The Ten Gods in BaZi: a worked example with Jia Wood

These are relationship labels

The Ten Gods classify the relationship between a heavenly stem and the Day Master. First identify the element relationship: the same element, what it produces, what it controls, what controls it, or what produces it. Matching or differing yin-yang polarity divides those five groups into ten.

For example, Jia is yang Wood and Yi is yin Wood. With Jia as the Day Master, another Jia is 比肩 (Peer), while Yi is 劫财 (Rob Wealth). English translations vary, so the Chinese terms help when comparing references.

Work through a Jia Wood example

Each pair below compares the other stem with Jia. Recalculate the relationship when the Day Master changes.

• Same element: Jia is 比肩 (Peer); Yi is 劫财 (Rob Wealth).
• Wood produces Fire: Bing is 食神 (Eating God); Ding is 伤官 (Hurting Officer).
• Wood controls Earth: Wu is 偏财 (Indirect Wealth); Ji is 正财 (Direct Wealth).
• Metal controls Wood: Geng is 七杀 (Seven Killings); Xin is 正官 (Direct Officer).
• Water produces Wood: Ren is 偏印 (Indirect Resource); Gui is 正印 (Direct Resource).

A traditional name is not a literal outcome

Direct Wealth does not guarantee a high salary. Hurting Officer does not accuse someone of harmful behavior, and Seven Killings is not a prediction of disaster. These are inherited category names with further traditional interpretations, not measured probabilities or judgments of character.

A fuller reading may consider season, hidden stems, positions and combinations. Interpretive schools do not all treat those factors in the same way. Rating a whole chart from one label skips the assumptions that the interpretation depends on.

Try checking one relationship yourself

Find the Day Master, choose another visible stem, and work out its element relationship and polarity. Wenbu’s English chart uses short reflection labels: Responsibility corresponds to 正官 (Direct Officer), and Challenge to 七杀 (Seven Killings). These differ from the traditional English names above. A branch can contain several hidden stems; the element diagram counts visible characters rather than scoring the Ten Gods.

For practice, compare Xin with Jia: Metal controls Wood and the polarities differ, giving Direct Officer. Compare the same Xin with Yi and the polarities match, giving Seven Killings. To go further, ask the Agent to explain the calculation first, then the additional assumptions behind an interpretation.