In Chinese metaphysics for date selection, the sui po, yue po and ri po are commonly referred to for identifying dates that are generally inauspicious for anyone to undertake important activities.
These are not specific to individual but are like blanket write-offs of inauspicious days.
From an individual perspective, the da hao (大耗) serves as a more personal methodology to identify bad days.
There are a number of practitioners who refer to the da hao as the personal breaker. But one should be mindful that from a translation standpoint, da hao does not translate in any way or manner to the term personal breaker.
In fact, it literally translates to big consumption.
The main reason why practitioners coined da hao with the English term “personal breaker” is probably due to the sui po, yue po and ri po, having the English names of year breaker, month breaker and day breaker respectively.
So da hao which uses the same concept but different variables identified from one’s personal bazi was given the name personal breaker.
Da hao is identified by determining a person earthly branch on the year pillar. This branch would be the personal grand duke, and the character opposite it would be the da hao.
For example, if you were born in the year of the Rooster (E10), the your da hao would be Rabbit (E4).
With this information, any day when E4 reigns would be a da hao day. And therefore, a bad day to hold important events.
Legend of earthly branches can be found here.
Table of da hao (personal breaker)
Year Branch |
Da Hao |
E1 (Rat) | E7 (Horse) |
E2 (Ox) | E8 (Goat) |
E3 (Tiger) | E9 (Monkey) |
E4 (Rabbit) | E10 (Rooster) |
E5 (Dragon) | E11 (Dog) |
E6 (Snake) | E12 (Pig) |
E7 (Horse) | E1 (Rat) |
E8 (Goat) | E2 (Ox) |
E9 (Monkey) | E3 (Tiger) |
E10 (Rooster) | E4 (Rabbit) |
E11 (Dog) | E5 (Dragon) |
E12 (Pig) | E6 (Snake) |
Just like other breaker days, important activities on personal breaker days (大耗日) should be avoided as much as possible.