BaZi Ten Gods Lookup Table & Guide

The Ten Gods system takes the birth Day Stem (Day Master) as the center, labeling ten distinct relationships between other Heavenly Stems and the Day Master based on Five Element generation/overcoming and Yin-Yang polarity. Verify the mapping first, then interpret it in context with the Month Command, positions, rooting, and luck cycles, rather than using isolated labels to make definitive judgments.

The interactive lookup tool and comprehensive matrix at the top of the page share the same underlying rules. They help verify the Ten Gods names in a chart without making unsupported claims about career, marriage, wealth, or fortune based on an isolated label.

What Are the Ten Gods?

The Ten Gods are relationship names assigned to other stems relative to the birth Day Stem:

• Same Element as Day Master: Friend (Bi Jian), Rob Wealth (Jie Cai);
• Generated by Day Master: Eating God (Shi Shen), Hurting Officer (Shang Guan);
• Overcome by Day Master: Indirect Wealth (Pian Cai), Direct Wealth (Zheng Cai);
• Overcoming the Day Master: Seven Killings (Qi Sha), Direct Officer (Zheng Guan);
• Generating the Day Master: Indirect Resource (Pian Yin), Direct Resource (Zheng Yin).

Specific designations depend on whether Yin-Yang polarities match or differ. Yuanhai Ziping, taking the Day Stem as primary and classifying Officer/Killings, Wealth, Resource, Food/Hurting, and Companions by Yin-Yang, is a central textual source. Earthly Branches must first be broken into Hidden Stems, with each hidden stem compared against the Day Master.

How to Look Up Ten Gods in BaZi

1. Locate the Day Stem. The Day Pillar consists of one stem and one branch; the stem is the Day Master. For example, in a "Bing-Shen" day, the Day Master is Bing (丙).
2. Select the Day Master. In the tool above, select the corresponding Day Stem.
3. Compare other stems systematically. Compare the Year Stem, Month Stem, Hour Stem, and each Earthly Branch Hidden Stem against the Day Master.
4. Evaluate Luck Cycles and Annual Influences. Stems of Luck Cycles, Annual Influences, and Monthly Influences are all compared against the same birth Day Master; the Day Master never changes across cycles.

If you do not yet have your Four Pillars, start with a free basic chart calculation. When birth time approaches an hour, day, or solar term boundary, check BaZi Calculation Methods and Birth Time Calibration Standards before reading Ten Gods.

Five Element Interactions and Yin-Yang Rules

Yang stems are Jia, Bing, Wu, Geng, and Ren; Yin stems are Yi, Ding, Ji, Xin, and Gui. "Same Polarity" means Yang-to-Yang or Yin-to-Yin; "Opposing Polarity" means Yang-to-Yin or Yin-to-Yang.

"Direct" and "Indirect" are traditional relational names, not moral judgments of good vs. bad; labels such as "Officer," "Wealth," and "Resource" do not directly dictate real-world jobs, income, diplomas, or family roles.

In chart displays, the Day Stem position is labeled "Day Master" (日主); when the same element appears elsewhere and is compared to the Day Master, its relationship is Friend (Bi Jian). In the full lookup matrix, comparing a stem to itself also displays as Friend.

Example: Reading Ten Gods for a Bing Fire Day Master

Consider this fixed Four Pillars example:

Wu-Chen year, Geng-Shen month, Bing-Shen day, Ji-Chou hour

This example illustrates mapping only, without evaluating strength, pattern, or fortune. The Day Pillar is Bing-Shen; thus, the Day Master is Bing Fire (丙火).

Reading Ten Gods from Earthly Branch Hidden Stems

Branches must first be separated into their Hidden Stems, with each hidden stem compared against the Day Master:

An Earthly Branch cannot be equated to a single Ten God. Branches contain one or more hidden stems, each evaluated independently; whether a hidden stem is revealed, in season, or rooted belongs to the next analytical layer and cannot be judged merely by counting stems.

This example chart can be checked in Public Validation Cases. To see how the same Day Master applies across Luck Cycles and Annual Influences, use the BaZi Luck Cycles Tool.

Interpreting Common Ten Gods Imagery

The table below provides a concise overview to help modern readers understand traditional imagery. These keywords offer observational angles rather than rigid personality profiles; they must be evaluated alongside the Month Command, positions, roots, and luck cycles.

This table answers "what this relationship is traditionally used to observe," not "what personality or event must occur."

Why Combinations Matter More Than Isolated Labels

Classical terms such as "Eating God Restrains Seven Killings," "Hurting Officer Paired with Resource," and "Officer and Resource in Mutual Generation" describe multiple relationships forming balance, support, or circulation, rather than isolated Ten Gods. When reading Ten Gods relationships, evaluate:

1. Whether stems are revealed and rooted in branches;
2. Whether seasonal support from the Month Command exists;
3. Whether intermediary dynamics are altered by combinations or clashes;
4. Whether the Day Master and chart can sustain the relationship;
5. Whether Luck Cycles and Annual Influences alter the baseline structure.

The same Ten God appearing in different months, positions, and combinations carries vastly different meanings. Next, review Strength, Useful Gods & Seasonal Regulation to gauge effectiveness, and use Chart Patterns to observe structural stability.

Common Misconceptions

• Inferring career, marriage, or wealth from a single Ten God. Ten Gods are relationship names, not event predictors.
• Treating Direct gods as auspicious and Indirect gods as inauspicious. Polarity denotes Yin-Yang alignment, not moral quality.
• Looking only at Heavenly Stems while ignoring Hidden Stems. Stored stems form vital relationships requiring seasonal and structural evaluation.
• Assuming greater quantity equals greater strength. Quantity cannot substitute for seasonal command, rooting, and combinations.
• Switching Day Masters for annual influences. Ten Gods across Luck Cycles, Annual Influences, and months always reference the natal Day Stem.
• Equating Ten Gods directly to family members. Usages vary across literature, and modern family structures differ from ancient kinship models.

Frequently Asked Questions

What are the Ten Gods?

Friend, Rob Wealth, Eating God, Hurting Officer, Indirect Wealth, Direct Wealth, Seven Killings, Direct Officer, Indirect Resource, and Direct Resource. The Day Stem is labeled "Day Master"; matching stems in other positions are labeled Friend.

Does looking up Ten Gods require a birth hour?

Looking up the relationship between two stems does not require a birth hour. If you know the Day Master is Bing, you can readily determine that Bing meeting Wu is Eating God, Bing meeting Ji is Hurting Officer, and Bing meeting Geng is Indirect Wealth.

Deriving the complete Four Pillars, Hidden Stems, and Luck Cycles requires accurate birth date, time, location, and day boundary data. When the hour is unknown, confirmed stems can still be analyzed without fabricating an Hour Pillar.

Can Ten Gods directly determine good or bad fortune?

No. The same Ten God functions differently across different seasons, positions, strengths, combinations, and luck cycles. Ten Gods serve as a traditional relational framework, not as scientifically validated personality tests or event forecasts. For medical, legal, financial, or psychological decisions, rely on real-world evidence and qualified professional counsel.

Why do Ten Gods differ across different websites?

With the same Day Master and target stem, Ten Gods mappings should be identical (e.g., Bing meeting Geng is always Indirect Wealth).

Discrepancies between websites usually stem from the underlying Four Pillars calculation: differing birthplaces, timezone handling, solar time usage, 23:00 vs. midnight day boundaries, solar term timing, or Hour Stem derivations. Compare the Four Pillars and target stems first before comparing interpretive prose.

Textual References and Reading Scope

• Sanming Tonghui, Vol. 2, "On Year, Month, Day, and Hour": Foundational framework for Four Pillars and Day-Master-centric analysis.
• Sanming Tonghui, Vol. 2, "On Deriving Month and Hour Stems": Derivation rules for Month and Hour Stems.
• Yuanhai Ziping: Classification of Ten Gods by Day Stem and Yin-Yang polarity, along with hidden stem songs.

The Ten Gods matrix and hidden stem examples follow verifiable traditional rules. The observational clues table is curated for modern clarity; it does not replace comprehensive chart analysis.

To see how calculation and AI explanations are kept distinct, read How AI BaZi Works; to review complete report structure, explore the Sample Reading.