What Is Heavenly Stem Controlling?
Heavenly Stem Controlling refers to the controlling relationships between Stems of different Five Element attributes, based on the Five Element Controlling Cycle (Wood controls Earth, Earth controls Water, Water controls Fire, Fire controls Metal, Metal controls Wood). Controlling represents one force restraining and checking another.
Heavenly Stem Controlling Relationship Table
| Controller | Controlled | Relationship |
|---|---|---|
| Jia, Yi (Wood) | Wu, Ji (Earth) | Wood controls Earth |
| Wu, Ji (Earth) | Ren, Gui (Water) | Earth controls Water |
| Ren, Gui (Water) | Bing, Ding (Fire) | Water controls Fire |
| Bing, Ding (Fire) | Geng, Xin (Metal) | Fire controls Metal |
| Geng, Xin (Metal) | Jia, Yi (Wood) | Metal controls Wood |
Two Types of Controlling
Effective Controlling
The controller is stronger than the controlled, control is established, and the controlled is damaged or restrained. In this situation:
- If the controlled is an Unfavorable God, the chart improves (effective suppression of the unfavorable).
- If the controlled is a Favorable God, the chart is damaged (the Favorable God is harmed).
Ineffective Controlling (Backlash)
The controller is extremely weak and is instead counter-consumed by the controlled -- called "the weak controlling the strong" or "wood so firm it breaks metal." For example, if Jia Wood is extremely strong and Geng Metal is extremely weak, Geng Metal fails to control Jia Wood and instead is consumed by it.
Heavenly Stem Controlling and the Ten Gods
Heavenly Stem controlling manifests in the Ten Gods system as "Officer" (controls me) and "Wealth" (I control):
- What controls me is the Officer (Direct Officer, Seven Killings), representing restraint, responsibility, and pressure.
- What I control is Wealth (Direct Wealth, Indirect Wealth), representing wealth and resources.
The controlling relationship is the Five Element foundation of the Ten Gods system. Understanding Heavenly Stem controlling helps in understanding the essential nature of the Ten Gods.