BaZi Ten Gods: The Ten Relationships Explained
Once you know your Day Master — the Heavenly Stem of the Day Pillar, which represents the self in BaZi — you can begin to decode the relationships between your Day Master and every other stem in your chart. These relationships are called the Ten Gods (十神, Shí Shén), sometimes translated as the Ten Deities or Ten Spirits. They are the heart of BaZi interpretation: each stem in your chart is not just an element but a specific relationship to the self — a colleague, a child, wealth, authority, or a source of support. Mastering the Ten Gods transforms your reading from elemental analysis into a living story.
What are the Ten Gods in BaZi?
The Ten Gods emerge from the five elemental relationships between the Day Master and any other stem: the same element (Companion), the element the Day Master produces (Output), the element the Day Master controls (Wealth), the element that controls the Day Master (Officer/Influence), and the element that produces the Day Master (Resource). Each of these five relationships splits into two based on Yin and Yang polarity — producing ten distinct archetypes in all. Every stem in your Year, Month, Day, and Hour pillars (and in your luck cycles) is one of these ten relationships to your Day Master.
The five elemental relationships
Before describing each of the Ten Gods, it helps to see the five relationships clearly. In the generating cycle, Wood feeds Fire, Fire creates Earth, Earth produces Metal, Metal enriches Water, and Water nourishes Wood. In the controlling cycle, Wood controls Earth, Earth controls Water, Water controls Fire, Fire controls Metal, and Metal controls Wood. The Day Master sits at the centre: any other stem either shares its element, produces it, is produced by it, controls it, or is controlled by it.
Group 1 — Companion: Friend (Bǐ Jiān) and Rob Wealth (Jié Cái)
Companion stars are stems that share the same element as the Day Master. The Friend (Bǐ Jiān) shares both element and polarity — the same Yin or Yang. The Rob Wealth (Jié Cái) shares the element but has opposite polarity. Companion stars represent peers, siblings, colleagues, and competitors. In positive expression, they bring solidarity, support, and teamwork. In excess or challenging configurations, they indicate rivalry, resource competition, or difficulty maintaining individuality within a group. They govern peer relationships, social network, and the principle of competition.
Group 2 — Output: Eating God (Shí Shén) and Hurting Officer (Shāng Guān)
Output stars are the element produced by the Day Master — what the self creates and expresses. The Eating God (Shí Shén) shares the same polarity as the Day Master; the Hurting Officer (Shāng Guān) has opposite polarity. Output stars govern creativity, self-expression, talent, and the fruits of personal effort. The Eating God is associated with contentment, artistic skill, and steady creative output. The Hurting Officer is associated with brilliance, unconventional thinking, charisma, and the drive to break existing structures. Both represent children symbolically and the output of the self into the world.
Group 3 — Wealth: Direct Wealth (Zhèng Cái) and Indirect Wealth (Piān Cái)
Wealth stars are the element controlled by the Day Master. Direct Wealth (Zhèng Cái) has opposite polarity to the Day Master; Indirect Wealth (Piān Cái) shares the same polarity. Wealth stars govern material resources, financial capacity, and for male Day Masters in the classical tradition, the spouse or romantic partner. Direct Wealth is associated with earned income, discipline, and steady accumulation. Indirect Wealth is associated with windfall, speculation, business acumen, and charm. Both measure the Day Master's ability to manage and attract resources in the world.
The Ten Gods transform the chart from a collection of elements into a cast of characters — each one a specific relationship the self holds with the world.
Group 4 — Influence/Officer: Direct Officer (Zhèng Guān) and Seven Killings (Qī Shā)
Officer stars are the element that controls the Day Master — authority acting upon the self. The Direct Officer (Zhèng Guān) has opposite polarity to the Day Master; the Seven Killings (Qī Shā, also called the Indirect Officer) shares the same polarity. Officer stars govern authority, discipline, rules, status, and for female Day Masters in the classical tradition, the spouse or partner. The Direct Officer is associated with lawful authority, proper structure, career advancement through legitimate channels, and self-restraint. The Seven Killings is associated with intense pressure, unconventional power, military or competitive contexts, and the capacity to achieve extraordinary results under extreme conditions.
Group 5 — Resource: Direct Resource (Zhèng Yìn) and Indirect Resource (Piān Yìn)
Resource stars are the element that produces the Day Master — what nurtures and supports the self. The Direct Resource (Zhèng Yìn) has opposite polarity to the Day Master; the Indirect Resource (Piān Yìn, also called the Seal) shares the same polarity. Resource stars govern support, learning, knowledge, inheritance, and the mother or nurturing figures. The Direct Resource is associated with formal education, institutional support, mother's love, rest, and the capacity to receive help gracefully. The Indirect Resource is associated with unconventional knowledge, specialised skills, spiritual or esoteric learning, and creative inspiration from unexpected sources.
Reading the Ten Gods in your chart
In practice, a BaZi analyst identifies the Ten God for every visible stem in your chart — the Year, Month, Day (other than the Day Master itself), and Hour Heavenly Stems, as well as the Hidden Stems within the Earthly Branches. The pillar position matters: the Month Pillar carries the most weight for career and life direction; the Year Pillar reflects family background and early environment; the Hour Pillar speaks to children, late life, and inner life. Luck cycles (Dà Yùn) then introduce new Ten Gods over ten-year periods, showing how the quality of relationships and opportunities shifts over a lifetime.
What is BaZi? Read the Four Pillars guide →
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Frequently Asked Questions
What are the Ten Gods in BaZi?
The Ten Gods (Shí Shén) are the ten specific relationships between the Day Master and every other stem in a BaZi chart. They arise from five elemental relationships (Companion, Output, Wealth, Officer, Resource), each split into two by Yin/Yang polarity. They describe whether a stem in your chart represents a peer, a talent, a resource, an authority, or a support — turning elemental analysis into a rich narrative about life patterns.
How do I identify the Ten Gods in my BaZi chart?
First identify your Day Master (the Heavenly Stem of your Day Pillar). Then for each other stem in your chart, determine its elemental relationship to your Day Master and its polarity relative to yours. Same element = Companion group; element you produce = Output group; element you control = Wealth group; element that controls you = Officer group; element that produces you = Resource group. Matching polarity gives the Direct/Yang variant; opposite polarity gives the Indirect/Yin variant.
Which of the Ten Gods is most important?
All ten are relevant, but the Ten God in the Month Stem (the Month Heavenly Stem) carries the most weight in classical BaZi, as it governs career direction and life focus. The Ten God of the Day Branch (the Earthly Branch below your Day Master) is also highly significant, as it represents hidden influences on the self. Practitioners assess the balance of all Ten Gods present, noting which groups are strong, weak, or entirely absent.
What does the Seven Killings (Qī Shā) mean in BaZi?
The Seven Killings (Qī Shā) is the element that controls the Day Master with the same polarity — the more intense and direct form of controlling energy. In the classical tradition it represents pressure, competition, unconventional authority, and the capacity to achieve extraordinary results under hardship. When well-managed in a chart it confers power and determination; when overwhelming or unmanaged it can manifest as conflict, recklessness, or excessive pressure from external authority.