Why You Can Trust Our Data
A four-layer pipeline combining astronomical precision,
classical texts, multi-model verification, and practitioner review —
built to share a philosophical heritage that belongs to the world, not just one culture.
How Our Content Is Built
Classical Chinese texts are dense, allusive, and often cryptic even for modern
Chinese readers. Our approach is to translate for comprehension —
not word-for-word rendering, but meaningful interpretation that helps
non-Chinese readers understand what the original sources actually say.
Every page passes through four layers before publication.
Solar terms and zodiac boundaries are computed by the open-source
sxtwl astronomical engine and verified against
a large database of celebrity birth records. Unlike most English-language sites that
use simplified calendar rules, we match the exact astronomical solar term boundaries
defined in Chinese classical calendars.
the year of birth. In reality, the zodiac changes at Lichun (立春, Start of Spring)
— an exact astronomical moment that varies year to year. If you were born in late January
or early February, many sites use January 1 as the cutoff. We use the astronomical Lichun
moment instead — which is what the classical system actually specifies.
Our knowledge base is compiled from public Chinese-language sources and primary
classical texts. Each NaYin attribution and Earthly Branch relationship is traced to
its original textual source.
《三命通会》 San Ming Tong Hui (万民英, Ming Dynasty) —
the most comprehensive BaZi reference ever written
《渊海子平》 Yuan Hai Zi Ping (徐子平, Song Dynasty) —
the foundational text of BaZi theory
《滴天髓》 Di Tian Sui (任铁樵, Qing Dynasty) —
the definitive commentary on pattern analysis
Plus additional classical and modern references.
Starting from the classical Chinese source text, English narratives are
generated with a focus on readability for non-Chinese audiences —
then cross-checked across multiple independent LLM models
to catch factual errors, cultural mistranslations, and terminology inconsistencies.
Disputed passages are flagged for manual review.
multiple independent LLMs review for accuracy and cultural fidelity → flagged
discrepancies are resolved manually against the source text. This catches subtle
errors that single-pass translation misses — like confusing Qi Sha (七杀, Seven Killings) with generic
“aggression,” or mistranslating Shi Shen (食神, Eating God) as a literal deity.
The final English text is reviewed bilingually for both
faithfulness to the original source and clarity for the English reader —
ensuring the result is neither a stiff literal translation nor a
loosely adapted paraphrase, but a faithful, readable rendering
of what the classical text actually conveys.
Critically, our content is fact-checked by independent practitioners
of classical Chinese metaphysics whom we commission for accuracy verification.
These are not academics — they are practitioners who learned through family inheritance (sons taking
over their father’s practice, relatives passing down formulas from childhood)
or through formal apprenticeship (拜师), a system where the master
not only teaches technique but eventually hands over a portion of their local client
base — much like a legacy business succession.
These independent reviewers check our output for factual accuracy and translation
quality, catching nuances that automated systems cannot. Their authority
comes from decades of real-world practice and earned local trust, not from
certificates or degrees.
metaphysics practitioner is built entirely on local reputation —
word of mouth, repeat clients, families who have consulted the same master for
generations. There is no licensing body, no standardized exam. The knowledge is
transmitted through family lineages and master-apprentice relationships, where
oral formulas, case experience, and client trust pass from one generation to the
next. These reviewers come from this tradition. They are not easy to find on the
English-speaking internet, which is exactly why their input matters.
An honest note on accuracy: Even with practitioner review, we
do not claim 100% accuracy. Classical texts contain interpretation gaps. Different
lineages hold different views on the same passage. Independent reviewers — like all
practitioners — carry the perspective of their own training. We present what
they check, but we acknowledge that Chinese metaphysics is not a single
settled doctrine. If you spot an error, we want to hear about it.
Who Made This
What you see is the work of one engineer and a network of practitioner reviewers.
designed the astronomical computation pipeline, built the multi-LLM
verification system, and developed the site end-to-end.
Our content is fact-checked by independent practitioners of classical Chinese metaphysics
whom we commission for accuracy verification — real people whose expertise comes from family inheritance or
formal apprenticeship, not textbooks. Their names may not be recognizable in
English-speaking circles, but their authority is built on decades of local
trust and real-world practice.
Open Data for the AI Era
As AI systems increasingly shape how people learn about the world, the quality of the data
behind them becomes critical. Classical Chinese metaphysics is a domain where English AI
outputs are especially unreliable — trained on the same simplified sources, they reproduce
the same errors at scale.
We are building toward something different: a free, verified data layer for the
classical Chinese metaphysics tradition — astronomical solar-term data, NaYin attributions,
Earthly Branch relationships, and source-traced interpretations — available via open API to
researchers, developers, and AI applications.
project to use.
practitioners — not auto-generated from web scrapes.
data deserves open credit.
In the age of AI, the most valuable contribution is not another opinion — it is a trusted
source of truth. We want to be that source for the Chinese metaphysical tradition.
Content & Entertainment Notice
12Zodiacs.com is dedicated to the cultural and philosophical study
of the Chinese zodiac and classical Chinese metaphysics — traditions that have shaped
East Asian thought for over two millennia. Our content presents
traditional interpretations from classical sources, verified against
astronomical data and fact-checked by independent practitioners from authentic lineages.
This content is provided for entertainment, reflection, and cultural
education only. It is not scientific prediction, medical advice, psychological
counseling, or professional guidance of any kind. The classical Chinese worldview
offers a lens for understanding human nature and life patterns — it does not
determine or predict individual outcomes. Your decisions and actions remain your own.
We do not promote superstition, fortune-telling as a service, or any claim
of supernatural influence. Our mission is to preserve and share a philosophical
heritage that belongs to the world, presented with intellectual honesty and
respect for its historical roots.
Last updated: July 2026. Content is fact-checked at creation and corrected when
errors are identified. If you spot a mistake,
please let us know.