In traditional Chinese numerology, Bazi numerology holds a significant position, with Heavenly Stems and Earthly Branches serving as its foundation. They are not merely a way of recording time but also embody rich philosophical thoughts and cultural connotations.

Heavenly Stems

There are ten Heavenly Stems, in sequence: Jia, Yi, Bing, Ding, Wu, Ji, Geng, Xin, Ren, Gui. Each of these ten stems has its own Yin-Yang attributes and Five Elements attributes. Among them, Jia, Bing, Wu, Geng, and Ren are Yang stems; Yi, Ding, Ji, Xin, and Gui are Yin stems. In terms of the Five Elements:Jia and Yi belong to Wood, representing vitality and growth;Bing and Ding belong to Fire, symbolizing enthusiasm and brightness;Wu and Ji belong to Earth, implying stability and inclusiveness;Geng and Xin belong to Metal, reflecting sharpness and transformation;Ren and Gui belong to Water, signifying moisture and flow.

Earthly Branches

There are twelve Earthly Branches, namely: Zi, Chou, Yin, Mao, Chen, Si, Wu, Wei, Shen, You, Xu, Hai. The Earthly Branches are also divided into Yin and Yang: Zi, Yin, Chen, Wu, Shen, and Xu are Yang branches; Chou, Mao, Si, Wei, You, and Hai are Yin branches.

Their Five Elements attributes are as follows:

Yin and Mao belong to Wood;

Si and Wu belong to Fire;

Shen and You belong to Metal;

Hai and Zi belong to Water;

Chen, Xu, Chou, and Wei belong to Earth.

In addition, the Earthly Branches correspond one-to-one with the Twelve Chinese Zodiac Signs:

Zi – Rat   Chou – Ox   Yin – Tiger   Mao – Rabbit   Chen – Dragon   Si – Snake

Wu – Horse   Wei – Goat   Shen – Monkey   You – Rooster   Xu – Dog   Hai – Pig

The Combination of Heavenly Stems and Earthly Branches

The Heavenly Stems and Earthly Branches are combined with each other to form the Sixty Jiazi. The ten symbols of the Heavenly Stems and the twelve symbols of the Earthly Branches are paired in turn, starting from Jiazi and ending with Guichou, a total of sixty groups, known as the "Sixty Jiazi." These sixty groups of combinations cycle repeatedly and are used to record years, months, days, and hours. For example, 2024 is the year of Jia Chen, and 2025 is the year of Yi Si. In the Bazi Numerology, a person's year, month, day, and hour of birth are represented by the Heavenly Stems and Earthly Branches, a total of eight characters, which is the "Bazi." By analyzing the relationships of generation and restriction among the Five Elements of the Heavenly Stems and Earthly Branches in the Eight Characters, information such as a person's fortune trends, character, career, wealth, marriage, and family can be inferred.