A comprehensive guide to the 10 Heavenly Stems (천간) and 12 Earthly Branches (지지) in Korean Saju.
The Heavenly Stems (천간, Cheon-gan) and Earthly Branches (지지, Ji-ji) are the alphabetical building blocks of Korean Saju. Just as the Latin alphabet combines letters into words and sentences, these 22 cosmic symbols combine into pillars and charts that tell the story of your destiny. Understanding them individually is essential to reading any Saju chart.
The 10 Heavenly Stems represent celestial energy — the pure, archetypal expression of the Five Elements in both Yin and Yang forms. They cycle in order: 甲 (Gap), 乙 (Eul), 丙 (Byeong), 丁 (Jeong), 戊 (Mu), 己 (Gi), 庚 (Gyeong), 辛 (Sin), 壬 (Im), 癸 (Gye). Each stem carries the essence of its element in its purest form — when you encounter a Heavenly Stem in your chart, you're reading the celestial intention for that pillar of your life.
The 12 Earthly Branches represent terrestrial energy — the practical, manifested expression of cosmic forces on Earth. They correspond to the 12 animals of the zodiac: 子 (Ja, Rat), 丑 (Chuk, Ox), 寅 (In, Tiger), 卯 (Myo, Rabbit), 辰 (Jin, Dragon), 巳 (Sa, Snake), 午 (O, Horse), 未 (Mi, Sheep), 申 (Sin, Monkey), 酉 (Yu, Rooster), 戌 (Sul, Dog), 亥 (Hae, Pig). Each Branch contains hidden Stems within it, adding layers of complexity.
Published: 2026-01-31
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