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One common definition describes fortune‑telling as “the act of making judgments about things that cannot be directly observed—such as a person’s inner mind, luck, or the future—and the methods used to do so.”

Some describe divination as “based on statistics.” Statistics, however, is a methodology for analyzing objective data using mathematical techniques to infer patterns and properties.

However, because personality and life trajectories vary greatly from person to person—and any evaluation inevitably involves subjective judgment— it is difficult to claim that the theoretical foundation of divination can be derived purely from statistical science, even if certain patterns can be observed.

In the first place, why does Western astrology analyze configurations using ten celestial bodies and the twelve zodiac signs? And why does Four Pillars (BaZi) analyze through the framework of yin-yang and the five elements—using relationships such as generation and control? It would be difficult to derive these systems purely from statistics. For example, Aries is often described as passionate and adventurous, but it is not straightforward to “prove” such claims by statistical inference from angles among planetary bodies and zodiac signs.

The foundations of Western astrology are thought to have been established around the 2nd century CE, whereas mathematical statistics developed mainly from the late 19th century onward. From a chronological perspective, the idea that astrology originated from statistics does not align.

This is my personal view, but I consider divination to be one expression of the universal principles of the greater cosmos— a system brought down from “Heaven” by predecessors who possessed a special ability to communicate with it, directly or indirectly. Over time, it was refined through accumulated experience, selection, and verification—including statistical tendencies— eventually forming the systems of divination we have today.

What matters most is the “configuration of the stars and calendar at the moment of birth,” and the “configuration of the stars and calendar at the time you wish to read.” This holds true whether the method is Western astrology or Four Pillars (BaZi).