 liang
Earth Dragon (戊辰) 1.2 liang
Earth Snake (己巳) 0.5 liang
Metal Horse (庚午) 0.9 liang
Metal Goat (辛未) 0.8 liang
Water Monkey (壬申) 0.7 liang
Water Rooster (癸酉) 0.8 liang
Wood Dog (甲戌) 1.5 liang
Wood Pig (乙亥) 0.9 liang
Fire Rat (丙子) 1.6 liang
Fire Ox (丁丑) 0.8 liang
Earth Tiger (戊寅) 0.8 liang
Earth Rabbit (己卯) 1.9 liang
Metal Dragon (庚辰) 1.2 liang
Metal Snake (辛巳) 0.6 liang
Water Horse (壬午) 0.8 liang
Water Goat (癸未) 0.7 liang
Wood Monkey (甲申) 0.5 liang
Wood Rooster (乙酉) 1.5 liang
Fire Dog (丙戌) 0.6 liang
Fire Pig (丁亥) 1.6 liang
Earth Rat (戊子) 1.5 liang
Earth Ox (己丑) 0.7 liang / 0.8 liang*
Metal Tiger (庚寅) 0.9 liang
Metal Rabbit (辛卯) 1.2 liang
Water Dragon (壬辰) 1.0 liang
Water Snake (癸巳) 0.7 liang
Wood Horse (甲午) 1.5 liang
Wood Goat (乙未) 0.6 liang
Fire Monkey (丙申) 0.5 liang
Fire Rooster (丁酉) 1.4 liang
Earth Dog (戊戌) 1.4 liang
Earth Pig (己亥) 0.9 liang
Metal Rat (庚子) 0.7 liang
Metal Ox (辛丑) 0.7 liang
Water Tiger (壬寅) 0.9 liang
Water Rabbit (癸卯) 1.2 liang
Wood Dragon (甲辰) 0.8 liang
Wood Snake (乙巳) 0.7 liang
Fire Horse (丙午) 1.3 liang
Fire Goat (丁未) 0.5 liang
Earth Monkey (戊申) 1.4 liang
Earth Rooster (己酉) 0.5 liang
Metal Dog (庚戌) 0.9 liang
Metal Pig (辛亥) 1.7 liang
Water Rat (壬子) 0.5 liang
Water Ox (癸丑) 0.7 liang
Wood Tiger (甲寅) 1.2 liang
Wood Rabbit (乙卯) 0.8 liang
Fire Dragon (丙辰) 0.8 liang
Fire Snake (丁巳) 0.6 liang
Earth Horse (戊午) 1.9 liang
Earth Goat (己未) 0.6 liang
Metal Monkey (庚申) 0.8 liang
Metal Rooster (辛酉) 1.6 liang
Water Dog (壬戌) 1.0 liang
Water Pig (癸亥) 0.6 liang / 0.7 liang*
Month (lunar)
1st month 0.6 liang
2nd month 0.7 liang
3rd month 1.8 liang
4th month 0.9 liang
5th month 0.5 liang
6th month 1.6 liang
7th month 0.9 liang
8th month 1.5 liang
9th month 1.8 liang
10th month 0.8 liang / 1.9 liang*
11th month 0.9 liang
12th month 0.5 liang
Day (lunar)
day 1 0.5 liang
day 2 1.0 liang
day 3 0.8 liang
day 4 1.5 liang
day 5 1.6 liang
day 6 1.5 liang
day 7 0.8 liang
day 8 1.6 liang
day 9 0.8 liang
day 10 1.6 liang
day 11 0.9 liang
day 12 1.7 liang
day 13 0.8 liang
day 14 1.7 liang / 1.9 liang*
day 15 1.0 liang
day 16 0.8 liang
day 17 0.9 liang
day 18 1.8 liang / 0.8 liang*
day 19 0.5 liang
day 20 1.5 liang / 1.0 liang*
day 21 1.0 liang
day 22 0.9 liang
day 23 0.8 liang
day 24 0.9 liang
day 25 1.5 liang
day 26 1.8 liang
day 27 0.7 liang
day 28 0.8 liang
day 29 1.6 liang
day 30 0.6 liang
Hour
Rat (子) 1.6 liang
Ox (丑) 0.6 liang
Tiger (寅) 0.7 liang
Rabbit (卯) 1.0 liang
Dragon (辰) 0.9 liang
Snake (巳) 1.6 liang
Horse (午) 1.0 liang
Goat (未) 0.8 liang
Monkey (申) 0.8 liang
Rooster (酉) 0.9 liang
Dog (戌) 0.6 liang
Pig (亥) 0.6 liang
* Four published tables compared cell by cell (华易网, NOWnews 今日新闻, 阿波罗网, Your Chinese Astrology): 108 of the 114 cells agree. The other six are three against one each time; the main value is the three’s, the one after the slash is the odd table’s.
Method and conventions
- The year is the lunar year, changing at the first day of the first month, not at the Start of Spring (Li Chun, 立春) — that is how the almanac tables are keyed. So for a birth between the Start of Spring and Chinese New Year, the year here differs from the BaZi year pillar.
- Leap months are not in the table, and none of the four says how to take them. This page uses the month the leap month is named after, and shows the total taking the month after as well.
- A birth after 23:00 is in the Rat hour (子) of the next day: the day is the next day’s, and the hour the Rat.
- Bone weighing is not BaZi: it ignores the elements of the stems and branches and reads only which year, month, day and hour. For the chart itself, use the BaZi calculator.