Learn BaZi · 地支
Animal signs in BaZi
One birth-year animal is only a starting point. Look across all four pillars to see which branches clash, pair up or form a group.
Each pillar has a Heavenly Stem above an Earthly Branch. The animal belongs to the branch below, not the stem. Year, Month, Day and Hour can each carry a different animal; none is a verdict on your personality or future.
Six Clashes (六冲)
Six pairs traditionally describe opposing directions. A clash can be read as tension, movement or a need to adjust. It is not a diagnosis of conflict between two people, and it is not automatically harmful.
- Rat 子Horse 午
- Ox 丑Goat 未
- Tiger 寅Monkey 申
- Rabbit 卯Rooster 酉
- Dragon 辰Dog 戌
- Snake 巳Pig 亥
Six Harmonies (六合)
Six fixed pairs describe a connection or binding. Harmony can suggest coordination, but a connection may also constrain flexibility. Identifying the pair does not establish transformation or tell us whether it helps the whole chart.
- Rat 子Ox 丑
- Tiger 寅Pig 亥
- Rabbit 卯Dog 戌
- Dragon 辰Rooster 酉
- Snake 巳Monkey 申
- Horse 午Goat 未
Three Harmonies (三合)
Here the pattern is a group of three distinct branches, associated with a shared element. The group name is not the order of pillars: its members can appear in different positions. All three must be present to call the membership complete.
- WaterMonkey 申Rat 子Dragon 辰
- WoodPig 亥Rabbit 卯Goat 未
- FireTiger 寅Horse 午Dog 戌
- MetalSnake 巳Rooster 酉Ox 丑
The middle branch in each group name is its traditional seasonal centre: Rat, Rabbit, Horse or Rooster. Two members that include it are often called a half-harmony; two outer members are not the same structure. Neither is a full triad. Partial-group interpretations vary by school; the app identifies complete triads, not a half-strength score.
Fictional teaching examples
Read left to right: Year → Month → Day → Hour
These are branch-only schematics, not verified natal charts. Stems, birth dates and personal profiles are deliberately absent. Highlighted branches show the relationship under discussion; other relationships may coexist.
A clash next door
- Year卯RabbitOther branch
- Month子RatInvolved
- Day午HorseInvolved
- Hour酉RoosterOther branch
Month Rat 子 ↔ Day Horse 午 · adjacent
Rat and Horse sit in neighbouring Month and Day positions. In a proximity-based traditional reading, this makes their connection more direct. It does not tell us which side is stronger or predict an argument. Rabbit–Rooster is another clash here; highlighting one pair does not erase the rest.
The same clash, farther apart
- Year子RatInvolved
- Month卯RabbitOther branch
- Day酉RoosterOther branch
- Hour午HorseInvolved
Year Rat 子 ↔ Hour Horse 午 · separated
The Rat–Horse pair is still present at Year and Hour, with two pillars between. Some schools give this less immediate emphasis; distance does not remove the pair. This rearrangement also changes the Month Branch, so it is not a controlled comparison of whole-chart strength.
Two branches pulling together
- Year寅TigerOther branch
- Month子RatInvolved
- Day丑OxInvolved
- Hour卯RabbitOther branch
Month Rat 子 + Day Ox 丑 · Six Harmony
Rat and Ox form a named pair. Their adjacent placement draws attention to the connection, not an automatic benefit. Think of two tasks becoming linked: that can help coordination, but can also make it harder to change one independently. This is an analogy, not a forecast.
A connection across the chart
- Year子RatInvolved
- Month寅TigerOther branch
- Day卯RabbitOther branch
- Hour丑OxInvolved
Year Rat 子 + Hour Ox 丑 · separated Six Harmony
Rat and Ox remain a recognised pair even with branches between them. A reader checks placement and the intervening branches before deciding how much emphasis to give it. It is not zero strength, and it is not a promise of easy cooperation.
All three members are present
- Year申MonkeyInvolved
- Month子RatInvolved
- Day辰DragonInvolved
- Hour午HorseOther branch
Year Monkey 申 + Month Rat 子 + Day Dragon 辰 · complete Water group
Monkey, Rat and Dragon complete the Water group; their written order need not match the group name. The Month Rat supplies seasonal context, but this is not proof of transformation. Hour Horse also clashes with Rat: both relationships remain relevant, rather than one automatically cancelling the other.
Two members are not a full triad
- Year申MonkeyInvolved
- Month子RatInvolved
- Day卯RabbitOther branch
- Hour午HorseOther branch
Year Monkey 申 + Month Rat 子 · Dragon 辰 is missing
Monkey and Rat belong to the Water group, but Dragon is absent. This centre-containing pair is often called a half-harmony (半合); schools differ about its effect. Half is a traditional name, not 50% strength. Without the centre branch, Monkey–Dragon is also incomplete and should not be labelled a full triad.
Which is stronger? Start with context.
Clash and harmony describe different relationships, not entries on one power ladder. We use a structural, context-first teaching convention: recognise the pattern, then consider placement, season, support and competing links. Different schools may weigh these differently.
- Which branches, and where?
- Start with the named pair or group and its pillar positions. Adjacent branches are often read as more directly connected in proximity-based schools; separated branches are not automatically inactive. The app detects pair presence without an adjacency multiplier.
- What does the season support?
- The Month Branch sets the seasonal backdrop. Check the elements and hidden stems across the chart rather than counting animals. A branch favoured by the season and supported elsewhere is not equivalent to the same branch without support.
- Is the group complete?
- A full triad offers a broader shared-element structure than a two-member fragment. Three distinct members are required; repeating Rat cannot replace missing Dragon. Completeness is not a measured power score or proof that it beats a clash.
- What else shares these branches?
- A branch can join a harmony and a clash at the same time. Keep both on the page and examine their support and placement. There is no universal rule here that Six Harmony beats Six Clash, or Three Harmony beats everything.
- Presence, influence or transformation?
- These are separate questions. Naming members is reproducible; judging influence requires context. Transformation needs additional, school-dependent conditions and is not established by this app. Strength also does not mean usefulness: that depends on the whole chart and the question being asked.
Use the pattern as a question, not a verdict
Clash: make room for adjustment
Imagine a study plan that needs focus while a group project keeps changing. The clash metaphor invites you to negotiate time and priorities. It does not mean Rat and Horse people cannot work together. Ask: which competing needs can I name clearly?
Harmony: cooperate without getting stuck
Two teammates coordinate a presentation and agree on a shared outline. That connection helps, but agreement can also stop them questioning a weak idea. Ask: where would cooperation help, and where do we need independent judgement?
Three Harmonies: a shared direction
Research, writing and presenting can support one shared project. A complete-team analogy explains the group, not a guarantee of success. Without one role, the project still needs support. Ask: what is missing, and does the shared direction serve the actual goal?
These stories are reflection tools, not predicted effects of your chart. Do not avoid someone because of an animal sign or make important decisions from a single pair. Real circumstances, communication and choices matter.