Earthly Branch 子 (Zi)

Pure yang water at the depth of winter; the winter solstice falls inside this month. Because the 子 hour straddles midnight, schools differ on whether 23:00 starts the next day.

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

Each branch stores one to three Heavenly Stems. 子 holds 癸 Gui (main qi). The main qi defines the branch's element; the others add secondary influences and can become roots for matching stems.

• 甲甲 Jia Yang WoodDirect Resource (正印)
• 乙乙 Yi Yin WoodIndirect Resource (偏印)
• 丙丙 Bing Yang FireDirect Officer (正官)
• 丁丁 Ding Yin FireSeven Killings (七杀)
• 戊戊 Wu Yang EarthDirect Wealth (正财)
• 己己 Ji Yin EarthIndirect Wealth (偏财)
• 庚庚 Geng Yang MetalHurting Officer (伤官)
• 辛辛 Xin Yin MetalEating God (食神)
• 壬壬 Ren Yang WaterRob Wealth (劫财)
• 癸癸 Gui Yin WaterFriend (比肩)

When 子 and 午 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.

The 子 month runs from 大雪 Major Snow (~Dec 7) to 小寒 Minor Cold (~Jan 6). 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, 子 makes Water the season element:

In practice this means a chart born in the 子 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.

• WoodStrengthening (相)
• FireDead (死)
• EarthConfined (囚)
• MetalResting (休)
• WaterProsperous (旺)

子 covers 23:00–01:00 local solar time. Its hour stem depends on the day stem (the 五鼠遁 rule):

This site starts the new day at 23:00 (early 子 hour belongs to the next day). See 23:00 vs 00:00.

• 甲甲 JiaBathing (沐浴)
• 乙乙 YiSickness (病)
• 丙丙 BingConception (胎)
• 丁丁 DingExtinction (绝)
• 戊戊 WuConception (胎)
• 己己 JiExtinction (绝)
• 庚庚 GengDeath (死)
• 辛辛 XinBirth (长生)
• 壬壬 RenPeak (帝旺)
• 癸癸 GuiComing of Age (临官)

• Year branch: the background and outer circle; 子 here sets an early Water tone.
• Month branch: the season itself and the strongest branch; 子 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 (癸) are read directly against the Day Master.
• Hour branch: plans, output and later years; 子 here shows the chart's direction of travel.

Because 子 carries 1 hidden stem, it can root several different stems at once. When 午 sits next to it, those roots are shaken; when 丑 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.

The fastest way to understand the branch 子 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 子 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 子 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 子 is clashed or combined by a luck or annual branch; that is when its hidden stems become most active.

Different schools describe the branch 子 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.