And this fate is generally decided at the very moment of birth. Therefore, in telling someone's fortune, Chinese people first and foremost stress the "eight characters" that specify the year, month, day and minute of birth. This can be said to be the foundation of destiny.
而這命運又大部分決定於出生的那一刻，所以，中國人算命首重八字，亦即出生的年月日和時辰，這可說是命運的基礎。