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孔子曰.乾.陽也.坤.陰也.陰陽合德.五行之本.受生於天.則受成於地.稟氣於陽.定形於陰.體無偏立.故各有合.總而言之.干爲陽.屬天.支爲地.屬陰.別而言之.干自有陰陽.甲陽.乙陰.丙陽.丁陰.戊陽.己陰.庚陽.辛陰.壬陽.癸陰.支亦自有陰陽.子陽.丑陰.寅陽.卯陰.辰陽.巳陰.午陽.未陰.申陽.酉陰.戌陽.亥陰.各象天地.而自相配合.有夫婦之道.干合者.己爲甲妻.故甲與己合.辛爲丙妻.故丙與辛合.癸爲戊妻.故癸與戊合.乙爲庚妻.故乙與庚合.丁爲壬妻.故壬與丁合.季氏陰陽說曰.木八畏庚九.故以妹乙妻庚.庚氣在秋.和以木氣.是以薺麥當秋而生.所謂妻來之義.火七畏壬六.故以妹丁妻壬.壬得火熱氣.故款冬當冬而華.金九畏丙七.故以妹辛妻丙.丙得金氣.故首夏靡草薺麥死.故夏至之後.三庚爲伏.以畏火也.土五畏甲八.故以妹己妻甲.土帶陰陽.合以雌嫁木.故能生物也.水六畏土五.故以妹癸妻戊.五行相和.是其合也.支合者.日月行次之所合也.正月.日月會於諏訾之次.諏訾.亥也.一名豕韋.斗建在寅.故寅與亥合.二月.日月會於降婁之次.降婁.戌也.斗建在卯.故卯與戌合.三月.日月會於大梁之次.大梁.酉也.斗建在辰.故辰與酉合.四月.日月會於實沈之次.實沈.申也.斗建在巳.故巳與申合.五月.日月會於鶉首之次.鶉首.未也.斗建在午.故午與未合.六月.日月會於鶉火之次.鶉火.午也.斗建在未.故未與午合.七月.日月會於鶉尾之次.鶉尾.巳也.斗建在申.故申與巳合.八月.日月會於壽星之次.壽星.辰也.斗建在酉.故酉與辰合.九月.日月會於大火之次.大火.卯也.斗建在戌.故戌與卯合.十月.日月會於析木之次.析木.寅也.斗建在亥.故亥與寅合.十一月.日月會於星紀之次.星紀.丑也.斗建在子.故子與丑合.十二月.日月會於玄枵之次.玄枵.子也.一名天鼋.斗建在丑.故丑與子合.玄枵者.玄.黑也.枵.秏也.陰氣盛.故萬物始動.猶未出生.天下空虛.謂之曰秏.星紀者.紀.統也.領萬物所終始也.析木者.萬物始萌.分別水木也.大火者.東方木也.心宿在卯.火出木心也.壽星者.萬物始達.各任其命也.鶉尾者.南方朱雀之宿.以軫尾也.鶉火者.陽氣盛大.火星昬中在七星朱鳥之處也.鶉首者.南方之宿.其形象鳥.以井爲冠.以柳爲口也.實沈者.陰氣沈重.降實於物也.大梁者.強也.白露巳降.萬物堅強也.降婁者.降.下也.婁.曲也.陰氣上侵.萬物萎曲也.諏訾者.陰盛陽伏.萬物愁哀也.凡陰陽相配.善惡理均.凶不全凶.吉不獨吉.吉終則凶.凶終則吉.故合不專合.復有離義.就支干配日辰.乃有五合.五離.五合者.河圖云.甲寅乙卯天地合.丙寅丁卯日月合.戊寅己卯人民合.庚寅辛卯金石合.壬寅癸卯江河合.五離者.甲申乙酉天地離.甲申丁酉日月離.戊申己酉人民離.庚申辛酉金石離.壬申癸酉江河離.寅卯.陽之所昇.能生萬物.日常出之.月滿又出.東方少陽生長之處.物所欣會.故以爲合.申酉.陰之所湊.肅殺之方.日月皆沒於其所.西方少陰衰老之處.物之所惡.故以爲離.甲乙日干之首.卦屬乾坤.故比天地.丙丁陽光之盛.故方日月.戊己居中.能成萬物.故類人民.庚辛體自金石.壬癸居然江河.凡爲萬事.吉則從合.凶則從離.遇合則休.遇離則否.選日定時.卜筮之用.彌所用也.
Confucius said: Qian represents yang, Kun represents yin. 🌱 The interaction and fusion of yin and yang energies form the foundation of the Five Elements. All things receive life from heaven and form from earth; they gain energy from yang qi and take shape in yin qi. Nothing exists in isolation, so everything has its complementary counterpart.
In general: The Heavenly Stems (天干) belong to yang and symbolize heaven, while the Earthly Branches (地支) belong to yin and symbolize earth. Looking closer: The Heavenly Stems themselves are also divided into yin and yang—Jia (甲) is yang, Yi (乙) is yin; Bing (丙) is yang, Ding (丁) is yin; Wu (戊) is yang, Ji (己) is yin; Geng (庚) is yang, Xin (辛) is yin; Ren (壬) is yang, Gui (癸) is yin. Similarly, the Earthly Branches are divided into yin and yang—Zi (子) is yang, Chou (丑) is yin; Yin (寅) is yang, Mao (卯) is yin; Chen (辰) is yang, Si (巳) is yin; Wu (午) is yang, Wei (未) is yin; Shen (申) is yang, You (酉) is yin; Xu (戌) is yang, Hai (亥) is yin. They each symbolize heaven and earth and naturally pair with each other, much like the relationship between husband and wife.
The rules of Heavenly Stems pairing (天干相合) are as follows:
Ji's Theory of Yin and Yang explains:
🌳 Wood (Jia) fears the restraint of Metal (Geng), so it marries its sister Yi to Geng. Geng belongs to autumn metal, which harmonizes with wood energy, which is why shepherd's purse and wheat grow in autumn—this is the "meaning of the wife coming."
🔥 Fire (Bing) fears the restraint of Water (Ren), so it marries its sister Ding to Ren. Ren receives the heat of fire, which is why coltsfoot flowers bloom in winter.
⚔️ Metal (Geng) fears the restraint of Fire (Bing), so it marries its sister Xin to Bing. Bing receives metal energy, which is why in early summer, delicate grasses and wheat wither. After the summer solstice, there are three periods of intense heat (三伏天) because metal fears fire.
⛰️ Earth (Wu) fears the restraint of Wood (Jia), so it marries its sister Ji to Jia. Earth itself has both yin and yang attributes; by marrying yin softness to yang wood, it can transform and generate all things.
🌊 Water (Ren) fears the restraint of Earth (Wu), so it marries its sister Gui to Wu.
In this way, the Five Elements achieve a balance of mutual generation and harmony.
Earthly Branches pairing (地支相合) is determined based on the positions where the sun and moon meet in their orbits:
These star positions have their own meanings:
In the pairing of yin and yang, fortune and misfortune are always relative—there is no absolute misfortune nor sole fortune. Extreme fortune turns to misfortune, and extreme misfortune turns to fortune. Therefore, the principle of "separation" (离) is inherently contained within "harmony" (合).
In the system of matching Heavenly Stems and Earthly Branches with days, there exist "Five Harmonies" (五合) and "Five Separations" (五离):
Five Harmonies (as recorded in the Hetu):
Five Separations:
Yin and Mao are places where yang energy rises and nurtures growth; the sun and moon often rise here, representing the eastern lesser yang, where all things gather joyfully—hence harmony.
Shen and You are where yin energy converges, representing restraint and harvest; the sun and moon set here, representing the western lesser yin and decline, where all things wither and scatter—hence separation.
Jia and Yi are the first of the Stems, symbolizing heaven and earth;
Bing and Ding represent the peak of sunlight, analogous to the sun and moon;
Wu and Ji are central, nurturing all things, comparable to people;
Geng and Xin are inherently like metal and stone;
Ren and Gui have attributes similar to rivers.
In all matters, encountering harmony is auspicious, suitable for advancement, cooperation, and initiation; encountering separation is inauspicious, suitable for restraint, termination, and avoidance. This principle is widely applied in selecting dates, timing, and divination.
The dynamic balance of yin-yang and the Five Elements' harmony and separation permeates all things in heaven and earth. "Harmony" is not mere addition but the achievement of balance through the complementarity of different energies; "separation" is not complete rupture but the transformation and reorganization of energy phases.
The Dao of harmony and separation is essentially a "philosophy of change":
Related Concepts:
Further Reading:
Modern Research: