Ten Heavenly Stems in Bazi
Learn the canonical order, Five Phase and Yin-Yang pairs, chart positions, combinations, and correct reading boundaries of the Ten Heavenly Stems.
Overview
The Ten Heavenly Stems are an ordered symbol system built from the Five Phases in Yang and Yin forms. A stem is not a fixed personality label: read it with season, roots, pillar position, relationships, and timing.
At a glance
- Canonical order
- 甲 Jia · 乙 Yi · 丙 Bing · 丁 Ding · 戊 Wu · 己 Ji · 庚 Geng · 辛 Xin · 壬 Ren · 癸 Gui
- Structure
- Five Phases × Yang and Yin
- Chart position
- One visible stem above each Year, Month, Day, and Hour Branch
- Day Stem
- The Day Stem is called the Day Master
Explore concepts
- Jia Wood (甲) in Bazi
- Yi Wood (乙) in Bazi
- Bing Fire (丙) in Bazi
- Ding Fire (丁) in Bazi
- Wu Earth (戊) in Bazi
- Ji Earth (己) in Bazi
- Geng Metal (庚) in Bazi
- Xin Metal (辛) in Bazi
- Ren Water (壬) in Bazi
- Gui Water (癸) in Bazi
- Overview of the Ten Heavenly Stems (十天干)
- Yin-Yang Classification of the Heavenly Stems (天干陰陽)
- Five-Element Classification of the Heavenly Stems (天干五行)
- Yang Stems and Yin Stems: Differences and Limits (陽干陰干)
- Adjacent and Distant Heavenly-Stem Interactions (天干遠近)
- What a Revealed Heavenly Stem Means (天干透出)
- How to Read a Stem Seated on a Branch (天干坐支)
- How to Read Rooted Heavenly Stems (天干通根)
- Unrooted Heavenly Stems (天干虛浮無根)
- Heavenly Stems Gaining or Losing Seasonal Command (得令失令)
- Reading Order for Heavenly-Stem Interactions (天干合沖生剋)
- How to Assess Heavenly-Stem Strength (天干強弱)
- The Day Stem and Other Heavenly Stems (日干關係)
- Heavenly Stems in Luck Cycles and Annual Influences (歲運天干)
- Common Mistakes When Reading the Ten Stems (十天干誤區)
Order, phase, and polarity
The sequence runs Jia, Yi, Bing, Ding, Wu, Ji, Geng, Xin, Ren, and Gui, then repeats. Every phase has a Yang stem followed by a Yin stem: Wood, Fire, Earth, Metal, and Water.
- Jia–Yi: Wood
- Bing–Ding: Fire
- Wu–Ji: Earth
- Geng–Xin: Metal
- Ren–Gui: Water
What stems do in a Bazi chart
Stems are the visible upper characters of the Four Pillars. The Day Stem identifies the Day Master; the other stems are read through their phase and Yin-Yang relationships to it.
- Pillar position changes context.
- Earthly Branch roots affect strength.
- Month command, support, control, combinations, and timing affect function.
Traditional correspondences and combinations
Traditional texts connect stem pairs with directions and seasons, and also record five cross-pair stem combinations. These are parts of a classification system, not automatic predictions. A listed combination does not guarantee transformation.
- Wood: east and spring
- Fire: south and summer
- Earth: center; late or long summer and seasonal transitions vary by tradition
- Metal: west and autumn
- Water: north and winter
The reliable reading boundary
A stem page defines one symbol. It cannot decide personality, career, relationships, health, or fortune without the complete chart and timing context.
- Separate presence from strength.
- Separate strength from usefulness.
- Treat teaching imagery as metaphor when a later school uses it.
Sources and editorial basis
- Hong Kong Observatory: Heavenly Stems and Earthly BranchesAn official modern reference for the canonical stem and branch orders, the sexagenary cycle, and calendrical use.
- Taiwan Ministry of Education Dictionary: 天干Taiwan’s official dictionary definition and canonical listing of the ten stems.
- 《御定星曆考原》卷一A historical source for stem and branch Yin-Yang, Five Phase, direction, seasonal, and calendrical correspondences.
- 《禮記・月令》An early classical source for the seasonal grouping of Jia-Yi, Bing-Ding, Wu-Ji, Geng-Xin, and Ren-Gui.
- 《圖書編》卷二十三A historical source listing the five stem pairings and their conventional transformation phases.
- 《子平真詮》 (True Explanations of Ziping)A major reference for month-command, structure, and contextual Bazi interpretation.
- OpenFate Editorial MethodologyOpenFate separates deterministic chart calculation, traditional interpretation, and modern editorial explanation.