The 60-cycle is traditionally read in groups of ten, each ten beginning with the stem 甲 paired with a different branch. Each row links to a detailed reference page covering the stem-branch pairing, hidden stems, Nayin classification, 3-Harmony grouping, direction set, Ten God interactions, and years carrying that Jiazi.
Sexagenary Cycle · Complete Reference
The 60 Jiazi 六十甲子
The complete cycle of 60 stem-branch combinations that anchors Chinese astronomy, BaZi, calendrics, and divination. Anchored to 1984 (甲子, position 0), the cycle repeats every 60 years — making it the largest unit of classical Chinese time-keeping that still maps to a human lifetime.
- Composition
- 10 Heavenly Stems × 12 Earthly Branches, paired by matching polarity (Yang stem with Yang branch, Yin with Yin) — producing exactly 60 unique combinations.
- Cycle anchor
- 1984 = 甲子 (position 0). 1985 = 乙丑 (position 1). And so on.
- Decade structure
- Six 旬 (decades) of 10 Jiazis each, every 旬 starting with 甲. Each 旬 has 2 missing Earthly Branches called the 旬空 (void).
- Used in
- BaZi (year/month/day/hour pillars), Chinese calendar, Qi Men Dun Jia, Zi Wei Dou Shu, traditional medicine cycles, fortune-telling, and astronomical observations.
All 60 Jiazi by decade (旬)
甲子旬Positions 1–10
| # | Jiazi | Name | Nayin (納音) |
|---|---|---|---|
| #1 | 甲子 | Yang Wood Rat (Jiǎ Zǐ) | 海中金Sea Gold (Metal) |
| #2 | 乙丑 | Yin Wood Ox (Yǐ Chǒu) | 海中金Sea Gold (Metal) |
| #3 | 丙寅 | Yang Fire Tiger (Bǐng Yín) | 炉中火Furnace Fire (Fire) |
| #4 | 丁卯 | Yin Fire Rabbit (Dīng Mǎo) | 炉中火Furnace Fire (Fire) |
| #5 | 戊辰 | Yang Earth Dragon (Wù Chén) | 大林木Great Forest Wood (Wood) |
| #6 | 己巳 | Yin Earth Snake (Jǐ Sì) | 大林木Great Forest Wood (Wood) |
| #7 | 庚午 | Yang Metal Horse (Gēng Wǔ) | 路旁土Roadside Earth (Earth) |
| #8 | 辛未 | Yin Metal Goat (Xīn Wèi) | 路旁土Roadside Earth (Earth) |
| #9 | 壬申 | Yang Water Monkey (Rén Shēn) | 剑锋金Sword-Edge Gold (Metal) |
| #10 | 癸酉 | Yin Water Rooster (Guǐ Yǒu) | 剑锋金Sword-Edge Gold (Metal) |
甲戌旬Positions 11–20
| # | Jiazi | Name | Nayin (納音) |
|---|---|---|---|
| #11 | 甲戌 | Yang Wood Dog (Jiǎ Xū) | 山头火Mountaintop Fire (Fire) |
| #12 | 乙亥 | Yin Wood Pig (Yǐ Hài) | 山头火Mountaintop Fire (Fire) |
| #13 | 丙子 | Yang Fire Rat (Bǐng Zǐ) | 涧下水Stream-Bottom Water (Water) |
| #14 | 丁丑 | Yin Fire Ox (Dīng Chǒu) | 涧下水Stream-Bottom Water (Water) |
| #15 | 戊寅 | Yang Earth Tiger (Wù Yín) | 城头土City-Wall Earth (Earth) |
| #16 | 己卯 | Yin Earth Rabbit (Jǐ Mǎo) | 城头土City-Wall Earth (Earth) |
| #17 | 庚辰 | Yang Metal Dragon (Gēng Chén) | 白蜡金White-Wax Gold (Metal) |
| #18 | 辛巳 | Yin Metal Snake (Xīn Sì) | 白蜡金White-Wax Gold (Metal) |
| #19 | 壬午 | Yang Water Horse (Rén Wǔ) | 杨柳木Willow Wood (Wood) |
| #20 | 癸未 | Yin Water Goat (Guǐ Wèi) | 杨柳木Willow Wood (Wood) |
甲申旬Positions 21–30
| # | Jiazi | Name | Nayin (納音) |
|---|---|---|---|
| #21 | 甲申 | Yang Wood Monkey (Jiǎ Shēn) | 泉中水Spring Water (Water) |
| #22 | 乙酉 | Yin Wood Rooster (Yǐ Yǒu) | 泉中水Spring Water (Water) |
| #23 | 丙戌 | Yang Fire Dog (Bǐng Xū) | 屋上土Roof Earth (Earth) |
| #24 | 丁亥 | Yin Fire Pig (Dīng Hài) | 屋上土Roof Earth (Earth) |
| #25 | 戊子 | Yang Earth Rat (Wù Zǐ) | 霹雳火Thunderbolt Fire (Fire) |
| #26 | 己丑 | Yin Earth Ox (Jǐ Chǒu) | 霹雳火Thunderbolt Fire (Fire) |
| #27 | 庚寅 | Yang Metal Tiger (Gēng Yín) | 松柏木Pine-Cedar Wood (Wood) |
| #28 | 辛卯 | Yin Metal Rabbit (Xīn Mǎo) | 松柏木Pine-Cedar Wood (Wood) |
| #29 | 壬辰 | Yang Water Dragon (Rén Chén) | 长流水Long-Flowing Water (Water) |
| #30 | 癸巳 | Yin Water Snake (Guǐ Sì) | 长流水Long-Flowing Water (Water) |
甲午旬Positions 31–40
| # | Jiazi | Name | Nayin (納音) |
|---|---|---|---|
| #31 | 甲午 | Yang Wood Horse (Jiǎ Wǔ) | 沙中金Sand Gold (Metal) |
| #32 | 乙未 | Yin Wood Goat (Yǐ Wèi) | 沙中金Sand Gold (Metal) |
| #33 | 丙申 | Yang Fire Monkey (Bǐng Shēn) | 山下火Mountainfoot Fire (Fire) |
| #34 | 丁酉 | Yin Fire Rooster (Dīng Yǒu) | 山下火Mountainfoot Fire (Fire) |
| #35 | 戊戌 | Yang Earth Dog (Wù Xū) | 平地木Plain-Ground Wood (Wood) |
| #36 | 己亥 | Yin Earth Pig (Jǐ Hài) | 平地木Plain-Ground Wood (Wood) |
| #37 | 庚子 | Yang Metal Rat (Gēng Zǐ) | 壁上土Wall Earth (Earth) |
| #38 | 辛丑 | Yin Metal Ox (Xīn Chǒu) | 壁上土Wall Earth (Earth) |
| #39 | 壬寅 | Yang Water Tiger (Rén Yín) | 金箔金Gold-Foil Metal (Metal) |
| #40 | 癸卯 | Yin Water Rabbit (Guǐ Mǎo) | 金箔金Gold-Foil Metal (Metal) |
甲辰旬Positions 41–50
| # | Jiazi | Name | Nayin (納音) |
|---|---|---|---|
| #41 | 甲辰 | Yang Wood Dragon (Jiǎ Chén) | 覆灯火Lamp Fire (Fire) |
| #42 | 乙巳 | Yin Wood Snake (Yǐ Sì) | 覆灯火Lamp Fire (Fire) |
| #43 | 丙午 | Yang Fire Horse (Bǐng Wǔ) | 天河水Heavenly-River Water (Water) |
| #44 | 丁未 | Yin Fire Goat (Dīng Wèi) | 天河水Heavenly-River Water (Water) |
| #45 | 戊申 | Yang Earth Monkey (Wù Shēn) | 大驿土Great-Way Earth (Earth) |
| #46 | 己酉 | Yin Earth Rooster (Jǐ Yǒu) | 大驿土Great-Way Earth (Earth) |
| #47 | 庚戌 | Yang Metal Dog (Gēng Xū) | 钗钏金Hairpin-Bracelet Gold (Metal) |
| #48 | 辛亥 | Yin Metal Pig (Xīn Hài) | 钗钏金Hairpin-Bracelet Gold (Metal) |
| #49 | 壬子 | Yang Water Rat (Rén Zǐ) | 桑柘木Mulberry Wood (Wood) |
| #50 | 癸丑 | Yin Water Ox (Guǐ Chǒu) | 桑柘木Mulberry Wood (Wood) |
甲寅旬Positions 51–60
| # | Jiazi | Name | Nayin (納音) |
|---|---|---|---|
| #51 | 甲寅 | Yang Wood Tiger (Jiǎ Yín) | 大溪水Great-Stream Water (Water) |
| #52 | 乙卯 | Yin Wood Rabbit (Yǐ Mǎo) | 大溪水Great-Stream Water (Water) |
| #53 | 丙辰 | Yang Fire Dragon (Bǐng Chén) | 沙中土Sand Earth (Earth) |
| #54 | 丁巳 | Yin Fire Snake (Dīng Sì) | 沙中土Sand Earth (Earth) |
| #55 | 戊午 | Yang Earth Horse (Wù Wǔ) | 天上火Heavenly Fire (Fire) |
| #56 | 己未 | Yin Earth Goat (Jǐ Wèi) | 天上火Heavenly Fire (Fire) |
| #57 | 庚申 | Yang Metal Monkey (Gēng Shēn) | 石榴木Pomegranate Wood (Wood) |
| #58 | 辛酉 | Yin Metal Rooster (Xīn Yǒu) | 石榴木Pomegranate Wood (Wood) |
| #59 | 壬戌 | Yang Water Dog (Rén Xū) | 大海水Great-Sea Water (Water) |
| #60 | 癸亥 | Yin Water Pig (Guǐ Hài) | 大海水Great-Sea Water (Water) |
Find your own Jiazi pillars
Your full BaZi chart contains four Jiazis — one each for Year, Month, Day, and Hour. The Day Pillar Jiazi is especially significant: its stem becomes your Day Master. Compute your full chart with the BaZi Calculator (solar-time corrected), or book a one-on-one consultation for a rigorous reading.
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