Heaven and Earth Corresponding: The Relationship Between Heavenly Stems and Earthly Branches
In the previous article, we explored the origins of the Ten Heavenly Stems. This time, we turn to their counterpart—the Twelve Earthly Branches. These two systems are interrelated, much like voltage and current in physics. Voltage gives rise to current, and the two interact in complex ways. When the Yin-Yang combinations of the Stems and Branches are matched, they form sixty distinct pairings known as the “Sexagenary Cycle” or Liu Shi Jia Zi (六十甲子). In a sense, these cycles are to metaphysical systems what power is to electricity—a way of quantifying dynamic energy.
The Sixty Jia Zi Cycle formed by the combination of Heavenly Stems and Earthly Branches
But this “energy” isn’t used to power machines. Instead, it is applied in Chinese metaphysics to analyze a person’s destiny and assess the distribution of auspicious and inauspicious energies across different spaces—whether it’s a home, an office, or a production site. Only by fully understanding these principles can one provide truly meaningful guidance in feng shui arrangements, personal adornment, or spatial layout.
The Twelve Earthly Branches and the Chinese Zodiac
The Twelve Earthly Branches are: Zi (子), Chou (丑), Yin (寅), Mao (卯), Chen (辰), Si (巳), Wu (午), Wei (未), Shen (申), You (酉), Xu (戌), and Hai (亥). These form the backbone of the traditional Chinese zodiac—an aspect of Chinese culture familiar even to many in the West. Each Branch corresponds to one of the twelve animals of the zodiac: rat, ox, tiger, rabbit, dragon, snake, horse, goat, monkey, rooster, dog, and pig.
The twelve animals corresponding to the Twelve Earthly Branches
Every person in Chinese culture is born under one of these signs, which is believed to endow certain personality traits. For instance, those born in the year of the Rat are often said to be clever, while those of the Dog are loyal, and those of the Snake are cunning. However, these are generalizations. Every individual’s destiny must be understood holistically, in the context of their full birth chart (BaZi), rather than judged solely by their zodiac animal.
The Deeper Meaning of the Earthly Branches
In fact, the Earthly Branches have applications far beyond the zodiac. In true Chinese metaphysics and authentic feng shui, their importance is profound. So where did the Twelve Earthly Branches come from?
The answer lies in the interplay between the Earth and the solar system. As mentioned earlier, the Heavenly Stems represent the celestial influences—energies generated by planetary movement within the solar system, expressed as the Five Elements (Wood, Fire, Earth, Metal, Water) in Yin-Yang form. The Earthly Branches, in turn, are the terrestrial manifestation of these cosmic energies. In line with the Chinese metaphysical principle “As above, so below,” the movement of planets generates subtle energy fields that express themselves in structured patterns on Earth. These energy patterns are what the ancient sages encoded into the Twelve Earthly Branches.
Diagram illustrating the correspondence between celestial and terrestrial energies
In essence, the Branches are markers that capture how the energies of the cosmos express themselves on Earth over time. Ancient Chinese philosophers observed the Earth’s cyclical energy changes and represented them using twelve symbolic markers—thus the name “Earthly Branches” (Di Zhi, 地支). These are not random symbols; they encode the behavior of terrestrial qi in regular patterns.
Correspondence Between Earthly Branches and Five Elements
Here’s a simplified breakdown of what each Branch represents in terms of the Five Elements and energy states:
This orderly sequence reflects the dynamic transformation of energy on Earth through the cycle of the Five Elements, continually shifting between strength and decline, Yin and Yang.
East-West Comparison
| 方面/Aspect | 中國系統/Chinese System | 西方系統/Western System |
|---|---|---|
| 基礎/Basis | 月球週期與木星軌道/Lunar cycle and Jupiter’s orbit | 太陽軌道/Solar orbit |
| 週期/Period | 12年(60年完整週期)/12 years (60-year complete cycle) | 12個月/12 months |
| 元素/Elements | 五行: 木火土金水/Five Elements: Wood, Fire, Earth, Metal, Water | 四元素: 土氣火水/Four Elements: Earth, Air, Fire, Water |
| 陰陽/Yin-Yang | 每個符號有陰陽屬性/Each sign has Yin-Yang attributes | 無明確陰陽區分/No explicit Yin-Yang distinction |
| 應用/Application | 命運分析、風水、醫學/Destiny analysis, feng shui, medicine | 性格分析、占星術/Personality analysis, astrology |
Conclusion
Understanding the true origin of the Twelve Earthly Branches helps us appreciate their deeper meaning. As we’ve seen, they are more than just symbols for zodiac animals. They are a sophisticated time-space system, rooted in the ancient Chinese understanding of cosmology and natural law. Only by grasping the interplay between the Ten Heavenly Stems, the Twelve Earthly Branches, and the sixty-year cycle they create can one begin to truly enter the gateway of Chinese metaphysical thought—and offer sound guidance to navigate fortune and misfortune in life.
地支與天干的關係
在上一篇文章中，我們探討了十天干的起源。這次，我們轉向它們的對應物——十二地支。這兩個系統相互關聯，就像物理學中的電壓和電流。電壓產生電流，兩者以複雜的方式相互作用。當天干和地支配對形成陰陽組合時，它們形成了六十種不同的配對，稱為「六十甲子」。在某種意義上，這些週期對於形上學系統來說，就像電力中的功率一樣——一種量化動態能量的方式。
地支的應用
但這種「能量」不是用來驅動機器的。相反，它在中國形上學中被應用來分析一個人的命運，並評估不同空間中吉凶能量的分佈——無論是家庭、辦公室還是生產場地。只有充分理解這些原理，才能在風水佈局、個人裝飾或空間佈局中提供真正有意義的指導。
十二地支與生肖
十二地支是：子、丑、寅、卯、辰、巳、午、未、申、酉、戌、亥。這些構成了中國傳統生肖的骨幹——這是中國文化中即使在西方也廣為人知的一個方面。每個地支對應十二生肖中的一種動物：鼠、牛、虎、兔、龍、蛇、馬、羊、猴、雞、狗、豬。
在中國文化中，每個人都出生在這些生肖之一下，這被認為賦予了某些人格特質。例如，出生在鼠年的人通常被認為聰明，狗年出生的人忠誠，而蛇年出生的人狡猾。然而，這些都是概括性的說法。每個人的命運必須在其完整生辰八字（八字）的背景下全面理解，而不是僅憑其生肖動物來判斷。
地支的宇宙起源
事實上，地支的應用遠不止於生肖。在真正的中國形上學和正統風水中，它們的重要性是深遠的。那麼十二地支從何而來？
答案在於地球和太陽系之間的相互作用。如前所述，天干代表天體影響——太陽系內行星運動產生的能量，以五行（木、火、土、金、水）的陰陽形式表達。而地支則是這些宇宙能量在地球上的表現。根據中國形上學原則「如上，如下」，行星的運動產生了微妙的能量場，這些能量場在地球上以結構化的模式表現自己。這些能量模式就是古代聖賢編碼到十二地支中的內容。
本質上，地支是捕捉宇宙能量隨時間在地球上表現方式的標記。中國古代哲學家觀察到地球的週期性能量變化，並使用十二個象徵性標記來表示它們——因此得名「地支」。這些不是隨機符號；它們編碼了地球氣在規律模式中的行為。
地支與五行能量
以下是每個地支在五行和能量狀態方面的簡要分解：
這種有序的序列反映了地球能量通過五行循環的動態轉化，在強弱、陰陽之間不斷變化。
中西方對比
十二地支系統與西方占星術有著有趣的相似之處，兩者都試圖將宇宙模式與地球上的事件聯繫起來：
| 方面 | 中國地支系統 | 西方占星術 |
|---|---|---|
| 基礎 | 基於木星12年週期和月球週期 | 基於太陽在黃道十二宮的運行 |
| 時間單位 | 12年、12月、12時辰 | 12個月、12星座 |
| 元素系統 | 五行（木、火、土、金、水） | 四元素（土、氣、火、水） |
| 應用 | 命理、風水、中醫、農業 | 性格分析、預測、心理學 |
結語
理解十二地支的真正起源有助於我們欣賞它們的更深層含義。正如我們所見，它們不僅僅是生肖動物的象徵。它們是一個複雜的時空系統，植根於中國古代對宇宙論和自然法則的理解。只有掌握十天干、十二地支以及它們創造的六十年週期之間的相互作用，才能開始真正進入中國形上學思想的大門——並提供良好的指導來應對生活中的吉凶禍福。