The 12 Earthly Branches Explained
Get the basics down on the 12 Earthly Branches. Explore the Five Elements, yin/yang, zodiac signs, time periods, and hidden stems for each branch—and discover the wisdom behind this ancient tradition.
Overview of the 12 Earthly Branches
Tap a branch card below to see a detailed breakdown.
Earthly Branches Reference
| Earthly Branch | Zodiac Animal | Time Period | Month | Solar Term | Five Elements | Yin/Yang | Direction | Hidden Stems |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
🐭Zi (Rat) | Rat | 11:00 PM – 1:00 AM | 11th Lunar Month | Major Snow, Winter Solstice | Water | Yang | Due North | Gui (Yin Water) |
🐂Chou (Ox) | Ox | 1:00 AM – 3:00 AM | 12th Lunar Month | Minor Cold, Major Cold | Earth | Yin | Northeast | Ji (Yin Earth)、Gui (Yin Water)、Xin (Yin Metal) |
🐅Yin (Tiger) | Tiger | 3:00 AM – 5:00 AM | 1st Lunar Month | Start of Spring, Rain Water | Wood | Yang | Northeast | Jia (Yang Wood)、Bing (Yang Fire)、Wu (Yang Earth) |
🐰Mao | Rabbit | 05:00-07:00 | Second Month | Awakening of Insects, Spring Equinox | Wood | Yin | Due East | Yi |
🐲Chen | Dragon | 07:00-09:00 | Third Month | Pure Brightness, Grain Rain | Earth | Yang | Southeast | Wu、Yi、Gui |
🐍Si | Snake | 09:00-11:00 | Fourth Month | Start of Summer, Grain Buds | Fire | Yin | Southeast | Bing、Geng、Wu |
🐴Wu | Horse | 11:00 AM – 1:00 PM | 5th Month | Grain in Ear, Summer Solstice | Fire | Yang | Due South | Ding、Ji |
🐑Wei | Goat | 1:00 PM – 3:00 PM | 6th Month | Minor Heat, Major Heat | Earth | Yin | Southwest | Ji、Ding、Yi |
🐵Shen | Monkey | 3:00 PM – 5:00 PM | 7th Month | Start of Autumn, End of Heat | Metal | Yang | Southwest | Geng、Ren、Wu |
🐓You | Rooster | 5:00 PM – 7:00 PM | 8th Month | White Dew, Autumn Equinox | Metal | Yin | Due West | Xin |
🐕Xu | Dog | 7:00 PM – 9:00 PM | 9th Month | Cold Dew, Frost Descent | Earth | Yang | Northwest | Wu、Xin、Ding |
🐷Hai | Pig | 9:00 PM – 11:00 PM | 10th Month | Start of Winter, Light Snow | Water | Yin | Northwest | Ren、Jia |
Hidden Stems Reference
Hidden stems are a core BaZi concept. Every Earthly Branch carries its own mix of Heavenly Stem energies.
Zi holds only Gui Water—a pure yin element that represents wisdom, flow, and adaptability.
Chou represents frozen earth. Its primary stem is Ji Earth, with Gui Water (lingering winter moisture) and Xin Metal (residual energy) hidden within.
Yin embodies spring wood. Its primary stem is Jia Wood, with Bing Fire (wood fuels fire) and Wu Earth (supporting soil) hidden inside.
Mao contains only Yi Wood. As a pure Yin Wood branch, it embodies gentleness, resilience, and steady growth.
Chen is a damp Earth branch. Wu Earth is its primary energy, Yi Wood is the secondary (lingering Wood) energy, and Gui Water is the minor energy, representing stored moisture.
Si is a strong Fire branch. Bing Fire is its primary energy, Geng Metal is the secondary (nascent Metal) energy, and Wu Earth is the minor, supporting energy.
Wu is a peak Fire branch, with Ding Fire as its primary energy. Since Fire generates Earth, Ji Earth serves as the secondary energy.
Wei is the Wood storehouse, with Ji Earth as its primary energy. Ding Fire acts as the secondary energy, carrying the lingering warmth of summer, while Yi Wood is the tertiary energy, quietly stored within.
Shen represents autumn Metal, with Geng Metal as its primary energy. Ren Water acts as the secondary energy, marking the birth phase of Water, while Wu Earth is the tertiary energy, naturally supporting it.
You contains only Xin Metal. As pure Yin Metal, it emphasizes refinement, beauty, and a drive for perfection.
Xu acts as the Fire storehouse. Wu Earth is the primary energy, Xin Metal is the residual energy, and Ding Fire is the minor energy stored within.
Hai represents winter water. Ren Water is the primary energy, while Jia Wood serves as the secondary energy, carrying the vitality of growth since Water nourishes Wood.
How Hidden Stems Work
What Hidden Stems Represent
- Primary Qi：Primary Qi: The dominant Five Elements attribute with the strongest energy.
- Secondary Qi：Secondary Qi: The second-strongest Five Elements attribute, carrying moderate energy.
- Tertiary Qi：Residual Qi: A secondary elemental attribute within an Earthly Branch, carrying weaker influence.
Practical Applications
- Assess strength: See if a Heavenly Stem is rooted in the Earthly Branches and gauge its strength.：
- Analyze structure: Trace where your favorable and unfavorable elements draw their power and gauge their strength.：
- Track Major Luck Cycles and Annual Luck: Hidden Stems emerge to take effect, with Middle Qi playing a particularly critical role.：
- Read personality: Main Qi defines core traits, Middle Qi shapes hidden potential, and Residual Qi hints at subtle tendencies.：
During a BaZi analysis, Middle Qi often plays a crucial role in balancing the chart—don’t overlook it.
Earthly Branch Relationships
Earthly Branch relationships are complex but essential to understanding your BaZi chart.
Three Harmonies
Shen-Zi-Chen Water Harmony
Yin-Wu-Xu Fire Harmony
Si-You-Chou Metal Harmony
Hai-Mao-Wei Wood Harmony
Six Clashes
Zi-Wu Clash
Chou-Wei Clash
Yin-Shen Clash
Mao-You Clash
Chen-Xu Clash
Si-Hai Clash
Six Harmonies
Zi-Chou Harmony
Yin-Hai Harmony
Mao-Xu Harmony
Chen-You Harmony
Si-Shen Harmony
Wu-Wei Harmony
What Earthly Branches Mean in BaZi
Earthly Branches go beyond time and space—they hold deep astrological significance in your BaZi chart.
Dictates the overall strength and balance of your chart.
Reveals insights into your marriage and romantic life.
Seasonal Command
The Month Branch dictates your chart’s overall strength and is the key to determining its structure.
- The seasonal energy determines how strong each of the Five Elements is during that time of year.
- It sets the tone for your entire chart.
- It’s your primary reference for identifying favorable and unfavorable elements.
- When tracking Major Luck Cycles and Annual Luck, always factor in the Month Branch’s strength.
Spouse Palace
The Day Branch reveals your partner’s traits and relationship dynamics, directly shaping your romantic fortune.
- The relationship between the Day Branch and Day Stem indicates the quality of your marriage.
- Hidden Stems within the Day Branch influence your partner’s personality.
- Clashes or harm to the Day Branch often point to relationship turbulence.
- Combinations or transformations in the Day Branch usually signal shifts in your relationship status.
Hidden Stems System
Every Earthly Branch contains hidden Heavenly Stems, weaving a complex web of elemental interactions.
- Whether a Hidden Stem emerges directly determines the strength of the corresponding Heavenly Stem.
- Main Qi, Middle Qi, and Residual Qi each play distinct roles.
- Checking if a Heavenly Stem is rooted relies entirely on these Hidden Stems.
- When Major Luck Cycles or Annual Luck activate these Hidden Stems, fortunes and challenges unfold.
Core Concepts of Earthly Branches
Time & Space Framework
Earthly Branches map out time and space, forming the material foundation of your BaZi chart while holding your Five Elements energy.
Palace Meanings
The Earthly Branches for your year, month, day, and hour map to different life stages and key relationships.
The Role of Hidden Stems
The Heavenly Stems hidden within each branch act as your energy’s root, directly shaping the strength and balance of your chart.
Branch Interactions
Clashes, combinations, and other interactions between branches directly shape the highs and lows in your BaZi chart.
Heavenly Stems are dynamic and focused, while Earthly Branches are steady and complex. As earthly cycles shift, heavenly energies follow. When heaven moves above, human elements respond; when human elements stir below, heaven aligns.— *Di Tian Sui*, Upper Volume: Harmonizing
This passage highlights the core difference between Heavenly Stems and Earthly Branches: Stems are direct and active, while Branches are layered and steady. Since Branches hold hidden Stems, they carry multiple Five Elements energies and act as the foundation that grounds and balances your BaZi chart.
Decode Your Earthly Branches
Get a professional BaZi analysis to see how your Earthly Branches align, revealing your true personality and life path.
Based on traditional Chinese astrology, this generates a personalized reading just for you.