About
Eastern Self is a one-person research project exploring what the Five Elements and BaZi can offer as a language for self-reflection.
Hi, I'm Martin CHEN. I started Eastern Self after years of reading and thinking about how classical Chinese frameworks — particularly Wu Xing (Five Elements) and BaZi (Four Pillars) — can serve as prompts for noticing, not predicting.
What I draw from
My reading draws on classical Chinese texts — the Huainanzi, the Shang Shu (Book of Documents), and later BaZi commentaries — alongside modern scholars and practitioners who treat these frameworks as cultural and philosophical resources rather than fortune-telling systems.
I'm not a fortune teller, a healer, or a licensed professional in any of the fields this site touches. Eastern Self is cultural exploration and reflective journaling, offered in that spirit.
Why this exists
Most English-language resources on the Five Elements fall into two camps: dense academic translations, or promising life-changing results. I wanted something between — a place to encounter these ideas as a thoughtful reader, try a free quiz or calculator, and decide for yourself what resonates.
The paid Personal Blueprint report is an extension of that: a structured, human-reviewed reflection based on your birth details, not a prediction and not a prescription.
How to reach me
For questions, corrections, or feedback: [email protected].
— Martin CHEN, creator of Eastern Self