Ten Gods BaZi Explanation
What Are the Ten Gods in BaZi Astrology?
The Ten Gods are elemental archetypes in your Chinese astrology chart. They represent how your Day Master relates to the other elements, offering a symbolic mirror of your strengths, relationships, emotional patterns, and life purpose.
Archetype | Ten Gods | Relationship to Day Master | Core Traits |
|---|---|---|---|
Authority | Seven Killings (七杀) | Element that controls Day Master (same polarity) | Courage, risk-taking, decisiveness, intensity |
Authority | Direct Officer (正官) | Element that controls Day Master (opposite polarity) | Discipline, leadership, duty, societal roles |
Friend | Friend (比肩) | Same element as Day Master (same polarity) | Independence, loyalty, camaraderie, self-confidence |
Friend | Rob Wealth (劫财) | Same element as Day Master (opposite polarity) | Competition, leadership, assertiveness, rebellion |
Output | Eating God (食神) | Day Master produced Element (same polarity) | Creativity, enjoyment, strategy, refinement, luxury |
Output | Hurting Officer (伤官) | Day Master produced Element (opposite polarity) | Bold expression, charisma, rebellion, innovation |
Resource | Indirect Resource (偏印) | Element that produces Day Master (same polarity) | Intuition, unconventional thinking, spiritual insight |
Resource | Direct Resource (正印) | Element that produces Day Master (opposite polarity) | Support, nurturing, formal learning, maternal energy |
Wealth | Indirect Wealth (偏财) | Day Master controls Element (same polarity) | Opportunism, entrepreneurship, generosity, networking |
Wealth | Direct Wealth (正财) | Day Master controls Element (opposite polarity) | Responsibility, practicality, income, loyalty |
How To Identify Your Ten Gods
To begin, first determine your Day Master, the Heavenly Stem of your Day Pillar. This element and polarity form the center of your chart’s interpretation. Next, look at the Heavenly Stems of your Year, Month, and Hour pillars. By comparing each to the Day Master, you can identify their Ten God relationship. For example, if your Day Master is Yang Fire, and your Year Pillar’s stem is Yang Water, you're working with the Water element controlling Fire. (Base on the example table in Day Master Page.) Since both are Yang (same polarity), this pairing produces the Ten God Seven Killings (七杀). Apply this logic across the other pillars to reveal your visible Ten Gods. The archetypes most consciously expressed in your personality and life direction.
To determine whether your Year, Month, or Hour Pillar's Heavenly Stem is controlling, producing, or countering your Day Master, refer to the Five Elements page. The dynamic between elements, whether it’s a nourishing flow or a restrictive clash, forms the foundation for identifying each Ten God.
Ten Gods Interpretations
The Ten Gods reflect distinct archetypes of human behavior, emotion, and destiny, each shaped by elemental interaction and polarity with the Day Master. From the nurturing vision of Indirect Resource to the bold challenge of Hurting Officer, these archetypes help decode patterns of creativity, authority, wealth, and support. By understanding both the light and shadow traits of each God, you gain insight into their expressive style, emotional wiring, and life roles.
Seven Killings (七杀)
Element that controls Day Master (same polarity)
Core Essence: Pressure as catalyst; challenge builds strength
Personality Traits: Bold, intense, driven by survival, unafraid to disrupt norms
Life Themes: Facing authority, standing alone, breaking generational cycles
Imbalance Signs: Defensiveness, recklessness, emotional overdrive
Soul Medicine: Learn when to yield, power isn't only force, but also strategic softness
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Day Master
丙
Yang Fire
Stems
壬
Yang Water
Direct Officer (正官)
Element that controls Day Master (opposite polarity)
Core Essence: Moral structure, authority, duty
Personality Traits: Responsible, disciplined, socially conscious, reliable
Life Themes: Leadership, legacy building, navigating rules and roles
Imbalance Signs: Burnout, suppression, fear of change
Soul Medicine: Align structure with purpose, let integrity support not restrict your soul
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Day Master
丙
Yang Fire
Stems
癸
Yin Water
Friend (比肩)
Same element as Day Master (same polarity)
Core Essence: Self-expression through willpower and independence
Personality Traits: Confident, assertive, leadership-oriented, competitive
Life Themes: Claiming identity, navigating peer dynamics, carving personal path
Imbalance Signs: Ego dominance, friction with equals, stubbornness
Soul Medicine: Learn reciprocity, being strong doesn’t mean standing alone
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Day Master
丙
Yang Fire
Stems
丙
Yang Fire
Rob Wealth (劫财)
Same element as Day Master (opposite polarity)
Core Essence: Community, solidarity, shared resources
Personality Traits: Loyal, resilient, collaborative, grounded in relationships
Life Themes: Collective action, mutual aid, chosen family
Imbalance Signs: Enmeshment, comparison, resentment
Soul Medicine: Let community inspire growth, not define it; draw boundaries with love
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Day Master
丙
Yang Fire
Stems
丁
Yin Fire
Eating God (食神)
Day Master produced Element (same polarity)
Core Essence: Joyful self-expression, storytelling
Personality Traits: Playful, entertaining, diplomatic, naturally lucky
Life Themes: Teaching, performing, spontaneous generosity
Imbalance Signs: Escapism, lack of depth, manipulation through charm
Soul Medicine: Let fun meet purpose, turn lightness into emotional wisdom
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Day Master
丙
Yang Fire
Stems
戊
Yang Earth
Hurting Officer (伤官)
Day Master produced Element (opposite polarity)
Core Essence: Self-expression through rebellion or artistry
Personality Traits: Smart, witty, non-conformist, creatively provocative
Life Themes: Standing out, questioning authority, crafting unique identity
Imbalance Signs: Cynicism, arrogance, fractured relationships
Soul Medicine: Channel sharpness into art, wit into healing, create space for receptivity
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Day Master
丙
Yang Fire
Stems
己
Yin Earth
Indirect Resource (偏印)
Element that produces Day Master (same polarity)
Core Essence: Alternative knowledge, spiritual nourishment
Personality Traits: Curious, metaphysical, independent, slightly reclusive
Life Themes: Learning from obscure sources, resisting norms, hidden inner richness
Imbalance Signs: Conspiracy mindset, detachment, loss of clarity
Soul Medicine: Balance intuition with grounded checks; let mystery invite clarity
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Day Master
丙
Yang Fire
Stems
甲
Yang Wood
Direct Resource (正印)
Element that produces Day Master (opposite polarity)
Core Essence: Depth, wisdom, nurturance from tradition
Personality Traits: Reflective, protective, emotionally intuitive, knowledge-hoarding
Life Themes: Seeking support, absorbing knowledge, familial loyalty
Imbalance Signs: Dependency, passivity, over-analysis
Soul Medicine: Practice discernment; not every tradition must be kept, honor lineage while evolving it
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Day Master
丙
Yang Fire
Stems
乙
Yin Wood
Indirect Wealth (偏财)
Day Master controls Element (same polarity)
Core Essence: Windfall, risk, resourceful opportunism
Personality Traits: Adventurous, spontaneous, business-savvy, resilient under pressure
Life Themes: Entrepreneurship, unconventional income sources, thrill of risk-reward cycles
Imbalance Signs: Greed, gambling tendencies, scattered energy
Soul Medicine: Anchor wild ambition in ethical purpose and long-term clarity
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Day Master
丙
Yang Fire
Stems
庚
Yang Metal
Direct Wealth (正财)
Day Master controls Element (opposite polarity)
Core Essence: Tangible gain through effort; grounded ambition
Personality Traits: Responsible, pragmatic, achievement-oriented, sometimes conservative
Life Themes: Financial responsibility, stable relationships, and reward tied to hard work
Imbalance Signs: Over-control, rigidity, prioritizing material over emotional fulfillment
Soul Medicine: Reconnect with generosity, sensual joy, and trust in flow, not just outcome
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Day Master
丙
Yang Fire
Stems
辛
Yin Metal
Discover Your Hidden Ten Gods
Beyond the visible Heavenly Stems of your pillars lie the hidden stems tucked within each Earthly Branch. These elements may not show up at surface level, but they still interact with your Day Master, revealing a quieter, more internalized layer of Ten God archetypes. To identify them, examine the hidden stems in the Earthly Branches of your Year, Month, Day, and Hour Pillars, and pair each with your Day Master just as you did with the visible ones. These Hidden Ten Gods can represent ancestral influence, emotional depth, latent talents, and karmic patterns. Especially when they’re seasonally strong or activated by Luck Pillars and annual energies.
To uncover your Hidden Ten Gods, refer to the Earthly Branches table, which lists the concealed Heavenly Stems within each branch. These hidden stems may not appear on the surface of your BaZi chart, but they quietly influence your inner world and life path. Once identified, you can compare each hidden stem to your Day Master, just as you did with the visible stems.