Heavenly Stem 甲 (Jia)

The ten Heavenly Stems are the upper characters of each pillar. 甲 is the first stem and the yang form of Wood: upright, growth-oriented, steady and direct; it prefers to stand on its own and grow upward. When 甲 is the stem of your day pillar it becomes your Day Master; in other positions it is read through its relation to the Day Master.

Besides appearing openly on a pillar, 甲 can be hidden inside Earthly Branches. Hidden stems are weaker than visible ones but count as roots and as Ten Gods in a detailed reading.

• 寅寅 Yin甲 丙 戊 · main qi
• 亥亥 Hai壬 甲 · middle qi

The twelve growth stages describe a stem's life cycle across the branches, from Birth (长生) to Peak (帝旺) to Tomb (墓). 甲 reaches Birth in 亥 Hai, Peak in 卯 Mao and Tomb in 未 Wei.

• 子子 ZiBathing (沐浴)
• 丑丑 ChouCapping (冠带)
• 寅寅 YinComing of Age (临官)
• 卯卯 MaoPeak (帝旺)
• 辰辰 ChenDecline (衰)
• 巳巳 SiSickness (病)
• 午午 WuDeath (死)
• 未未 WeiTomb (墓)
• 申申 ShenExtinction (绝)
• 酉酉 YouConception (胎)
• 戌戌 XuNurture (养)
• 亥亥 HaiBirth (长生)

Yin stems here follow "yang forward, yin backward". Some schools apply the yang sequence to yin stems as well.

In the sixty-pillar (甲子) cycle, a stem only pairs with branches of the same polarity, so 甲 appears in exactly six pillars. Each has a Na Yin (纳音) sound-element name from the classical table.

When 甲 is not the Day Master, its meaning depends on who is. The same character is a companion to one Day Master and an officer or wealth star to another.

• 甲甲 Jia Yang WoodFriend (比肩)
• 乙乙 Yi Yin WoodRob Wealth (劫财)
• 丙丙 Bing Yang FireIndirect Resource (偏印)
• 丁丁 Ding Yin FireDirect Resource (正印)
• 戊戊 Wu Yang EarthSeven Killings (七杀)
• 己己 Ji Yin EarthDirect Officer (正官)
• 庚庚 Geng Yang MetalIndirect Wealth (偏财)
• 辛辛 Xin Yin MetalDirect Wealth (正财)
• 壬壬 Ren Yang WaterEating God (食神)
• 癸癸 Gui Yin WaterHurting Officer (伤官)

甲 and 己 form one of the five stem combinations, associated with Earth. Adjacent stems combine most strongly (for example month stem next to day stem). Transformation into Earth is usually only accepted when the month branch supports Earth and nothing breaks the pair.

甲 clashes with 庚: Metal and Wood are in a controlling relation with the same polarity, the harshest form of the cycle.

Through the five-element cycles, 甲 (Wood) generates 丙 Bing and 丁 Ding, is generated by 壬 Ren and 癸 Gui, controls 戊 Wu and 己 Ji and is controlled by 庚 Geng and 辛 Xin. Same-polarity pairs act more forcefully; opposite-polarity pairs are gentler and often attract.

In spring it is in season; in summer it tends to need water to avoid drying out; in autumn it meets strong metal and is pruned; in winter it is cold and usually benefits from fire (warmth) as a seasonal adjustment.

• Year stem: the outer environment and early years; 甲 here colours the background of the chart.
• Month stem: closest to the season and to the Day Master; 甲 here is often the most influential visible stem.
• Day stem: 甲 is the Day Master — see the 甲 Day Master guide.
• Hour stem: later life, plans and outcomes in traditional reading; 甲 here shows how the chart "finishes".

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.

A practical way to study 甲 is to collect a few real charts where it appears in different positions — as Day Master, as month stem and hidden in a branch — and compare how its Ten God label changes. The BaZi calculator shows the label on every pillar, so you can check each example in seconds. Pair this page with the Wood element guide and the Ten Gods overview to see the same facts from three angles: the character, its element and its relation to the Day Master.