What Is Stem Support (De Shi)?
De Shi (Stem Support) means that the forces assisting the Day Master (Peers and Seals) hold an overall advantage in the collective momentum of the chart — that is, the total quantity and strength of elements that support the Day Master exceed those that restrain, drain, and consume it (Officer/Killing, Output, and Wealth). De Shi is the third dimension of Day Master strength assessment.
Method for Determining Stem Support
Tally the strength of all Heavenly Stems and Earthly Branch Hidden Stems in the chart, dividing them into two groups:
| Support Group (Assists Day Master) | Restrain/Drain/Consume Group (Depletes Day Master) |
|---|---|
| Peer (Bi Jian), Rival (Jie Cai) — Bi Jie | Officer/Killing — Seven Killings (Qi Sha), Direct Officer (Zheng Guan) |
| Direct Seal (Zheng Yin), Indirect Seal (Pian Yin) — Yin Shou | Output — Output God (Shi Shen), Hurting Officer (Shang Guan) |
| Wealth — Direct Wealth (Zheng Cai), Indirect Wealth (Pian Cai) |
If Support Group strength > Restrain/Drain/Consume Group strength, the Day Master has De Shi (leaning toward Shen Qiang); otherwise, it has lost De Shi (leaning toward Shen Ruo).
Comprehensive Evaluation of De Shi, De Ling, and De Di
The three dimensions together determine whether the Day Master is strong or weak:
- De Ling (Month Command support): Highest weight
- De Di (Branch root connections): Secondary weight
- De Shi (Stem support dominance): Tertiary weight
Having two of the three dimensions typically indicates a strong Day Master; lacking two typically indicates a weak Day Master. Specific Five Element strengths must be weighed comprehensively.
Significance of Stem Support
De Shi ensures the Day Master has sufficient "allied" support — even if De Ling is not strong, multiple Peers and Seals throughout the chart uplifting the Day Master from all sides can still render the Day Master generally potent.
Stem Support and Chart Structure
If the Day Master has De Shi (abundant Peers), Officer/Killing or Output is needed to constrain or drain the excess. The Useful God direction tends toward Restrain/Drain/Consume. If Peers are extremely abundant, the chart may enter the Establishing Salary (Jian Lu) Structure or Robbery Edge Structure category.