Heavenly Stems (天干)
The Ten Heavenly Stems pair each of the five elements with a yang and a yin half — one bold, one yielding. Every Bazi chart's year, month, day, and hour each carry one stem.
| Stem | Element | Yin/Yang | Symbol |
|---|---|---|---|
| 甲 Jiǎ — the tall tree, a trunk that pushes straight up through anything in its way. | Wood (木) | Yang (阳) | |
| 乙 Yǐ — the climbing vine, flexible wood that bends around obstacles instead of through them. | Wood (木) | ||
| 丙 Bǐng — the blazing sun, fire that lights up everything at once, impossible to ignore. | Fire (火) | Yang (阳) | |
| 丁 Dīng — the candle flame, small, warm, and steady, giving light without burning out. | Fire (火) | ||
| 戊 Wù — the mountain ridge, earth piled high, solid, unmoving, hard to cross. | Earth (土) | Yang (阳) | |
| 己 Jǐ — the garden soil, low, soft earth that takes a seed and lets it grow. | Earth (土) | ||
| 庚 Gēng — the forged blade, metal hammered into an edge, direct and decisive. | Metal (金) | Yang (阳) | |
| 辛 Xīn — the polished jewel, metal refined small and bright, valued for its detail. | Metal (金) | ||
| 壬 Rén — the ocean tide, water in its biggest, most restless form. | Water (水) | Yang (阳) | |
| 癸 Guǐ — the morning dew, water so quiet it barely seems to be there at all. | Water (水) |