Earthly Branches

Earthly Branch 亥 (Hai)

亥 (hài) is the 12th Earthly Branch, a Water branch of early winter. It names a solar month, a two-hour period and a direction, and it stores hidden stems that BaZi reads as roots and Ten Gods.

01

亥 at a glance

PropertyValue
Pinyinhài
Order12 of 12
ElementWater
Polarity (by order)yin
Seasonearly winter
Solar month立冬 (~Nov 7) to 大雪 (~Dec 7)
Double hour21:00–23:00
Directionnorth-northwest
Hidden stems壬 Ren 甲 Jia

Yin water by order but used as yang water (main qi 壬); it holds the birth of wood (甲).

This site describes branches only through elements, seasons, hours, directions and hidden stems; it does not use zodiac animals.

02

Hidden stems of 亥

03

Combinations and clashes of 亥

RelationWithNotes
Six combination (六合)寅 Yinassociated with Wood
Three harmony (三合)亥 Hai 卯 Mao 未 WeiWood frame
Directional (三会)亥 Hai 子 Zi 丑 ChouWater of the season
Clash (冲)巳 Siopposite position, six apart
Harm (害)申 Shenthe combination partner of its clash
Punishment (刑)亥 Haiself-punishment

When 亥 and 巳 both appear (especially in adjacent pillars), the chart shows movement or tension in the areas those pillars represent. Combinations bind; clashes open. Neither is good or bad by itself — the BaZi calculator lists every combination and clash it finds between your pillars so you can see them in context.

04

亥 as the month branch

The 亥 month runs from 立冬 (~Nov 7) to 大雪 (~Dec 7). BaZi months begin at the 节 solar term, not on the lunar new moon, so birthdays near the start date need an exact time to decide the month pillar. As month branch, 亥 makes Water the season element:

In practice this means a chart born in the 亥 month favours Water and whatever Water generates, while the element that Water controls is at its weakest. A Day Master of the ruling element is "in season" (得令); one of the weakest element must rely on roots and support elsewhere in the chart.

05

亥 as the hour branch

亥 covers 21:00–23:00 local solar time. Its hour stem depends on the day stem (the 五鼠遁 rule):

Day stemHour pillar
甲 / 己乙亥
乙 / 庚丁亥
丙 / 辛己亥
丁 / 壬辛亥
戊 / 癸癸亥

06

The ten stems in 亥

07

亥 in each pillar position

  • Year branch: the background and outer circle; 亥 here sets an early Water tone.
  • Month branch: the season itself and the strongest branch; 亥 here makes Water the ruling element and is the first thing to check when judging strength.
  • Day branch: the seat of the Day Master, traditionally linked with close partnership; its hidden stems (壬, 甲) are read directly against the Day Master.
  • Hour branch: plans, output and later years; 亥 here shows the chart's direction of travel.

Because 亥 carries 2 hidden stems, it can root several different stems at once. When 巳 sits next to it, those roots are shaken; when 寅 sits next to it, they are bound. Reading a branch therefore always means reading its neighbours as well.

Charts on this site use the published rule set: true solar time by default, the year changes at 立春 (Start of Spring), months change at the 12 节 solar terms and the day changes at 23:00. Example charts below are computed live by the same engine.

08

Practising with the branch 亥

The fastest way to understand the branch 亥 is to look at real charts rather than memorise rules. Enter a birth date, time and city in the BaZi Calculator, then locate where the branch 亥 appears: in a visible stem, hidden inside a branch, in the current luck pillar or in this year's annual pillar. Note the position, because the year pillar is usually read as background and early life, the month pillar as environment and career setting, the day pillar as the self and close partner, and the hour pillar as later life and output.

  • Compare two or three charts where the branch 亥 is prominent and two where it is absent; write down what differs in the overall balance.
  • Check the month branch first: seasonal strength changes how much any factor matters.
  • Use the hidden-stems and Ten Gods tables in the calculator output instead of guessing.
  • Treat single factors as clues, never as verdicts; classical texts always weigh the whole chart.
  • Check whether 亥 is clashed or combined by a luck or annual branch; that is when its hidden stems become most active.

Different schools describe the branch 亥 with slightly different emphasis. This site follows widely used conventions (solar-term months, true solar time optional, Zi hour setting configurable) and states them openly so you can compare results with a book or another calculator.

09

Pillars containing 亥

PillarStem elementNa Yin
乙亥Wood山头火
丁亥Fire屋上土
己亥Earth平地木
辛亥Metal钗钏金
癸亥Water大海水
Example chart · 2000-01-06 12:00
Your BaZi Chart
YearMonthDayHour
Seven Killings 七杀己jǐEarth卯mǎoWood
Hidden stems
  • 乙 · Wood · Eating God 食神
Indirect Wealth 偏财丁dīngFire丑chǒuEarth
Hidden stems
  • 己 · Earth · Seven Killings 七杀
  • 癸 · Water · Friend 比肩
  • 辛 · Metal · Indirect Resource 偏印
Day Master癸guǐWater亥hàiWater
Hidden stems
  • 壬 · Water · Rob Wealth 劫财
  • 甲 · Wood · Hurting Officer 伤官
Day Master
Direct Officer 正官戊wùEarth午wǔFire
Hidden stems
  • 丁 · Fire · Indirect Wealth 偏财
  • 己 · Earth · Seven Killings 七杀
Example: 2000-01-06 has 亥 as its day branch.

FAQ

Frequently asked questions

What hours belong to 亥?
21:00–23:00 local solar time. With true solar time on, the calculator adjusts clock time by longitude and the equation of time first.
What does 亥 hide?
壬、甲
What clashes with 亥?
巳. Its six-combination partner is 寅.
When does the 亥 month start?
立冬 (~Nov 7) to 大雪 (~Dec 7)
How strong is 亥 as a root?
Its main qi 壬 gives the strongest root to Water stems; the secondary stems 甲 give weaker roots to their own elements. Position matters: a month-branch root weighs most.
Does this page talk about zodiac animals?
No. We explain branches through elements, time and hidden stems only.

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