General Knowledge Practical Bazi knowledge, judgment rules, and everyday application tips. Priority Among Branch Relationships: How to Judge When Clashes, Harms, and Combinations Coexist A single Bazi chart often contains multiple Earthly Branch relationships simultaneously—combinations (合), clashes (冲), punishments (刑), harms (害), and breaks (破) can coexist. This guide explains the power hierarchy, priority rules, and the 'mediator' (通关) principle for reconciling conflicts, helping readers find the main storyline in complex natal charts. The Branch Punishments: Hidden Damage in Earthly Branches The Branch Punishments (地支相刑) describe four types of hidden conflict between Earthly Branches: Zi-Mao (rudeness — over-nurturing turns toxic), Yin-Si-Shen (ungratefulness — help met with betrayal), Chou-Xu-Wei (power abuse — same-element infighting), and Self-punishment (Wu-Wu, Chen-Chen, You-You, Hai-Hai — internal contradiction). Unlike clashes, punishments don't announce themselves. They erode from within. The Four Directional Frames: San Hui Branch Coalitions The Directional Frames (地支三会) unite three consecutive branches of the same season into a pure directional coalition: Yin-Mao-Chen into East Wood, Si-Wu-Wei into South Fire, Shen-You-Xu into West Metal, Hai-Zi-Chou into North Water. The strongest of all branch relationships — they override clashes, combinations, and even the month order. This guide explains the four frames, their power hierarchy, and why san hui trumps every other branch structure. The Six Clashes: When Earthly Branches Collide The Six Clashes (地支六冲) pit each Earthly Branch against its opposite across the zodiac: Zi-Wu (water vs fire), Chou-Wei (wet vault vs hot vault), Yin-Shen (wood vs metal), Mao-You (pure wood vs pure metal), Chen-Xu (water vault vs fire vault), Si-Hai (fire vs water). Clashes produce four outcomes — activation, breaking, removal, or boosting — depending on strength comparison. This guide explains each clash pair and the judgment logic. The Six Mutual Harms (Piercing): The Invisible Arrow of Covert Attack Mutual Harm (相害, also called 穿/Piercing) is the most concealed attack relationship among the Twelve Earthly Branches—Zi-Wei harm, Chou-Wu harm, Yin-Si harm, Mao-Chen harm, Shen-Hai harm, You-Xu harm. This guide unpacks the essence of harm versus punishment and clash, the deep meaning of each pair, how to judge auspiciousness in practice, and harm's unique 'arrow from the dark' effect. The Ten Gods Categories: Complete Guide from Direct Officer to Companion Star The Ten Gods (十神) are the critical bridge linking Heavenly Stems and Earthly Branches to human affairs in Bazi analysis. This guide covers all ten gods—Direct Officer (正官), Seven Killings (偏官/七杀), Direct Wealth (正财), Indirect Wealth (偏财), Direct Seal (正印), Indirect Seal (偏印), Eating God (食神), Hurting Officer (伤官), Companion (比肩), and Rob Wealth (劫财)—their core definitions, multi-dimensional archetypes (people, events, objects, settings, health), and their mutual transformations. The Six Branch Combinations: Zi-Chou to Wu-Wei The Six Branch Combinations (地支六合) pair each Earthly Branch with its opposite across the zodiac wheel: Zi-Chou into Earth, Yin-Hai into Wood, Mao-Xu into Fire, Chen-You into Metal, Si-Shen into Water, Wu-Wei into Fire/Sun. This guide explains the six named unions, the three conditions for transformation, and when combination binds versus when it changes the element. The Three Harmony Frames: Shen-Zi-Chen and the Chain of Creation The Three Harmony Frames (地支三合) form when three branches align across the zodiac to produce a complete element: Shen-Zi-Chen into Water, Hai-Mao-Wei into Wood, Yin-Wu-Xu into Fire, Si-You-Chou into Metal. This guide covers the Long Birth (长生) → Emperor Peak (帝旺) → Grave Storage (墓库) chain, half-frames (半合), and the critical distinction between sanhe and sanhui. Chen Earth: The Dragon's Reservoir — Wet Soil, Water Vault, and the Most Changeable Branch Chen Earth is the fifth earthly branch — spring dragon hiding 戊乙癸, the only branch that is simultaneously wet earth, water reservoir, and carrier of wood's remaining qi. This guide covers Chen's identity as the 水库 (water storage), the explosive 辰戌冲 (water vault vs fire vault clash), the 申子辰三合水局, and how Chen's changefulness shapes flexibility, strategy, and destiny in Bazi. Mao Wood: The Peach Blossom Branch — Pure Yi Wood at Full Bloom Mao Wood is the fourth earthly branch — a yin branch hiding pure 乙 wood. This guide covers Mao as the 四正桃花 (Four-Cardinal Peach Blossom), its帝旺 position as wood's peak, the transformative 卯戌合 merger into fire, the marriage-crisis 卯酉冲 clash, and how Mao shapes grace, diplomacy, and destiny in Bazi. Si Fire: The Chameleon Flame — Hidden Metal, Suppressed Heat, and the Snake's Strategy Si Fire is the sixth earthly branch — the Snake, first month of summer, hiding 丙戊庚 (fire + earth + metal), the only branch that carries metal inside fire. This guide covers Si's unique fire-to-metal transformation via 巳酉丑三合金, the dangerous 寅巳刑 (ungrateful punishment), the love-hate 巳申合, and how Si shapes strategic patience, hidden power, and destiny in Bazi. Wu Fire: Peak Summer Flame — Pure Yang Fire, the Four-Cardinal Horse, and the Fire That Needs to See Itself Wu Fire is the seventh earthly branch — peak summer, the Horse, fire's 帝旺, the most direct of the twelve. This guide covers Wu's pure fire nature hiding 丁己, the violent 子午冲 (water vs fire), the returning 午未合 (fire returns to earth), the strangling 丑午害, the self-harming 午午自刑, and why Wu desperately needs 壬 water — not to extinguish, but to reflect. Yin Wood: The Tiger's Territory — Where Jia Stands and Fire Is Born Yin Wood is the third earthly branch — a yang branch that hides three stems: 甲 wood, 丙 fire, and 戊 earth. This guide covers Yin's triple-layered energy chain (wood→fire→earth), its role as Jia Wood's 禄 and Bing-Wu's 长生, the powerful 寅亥合 merger with Hai, the life-reshaping 寅申冲 clash, and how Yin shapes leadership, initiative, and destiny in Bazi. Chou Earth: Frozen Mud, Metal Vault, and the Earth That Refuses to Dry Chou Earth is the second earthly branch — frozen December mud that hides己癸辛, making it the only branch to carry earth, water, and metal simultaneously. This guide covers Chou's identity as the金属库 (metal storage), the critical wet-earth vs dry-earth distinction, its desperate need for丙fire, and how Chou shapes patience, storage, and destiny in Bazi. Gui Water: The Dewdrop That Pierces Stone Gui Water is the yin water of the Ten Stems — dew, spring rain, underground streams. The weakest-looking stem, yet the most penetrating. This guide covers Gui's hidden strength, why it fears neither fire nor earth, the special Wu-Gui merger into fire, its need for Bing fire to warm and Jia wood to channel, and how Gui Water Day Masters achieve through infiltration rather than force. Ren Water: The River That Never Stops Ren Water is the yang water of the Ten Stems — rivers, floods, oceans, the Milky Way. This guide covers Ren's relentless-flow nature, its need for earth banks and metal source, the critical 日照江河 image with Bing Fire, monthly seasonal adjustments, and how Ren Water Day Masters channel their boundless momentum into career, adventure, and lasting impact. Zi Water: First of the Twelve Branches — Where Yin Peaks and Yang Is Reborn Zi Water is the first earthly branch — a yang branch hiding pure 癸 yin water. This guide covers Zi's 'Heaven generates one — water' philosophy, its paradox of yang branch + yin water, its critical partnership with Chou Earth (子丑合), its explosive clash with Wu Fire (子午冲), and how Zi shapes intelligence, adaptability, and destiny in Bazi. Bing Fire: The Sun That Shines on Everything Bing Fire is the yang fire of the Ten Stems — the sun, not a candle. This guide explores Bing's nature, its critical relationship with壬water (the river that reflects the sun), monthly seasonal adjustments, and how Bing Fire Day Masters navigate career, leadership, and relationships through radiance rather than force. Ding Fire: The Lamp That Burns Through the Night Ding Fire is the yin fire — the lamp, the candle, the star. Unlike the sun (Bing), Ding burns selectively, precisely, and for as long as it has fuel. This guide explains Ding's need for Jia Wood as fuel, its relationship with Geng Metal, and how Ding Day Masters achieve through focus rather than radiance. Geng Metal: The Axe That Carries a Killer Edge Geng Metal is the yang metal — the axe, the raw ore, the autumn moon. Core nature: 刚健带煞 (toughness with a killer edge). This guide explains Geng's need for丁fire to forge it and癸water to quench it, how Geng defeats Jia Wood but loses to Yi Wood, and the full seasonal forging map for Geng Day Masters.