Ji Earth Day Master (己): the Yin Earth stem in BaZi
Last checked · verse from the Di Tian Sui on Chinese Wikisource; tables calculated
己 (Ji) is the sixth Heavenly Stem, the yin partner of 戊 Wu in earth. The Di Tian Sui opens its verse with "Ji earth is low and moist, central and upright, storing and holding", and its annotation describes Ji as the earth of fields and gardens.
Stem
己 Ji
Element and polarity
Yin Earth
Combines with
甲 Jia (Earth)
Clashes with
none (earth stem)
The Ji verse in the Di Tian Sui (滴天髓)
Verse traditionally attributed to Jingtu (京圖), with the annotation attributed to Liu Ji (劉基, Ming dynasty); quoted from Chinese Wikisource. The translation is ours.
己土卑濕，中正蓄藏，不愁木盛，不畏水旺，火少火晦，金多金明，若要物昌，宜助宜幫。
Ji earth is low and moist, central and upright, storing and holding. It does not worry when wood is abundant, nor fear when water is strong. With little fire, the fire is dimmed; with much metal, the metal shines. If things are to flourish, it needs help and support.
The verse uses human words (kind, loyal, filial) for how the stems act on one another in a chart; it does not describe people.
What the annotation says
Ji is the earth of fields and gardens, low and moist, an offshoot of Wu earth. Soft earth feeds wood rather than being overcome by it, and deep earth absorbs water rather than being washed away. Rootless fire cannot produce damp earth, so a little fire is dimmed; moist earth nourishes metal, so much metal shines.
The annotation opens with 「己為田園之土」 (the earth of fields and gardens). Summarized in our words from the annotation on the same 天干論 page on Wikisource.
Earth in the Huainanzi (淮南子)
The Huainanzi, 天文訓 chapter, lists each direction with its element, season, planet and animal, and ends with the two stems of its days.
中央，土也……執繩而制四方。其神為鎮星，其獸黃龍，其音宮，其日戊己。
Direction: Center · Season: none (it 'governs the four directions') · Planet: Saturn (鎮星) · Animal: Yellow Dragon (黃龍) · Note: gong (宮)
Ten Gods for a Ji Earth Day Master
What each of the ten stems is called, seen from this Day Master.
| Stem | Element | Ten God | Chinese |
|---|---|---|---|
| 甲 Jia | Yang Wood | Direct Officer | 正官 Zheng Guan |
| 乙 Yi | Yin Wood | Seven Killings | 七杀 Qi Sha |
| 丙 Bing | Yang Fire | Direct Resource | 正印 Zheng Yin |
| 丁 Ding | Yin Fire | Indirect Resource | 偏印 Pian Yin |
| 戊 Wu | Yang Earth | Rob Wealth | 劫财 Jie Cai |
| 己 Ji | Yin Earth | Friend | 比肩 Bi Jian |
| 庚 Geng | Yang Metal | Hurting Officer | 伤官 Shang Guan |
| 辛 Xin | Yin Metal | Eating God | 食神 Shi Shen |
| 壬 Ren | Yang Water | Direct Wealth | 正财 Zheng Cai |
| 癸 Gui | Yin Water | Indirect Wealth | 偏财 Pian Cai |
Twelve stages of Ji (长生十二宫)
A yin stem runs backward through the branches from its Growth stage.
| Branch | Animal | Stage |
|---|---|---|
| 酉 You | Rooster | 长生 Growth |
| 申 Shen | Monkey | 沐浴 Bath |
| 未 Wei | Goat | 冠带 Cap and Belt |
| 午 Wu | Horse | 临官 Taking Office |
| 巳 Si | Snake | 帝旺 Prosperity |
| 辰 Chen | Dragon | 衰 Decline |
| 卯 Mao | Rabbit | 病 Sickness |
| 寅 Yin | Tiger | 死 Death |
| 丑 Chou | Ox | 墓 Tomb |
| 子 Zi | Rat | 绝 Extinction |
| 亥 Hai | Pig | 胎 Conception |
| 戌 Xu | Dog | 养 Nurture |
The six Ji day pillars
Ji pairs only with the yin branches, so it appears in six of the sixty pillars.
| Pillar | No. in the cycle | Na Yin | Void branches |
|---|---|---|---|
| 己巳 Ji Si | 6 | 大林木 Forest Wood | 戌亥 |
| 己卯 Ji Mao | 16 | 城头土 City Wall Earth | 申酉 |
| 己丑 Ji Chou | 26 | 霹雳火 Thunderbolt Fire | 午未 |
| 己亥 Ji Hai | 36 | 平地木 Flatland Wood | 辰巳 |
| 己酉 Ji You | 46 | 大驿土 Highway Earth | 寅卯 |
| 己未 Ji Wei | 56 | 天上火 Sky Fire | 子丑 |
Ji is also a hidden stem in 丑 Chou (as the main stem), 午 Wu and 未 Wei (as the main stem).
Next Ji days
China Standard Time dates; one day in every ten.
- Oct 22, 2026 · 己巳
- Nov 1, 2026 · 己卯
- Nov 11, 2026 · 己丑
- Nov 21, 2026 · 己亥
- Dec 1, 2026 · 己酉
- Dec 11, 2026 · 己未
FAQ
How do I find out if my Day Master is Ji Earth?
Your Day Master is the stem of your day pillar. Enter your birth date, time and time zone in the BaZi calculator; if the day pillar starts with 己, your Day Master is Ji.
What is a Ji Earth Day Master?
A BaZi chart whose day pillar has 己 (Ji) as its stem. Ji is the sixth of the ten Heavenly Stems, the yin stem of earth. The Di Tian Sui annotation describes it as the earth of fields and gardens (己為田園之土).
What is the difference between Ji and Wu?
Both are earth. Ji (己) is the yin stem and Wu (戊) the yang one. The Di Tian Sui annotation describes Ji as the earth of fields and gardens and Wu as the earth of hills and ridges. Ji combines with Jia and Wu with Gui.
Which stem combines with Ji, and which clashes with it?
Ji combines with 甲 Jia (the 甲己 combination, associated with Earth). Wu and Ji earth have no clashing stem in the usual list of four stem clashes.
How common is a Ji Day Master?
The day stems repeat every ten days without a break, so exactly one day in ten is a Ji day. The next ones are Oct 22, 2026, Nov 1, 2026, Nov 11, 2026 (China Standard Time dates).
Where does Ji sit in the twelve stages?
In the usual twelve-stage table, Ji has its Chang Sheng (Growth) in 酉 You and its Di Wang (Prosperity) in 巳 Si; as a yin stem it moves backward through the branches.
Other Day Masters
Sources: 滴天髓 (Di Tian Sui), 天干論, on Chinese Wikisource; 淮南子 (Huainanzi), 天文訓, on Chinese Wikisource; Ten God names as in 淵海子平 (Yuan Hai Zi Ping) on Chinese Wikisource. This page describes the traditional system and quotes classical texts; it is not a character reading, a prediction or advice. Terms are given in simplified characters; quotations keep the script of their source. Day pillars: how they are calculated and checked.