Ten Gods in Bazi: Polarity Rules and Worked Examples

A practical Ten Gods reference: five element relationships, yin-yang polarity, and all ten examples for a Jia Wood Day Master.

See the Ten Gods in your own chart

Five relationships, ten labels

Compare the other stem with the Day Master in two steps: identify the element relationship, then compare yin-yang polarity. Same polarity does not universally mean Direct. For Resource, Wealth and Power, the Direct label uses opposite polarity. Companion and Output have their own names, so a single Direct-versus-Indirect shortcut is misleading.

Reference table: a Jia 甲 Day Master

Jia is yang Wood. Read each row relative to Jia, not as a permanent label attached to the other stem. Changing the Day Master changes the relationship. The examples below cover all ten Heavenly Stems.

Reference table: a Jia 甲 Day Master
Other stem	Relationship to Jia	Ten God
甲 Jia · yang Wood	Same element, same polarity	比肩 Companion
乙 Yi · yin Wood	Same element, opposite polarity	劫财 Rob Wealth
丙 Bing · yang Fire	Produced by Jia, same polarity	食神 Eating God
丁 Ding · yin Fire	Produced by Jia, opposite polarity	伤官 Hurting Officer
戊 Wu · yang Earth	Controlled by Jia, same polarity	偏财 Indirect Wealth
己 Ji · yin Earth	Controlled by Jia, opposite polarity	正财 Direct Wealth
庚 Geng · yang Metal	Controls Jia, same polarity	七杀 Seven Killings
辛 Xin · yin Metal	Controls Jia, opposite polarity	正官 Direct Officer
壬 Ren · yang Water	Produces Jia, same polarity	偏印 Indirect Resource
癸 Gui · yin Water	Produces Jia, opposite polarity	正印 Direct Resource

Resource: what produces the Day Master

Water produces Wood. For Jia, yang Water Ren 壬 is Indirect Resource (偏印), while yin Water Gui 癸 is Direct Resource (正印). Traditional readings associate Resource with learning and support. The label does not establish someone’s education, family experience or access to help.

Output: what the Day Master produces

Wood produces Fire. For Jia, yang Fire Bing 丙 is Eating God (食神), while yin Fire Ding 丁 is Hurting Officer (伤官). These names are commonly interpreted through expression and activity. They do not demonstrate creativity, rebelliousness or workplace behavior.

Wealth and Power: the controlling relationships

Wood controls Earth: Wu 戊 is Indirect Wealth (偏财) and Ji 己 is Direct Wealth (正财) for Jia. Metal controls Wood: Geng 庚 is Seven Killings (七杀) and Xin 辛 is Direct Officer (正官). Wealth and Power are symbolic categories; their presence cannot establish income, status, risk tolerance or financial capacity.

Companion and the wider chart

A second Jia is Companion (比肩); Yi 乙 is Rob Wealth (劫财). The latter name does not mean that a friend will steal from you. A traditional reading also considers season, branches and interactions. A single label is not enough even within that framework, and the full framework is not a verified life-outcome predictor.

FAQ

Does same polarity always mean Direct?

No. Resource, Wealth and Power use opposite polarity for their Direct forms. Use the relationship table rather than applying one naming rule to every pair.

Does a Wealth star mean I will be rich?

No. Wealth is a relationship label in the chart, not a forecast or a measure of earning ability.

Is Seven Killings a danger warning?

No. It is a traditional name for a controlling element with the same polarity as the Day Master, not evidence of physical danger.

Can I check the example against my own chart?

Yes, if your Day Master is Jia. Otherwise use your own Day Master’s element and polarity; the same other stem can receive a different label.

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