What Are the Earthly Branches?
The Earthly Branches (Dizhi) are a set of twelve timekeeping symbols used in conjunction with the Heavenly Stems (Tiangan): Zi, Chou, Yin, Mao, Chen, Si, Wu, Wei, Shen, You, Xu, and Hai. They correspond to the twelve months of the year and are each paired with one of the twelve Chinese zodiac animals. In a Bazi destiny chart, each pillar's Heavenly Stem sits above an Earthly Branch, and the four branches together are called the "Four Branches" (Si Zhi).
The Five Elements and Yin-Yang of the Earthly Branches
| Branch | Element | Yin-Yang | Corresponding Month |
|---|---|---|---|
| Yin | Wood | Yang | 1st month (early spring) |
| Mao | Wood | Yin | 2nd month (mid-spring) |
| Si | Fire | Yin | 4th month (early summer) |
| Wu | Fire | Yang | 5th month (mid-summer) |
| Chen/Xu | Earth | Yang | 3rd/9th month |
| Chou/Wei | Earth | Yin | 12th/6th month |
| Shen | Metal | Yang | 7th month (early autumn) |
| You | Metal | Yin | 8th month (mid-autumn) |
| Hai | Water | Yang | 10th month (early winter) |
| Zi | Water | Yin | 11th month (mid-winter) |
Earthly Branch Symbolic Quick Reference
| Branch | Element | Zodiac | Month (Solar Terms) | Direction | Season |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Zi | Water | Rat | 11th (Major Snow ~ Minor Cold) | North | Winter |
| Chou | Earth | Ox | 12th (Minor Cold ~ Spring Begins) | NE by N | Late Winter |
| Yin | Wood | Tiger | 1st (Spring Begins ~ Awakening of Insects) | NE by E | Early Spring |
| Mao | Wood | Rabbit | 2nd (Awakening of Insects ~ Clear & Bright) | East | Spring |
| Chen | Earth | Dragon | 3rd (Clear & Bright ~ Summer Begins) | SE by E | Late Spring |
| Si | Fire | Snake | 4th (Summer Begins ~ Grain in Ear) | SE by S | Early Summer |
| Wu | Fire | Horse | 5th (Grain in Ear ~ Minor Heat) | South | Summer |
| Wei | Earth | Goat | 6th (Minor Heat ~ Autumn Begins) | SW by S | Late Summer |
| Shen | Metal | Monkey | 7th (Autumn Begins ~ White Dew) | SW by W | Early Autumn |
| You | Metal | Rooster | 8th (White Dew ~ Cold Dew) | West | Autumn |
| Xu | Earth | Dog | 9th (Cold Dew ~ Winter Begins) | NW by W | Late Autumn |
| Hai | Water | Pig | 10th (Winter Begins ~ Major Snow) | NW by N | Early Winter |
Core Feature: Hidden Stems
Each Earthly Branch conceals one or more Heavenly Stems within it, known as "Hidden Stems" (Cang Gan). For example, Yin conceals Jia (primary qi), Bing (secondary qi), and Wu (residual qi), meaning a single Yin branch actually contains the information of three elements: Wood, Fire, and Earth. Hidden Stems determine whether a Stem has Root Connection (Tong Gen), making them one of the most information-dense aspects of destiny analysis.
Relationships Among Earthly Branches
The relationships among Earthly Branches are remarkably rich, including: Three Unions (San He, e.g. Shen-Zi-Chen forming the Water Bureau), Six Unions (Liu He, e.g. Zi-Chou uniting into Earth), Three Gatherings (San Hui, e.g. Hai-Zi-Chou gathering the Northern Water Direction), Six Clashes (Liu Chong, e.g. Zi-Wu clash), mutual Punishments (Xing, e.g. Yin-Si-Shen three-punishment), Six Harms (Liu Hai), Six Breakings (Liu Po), Hidden Unions (An He), and more. When Luck Cycles (Da Yun) or Annual Luck (Liu Nian) activate these relationships, they often mark the Response Timing (Ying Qi) for significant life events.
For detailed symbolic imagery, etymological associations, and destiny-analysis relationships of each individual Branch, please refer to the specific Branch entries.