The 12 Earthly Branches
The 12 Earthly Branches are one of the most fundamental concepts in classical Chinese metaphysics. They underpin the Chinese zodiac, the structure of a BaZi natal chart, the compass directions of Feng Shui, and the timing cycles of Flying Stars. Understanding them in depth — their elements, hidden stems, and interactions — is the foundation of serious classical Chinese astrology and metaphysics.
What Are the 12 Earthly Branches?
The 12 Earthly Branches (Dizhi, 地支) are the second half of the classical Chinese timekeeping system. Together with the 10 Heavenly Stems, they form the 60-Year Sexagenary Cycle — the foundation of BaZi, Flying Stars, Chinese astrology, and traditional calendar science.
Each Branch corresponds to one of the 12 animals of the Chinese zodiac, a season, a compass direction, a time of day, and a primary element. Unlike the Stems, Branches are more complex: each one contains hidden Stems within it — inner energies that add depth and nuance to any natal chart analysis.
In a BaZi chart, Branches appear in the bottom row of all four Pillars. They describe the circumstances and environment a person moves through: the Year Branch shapes social context, the Month Branch the early environment, the Day Branch the partner and domestic life, and the Hour Branch hidden talents and late-life trajectory.
Note: The 12 Branches also divide the day into 12 two-hour periods, making them essential for calculating Flying Stars with hourly precision — one of Baguame’s core features.
The 12 Branches at a Glance
Each Branch carries a fixed polarity, a primary element, a season, a compass direction, and a two-hour window of the day. Four Branches belong to Wood, two to Fire, two to Metal, two to Water — and four to Earth, one in each seasonal transition. The table below gives you a complete overview before we explore each Branch in depth.
| # | Branch | Animal | Polarity | Element | Season | Direction | Hours | Principal Hidden Stem |
| 1 | 子 Zi | Rat | Yang | Water | Mid-Winter | North | 23:00–01:00 | 癸 Gui — Yin Water |
| 2 | 丑 Chou | Ox | Yin | Earth | Late Winter | NNE | 01:00–03:00 | 己 Ji — Yin Earth |
| 3 | 寅 Yin | Tiger | Yang | Wood | Early Spring | ENE | 03:00–05:00 | 甲 Jia — Yang Wood |
| 4 | 卯 Mao | Rabbit | Yin | Wood | Mid-Spring | East | 05:00–07:00 | 乙 Yi — Yin Wood |
| 5 | 辰 Chen | Dragon | Yang | Earth | Late Spring | ESE | 07:00–09:00 | 戊 Wu — Yang Earth |
| 6 | 巳 Si | Snake | Yin | Fire | Early Summer | SSE | 09:00–11:00 | 丙 Bing — Yang Fire |
| 7 | 午 Wu | Horse | Yang | Fire | Mid-Summer | South | 11:00–13:00 | 丁 Ding — Yin Fire |
| 8 | 未 Wei | Goat | Yin | Earth | Late Summer | SSW | 13:00–15:00 | 己 Ji — Yin Earth |
| 9 | 申 Shen | Monkey | Yang | Metal | Early Autumn | WSW | 15:00–17:00 | 庚 Geng — Yang Metal |
| 10 | 酉 You | Rooster | Yin | Metal | Mid-Autumn | West | 17:00–19:00 | 辛 Xin — Yin Metal |
| 11 | 戌 Xu | Dog | Yang | Earth | Late Autumn | WNW | 19:00–21:00 | 戊 Wu — Yang Earth |
| 12 | 亥 Hai | Pig | Yin | Water | Early Winter | NNW | 21:00–23:00 | 壬 Ren — Yang Water |
The 12 Branches in Detail
Below is a detailed profile of each of the 12 Earthly Branches — its animal sign, element, hidden Stems, seasonal energy, and the personality tendencies associated with people born under it. Each Branch is a complete energetic archetype: understanding them is essential for reading any BaZi chart or interpreting Flying Stars timing.
23:00–01:00 · Mid-Winter · North
Zi is the peak of Water energy — midnight, the deep of winter, the moment of maximum Yin where Yang is secretly born. It holds a single hidden Stem: 癸 Gui (Yin Water). People born in the Zi hour or year are intuitive, resourceful, and intellectually sharp. They thrive in environments that reward adaptability and quiet strategic thinking.
Hidden Stem: 癸 Gui — Yin Water (100%)
Season: Mid-Winter · Direction: North · Trigram: Kan ☵
01:00–03:00 · Late Winter · NNE · Metal Storage
Chou stores the residual energy of winter. One of the Four Storage Branches, it holds three hidden Stems: Ji Yin Earth, Gui Yin Water, and Xin Yin Metal. Ox people are steady, hardworking, and exceptionally persistent. They build slowly and surely, and their results tend to outlast everyone else’s.
Hidden Stems: 己 Ji — Yin Earth · 癸 Gui — Yin Water · 辛 Xin — Yin Metal
Season: Late Winter · Direction: NNE · Trigram: Gen ☶
03:00–05:00 · Early Spring · ENE · Traveling Horse
Yin is the first breath of spring — bold, expansive, full of forward momentum. It holds three hidden Stems: Jia Yang Wood, Bing Yang Fire, and Wu Yang Earth — all Yang, making it one of the most forceful branches. Tiger people are charismatic, independent, and natural pioneers. They initiate, lead, and thrive when given the freedom to act.
Hidden Stems: 甲 Jia — Yang Wood · 丙 Bing — Yang Fire · 戊 Wu — Yang Earth
Season: Early Spring · Direction: ENE · Trigram: Zhen ☳
05:00–07:00 · Mid-Spring · East
Mao is pure Yin Wood — the East, the sunrise, spring in full bloom. It holds a single hidden Stem: 乙 Yi (Yin Wood). Rabbit people are gentle, perceptive, and highly attuned to their environment. They excel in diplomacy, aesthetics, and long-term relationship building.
Hidden Stem: 乙 Yi — Yin Wood (100%)
Season: Mid-Spring · Direction: East · Trigram: Zhen ☳
07:00–09:00 · Late Spring · ESE · Water Storage
Chen stores the energy of spring. One of the Four Storage Branches, it holds three hidden Stems: Wu Yang Earth, Yi Yin Wood, and Gui Yin Water. Dragon people are ambitious, magnetic, and driven by a need to achieve something significant. They carry great transformative potential and are often drawn to unconventional paths.
Hidden Stems: 戊 Wu — Yang Earth · 乙 Yi — Yin Wood · 癸 Gui — Yin Water
Season: Late Spring · Direction: ESE · Trigram: Xun ☴
09:00–11:00 · Early Summer · SSE · Traveling Horse
Si holds concentrated Fire energy approaching its peak. Its hidden Stems are Bing Yang Fire, Geng Yang Metal, and Wu Yang Earth — all Yang, making it one of the most complex Branches. Snake people are perceptive, strategic, and quietly powerful. They observe deeply, act precisely, and rarely reveal their full hand.
Hidden Stems: 丙 Bing — Yang Fire · 庚 Geng — Yang Metal · 戊 Wu — Yang Earth
Season: Early Summer · Direction: SSE · Trigram: Xun ☴
11:00–13:00 · Mid-Summer · South · Traveling Horse
Wu is the zenith of Fire — noon, the height of summer, maximum Yang. Uniquely, its hidden Stems are both Yin: Ding Yin Fire and Ji Yin Earth — making Wu the only Yang Branch with entirely Yin hidden Stems. Horse people are passionate, energetic, and freedom-loving. They move fast, inspire others, and are at their best when pursuing something that genuinely excites them.
Hidden Stems: 丁 Ding — Yin Fire · 己 Ji — Yin Earth
Season: Mid-Summer · Direction: South · Trigram: Li ☲
13:00–15:00 · Late Summer · SSW · Wood Storage
Wei stores the energy of summer. One of the Four Storage Branches, it holds three hidden Stems: Ji Yin Earth, Ding Yin Fire, and Yi Yin Wood — all Yin. Goat people are creative, gentle, and quietly tenacious. They have a strong aesthetic sensibility and deep loyalty to those they love, but require a nurturing environment to flourish.
Hidden Stems: 己 Ji — Yin Earth · 丁 Ding — Yin Fire · 乙 Yi — Yin Wood
Season: Late Summer · Direction: SSW · Trigram: Kun ☷
15:00–17:00 · Early Autumn · WSW · Traveling Horse
Shen marks the turn toward Metal — autumn’s arrival, the moment energy begins to contract and clarify. Its hidden Stems are Geng Yang Metal, Ren Yang Water, and Wu Yang Earth — all Yang, forming a generative chain: Earth→Metal→Water. Monkey people are clever, versatile, and highly resourceful. They solve problems quickly and thrive in fast-moving, complex environments.
Hidden Stems: 庚 Geng — Yang Metal · 壬 Ren — Yang Water · 戊 Wu — Yang Earth
Season: Early Autumn · Direction: WSW · Trigram: Dui ☱
17:00–19:00 · Mid-Autumn · West
You is pure Yin Metal — the West, sunset, harvest time. A single hidden Stem: 辛 Xin (Yin Metal). Rooster people are precise, principled, and meticulous. They have an acute eye for quality and detail, and they hold themselves — and others — to exceptionally high standards.
Hidden Stem: 辛 Xin — Yin Metal (100%)
Season: Mid-Autumn · Direction: West · Trigram: Dui ☱
19:00–21:00 · Late Autumn · WNW · Fire Storage
Xu stores the energy of autumn. One of the Four Storage Branches, it holds three hidden Stems: Wu Yang Earth, Xin Yin Metal, and Ding Yin Fire. Dog people are loyal, principled, and deeply honest. They have a strong moral compass and an instinct to protect and defend those they care about.
Hidden Stems: 戊 Wu — Yang Earth · 辛 Xin — Yin Metal · 丁 Ding — Yin Fire
Season: Late Autumn · Direction: WNW · Trigram: Qian ☰
21:00–23:00 · Early Winter · NNW · Traveling Horse
Hai represents early winter — the world quieting down, energy turning inward. It holds two hidden Stems: Ren Yang Water and Jia Yang Wood — both Yang despite Hai being a Yin Branch, with Jia Wood already forming as the seed of next Spring. Hai people are compassionate, imaginative, and deeply empathic. They carry great inner reserves but need rest and solitude to regenerate.
Hidden Stems: 壬 Ren — Yang Water · 甲 Jia — Yang Wood
Season: Early Winter · Direction: NNW · Trigram: Qian ☰
Hidden Stems: The Inner Landscape of Each Branch
Every Branch contains one, two, or three hidden Stems — known as Cang Gan (藏干), or “concealed Heavenly Stems.” These hidden energies are activated by other Branches and Stems through Combination, Clash, and Harmony interactions.
The first hidden Stem in each Branch is the most dominant — called the Main Qi (正气). The secondary and tertiary Stems are called Middle Qi (中气) and Residual Qi (余气). Four Branches contain only a single stem — Zi, Mao, Wu, and You — making them the purest, most predictable branches in the system. The four Storage branches — Chen, Wei, Xu, and Chou — are the most layered, each holding three stems from different elements.
Branch Interactions: Combinations, Clashes, and Harms
Branches do not sit passively in a chart — they interact with each other in powerful ways that can transform, strengthen, weaken, or destabilise the entire chart. In BaZi and Flying Stars analysis, identifying active interactions is one of the most critical reading skills.
Seasonal Combinations (三會)
Three consecutive seasonal Branches forming the strongest possible elemental frame. Considered more powerful than Three Combinations as they reflect natural seasonal concentration.
Yin + Mao + Chen → Wood (Spring) · Si + Wu + Wei → Fire (Summer)
Shen + You + Xu → Metal (Autumn) · Hai + Zi + Chou → Water (Winter)
Punishments (刑)
Punishments involve self-reinforcing patterns of difficulty — friction between Branches that share the same element but different seasonal energies.
Ungoverned (無制之刑): Yin → Si → Shen
Ungrateful (無恩之刑): Zi ↔ Mao
Bullying (恃勢之刑): Chou → Xu → Wei
Self-punishment (自刑): Chen · Wu · You · Hai
Note: Baguame uses local solar time (true solar time corrected for longitude) when calculating hourly Flying Stars — not clock time. This distinction is critical for accurate hourly analysis.
Frequently Asked Questions
The 12 Earthly Branches (地支, Dizhi) are a set of 12 cyclic symbols used in classical Chinese timekeeping, astrology, and metaphysics. Each Branch corresponds to one of the 12 zodiac animals, a primary element, a season, a compass direction, and a two-hour period of the day. Together with the 10 Heavenly Stems, they form the 60-Year Sexagenary Cycle — the foundation of BaZi (Four Pillars of Destiny), Flying Stars Feng Shui, and the traditional Chinese calendar.
The 10 Heavenly Stems (天干, Tiangan) represent the more refined, celestial layer of Chinese timekeeping — they express elemental qualities directly and pair with Branches to form the 60-year cycle. The 12 Earthly Branches (地支, Dizhi) represent the earthly, environmental layer — they describe the circumstances, seasons, and conditions a person moves through. In a BaZi chart, Stems occupy the top row of each Pillar and Branches the bottom row. Branches are generally considered more influential for reading life circumstances; Stems reflect inner character and elemental quality more directly.
The Four Storage Branches (土庫, also called Grave or Reservoir branches) are the four transitional Earth branches that close each season: 辰 Chen (Dragon) — Water Storage, 未 Wei (Goat) — Wood Storage, 戌 Xu (Dog) — Fire Storage, and 丑 Chou (Ox) — Metal Storage. Each stores the elemental energy of the season two steps prior in its hidden stems. When a Storage Branch is clashed, the stored element is released into the chart — one of the most significant elemental events in BaZi analysis.
The Four Traveling Horse Branches (驛馬, Yima) are the four branches that open each seasonal quarter: 寅 Yin (Tiger), 巳 Si (Snake), 申 Shen (Monkey), and 亥 Hai (Pig). They are associated with movement, travel, relocation, and major life transitions. A chart with prominent Traveling Horse branches tends to produce significant geographical or situational mobility. When a Traveling Horse is clashed, its movement energy activates — often triggering sudden and significant change in direction.
The 12 Earthly Branches are the technical foundation of the Chinese zodiac. Each Branch corresponds to one zodiac animal — Zi to the Rat, Chou to the Ox, and so on through all 12. Your “zodiac sign” is determined by which Branch governs your birth year. However, in classical BaZi analysis, the Year Branch is only one of four — the Month, Day, and Hour Branches are equally important and often more revealing. The popular zodiac sign alone captures only a fraction of what the Branch system actually describes.
A Six Clash (六冲) occurs when two Branches positioned directly opposite each other on the Branch wheel appear in the same chart or are activated by a time Branch. There are six clash pairs: Zi↔Wu, Chou↔Wei, Yin↔Shen, Mao↔You, Chen↔Xu, and Si↔Hai. Clashes destabilize both branches involved, scatter their hidden stem energy, and typically manifest as disruption, sudden change, or instability in the life area governed by those Pillars. In annual afflictions analysis, clashes are among the most important interactions to track each year.
In classical Feng Shui, the 12 Earthly Branches divide the compass into 12 directional sectors, each carrying specific elemental energy. They form the middle ring of the Luo Pan (geomantic compass) and are used in 24 Mountains analysis to assess the energy of each 15° compass segment. In Flying Stars Feng Shui, the Branches govern not only annual and monthly energy cycles but also — through their two-hour time divisions — hourly Flying Stars calculations. This hourly precision is one of Baguame’s core features and gives practitioners a level of timing accuracy unavailable in most other tools.
