Five Combinations (五合)
Learn the five Heavenly Stem pairs, the difference between contact and transformation, and the evidence order for reading combinations in Bazi.
Overview
Five Combinations (五合) names five exact Heavenly Stem pairs: Jia–Ji, Yi–Geng, Bing–Xin, Ding–Ren, and Wu–Gui. Finding a pair establishes a candidate relation, not automatic transformation. Position, distance, roots, season, competition, damage, and chart layer decide whether it is weak contact, combination only, binding, partial transformation, or true transformation.
At a glance
- Pairs
- Jia–Ji, Yi–Geng, Bing–Xin, Ding–Ren, and Wu–Gui
- First finding
- A named pair is present
- Topology
- Adjacent contact generally outweighs distant contact
- Competition
- Every eligible rival partner must be disclosed
- Transformation
- Requires a separate seasonal and structural test
- Boundary
- No life event follows from the pair alone
Begin with the five canonical pairs
Match the visible stems against the fixed list before interpreting force or outcome.
Generation, overcoming, or shared phase belong to other rules and must not be renamed as a combination.
- Identify both stems and pillars.
- Reject noncanonical pairings.
Record position, access, and chart layer
Adjacent natal stems usually have clearer access than a distant Year–Hour pair.
A Luck Pillar or annual stem can activate a natal partner only while that timing layer applies.
- Publish the actual distance.
- Keep natal and timing evidence separate.
Separate combination from transformation
The original elements, roots, and Ten-God roles remain unless the stricter transformation threshold is met.
When evidence is mixed, use combination-only, binding, or partial status instead of forcing a binary answer.
- Preserve original roles.
- Name the narrowest supported status.
Do not turn a technical pair into a forecast
Competition, clashes, season, roots, and whole-chart balance modify the relation without guaranteeing an event.
The pair cannot by itself prove marriage, wealth, health, personality, or career outcomes.
- State modifiers and uncertainty.
- Require real-world evidence for life claims.
Sources and editorial basis
- 《三命通會》 (Sanming Tonghui)卷二「論十干合」：甲己至戊癸五合與合化條件A historical compilation covering stems and branches, Ten Gods, Nayin, Shen Sha, and multiple classical pattern systems.
- 《淵海子平》 (Yuanhai Ziping)「十干體象」及合化諸論：五組天干配對與月令取用A foundational Ziping reference for branch months, hidden stems, roots, and stem-branch relationships.