BaZi Concepts: A Complete Glossary
32 concept cards covering stems, branches, elements, Ten Gods, patterns, Shen Sha, and luck pillars.
Foundations
10Hidden Stems (Cang Gan)
Each Earthly Branch conceals one to three Heavenly Stems within — and the hidden energy is where the real power lies.
Six Branch Combinations (Liu He)
The Earthly Branches pair off into six intimate bonds.
Three Harmony Combinations (San He)
Three branches join to form a frame far more powerful than any pair.
Earthly Branches (Di Zhi)
Twelve ancient codes used to mark months, hours, and zodiac years.
Generating and Controlling (Sheng Ke)
The Five Elements don't exist in isolation — they either help one another or hold one another in check.
The 12 Life Stages (Chang Sheng)
The Five Elements cycle through twelve life states — from birth to death to rebirth — in the twelve Earthly Branches.
Heavenly Stem Combinations (Tian Gan He)
Certain Heavenly Stem pairs combine and can transform into an entirely new element — the most intimate relationship between stems.
Heavenly Stems (Tian Gan)
The ten ancient symbols used to mark days, months, and years — each carrying a Five Element and Yin-Yang attribute.
Five Elements (Wu Xing)
The ancients classified all phenomena into five fundamental energy states: Wood, Fire, Earth, Metal, and Water.
Yin and Yang
Yin and Yang are the two opposing yet complementary forces underlying all of Chinese metaphysics — the deepest logic of BaZi.
Ten Gods
11Friend (Bi Jian)
Friend is the Ten God that shares the Day Master's element and polarity — representing siblings, peers, and competitors.
Rob Wealth (Jie Cai)
Rob Wealth (劫财) shares your element but flips the polarity — it represents competition, financial loss, and romantic entanglement.
Indirect Wealth (Pian Cai)
Indirect Wealth (偏财) is what you control with matching polarity — it governs investments, windfalls, your father, and a generous spirit.
Indirect Seal (Pian Yin)
Indirect Seal (偏印) generates you with matching polarity — it governs esoteric learning, unconventional skills, and a streak of solitude.
Seven Killings (Qi Sha)
Seven Killings is the element that restrains you with the same polarity — representing power and pressure.
Hurting Officer (Shang Guan)
The Hurting Officer is the element you generate with a different polarity — representing talent and rebellion.
Food God (Shi Shen)
The Food God is the stem generated by the Day Master with the same polarity — representing talent and good fortune.
The Ten Gods (Shi Shen)
The Ten Gods are the 10 relationships formed between the Day Master and every other character in the chart.
Direct Wealth (Zheng Cai)
Direct Wealth is the element controlled by the Day Master with different polarity — representing wife, steady income, and savings.
Direct Officer (Zheng Guan)
The Direct Officer is the element that controls the Day Master with different polarity — representing career, status, and rules.
Direct Seal (Zheng Yin)
The Direct Seal is the element that generates the Day Master with different polarity — representing mother, education, benefactors, and protection.
Patterns
6Follow Pattern (Cong Ge)
When the Day Master is extremely weak and rootless, it gives up resistance and follows the chart's dominant element.
BaZi Patterns (Ge Ju)
A pattern is the dominant force configuration in a chart, shaping its overall quality and direction.
Seven Killings Pattern (Qi Sha Ge)
Seven Killings in the Month Branch — with control, great nobility; without it, disaster.
Climate Adjustment (Tiao Hou)
Climate adjustment means balancing the cold, heat, dryness, and dampness of your birth season to find the right remedial element.
Favorable Element (Yong Shen)
The favorable element is the single most useful element in your BaZi chart — the soul of chart analysis.
Direct Officer Pattern (Zheng Guan Ge)
When the Month Branch's main hidden stem is the Direct Officer — integrity, propriety, and steady advancement.
Shen Sha
3Shen Sha: The Auxiliary Stars
Shen Sha are auxiliary markers that add color and nuance to a BaZi reading.
Peach Blossom (Tao Hua)
The Peach Blossom star governs romantic appeal, personal magnetism, artistic talent, and social popularity.
Heavenly Nobleman (Tian Yi Gui Ren)
The most powerful auspicious star in BaZi — turning danger into safety and bringing benefactors at critical moments.
Da Yun
2Luck Pillars (Da Yun)
Each Major Luck Cycle governs a ten-year chapter of life, setting the tone for that decade's fortunes.
Tai Sui and the Year Ahead (Liu Nian Tai Sui)
Each year carries its own stem-branch signature. Tai Sui — the year's branch — holds the power to stir up fortune or trouble.