What Are Earthly Branch Hidden Unions?
Earthly Branch Hidden Unions (An He) refer to situations where the Hidden Stems (inner Heavenly Stems) of two Earthly Branches form a Heavenly Stem Five Union relationship. Since this union is not visible on the Stem surface but is concealed within the Branches, it is called a "Hidden Union."
Common Earthly Branch Hidden Unions
Hidden Union relationships formed through the Hidden Stems within Branches:
| Branch Pair | Hidden Stems Involved | Corresponding Union |
|---|---|---|
| Yin & Chou | Yin hides Bing, Chou hides Xin (Bing-Xin union); Yin hides Jia, Chou hides Ji (Jia-Ji union) | Bing-Xin union to Water, Jia-Ji union to Earth |
| Mao & Shen | Mao hides Yi, Shen hides Geng (Yi-Geng union) | Yi-Geng union to Metal |
| Zi & Si | Zi hides Gui, Si hides Wu (Wu-Gui union) | Wu-Gui union to Fire |
| Wu & Hai | Wu hides Ding, Hai hides Ren (Ding-Ren union) | Ding-Ren union to Wood |
| Chen & You | Chen hides Yi (which unites with Xin); Chen and You already form a Six Union | Chen-You Six Union plus Hidden Union |
Characteristics of Hidden Unions
- Concealed nature: Hidden Unions are not on the surface; their influence is more internalized and not easily noticed, but they gradually and subtly affect the chart over time.
- Emotional associations: Hidden Unions are often used to analyze romantic relationships. When Hidden Unions exist between the Earthly Branches of two people's charts, they represent a deep emotional attraction and unspoken understanding.
- Weaker force: Compared to open unions (Heavenly Stem Five Unions, Earthly Branch Six Unions), Hidden Unions are weaker in force, but they cannot be ignored.
Practical Application
In marriage matching and relationship analysis, Hidden Unions between the chart owner's and the partner's Earthly Branches often indicate that the two people share a concealed mutual attraction -- even if outwardly unremarkable, deep within there is a strong connection. The Ten Gods associated with the Hidden Union Branches exert their influence on corresponding life matters in subtle and gradual ways.