Practical Chart Guide · Step 7 of 8

Check Birth Time, Place, and True Solar Time Before Reading Details

Birth Time, Place, and True Solar Time

Clock time is a legal and social standard; solar time is tied to longitude. A calculator may offer a true-solar-time adjustment, while another may use civil clock time. Neither setting should be hidden when it can affect a boundary case.

Enter the local clock time and birth place first. Then check the historical time zone, daylight-saving status, longitude treatment, and solar-term rule. Do not replace the birthplace with the current residence.

Example: Wei was born at 13:05 in a location far from the reference meridian. A longitude adjustment could move the calculated solar time across an hour boundary. If the adjusted time stays well inside the same interval, the displayed hour pillar may remain unchanged; if it crosses a boundary, compare both documented results.

When birth time is uncertain, keep a range. When birth date is near midnight or a solar-term transition, preserve the original record and test plausible settings. The goal is not to force one answer but to show which parts are stable.

This page explains calculation inputs. It does not decide which traditional school is correct. See Methodology for the site's disclosed rule set and use the result audit before interpreting labels.