Heavenly Stems And Earthly Branches

Heavenly Stems and Earthly Branches, known as Can Chi, form a cornerstone of Feng Shui and East Asian culture. This system not only tracks time but also holds profound significance in interpreting destiny, the Five Elements, and relationships in life.

This article offers a comprehensive guide to the Heavenly Stems and Earthly Branches, covering their meaning, calculation methods, and practical applications, empowering you to apply this knowledge effectively in daily life.

Note: This article was directly translated from the original Vietnamese version by BTA Feng Shui using Grok 3.

What Are Heavenly Stems and Earthly Branches? Origin and Significance

Heavenly Stems (天干) and Earthly Branches (地支), refer to the combination of 10 Heavenly Stems and 12 Earthly Branches. Together, they form a 60-year cycle used to mark time (years, months, days, hours) and applied in Feng Shui and astrology.

Originating during China’s Shang Dynasty, this system is attributed to the legendary figure Da Yao and is documented in ancient texts on the Five Elements and calendars.

The 10 Heavenly Stems

The 10 Heavenly Stems are: Jia, Yi, Bing, Ding, Wu, Ji, Geng, Xin, Ren, Gui. Each stem symbolizes a stage in the growth cycle of all things, linked to Yin-Yang and the Five Elements:

• Jia (甲 – Yang Wood): The beginning, where life breaks free from its shell.
• Yi (乙 – Yin Wood): Sprouting, as life emerges from the ground.
• Bing (丙 – Yang Fire): Breakthrough, with vigorous growth.
• Ding (丁 – Yin Fire): Flourishing, as life blossoms.
• Wu (戊 – Yang Earth): Lush growth, with abundant vitality.
• Ji (己 – Yin Earth): Formation, where life takes shape.
• Geng (庚 – Yang Metal): Crystallization, yielding ripened fruit.
• Xin (辛 – Yin Metal): Fulfillment, the harvest period.
• Ren (壬 – Yang Water): Nurturing, sustaining life.
• Gui (癸 – Yin Water): Completion, reaching perfection.

=> Learn more: What Are Heavenly Stems? All About the 10 Heavenly Stems in Feng Shui

The 12 Earthly Branches

The 12 Earthly Branches are: Rat, Ox, Tiger, Rabbit, Dragon, Snake, Horse, Goat, Monkey, Rooster, Dog, Pig, corresponding to the 12 zodiac animals. Each represents a phase of growth and decline:

• Rat (子 – Yang Water): Nurturing, sparking Yang energy.
• Ox (丑 – Yin Earth): Connection, fostering growth.
• Tiger (寅 – Yang Wood): Transformation, breaking through the earth.
• Rabbit (卯 – Yin Wood): Sprouting, thriving vigorously.
• Dragon (辰 – Yang Earth): Awakening, thriving after change.
• Snake (巳 – Yin Fire): Formation, taking shape.
• Horse (午 – Yang Fire): Flourishing, with lush vitality.
• Goat (未 – Yin Earth): Decline, slowed by Yin energy.
• Monkey (申 – Yang Metal): Maturity, reaching ripeness.
• Rooster (酉 – Yin Metal): Aging, beginning to weaken.
• Dog (戌 – Yang Earth): Decline, nearing completion.
• Pig (亥 – Yin Water): Renewal, returning to a seed state.

=> Learn more: What Are Earthly Branches? Details on the 12 Earthly Branches

Relationships Between Heavenly Stems and Earthly Branches

Relationships Among the 10 Heavenly Stems

The Heavenly Stems interact through compatibility and conflict based on the Five Elements:

• Compatibility: Jia pairs with Ji (Wood generates Earth), Yi with Geng (Wood controls Metal), Bing with Xin (Fire controls Metal), Ding with Ren (Fire generates Water), Wu with Gui (Earth generates Water).
• Conflict: Jia conflicts with Geng, Yi with Xin, Bing with Ren, Ding with Gui, Wu with Jia, etc.

Relationships Among the 12 Earthly Branches

The Earthly Branches form harmonious and conflicting relationships, influencing Feng Shui and destiny:

• Three Harmonies (Positive): Monkey-Rat-Dragon (Water), Tiger-Horse-Dog (Fire), Snake-Ox-Rooster (Metal), Pig-Rabbit-Goat (Wood).
• Six Combinations (Positive): Rat-Ox, Tiger-Pig, Rabbit-Dog, Dragon-Rooster, Snake-Monkey, Horse-Goat.
• Four Clashes (Negative): Rat-Horse-Rabbit-Rooster, Tiger-Monkey-Snake-Pig, Dragon-Dog-Ox-Goat.
• Six Harms (Negative): Rat-Goat, Ox-Horse, Tiger-Snake, Rabbit-Dragon, Monkey-Pig, Rooster-Dog.
• Six Destructions (Negative): Rat-Rooster, Rabbit-Horse, Ox-Dragon, Snake-Monkey, Goat-Dog, Tiger-Pig.
• Three Punishments (Negative): Tiger-Snake-Monkey, Ox-Goat-Dog, Rat-Rabbit.
• Self-Punishment (Negative): Dragon-Dragon, Rooster-Rooster, Horse-Horse, Pig-Pig.

=> Learn more: Compatibility and Conflicts of Heavenly Stems and Earthly Branches

Rules for Combining Heavenly Stems and Earthly Branches

The Heavenly Stems and Earthly Branches combine based on the principle of Yang with Yang, Yin with Yin, forming the 60 combinations of the Sexagenary Cycle. For example:

Yang Stems (Jia, Bing, Wu, Geng, Ren) pair with Yang Branches (Rat, Tiger, Dragon, Horse, Monkey, Dog), forming 30 combinations:

Yin Stems (Yi, Ding, Ji, Xin, Gui) pair with Yin Branches (Ox, Rabbit, Snake, Goat, Rooster, Pig), forming 30 combinations:

These 60 combinations repeat every 60 years, starting with Jia Rat (Wood Rat) and ending with Gui Pig (Water Pig).

What Do Heavenly Stems and Earthly Branches Represent?

The Heavenly Stems and Earthly Branches go beyond timekeeping, connecting to the Five Elements, directions, colors, peak seasons, and Feng Shui aspects:

Additionally, the Heavenly Stems and Earthly Branches correspond to body parts and professions:

• Wood (Jia, Yi, Tiger, Rabbit): Liver, gallbladder, head, shoulders; forestry, woodworking, textiles.
• Fire (Bing, Ding, Snake, Horse): Heart, blood, eyes; thermal energy, optics, chemistry.
• Earth (Wu, Ji, Dragon, Dog, Ox, Goat): Stomach, spleen; agriculture, real estate.
• Metal (Geng, Xin, Monkey, Rooster): Lungs, tendons; metal mining, machinery production.
• Water (Ren, Gui, Pig, Rat): Kidneys, bladder; fisheries, transportation.

How to Calculate Heavenly Stems and Earthly Branches

Calculating Heavenly Stems

Determine the Heavenly Stem based on the last digit of the birth year:

Examples:

• Year 1994 → Last digit is 4 → Heavenly Stem is Jia.
• Year 2001 → Last digit is 1 → Heavenly Stem is Xin.

Calculating Earthly Branches

Step 1: Identify the starting point

• Years 1900–1999 → Start with Rat.
• Years 2000–2099 → Start with Dragon.

Step 2: Take the last two digits of the year: Compare with the nearest multiple of 12 (0, 12, 24, 36, 48, 60, 72, 84, 96).

Step 3: Count steps

• If the last two digits are greater than the multiple → Count forward.
• If the last two digits are less than the multiple → Count backward.

Each step corresponds to one Earthly Branch, counted on the knuckles of the left hand: Rat → Ox → Tiger → Rabbit → Dragon → Snake → Horse → Goat → Monkey → Rooster → Dog → Pig.

Step 4: Result: The position after counting is the Earthly Branch.

Example: Calculating the Earthly Branch for 1994

• 1994 falls in the 1900s → Start with Rat.
• Last two digits are 94 → Nearest multiple is 96.
• Since 94 < 96, count backward 2 steps: Rat → Pig → Dog ✅ Earthly Branch is Dog.

Calculating Five Elements Destiny

Five Elements Destiny = Stem Value + Branch Value. If the total exceeds 5, subtract 5.

Stem Values:

Branch Values:

Five Elements Destiny = Stem Value + Branch Value

Examples:

• Year 1984 (Jia Rat) → Jia = 1, Rat = 0 → 1 + 0 = 1 → Metal Destiny.
• Year 2026 (Bing Horse) → Bing = 2, Horse = 0 → 2 + 0 = 2 → Water Destiny.

Heavenly Stems & Earthly Branches in the 12 Astrology Palaces

Assigning Earthly Branches

Draw the 12 astrology palaces on paper, starting from the Rat palace (second slot at the bottom right), filling clockwise: Rat, Ox, Tiger, Rabbit, Dragon, Snake, Horse, Goat, Monkey, Rooster, Dog, Pig.

Assigning Heavenly Stems

Assign the 10 Heavenly Stems to the 12 palaces based on the Five Elements:

• Jia: Tiger (Wood)
• Yi: Rabbit (Wood)
• Bing: Snake (Fire)
• Ding: Horse (Fire)
• Wu: Dragon, Dog (Earth)
• Ji: Ox, Goat (Earth)
• Geng: Monkey (Metal)
• Xin: Rooster (Metal)
• Ren: Pig (Water)
• Gui: Rat (Water)

This method aids in destiny analysis and determining Feng Shui factors in astrology.

Applications of Heavenly Stems and Earthly Branches in Feng Shui

Predicting Destiny

The Heavenly Stem of the birth day reflects personality traits:

• Jia (Yang Wood): Honest, disciplined.
• Yi (Yin Wood): Cautious, conservative.
• Bing (Yang Fire): Enthusiastic, impulsive.
• Ding (Yin Fire): Calm, inwardly vibrant.
• Wu (Yang Earth): Sociable, indecisive.
• Ji (Yin Earth): Meticulous, slightly selfish.
• Geng (Yang Metal): Talented, business-savvy.
• Xin (Yin Metal): Persistent, stubborn.
• Ren (Yang Water): Tolerant, slow-paced.
• Gui (Yin Water): Upright, resolute.

Determining Lunar Months

The 12 Earthly Branches correspond to the 12 lunar months, starting with Tiger:

• Month 1: Tiger
• Month 2: Rabbit
• Month 3: Dragon
• Month 4: Snake
• Month 5: Horse
• Month 6: Goat
• Month 7: Monkey
• Month 8: Rooster
• Month 9: Dog
• Month 10: Pig
• Month 11: Rat
• Month 12: Ox

Each group of three months forms a Three Harmony Group:

• Tiger-Rabbit-Dragon: Wood (Spring).
• Snake-Horse-Goat: Fire (Summer).
• Monkey-Rooster-Dog: Metal (Autumn).
• Pig-Rat-Ox: Water (Winter).

Determining Lunar Hours

The 12 Earthly Branches correspond to 12 time slots in a day:

• Rat (11 PM–1 AM): Rats are active.
• Ox (1 AM–3 AM): Oxen chew cud.
• Tiger (3 AM–5 AM): Tigers return to their dens.
• Rabbit (5 AM–7 AM): Rabbits rest.
• Dragon (7 AM–9 AM): Peak human productivity.
• Snake (9 AM–11 AM): Snakes hide.
• Horse (11 AM–1 PM): Horses transport.
• Goat (1 PM–3 PM): Goats graze.
• Monkey (3 PM–5 PM): Monkeys return to their nests.
• Rooster (5 PM–7 PM): Roosters return to coops.
• Dog (7 PM–9 PM): Dogs guard homes.
• Pig (9 PM–11 PM): Pigs sleep.

Applications in Feng Shui

The Heavenly Stems and Earthly Branches help determine house directions, colors, and Feng Shui items suited to one’s destiny, optimizing positive energy, resolving conflicts, and bringing luck and prosperity.

The Heavenly Stems and Earthly Branches are integral to Feng Shui and East Asian culture, offering insights into time, destiny, and harmony with nature.

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