Heavenly Stems combination, is the mutual transformation of Heavenly Stems one of the main forms. It combines two Heavenly Stems of different Yin-Yang and Five Elements, through combination, into a single Five Element. During the combination process, both different Five Elements undergo changes in both quality and quantity. The existence of either party is predicated on the existence of the other. These two Five Elements are always in a dynamic balance of ebb and flow, advance and retreat.
Relative balance is a fundamental law and principle of development. Therefore, the essence of combination also has a fundamentally unbalanced aspect, and things always develop by leaning towards a certain force. Alternatively, the trend of development is often interfered with by certain factors, meaning that even the way Heavenly Stems combine must conform to this premise. Thus, the essence of combination is not absolutely fair and just; it must involve a Yin-Yang restraining relationship, and it must involve submission and compulsion. Therefore, it can be understood that: Heavenly Stems combination is when two forces achieve directional consistency and reach a common mode of operation within a unified timeframe. Once the combined Five Elements become dominant, this relative balance must be broken, and in another stage of development, a Yin-Yang generating and restraining relationship occurs, namely combination without transformation. In Bazi, there is no concept of being “tied up”; it should be considered as “restraining.”。
The fundamental attributes of matter also influence its own laws of motion, and in the process of motion, many causal components and contradictory dualities are manifested. It is precisely these factors that determine the impact of the situation’s development on people at that time. As for its ultimate outcome, a reasonable judgment must be made based on its impact on people or the needs of factual development. Heavenly Stems Combination and Transformation Whether successful or not, it inherently has no auspicious or inauspicious meaning; it only refers to the intentions of people and things: If combined auspiciously, it is auspicious; if combined inauspiciously, it is inauspicious.。
Heavenly Stems combination means a harmonious union, aiming to achieve a certain purpose by integrating forces to form a unified situation. Naturally, this also means the weaker party has to give up itself or its power, while the stronger party’s power continuously expands.
Heavenly Stems combination means two originally clashing Five Elements, through the act of combination, simultaneously undergo changes in quality and quantity, transforming into a single Five Element.
Heavenly Stems combination means that the combined Stem must absolutely yield to the dominant Stem, fully embodying the Five Element attribute of the dominant Stem, and the combined Stem no longer interacts with its original Five Element.
I. Five Types and Characteristics of Heavenly Stems Combination
Five Types of Heavenly Stems Combination: Jia-Ji combine to transform into Earth, Yi-Geng combine to transform into Metal, Bing-Xin combine to transform into Water, Ding-Ren combine to transform into Wood, Wu-Gui combine to transform into Fire.。
Common characteristics: All involve a relationship between a dominant and a subdued Five Element, and all possess a Yin and Yang relationship. Only when they have a Yin-Yang relationship can clashing Five Element Heavenly Stems combine. This is what is meant by “one Yin and one Yang constitute the Dao” in the “Xici Zhuan” (Appended Remarks).
The difference is: in the process of combination for the first two groups, there are main combining and being combined stems; in the process of combination for the latter three groups, there are no main combining stems of the Five Elements, all are being combined stems of the Five Elements.
1. Jia-Ji combine and transform into Earth, Yi-Geng combine and transform into Metal.
The Five Elements formed by the combination of the two combining stems are the same as the Five Elements of one of the two combining stems.
Characteristics of combination: In the process of combination and transformation, the being combined stem of the Five Elements undergoes a qualitative change, transferring its power to the main combining stem, which increases the power of the main combining Five Elements, resulting in a quantitative change.
The annual stem Ji Earth and the monthly stem Jia Wood, closely combine. Jia Wood sits in the monthly command, and after successful combination and transformation into the same Five Elements (Jia-Ji combine and transform into Earth), Jia Wood has changed its attribute to Earth, undergoing a qualitative change. It can no longer interact with other elements as Wood. The power of Ji Earth increases, resulting in a quantitative change.
2. Bing-Xin combine and transform into Water, Ding-Ren combine and transform into Wood, Wu-Gui combine and transform into Fire.
The Five Elements formed by the combination of the two combining stems are different from the Five Elements of the two combining stems.
Characteristics of combination: In the process of combination and transformation, both being combined stems of the Five Elements undergo a qualitative change, transferring their power to another type of Five Elements. At the same time, the power of the transformed Five Elements increases, resulting in a quantitative change.
The annual stem Bing Fire and the monthly stem Xin Metal, closely combine and transform. Among them, the branch on which the annual stem Bing Fire sits is the transformed Five Elements, and the daily stem Ren Water is also the same transformed Five Elements. Bing-Xin successfully combine and transform into Water. Both Bing Fire and Xin Metal undergo a qualitative change and no longer interact with other elements as Bing Fire or Xin Metal. Instead, the power of the heavenly stem Ren Water increases, resulting in a quantitative change.
II. Conditions for Heavenly Stems Combination
For Heavenly Stems to combine, certain conditions must be met to achieve the desired outcome. The strength and weakness of Heavenly Stems and Earthly Branches vary in each monthly cycle, which determines the success or failure of the Heavenly Stem combination. Of course, this also includes the strong roots of Earthly Branches and Earthly Branch Punishments, Clashes, and Combinations.
1. Both combining Heavenly Stems must be closely adjacent. In a birth chart, this refers to the Year Stem and Month Stem, Month Stem and Day Stem, and Day Stem and Hour Stem. The Stems of the Year, Month, Day, and Hour, in relation to the Grand Cycle (大运), Annual Cycle (流年), and also the Annual Cycle’s Heavenly Stems in relation to the Grand Cycle, are all considered closely adjacent.
2. At least one of the Earthly Branches supporting the two combining Heavenly Stems must be the same transformed Five Element.
3. For Heavenly Stems to combine, the monthly command (月令) must be the same transformed Five Element. (For example, Jia-Ji combining to transform into Earth in Si or Wu months is also considered the same transformed Five Element, because Si and Wu Fire are the ‘Lu’ and ‘Ren’ positions for Earth).
4. Besides Jia-Ji combination and Yi-Geng combination, for Bing-Xin, Ding-Ren, and Wu-Gui combinations, the Heavenly Stems must reveal the transformed Five Element for the combination to be successful.
5. When Year and Month combine, if the monthly command is not the same transformed Five Element, but the Year Branch is the same transformed Five Element, the combination can also be successful. (This is because the Year is the Tai Sui, and Tai Sui is greater than the monthly command).
6. When the birth chart combines with the Grand Cycle and Annual Cycle, the Earthly Branches supporting the Grand Cycle and Annual Cycle must be the same transformed Five Element.
7. For Heavenly Stems to combine, if the monthly command is not the same transformed Five Element, but there is an Earthly Branch combination that forms the same Five Element, it can also be considered a successful transformation. (This is because an Earthly Branch combination is greater than the monthly command).
8. When Heavenly Stems combination and Earthly Branches combination contend for the transforming deity, if the Heavenly Stems combination and Earthly Branches combination transform into different Five Elements, the Heavenly Stems combination must yield to the Earthly Branches combination.
9. When there is a combination in the original Natal Chart (Bazi), if the combined Stem has a strong root, it is not considered a strong root, but rather a transformation.
10. When there is a combination between the original Natal Chart and the Grand Luck (Dayun) or Annual Luck (Liunian), if the combined root has a strong root, it is considered a strong root, not a transformation (regardless of whether the strong root is in the Natal Chart or in the Luck cycles).
11. Heavenly Stems combinations must yield to Earthly Branches’ Punishment, Clash, and Combination. (Because Earthly Branches’ Punishment, Clash, and Combination determine the strength and weakness of Heavenly Stems).
The Day Stem Ji Earth combines with the Hour Stem Jia Wood, and the two Stems are closely adjacent. Among them, the Hour Stem Jia Wood’s sitting branch Chen Earth and the monthly command Xu Earth are both the same Five Elements after transformation. Therefore, the Jia-Ji combination transforming into Earth in the Day and Hour is considered successful.
The Day Stem Jia Wood combines with the Hour Stem Ji Earth, and the two Stems are closely adjacent. Their sitting branches are also the same Five Elements after transformation, but the monthly command is Si, and Si-Wu is the place of prosperity and blade for Earth. Therefore, the Jia-Ji combination transforming into Earth in the Day and Hour is considered successful.
If Jia Wood is the Day Master and combines to form other Five Elements, it should still be analyzed for its interactions (generation and control) with other Five Elements according to its original Five Elements.
The Year Stem Yi Wood combines with the Month Stem Geng Metal, and the two Stems are closely adjacent. Among them, the Year Stem Yi Wood’s sitting position is the same Five Elements after transformation, and Chen-You combines to transform into Metal is successful. Therefore, the Yi-Geng combination transforming into Metal is successful (this is a Heavenly Stem and Earthly Branch combination).
In this chart, the annual stem Ding Fire and the monthly stem Ren Water combine, with the two stems closely aligned. The earthly branch supporting the monthly stem Ren Water is the same element as the transformed element, and the daily stem Yi Wood is also the same element as the transformed element. Therefore, the combination of Ding-Ren in the year and month transforming into Wood is considered successful.
If the monthly command is not the same element as the transformed element, but there is a combination in the earthly branches that forms the same element, it is also considered a successful transformation.
The monthly stem Ding Fire and the daily stem Ren Water combine, with the two stems closely aligned. However, neither the monthly command nor the earthly branches supporting the two stems are the same element as the transformed element, so the conditions for transformation are not met. But the earthly branches Hai-Mao-Wei form a three-combination Wood frame is successful, and both the annual branch and monthly branch transform into the Wood element. Therefore, the Ding-Ren combination transforming into Wood is successful.
When stems combine in the original chart, if the combined stem has a strong root, it is not considered a strong root, but rather a transformation.
The annual stem Jia Wood and the monthly stem Ji Earth combine, with the two stems closely aligned. The earthly branches supporting the two stems and the monthly command are also the same element. Although the daily branch Mao Wood is a root for Jia Wood, it does not affect the Jia-Ji combination transforming into Earth.
12. When stems combine in the original chart with the Grand Cycle (Dayun) or the Annual Cycle (Liunian), or when the Grand Cycle combines with the Annual Cycle, if the combined stem has a strong root, it is considered a strong root, not a transformation.
In the Grand Cycle Ji Si, the annual pillar’s heavenly stem Jia Wood combines with the Grand Cycle’s heavenly stem Ji Earth. The two stems are considered closely aligned, and Ji Earth sits on Si Fire, which originally met the conditions. However, Jia Wood has a strong root beneath it, so it is not considered a successful transformation.
In the original chart with the Grand Cycle or the Annual Cycle, the earthly branch supporting the Grand Cycle or Annual Cycle must be the same element as the transformed element.
In Dayun Yiyou, the Geng metal in the year pillar’s heavenly stem and the Yi wood in the Dayun’s heavenly stem combine, which can be considered closely aligned. The earthly branch supporting the Dayun’s heavenly stem Yi wood is the same transformed five element, so the Yi-Geng combination successfully transforms into metal.
Heavenly stem combinations must yield to earthly branch punishments, clashes, and combinations.
The Jia wood in the year pillar’s heavenly stem and the Ji earth in the month pillar’s heavenly stem combine, with the two stems closely aligned. The earthly branches supporting both stems and the monthly command are all the same transformed five element. However, the You metal in the day branch and the Si fire in the month branch form a half-metal combination, and the Chen earth in the hour branch successfully transforms into a metal combination. The Chen earth in the year branch strengthens this combination. Thus, it combines away the Si fire in the month branch and the Chen earth in the year branch. Jia and Ji, lacking roots in the earthly branches, therefore cannot successfully transform.
13. If, in a heavenly stem combination, the combined stem has one or more additional stems and there are strong roots in the earthly branches, it is not considered a successful transformation, but rather a competing combination that does not combine.
The day stem Ji earth and the hour stem Jia wood combine, with the two stems closely aligned. The earthly branch supporting Jia wood and the monthly command are both the same transformed five element. However, the year stem also reveals Jia wood, which sits on strong roots, with the monthly command as its storage root, and has roots in the day branch. Earthly branch roots are not distinguished by proximity. Therefore, two Jia combine with one Ji, resulting in a competing combination that does not combine, and is thus considered not combined.
14. If, in a heavenly stem combination, the combined stem has one or more additional stems, and there are no strong roots in the earthly branches, and the earthly branch five elements follow the strong trend of the main combining stem, it is considered a successful transformation, and not a competing combination that does not combine.
III. Situations of Competing Combinations That Do Not Combine
Combination refers to the relationship between the main combiner and the combined, where the combined five element strongly submits to the main combining five element and completely gives up its own strength. When the combined five element also has strong roots, it changes the relative balance of things, thereby triggering a competing combination that does not combine.
When the main combining stem has one or more additional stems, the issue of competing combinations does not exist.
Combination and competing combination are forms of power struggle among the five elements through their generating and controlling cycles, and are Five Elements Generation and Restriction the strength of which determines the final outcome. From a purely theoretical perspective, it has little practical significance. However, in terms of symbolic principles, its significance is extraordinary. Therefore, regarding the issue of unsuccessful contending combinations, one must have a dialectical and adaptable understanding.
1. Wu-Gui Combination Transforms into Fire
If there are multiple Gui Water and Wu Earth stems, and there are no strong roots in the Earthly Branches, and the Five Elements in the Earthly Branches follow the strong trend of Fire, it is considered a successful combination and transformation.
The annual stem Gui Water and monthly stem Wu Earth combine, the two stems are closely adjacent, the Earthly Branches supporting both stems and the monthly command are all the same Five Element as the transformed element, and Ding Fire appears in the hour stem. Therefore, the Wu-Gui combination successfully transforms into Fire. The daily stem Wu Earth also has roots in the annual, monthly, daily, and hourly branches, and rooting in Earthly Branches does not distinguish between near and far. Even with contending combinations, Fire is strong. Therefore, here it is not considered an unsuccessful contending combination, but rather a successful combination and transformation.
2. Bing-Xin Combination Transforms into Water
(1) If there are multiple Xin Metal stems and strong roots in the Earthly Branches, it is considered a successful combination and transformation.
The annual stem Bing Fire combines with the monthly stem Xin Metal, the two stems are closely adjacent, the Earthly Branch supporting Bing Fire is the same Five Element as the transformed element, and Ren Water appears in the daily stem. Therefore, the Bing-Xin combination successfully transforms into Water. The hourly stem Xin Metal and monthly stem Xin Metal are rooted in the daily branch, and because rooting does not distinguish between near and far, the hourly stem Xin Metal also contends to combine with Bing Fire. Bing-Xin combines and transforms into Water, and strong Metal generates Water, which follows the trend of the Earthly Branches and the transforming deity in the Heavenly Stems. Therefore, it is not considered a contending combination, but rather a successful combination and transformation.
(2) If there are multiple Bing Fire stems and strong roots in the Earthly Branches, it is considered an unsuccessful contending combination. If there are no strong roots in the Earthly Branches, it is considered a successful combination and transformation.
The annual stem Bing Fire combines with the monthly stem Xin Metal, the two stems are closely adjacent, the Earthly Branch supporting the annual stem Bing Fire is the same Five Element as the transformed element, and Ren Water, the transforming deity, appears in the daily stem. It should have successfully combined and transformed. However, both the hourly stem Bing Fire and the annual stem Bing Fire are rooted in the daily and hourly branches, and the two Fire stems in the hour contend to combine with the monthly stem Xin Metal. This is an unsuccessful contending combination.
3. Ding-Ren Combination Transforms into Wood
(1) If there is one or more additional Ren Water stems, and the earthly branches have strong roots, it is considered a transformation.
When Ding Fire in the year pillar combines with Ren Water in the month pillar, the two stems are close, and Ren Water sits on the month branch, which is the same element as the transformation, and the day master Jia Wood appears, the Ding-Ren combination successfully transforms into Wood. Although both Ren Water in the hour pillar and Ren Water in the month pillar have roots in the year branch, and Ren Water in the hour pillar competes to combine with Ding Fire in the year stem, however, strong Water generates Wood, following the strong trend of the transformed five elements. Therefore, it is not considered a competing combination that fails, but rather a successful transformation.
(2) If there is one or more additional Ding Fire stems, and the earthly branches have strong roots, it is not considered a transformation, but rather a competing combination that fails. If the earthly branches have no strong roots, it is considered a transformation.
When Ding Fire in the year pillar combines with Ren Water in the month pillar, the two stems are close, Ren Water sits on the month branch, which is the same element as the transformation, and the day master Jia Wood appears to induce the transformation, the conditions for Ding-Ren transformation are met. However, both Ding Fire in the hour pillar and Ding Fire in the year pillar have roots in the day branch, and have qi in the month and year branches. Ding Fire in the hour pillar competes to combine with Ren Water in the month pillar, which is considered a competing combination that fails.
4. Generating and Controlling Relationships After Transformation
1. Through the mutual transformation of heavenly stems the conversion of the power of the five elements，when the Heavenly Stems successfully combine and transform, the combined element takes on the attributes of the dominant element. At this point, one must observe the influence that the elements, both before and after transformation, have on human affairs and needs. Based on favorable and unfavorable elements, combining with an unfavorable element leads to misfortune, while combining with a favorable element leads to good fortune.
The Day Master Yi Wood gains strength, rooted in the month and hour branches, indicating a strong self. Wu Earth gains longevity in the month branch, rooted in the day branch. Comparatively, the self is strong, so the use of Eating God/Output to generate wealth is favorable. However, the successful combination and transformation of Ding and Ren in the pillars brought significant hidden dangers to the native: parents had a bad marriage, the native herself followed her mother through multiple marriages in childhood, and suffered an injury, resulting in lifelong disability.
2. The Day Master is the center of the birth chart. Therefore, in the combination of Heavenly Stems, only when the Day Master is combined and transformed into another element, the Day Master still interacts (generates and overcomes) according to its original element.
Jia Wood Day Master, gains strength, rooted in the month branch. However, Wu and Ji Earth appear in the pillars, rooted in the year branch, and also Chen-Chen self-punishment, it is advisable to use Resource and Companion elements as favorable。
The Ji Earth in the month pillar combines with the Day Master Jia Wood, the two stems are close. The month branch is not the same element as the transformed combination, but the Chen-Chen self-punishment is successful, and the Jia-Ji combination and transformation is successful. However, the Day Master Jia Wood still interacts (generates and overcomes) with other elements according to its original element.
The result is Chen-Chen self-punishment, harming the Resource Star. Jia-Ji combines into Earth, making the Day Master weak with heavy wealth. This describes a woman who is dull, simple-minded, and very frugal.
3. In Bazi numerology, there is no concept of “He Ban” (combination and restraint) for Heavenly Stem combinations and transformations. Originally, these are two conflicting elements. If the combination and transformation is successful, they do not conflict; if not, they do. Whether combined or not, or combined but not transformed, all manifest as a struggle in the birth chart: combining an unfavorable god into a favorable god brings good fortune; combining a favorable god into an unfavorable god brings misfortune. In practical application, whether the Heavenly Stems successfully combine and transform or not, they are all uniformly regarded as conflicts.