The 10 Heavenly Stems (Tian Gan): Complete Guide

Jia and Yi are Wood, Bing and Ding are Fire, Wu and Ji are Earth, Geng and Xin are Metal, and Ren and Gui are Water. The first in each pair is yang and the second is yin. This creates 10 visible expressions from 5 elements, a pattern described in San Ming Tong Hui.

Jia is like a tall tree, Yi like vines and flowers, Bing like the sun, Ding like candlelight, Wu like a mountain, Ji like cultivated soil, Geng like raw metal, Xin like jewelry, Ren like the ocean, and Gui like mist or rain.

Stems show what is visible and active. They help identify the Day Master, Ten Gods, combinations, and whether a chart expresses its strengths openly or stores them in hidden branches. In Yuan Hai Zi Ping, the day stem is the anchor that organizes the rest of the chart.

A stem without its branch is only half of the pillar. The stem shows the visible quality, while the branch stores seasonal context, hidden stems, and the timing layer that changes how the stem is read. Classical Bazi practice treats the pair as a single unit.

When the Day Master is unclear, compare the stem with its branch and then return to the full chart before deciding what the symbol means, especially where San Ming Tong Hui emphasizes relationship over isolation.