Gunghap: How Korean Saju Compatibility Works
Gunghap (궁합, 宮合) is the comparison of two people’s Saju charts. In Korea it is best known as something families once checked before a marriage, and many couples still look it up for fun. The same method works for any two people: friends, bandmates, or you and your favourite idol.
1. The day masters
The first question is how the two day masters relate.
- Stem pairs (천간합, 天干合). Five pairs of stems are said to combine: Gap 甲 with Gi 己, Eul 乙 with Gyeong 庚, Byeong 丙 with Sin 辛, Jeong 丁 with Im 壬, and Mu 戊 with Gye 癸. Each joins a Yang stem with a Yin stem. This is the classic sign of attraction.
- Generating. One day master’s element feeds the other’s, such as water and wood. Supportive and warm.
- Same element. Easy mutual understanding, with some rivalry.
- Controlling. One element restrains the other, such as water and fire. Tension and contrast.
2. The branches
Next, the earthly branches are compared, especially the day branches (daily life together) and the year branches (the zodiac animals).
| Relationship | Pairs or groups |
|---|---|
| Six Harmonies (육합, 六合) | Rat–Ox, Tiger–Pig, Rabbit–Dog, Dragon–Rooster, Snake–Monkey, Horse–Goat |
| Three Harmonies (삼합, 三合) | Monkey–Rat–Dragon, Pig–Rabbit–Goat, Tiger–Horse–Dog, Snake–Rooster–Ox |
| Clashes (충, 沖) | Rat–Horse, Ox–Goat, Tiger–Monkey, Rabbit–Rooster, Dragon–Dog, Snake–Pig |
A harmony suggests ease. A clash suggests friction and strong reactions, which tradition treats as a warning and modern readers often treat as chemistry.
3. Element balance
Finally, the two charts are laid side by side. If one person lacks water and the other has plenty, they are said to complete each other. If both lack the same element, they share a blind spot.
How this site scores a match
| Part | What is compared | Points |
|---|---|---|
| Core element | The two day masters | 30 |
| Day branch | Harmony, match or clash | 25 |
| Birth-year animal | Harmony, match or clash | 20 |
| Element balance | Whether each fills the other’s gaps | 25 |
The same two birthdays always give the same score. Nothing is random.
What a score cannot tell you
A professional gunghap reading uses all eight characters of both charts, hidden stems inside the branches, and each person’s luck cycles. A single number is a simplification, and idol charts are missing the hour pillar. Treat a high score as a fun coincidence and a low one as a different kind of story.
Try it: check your match with an idol, or compare two idols.
Saju is a cultural tradition, and this site treats it as entertainment. There is no scientific evidence that a birth chart determines personality or predicts the future.