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Meaning and Context
The Gan Zhi system is the backbone of traditional Chinese time-keeping. By pairing one Heavenly Stem with one Earthly Branch, it creates a 60-unit cycle that has been used for over 3,000 years.
- Gan (干): The 10 Heavenly Stems — 甲乙丙丁戊己庚辛壬癸
- Zhi (支): The 12 Earthly Branches — 子丑寅卯辰巳午未申酉戌亥
- 60 combinations: Each stem-branch pair cycles through in sequence
- Applied to: Years, months, days, and hours
Classical Roots
From Xieji Bianfang Shu
「干支者，天地之纪也，以纪年月日时。」
Plain translation
"Stems and Branches are the record of heaven and earth, used to mark years, months, days, and hours." This establishes Gan Zhi as the fundamental time-measuring system.
How the 60 Cycle Works
The cycle pairs stems and branches sequentially:
- 1st: 甲子 (Jia-Zi) — Wood Rat
- 2nd: 乙丑 (Yi-Chou) — Wood Ox
- ... continuing through 60 combinations
- 60th: 癸亥 (Gui-Hai) — Water Pig, then cycle repeats
Because 10 and 12 have lowest common multiple of 60, the full cycle takes 60 iterations before repeating.
How It Shows Up in FateFolio
In FateFolio, every date is displayed with its Gan Zhi designation. The Bazi tool uses Gan Zhi for all four pillars, and the date selection tool considers Gan Zhi relationships when evaluating day quality.
Common Misconceptions
- Confusing with zodiac only — the branches include zodiac animals but the system is much broader
- Thinking it's just for years — Gan Zhi applies to months, days, and hours too
- Ignoring stem-branch interactions — combinations, clashes, and other relationships matter
FAQ
Is Gan Zhi the same as the Chinese zodiac?
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Related but not the same. The Chinese zodiac uses only the 12 Earthly Branches (animals). Gan Zhi combines both stems and branches, creating a more detailed 60-cycle system. The zodiac is a simplified popular version of the branch component.