The 10 heavenly stems – meaning from Jia to Gui
Published on October 22, 2026
The ten heavenly stems are the upper character of every pillar in the Chinese calendar. Each stands for one of the five elements in its yang form (strong, outward) or yin form (gentle, inward). Together with the twelve earthly branches they form the cycle of 60 pillars.
The ten stems at a glance
甲 Jia (yang wood, tree), 乙 Yi (yin wood, flower), 丙 Bing (yang fire, sun), 丁 Ding (yin fire, candle), 戊 Wu (yang earth, mountain), 己 Ji (yin earth, field), 庚 Geng (yang metal, sword), 辛 Xin (yin metal, jewellery), 壬 Ren (yang water, river), 癸 Gui (yin water, rain).
Yang and yin – two kinds of the same force
Yang stems act directly, visibly and outwardly; yin stems subtly, adaptably and inwardly. A yang wood person grows straight up like a tree, a yin wood person always finds a way like a vine.
Where stems appear
In every pillar of the chart, in the hidden stems of the earthly branches, in years, months and days – and in the Qi Men chart. Two stems can combine (stem combination) or clash.
Frequently asked questions
Why are they called “heavenly stems”?+
They stand for the heavenly, visible force – unlike the earthly branches, which form the earthly basis.
Which stem is the best?+
There is no best. Each has strengths; what counts is the interplay in the chart.
How do stems relate to years?+
The stems change in turn every year: years ending in 4 have 甲, in 5 乙 and so on – 2026 is a 丙 year (yang fire).