Terms of Service

1. Acceptance of Terms

These Terms of Service ("Terms") govern your use of the Dao Essence website (www.daoessentia.com) and all services, tools, and content provided through it. By accessing our website, using our free tools, or making a purchase, you agree to be bound by these Terms.

If you do not agree to these Terms, please do not use our website or services.

2. Our Services

Dao Essence provides online tools and resources related to Chinese metaphysics, including but not limited to:

• Free BaZi Calculator: automated Four Pillars of Destiny chart generation based on your birth date and time
• Soulmate Finder: direction, timing, and style analysis based on birth data
• Five Elements Calculator: an interactive tool assessing your dominant element based on your birth chart
• Paid BaZi Reading: a personalized written analysis prepared by our practitioner, delivered as a PDF via email
• Shop Products: physical and digital products related to Chinese metaphysics, Five Elements, and Feng Shui
• Educational Blog: articles about BaZi astrology, Chinese Zodiac, Feng Shui, and related topics

3. Entertainment Disclaimer

Our services are rooted in traditional Chinese metaphysics — an ancient cultural framework that has been practiced for thousands of years. While many people find these traditions meaningful and insightful, they are not scientifically verified and should not be treated as such.

Specifically, our services do not constitute and should never be used as a substitute for:

• Medical or psychological advice: if you are experiencing health concerns, mental health issues, or emotional distress, please consult a qualified healthcare professional
• Legal advice: for any legal matters, consult a licensed attorney
• Financial or investment advice: for financial decisions, consult a certified financial advisor
• Professional counseling: for relationship, career, or life decisions, consider seeking guidance from a licensed counselor or therapist

You are solely responsible for your own decisions and actions. Any insights, predictions, or guidance provided through our tools or readings should be considered as one perspective among many, not as instructions or directives for how to live your life.

4. Accuracy of Metaphysical Calculations

Chinese metaphysics encompasses multiple schools of thought, traditions, and interpretive frameworks. Different practitioners and systems may produce different interpretations of the same birth data. This is a natural and expected characteristic of the field.

• Our BaZi calculations follow widely-used algorithmic frameworks, but we do not guarantee 100% accuracy of interpretations
• Results may differ from readings obtained from other practitioners, websites, or traditions — this does not indicate an error
• The Soulmate Finder and Five Elements Calculator provide generalized guidance based on traditional principles and should not be treated as definitive predictions
• Calendar conversion (Gregorian to lunar) may introduce minor discrepancies, especially for births near calendar transition dates

5. Age Requirement

You must be at least 18 years of age to use our paid services or to submit personal information through our contact forms, quizzes, or order forms. If you are under 18, you may only use our website under the supervision of a parent or legal guardian who agrees to be bound by these Terms on your behalf.

6. Pricing & Payment

All prices are displayed in US Dollars (USD) and include the described product or service.

Payment is processed securely by Creem (creem.io). We accept Visa, Mastercard, American Express, and Discover. We do not store your payment card information.

We reserve the right to change product prices at any time. Price changes will not affect orders already completed.

7. Refund Policy

8. Intellectual Property

All content on our website — including text, images, product designs, logos, artwork, blog articles, and website code — is the property of Dao Essence or its content suppliers and is protected by applicable intellectual property laws.

You may not reproduce, distribute, modify, or commercially exploit any content from our website without our prior written consent.

Regarding your reading: The personalized BaZi reading PDF delivered to you is for your personal use. You may not resell, redistribute, or publish it commercially.

9. User Conduct & Prohibited Uses

You agree not to use our website to:

• Engage in any fraudulent, deceptive, or illegal activities
• Infringe upon the rights of others, including intellectual property rights
• Transmit harmful, offensive, or malicious content
• Attempt to gain unauthorized access to our systems, admin panels, or databases
• Use our services to make decisions that could cause harm to yourself or others
• Resell services or readings obtained from our platform without our written consent
• Use automated tools (bots, scrapers) to extract data from our website

10. Limitation of Liability

To the maximum extent permitted by applicable law:

• Dao Essence shall not be liable for any indirect, incidental, special, or consequential damages arising from your use of our website or services
• Our total liability for any claim shall not exceed the amount you paid for the relevant order or service
• We are not liable for any decisions you make based on content, calculations, or readings provided through our website
• We do not guarantee uninterrupted access to our website and are not liable for temporary unavailability due to maintenance or technical issues
• We are not responsible for the accuracy, completeness, or reliability of any metaphysical calculations or interpretations

11. Disclaimer of Warranties

Our website and services are provided "as is" and "as available." We make no warranties, express or implied, regarding merchantability, fitness for a particular purpose, or non-infringement, except as required by applicable law.

Cultural and metaphysical traditions described in connection with our services are based on ancient Eastern wisdom systems. They are presented as cultural traditions and personal growth tools, not as scientifically verified claims.

We do not warrant that:

• Our calculations or interpretations will be accurate, complete, or error-free
• The results of any tool or reading will meet your specific expectations or needs
• Our website will be available at all times without interruption

12. Indemnification

You agree to defend, indemnify, and hold harmless Dao Essence, its practitioners, and its operators from and against any claims, damages, obligations, losses, liabilities, or expenses arising from: (a) your use of and access to our website and services; or (b) your violation of these Terms.

13. Changes to Terms

We reserve the right to modify these Terms at any time. Updated Terms will be posted on this page with a revised "Last updated" date. Your continued use of our website following any changes constitutes your acceptance of the new Terms.

14. Governing Law & Disputes

These Terms shall be governed by and construed in accordance with generally applicable principles of international commercial law. We are committed to resolving disputes amicably. If you have a complaint, please contact us first at support@daoessentia.com and we will work to resolve it promptly.

If a dispute cannot be resolved amicably, it shall be submitted to binding arbitration or the competent courts of the jurisdiction in which you reside, as required by local consumer protection laws.

15. Contact Us