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Meaning and Context
The Earthly Branches are twelve symbols representing months, hours, and years in cycles. They are paired with Heavenly Stems to form the sexagenary cycle (60-year cycle).
- 子 (Zi) - Rat - Yang Water
- 丑 (Chou) - Ox - Yin Earth
- 寅 (Yin) - Tiger - Yang Wood
- 卯 (Mao) - Rabbit - Yin Wood
- 辰 (Chen) - Dragon - Yang Earth
- 巳 (Si) - Snake - Yin Fire
- 午 (Wu) - Horse - Yang Fire
- 未 (Wei) - Goat - Yin Earth
- 申 (Shen) - Monkey - Yang Metal
- 酉 (You) - Rooster - Yin Metal
- 戌 (Xu) - Dog - Yang Earth
- 亥 (Hai) - Pig - Yin Water
Classical Roots
From Yuanhai Ziping
「地支者，子丑寅卯辰巳午未申酉戌亥是也，各有藏干。」
Plain translation
"The Earthly Branches are Zi, Chou, Yin, Mao, Chen, Si, Wu, Wei, Shen, You, Xu, Hai — each contains hidden stems." Hidden stems add depth to branch interpretation.
Structure and Relationships
Earthly Branches have complex interactions:
- Six Combinations (六合): 子丑, 寅亥, 卯戌, 辰酉, 巳申, 午未
- Three Combinations (三合): 申子辰(水), 亥卯未(木), 寅午戌(火), 巳酉丑(金)
- Clashes (六冲): 子午, 丑未, 寅申, 卯酉, 辰戌, 巳亥
- Harms (六害): 子未, 丑午, 寅巳, 卯辰, 申亥, 酉戌
How It Shows Up in FateFolio
In FateFolio's Bazi tool, each pillar's Earthly Branch is displayed with its zodiac animal, element, and hidden stems revealed. Branch interactions (combinations, clashes) are highlighted in the analysis.
Common Misconceptions
- Equating Earthly Branches only with zodiac animals, missing their elemental nature
- Ignoring hidden stems which contain additional elemental influences
- Not understanding that branch interactions can significantly alter chart dynamics
FAQ
What are hidden stems?
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Each Earthly Branch contains one to three "hidden" Heavenly Stems inside it. These hidden stems represent additional elemental influences that affect the chart. For example, 寅 (Tiger) contains hidden stems 甲丙戊 (Jia Wood, Bing Fire, Wu Earth).