Combinations and Clashes in BaZi
The characters of a chart don't stand on their own: stems and branches attract, clash with and harm each other. The classical tables of these interactions are the basis of how BaZi talks about events.
Stem Combinations
Five pairs of stems attract each other. Each pair is linked to an element into which the combination can “transform”; schools debate when the transformation actually happens, since it depends on the season and the strength of the elements.
| Pair | Resulting element |
|---|---|
| 甲 Jia + 己 Ji | Earth |
| 乙 Yi + 庚 Geng | Metal |
| 丙 Bing + 辛 Xin | Water |
| 丁 Ding + 壬 Ren | Wood |
| 戊 Wu + 癸 Gui | Fire |
In a chart, a combination means alliance and attraction between the areas of life of two pillars: an agreement, sometimes at the cost of a concession.
Stem Clashes
Four pairs stand opposite each other in the cycle, and the element of one suppresses the element of the other: 甲 and 庚, 乙 and 辛, 丙 and 壬, 丁 and 癸. The earth stems 戊 and 己 have no clashes. In a chart, this is a conflict of goals and opinions between the pillars' areas of life.
Six Harmonies of the Branches
| Pair | Element |
|---|---|
| 子 Rat + 丑 Ox | Earth |
| 寅 Tiger + 亥 Pig | Wood |
| 卯 Rabbit + 戌 Dog | Fire |
| 辰 Dragon + 酉 Rooster | Metal |
| 巳 Snake + 申 Monkey | Water |
| 午 Horse + 未 Goat | Fire (Earth in other tables) |
This is a warm bond: help and agreement between the pillars' areas of life.
Three Harmony and Seasonal Combinations
Three branches spaced four apart in the cycle combine into one element: 申 子 辰 into Water, 亥 卯 未 into Wood, 寅 午 戌 into Fire, 巳 酉 丑 into Metal. Two of the three, including the central one (子, 卯, 午 or 酉), form a Half Three Harmony combination: the same theme, only weaker.
A seasonal combination is three branches of the same season: 寅 卯 辰 are spring and Wood, 巳 午 未 summer and Fire, 申 酉 戌 autumn and Metal, 亥 子 丑 winter and Water. The element of such a combination becomes the theme of the whole chart.
Branch Clashes, Harms and Punishments
| Interaction | Pairs | Meaning |
|---|---|---|
| Clash | 子 午, 丑 未, 寅 申, 卯 酉, 辰 戌, 巳 亥 | change, movement, tension: moves, disputes, sudden turns |
| Harm | 子 未, 丑 午, 寅 巳, 卯 辰, 申 亥, 酉 戌 | hidden irritation and misunderstandings |
| Punishment | 寅 巳 申 — ungrateful punishment, 丑 戌 未 — bullying punishment, 子 卯 — rude punishment | friction and trials that teach; difficulties caused by your own excesses |
| Self-punishment | 辰 辰, 午 午, 酉 酉, 亥 亥 | a person creates their own difficulties: perfectionism, repeated mistakes |
Reading Them by Pillar
An interaction between two characters concerns the areas of life of their pillars. A clash between the day branch and the year branch is tension between your personal life and your family line; a combination of the month pillar with the day pillar is support from your career and social circle. The same goes for Luck Pillars and years: if the year's branch clashes with your day branch, the year traditionally brings changes in your personal life, a move or a change of job. The BaZi calculator finds all these interactions in the chart and in the coming years.
Frequently asked questions
Is a clash always bad?
No. It means movement and change; a clash can even help a stagnant chart. The assessment depends on the whole chart.
Which matters more, a combination or a clash?
Classical texts analyze them together: a combination can “undo” a clash, and a clash can break up a combination. The calculator shows all the interactions; weighing them is a job for a consultant.
Does the calculator account for element transformation?
It shows which element a combination forms, but it doesn't decide whether the transformation has taken place: that depends on the season and on strength, and schools disagree on it.