BaZi Heavenly Stems & Earthly Branches Explained
Heavenly Stems and Earthly Branches are the materials of the Four Pillars. Without them, there are no Ten Gods, strength judgments, clashes, or combinations.
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Heavenly Stems and Earthly Branches are the materials of the Four Pillars. Without them, there are no Ten Gods, strength judgments, clashes, or combinations. See BaZi Charting.
Heavenly Stems
The ten stems are 甲, 乙, 丙, 丁, 戊, 己, 庚, 辛, 壬, 癸. Odd-numbered stems are Yang; even-numbered stems are Yin. The day stem represents the self. The other stems show outward relationships and family roles.
- 甲 Jia, Yang Wood: tall tree; upright, pioneering
- 乙 Yi, Yin Wood: vine; flexible, yielding
- 丙 Bing, Yang Fire: sun; bright, expressive
- 丁 Ding, Yin Fire: lamp; precise, reserved
- 戊 Wu, Yang Earth: mountain; steady, responsible
- 己 Ji, Yin Earth: field; nurturing, practical
- 庚 Geng, Yang Metal: blade; firm, decisive
- 辛 Xin, Yin Metal: jewel; refined, restrained
- 壬 Ren, Yang Water: river; mobile, changeable
- 癸 Gui, Yin Water: rain and dew; subtle, nourishing
A stem gains strength when it roots in hidden stems within the branches. Without a root, it floats.
Earthly Branches
The twelve branches are 子, 丑, 寅, 卯, 辰, 巳, 午, 未, 申, 酉, 戌, 亥. Yang branches are 子寅辰午申戌; Yin branches are 丑卯巳未酉亥.
Hidden stems, with the main qi first:
- 子: 癸
- 丑: 己, 辛, 癸
- 寅: 甲, 丙, 戊
- 卯: 乙
- 辰: 戊, 乙, 癸
- 巳: 丙, 庚, 戊
- 午: 丁, 己
- 未: 己, 丁, 乙
- 申: 庚, 壬, 戊
- 酉: 辛
- 戌: 戊, 辛, 丁
- 亥: 壬, 甲
The main qi of the month branch sets the commanding season: 寅卯 Wood, 巳午 Fire, 申酉 Metal, 亥子 Water, and 辰戌丑未 Earth. Day Master strength usually starts here.
The day branch concerns the spouse, the month branch the career environment, the year branch ancestors, and the hour branch children. Branches also form six clashes, six combinations, three harmonies, punishments, and harms.
Reading stems and branches together
The stem and branch in the same pillar interact most directly. Stems govern what is visible; branches govern roots and environment. Rooting and exposure are the basis of strength analysis. See Five Element strength.
Sixty-Jiazi Nayin
Nayin assigns a material quality to each pair in the sixty Jiazi cycle. It refines the “texture” of an element but does not replace the primary Five Elements. 劍鋒金 and 海中金 are both Metal, but their qualities differ.
| 甲子乙丑 | 海中金 | 丙寅丁卯 | 爐中火 | 戊辰己巳 | 大林木 | 庚午辛未 | 路旁土 | 壬申癸酉 | 劍鋒金 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 甲戌乙亥 | 山頭火 | 丙子丁丑 | 澗下水 | 戊寅己卯 | 城頭土 | 庚辰辛巳 | 白蠟金 | 壬午癸未 | 楊柳木 |
| 甲申乙酉 | 井泉水 | 丙戌丁亥 | 屋上土 | 戊子己丑 | 霹靂火 | 庚寅辛卯 | 松柏木 | 壬辰癸巳 | 長流水 |
| 甲午乙未 | 沙中金 | 丙申丁酉 | 山下火 | 戊戌己亥 | 平地木 | 庚子辛丑 | 壁上土 | 壬寅癸卯 | 金箔金 |
| 甲辰乙巳 | 覆燈火 | 丙午丁未 | 天河水 | 戊申己酉 | 大驛土 | 庚戌辛亥 | 釵釧金 | 壬子癸丑 | 桑柘木 |
| 甲寅乙卯 | 大溪水 | 丙辰丁巳 | 沙中土 | 戊午己未 | 天上火 | 庚申辛酉 | 石榴木 | 壬戌癸亥 | 大海水 |
Next: Five Elements in BaZi. Build your own chart with the free BaZi calculator.
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