Zhu Kezhen (1890–1974), a native of Shaoxing, Zhejiang, was a founder of modern meteorology and geography in China. He served for many years as the president of Zhejiang University and in leadership roles at the Chinese Academy of Sciences, advancing meteorological observation and historical climate research. His BaZi (Ba Zi) chart reveals his academic focus, organizational and institution-building ability, aptitude for external exchange and resource integration, and his resilience and capacity for self-renewal—traits that were fully borne out over the course of his life.
BaZi Chart
Core Analysis
Zhu Kezhen's chart features a Ding Day Master (Ri Zhu) seated on Hai, with Wood (Mu) in the Year Pillar (Nian Zhu) and Hour Pillar (Shi Zhuar) at Yin, and in the Month Pillar (Yue Zhu) at Mao, forming a Wood frame. This configuration presents a Direct Officer (Zheng Guan) supported by multiple Direct Resource (Zheng Yin) and Indirect Resource (Pian Yin) guardians, while the Heavenly Stems (Tian Gan) simultaneously bring forth Geng Metal and Ren Water (Shui), showing a coexistence of outward academic resources and rational judgment. In terms of the Five Elements (Wu Xing), Fire (Huo) is constrained by Water but nourished by Wood, making him well-suited for academic research, educational governance, and systematic institution-building. The structure (Ge Ju) leans toward Direct Officer paired with Resource, conferring prestige and institutional influence.
The progression of his Luck Pillars (Da Yun) mirrors his life trajectory: the Xin Si Indirect Wealth (Pian Cai) Luck Pillar from 1909 to 1918 supported his studies abroad and international exchange; the Ren Wu Direct Officer Luck Pillar from 1919 to 1928 corresponded to his academic appointments and leadership roles; and the Gui Wei Seven Killings (Qi Sha) Luck Pillar from 1929 to 1938 brought the pressures of building institutions and contending with adversity. In his later years, the Yi You Indirect Resource, Bing Xu Rob Wealth (Jie Cai), and Ding Hai Friend (Bi Jian) Luck Pillars reflect his academic independence and lifelong habit of meticulous note-taking, while also showing the penetrating scholarly insight and expressive tendency brought by a Hurting Officer (Shang Guan) paired with Resource structure.
Trait Analysis
- Academic Focus: With Direct Resource protecting the Ding Day Master, the Five Elements support deep scholarly cultivation. The chart shows an inner drive for sustained note-taking and systematic research, indicating a remarkably high degree of academic focus.
- Organizational and Institution-Building Ability: The Direct Officer is powerfully seated in the branches, and the Ren Wu Luck Pillar helped him step into management and official appointments. The chart supports his institutional leadership at universities and the Academy of Sciences.
- External Exchange and Resource Integration: The simultaneous appearance of Geng and Ren in the Heavenly Stems, along with the Xin Si Indirect Wealth Luck Pillar corresponding to his overseas studies and foreign resources, shows strong networking skills and a capacity for international academic integration.
- Resilience and Self-Renewal: The appearance of Friend and a Hurting Officer paired with Resource structure in his later years embodies his perseverance, his writing habits, and his constant reflection and renewal of his academic framework.
Life Timeline
1905: A New Chapter in Education
Graduating from primary school with excellent grades, Zhu Kezhen smoothly transferred to the middle school division of Fudan Public School in Shanghai that autumn, opening a new chapter in his educational journey. This was an Annual Pillar (Liu Nian) of Yi Si. In the Heavenly Stems, Yi Wood acted as Indirect Resource, while in the Earthly Branches (Di Zhi), Si Fire served as Rob Wealth. Although the Wood Resource was an unfavorable element (Ji Shen) for the Day Master, the Yi Wood in the Annual Pillar stem combined with the Geng Metal Direct Wealth (Zheng Cai) found in the stems of the Year Pillar, Hour Pillar, and Luck Pillar, forming a "Yi-Geng combination into Metal." This combination transformed the power of the unfavorable Wood into favorable Metal (Xi Shen). Since Metal acts as the Wealth element, it signified tangible academic achievements and recognition.
1909: Top of the Class
Zhu Kezhen passed the entrance examinations for the civil engineering department of the Tangshan Railway and Mining College (today's Southwest Jiaotong University) with outstanding results, ranking first in his class. This year marked the dawn of the Xin Si Luck Pillar. The Luck Pillar and his Day Pillar (Ri Zhu) of Ding Hai formed a stem clash and branch clash (Tian Ke Di Chong), signaling his entry into a period of major transformation, where a dramatic shift in environment brought entirely new opportunities.
1910: Crossing the Ocean
Passing with exceptional scores, Zhu Kezhen was selected as a Boxer Indemnity Scholar in the second cohort and traveled to the United States to study at the College of Agriculture of the University of Illinois. This was a pivotal turning point in his life, taking a crucial step toward becoming a founder of modern Chinese meteorology and geography.
1913: Completing His Studies
Zhu Kezhen completed his studies at the University of Illinois College of Agriculture, earning a bachelor's degree in agriculture. This laid a solid academic foundation for his future role as a founder of modern Chinese meteorology and geography.
1914: Scientific Enlightenment
Together with his colleagues studying in America, Zhu Kezhen co-founded the Science Society of China and became a key contributor to its core publication, Science magazine, dedicating himself to the dissemination and popularization of scientific knowledge.
1915: Advanced Studies at Harvard
Zhu Kezhen earned a master's degree from the Department of Earth Sciences at Harvard University and continued his studies toward a doctorate in meteorology, establishing a firm academic foundation for his future as a founder of modern Chinese meteorology.
1917: Early Brilliance on the International Stage
Recognized for his outstanding academic potential, Zhu Kezhen was elected a member of the American Geographical Society and received the Emerson Scholarship, marking the first recognition of his scholarly career by an authoritative international institution.
1918: Returning Home with a Doctorate
Zhu Kezhen earned his doctorate in meteorology from Harvard University with his dissertation, "A New Classification of Typhoons in the Far East." He then set sail for China, embarking on his mission to establish modern Chinese meteorology.
1918: Teaching in Wuchang
Having concluded his studies overseas, Zhu Kezhen accepted an appointment at the National Wuchang Higher Normal School, launching his domestic teaching career in geography and meteorology and bringing his newly acquired knowledge back to his homeland.
1920: Leading the Earth Sciences
Zhu Kezhen joined the faculty at Nanjing Higher Normal School. In 1921, he became the head of the Department of Earth Sciences, where he began to systematically promote the teaching and institutional development of modern geography and meteorology in China.
1924: Rising Prominence in Meteorology
Leveraging his profound scholarly expertise and professional influence, Zhu Kezhen was successfully elected as a council member of the first Chinese Meteorological Society. This formally brought him into the core leadership of the national meteorological academic community, laying a cornerstone for the discipline's development.