Eastve Journal
Chinese names, BaZi & cultural guides
Plain-English guides to Chinese naming, astrology and the traditions behind them — written for people who don't read Chinese.
What a BaZi Chart Can and Can't Tell You
A beginner's framing of BaZi (Four Pillars of Destiny): what the chart is made of, the kinds of questions it was built to reflect on, and the honest limits of reading it.
Read guide →BaZi Day Master Explained: The Pillar That Defines You
In BaZi (Four Pillars of Destiny), the Day Master is the one character said to represent you. Learn what it is, how it is found, and why it sits at the centre of every BaZi reading.
Read guide →The Major Chinese Festivals and What Each Celebrates
The big festivals of the Chinese calendar — Spring Festival, Lantern, Qingming, Dragon Boat, Mid-Autumn and more — what each marks and how people observe it.
Read guide →Chinese Honorifics: 先生, 小姐 and 女士 Explained
The three common Chinese title words — 先生 (xiānsheng), 小姐 (xiǎojiě) and 女士 (nǚshì) — and when to use each, plus 太太 and why 小姐 has shifted in meaning.
Read guide →Lucky and Unlucky Numbers in Chinese Culture
Which numbers are considered lucky or unlucky in Chinese culture, the wordplay behind each, and how the habit shows up in prices, dates and phone numbers.
Read guide →Chinese Name Stroke Count and What It Is Said to Mean
Why some Chinese naming traditions count the strokes in a name, how the Kangxi dictionary form is used, and what stroke-count analysis can and cannot tell you about a name.
Read guide →Chinese Number Meanings: What 1 to 10 Symbolise
Why numbers carry meaning in Chinese culture: the wordplay behind 8, 6 and 9, why 4 is avoided, and what the numbers one through ten are said to represent.
Read guide →The 12 Chinese Zodiac Animals and Why They're in That Order
The twelve animals of the Chinese zodiac, the order they sit in, and the folk story of the Great Race that explains why the Rat comes first and the Pig last.
Read guide →What Is My Chinese Zodiac If I Was Born in January?
If you were born in January, your Chinese zodiac sign may not match the Western year you were born in. Here is why the lunar new year changes the cutoff and how to find your real sign.
Read guide →Chinese Zodiac Compatibility: The Complete Pairing Matrix
A plain-English guide to Chinese zodiac compatibility: how the 12 signs pair, why certain matches are considered lucky, and what the compatibility matrix actually does and does not predict.
Read guide →How to Read the Meaning of a Chinese Name
Chinese names are built from characters chosen for meaning. Learn how to read what a name says — character by character, how the given name relates to the surname, and the wishes a name is meant to carry.
Read guide →How to Write Your Name in Chinese Characters
A practical look at writing a name in Chinese: transliteration versus meaning, why the surname goes first, how characters are chosen, and how to get a name you can actually use.
Read guide →Lucky Colors by Chinese Zodiac Sign: What Each Animal Favours
Each Chinese zodiac sign is associated with colours said to suit it. Here is the common colour list by sign, where the associations come from, and how to use them without taking them too seriously.
Read guide →Qiu Qian vs I Ching vs Tarot: How the Three Differ
Three very different ways of asking the unknown: temple fortune sticks (qiu qian), the I Ching, and tarot. How each works, what kind of answer it gives, and how to read them as culture rather than prediction.
Read guide →Chinese Names for Boys: 60+ Names Grouped by Meaning (With Pinyin)
A curated list of Chinese boys' names organised by what they express — strength, wisdom, ambition, integrity, and nature names. Each entry includes characters, pinyin with tones, the literal meaning and notes on usage.
Read guide →Chinese Names for Girls: 70+ Names Grouped by Meaning (With Pinyin)
A curated list of Chinese girls' names organised by what they mean — beautiful, wise, peaceful, joyful, pure, and nature names. Each entry includes characters, pinyin with tones, the literal meaning and notes on usage.
Read guide →Chinese Zodiac Years: Complete List from 1900 to 2043 (And Why January Births Get It Wrong)
A full Chinese zodiac year chart from 1900 to 2043, why the zodiac does not change on January 1st, the exact Lunar New Year dates that decide your animal, and how the twelve animals map onto the BaZi Earthly Branches.
Read guide →The Five Elements (Wu Xing): Wood, Fire, Earth, Metal, Water Explained
Wu Xing is the Chinese system of five phases used in astrology, medicine, naming and martial arts. This guide explains what each element means, the generating and controlling cycles, how elements apply to BaZi charts and Chinese names, and why they are phases rather than substances.
Read guide →How to Choose a Chinese Name: A Complete Guide for Non-Chinese Speakers
A practical guide to choosing a real Chinese name: the three methods (sound, meaning, hybrid), how many characters you need, tone and taboo pitfalls, and a step-by-step process that avoids the most common mistakes.
Read guide →What Is BaZi? Four Pillars of Destiny Explained in Plain English
BaZi (Eight Characters) is Chinese astrology based on your birth moment. This guide explains the four pillars, Heavenly Stems and Earthly Branches, why solar terms define months, true solar time, and how to read a chart without prior knowledge.
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