What Are the Earthly Branch Six Unions?
The Earthly Branch Six Unions, abbreviated "Liu He," refer to six specific pairs among the twelve Earthly Branches that share a mutual attracting and uniting relationship. When united, the two Branches become closely connected, their forces converge, and in some cases a new Five Element may be transformed.
Six Unions Correspondence Table
| Union Pair | Transforms To | Explanation |
|---|---|---|
| Zi + Chou | Earth | Zi Water and Chou Earth unite to Earth |
| Yin + Hai | Wood | Yin Wood and Hai Water unite to Wood |
| Mao + Xu | Fire | Mao Wood and Xu Earth unite to Fire |
| Chen + You | Metal | Chen Earth and You Metal unite to Metal |
| Si + Shen | Water | Si Fire and Shen Metal unite to Water |
| Wu + Wei | Earth | Wu Fire and Wei Earth unite to Earth |
Imagery Interpretation
The Six Unions are the six most beautiful "encounters" among the twelve Earthly Branches:
- Zi-Chou Union: Zi is a cold spring; Chou is frozen earth -- on a winter night, a hidden stream slowly flows across the ice-bound land. Water seeps into the earth, and the earth softens from the water. This is the only warmth in the cold: in the season least suited for growth, water and earth quietly brew the nutrients of spring.
- Yin-Hai Union: Yin is a fierce tiger; Hai is a great river -- the tiger lowers its head to drink at the stream's edge. The beast's killing intent subsides, the deep pool's ripples still. The moment of tension dissolves into a tranquil reflection.
- Mao-Xu Union: Mao is spring's abundant blossoms; Xu is late autumn's vast wilderness -- petals covering the mountains have all fallen, buried in the boundless autumn earth. Flowers are interred in soil, and soil ignites into fire. The place where life ends is also where another kind of energy begins.
- Chen-You Union: Chen is a water reservoir amid cloud and mist; You is the quiet autumn sickle -- the sharp blade lowers into the deep pool. Water moistens metal and stone; metal reflects the water's gleam. The hardest and softest things between heaven and earth achieve perfect balance in this moment.
- Si-Shen Union: Si is a furnace fire; Shen is an iron anvil -- fierce flames heat metal to glowing red, then it is quenched in water, sending up a plume of white steam. This is the most transformational encounter among the Six Unions: uncompromising, unreserved -- two powerful forces collide, producing a third force.
- Wu-Wei Union: Wu is the midday scorching sun; Wei is the parched earth of late summer -- sunlight sears the land, and the land silently endures. This union is "forbearance" -- the earth's gentle warmth gradually melts the fire's impatience, ultimately forging a stretch of fertile soil.
Characteristics of the Six Unions
- Close relationship: The two Branches in a Six Union produce mutual attraction and restraint; their forces tend to merge, making independent expression difficult.
- Transformation conditions: Similar to Heavenly Stem Five Unions, Six Union transformation into a new element requires Month Command or Branch Three Union support; otherwise, it is "union without transformation."
- Binding effect: Even without transformation, the Six Union causes mutual binding between the two Branches, weakening their independent functions.
Applications in Destiny Analysis
- Favorable God bound by union: If a Favorable God Branch is bound in a Six Union, its power is restrained and it cannot fully express -- an unfavorable situation.
- Unfavorable God bound by union: If an Unfavorable God Branch is bound in a Six Union, the Unfavorable God is restrained -- beneficial for the chart.
- Annual Cycles triggering union: When a Luck Cycle or Annual Luck brings a Branch that forms a Six Union with a natal chart Branch, it triggers union-transformation and may bring noticeable changes in relationships or environment.
Difference from Three Unions (San He)
The Six Unions involve two Branches uniting, while the Three Unions involve three Branches forming a configuration. The Six Unions emphasize relational closeness; the Three Unions emphasize the gathering and amplification of Five Element energy.