🐀 The 12 Earthly Branches — The Animal Spirits & Seasons
The Bottom Half of Your Pillars
The 12 Earthly Branches are the bottom halves of your pillars. They bring season, time, and a zodiac animal spirit. Each Branch contains a hidden mix of elements — but we’ll keep it simple for now.
🔥 Fire Branches (Summer)
- Yin (Tiger) — Early spring. Bold, adventurous, initiating.
- Wu (Horse) — Peak summer. Passionate, free-spirited, dramatic.
- Xu (Dog) — Autumn turning to winter. Loyal, protective, grounded.
⛰️ Earth Branches (Transitions)
- Chen (Dragon) — Spring into summer. Charismatic, ambitious, volatile.
- Wei (Goat) — Summer into autumn. Gentle, artistic, peace-loving.
- Chou (Ox) — Winter into spring. Stubborn, steady, hardworking.
- Xu (Dog) — also Earth, transitional.
⚔️ Metal Branches (Autumn)
- Shen (Monkey) — Clever, inventive, mischievous.
- You (Rooster) — Precise, organized, sharp-tongued.
💧 Water Branches (Winter)
- Hai (Pig) — Gentle, generous, pleasure-loving.
- Zi (Rat) — Deepest winter. Intelligent, strategic, secretive.
🌱 Wood Branches (Spring)
- Yin (Tiger) — also Wood. Leader energy.
- Mao (Rabbit) — Gentle, diplomatic, peacemaker.
The Branch your Day Master sits on is your marriage palace — it describes your relationships. The whole chart combines Stems and Branches like a cosmic play. Next, we learn to decode the supporting cast: the 10 Gods.