Jia Zi (甲子): the Yang Wood Rat, pillar 1 of 60
Last checked · images quoted from the San Ming Tong Hui on Chinese Wikisource; dates calculated
Compiled by the Fengshui Zen editors · About and method
甲子 is pillar 1 of the sixty: the yang wood stem 甲 Jia over the Rat branch 子 Zi. The last 甲子 year was 1984 and the next is 2044; the next 甲子 day is Dec 16, 2026. The San Ming Tong Hui gives it the image of a treasure, and it shares the Na Yin Sea Metal (海中金) with 乙丑.
Stem
甲 Jia · Yang Wood
Branch
子 Zi · Rat · Water
Na Yin
海中金 Sea Metal
Void branches
戌亥 (Dog, Pig)
甲子 in the San Ming Tong Hui (三命通會)
By Wan Minying (Ming dynasty), chapter one, quoted from Chinese Wikisource; translations are ours.
Image, from the list of the sixty pillars
甲子……为宝物
甲子: a treasure.
Why its Na Yin is called 海中金, from 「论纳音取象」
气在包藏，有名无形，犹人之在母腹也
Its qi is still wrapped and hidden, with a name but no form, like a person still in the mother's womb.
Its Na Yin against the facing one, 沙中金 (甲午 and 乙未)
海中沙中，水土之辨，阴阳之分也
Sea Metal and Sand Metal: the difference between water and earth, the division of yin and yang.
The likes, dislikes and star names that follow in the book are not reproduced. Read 三命通會 卷一 on Wikisource.
Inside the 甲子 pillar
| Hidden stem in 子 | Element | Ten God from 甲 |
|---|---|---|
| 癸 Gui (main) | Yin Water | Direct Resource 正印 |
| Branch element against the stem | Water 水: an element that produces the stem (Wood) |
|---|---|
| Root of the stem | Jia has no root in 子: none of its hidden stems is Wood |
| Twelve stages | Jia is in 沐浴 Bath on 子 |
| Ten-day group (旬) | starts with 甲子; void branches 戌 Xu, 亥 Hai |
| As an hour pillar | the Rat hour, 23:00-01:00, on 甲 and 己 days |
How 子 Zi relates to the other branches
| Six Harmony (六合) | 丑 Chou (Ox), associated with Earth |
|---|---|
| Clash (六冲) | 午 Wu (Horse) |
| Harm (六害) | 未 Wei (Goat) |
| Punishment (刑) | 卯 Mao |
| Three Harmony (三合) | 申子辰: the Water frame |
| Seasonal group (方合) | 亥子丑: North, Winter, Water |
甲 Jia against each Day Master
| Day Master | 甲 is its | Chinese |
|---|---|---|
| 甲 Jia Wood | Friend | 比肩 Bi Jian |
| 乙 Yi Wood | Rob Wealth | 劫财 Jie Cai |
| 丙 Bing Fire | Indirect Resource | 偏印 Pian Yin |
| 丁 Ding Fire | Direct Resource | 正印 Zheng Yin |
| 戊 Wu Earth | Seven Killings | 七杀 Qi Sha |
| 己 Ji Earth | Direct Officer | 正官 Zheng Guan |
| 庚 Geng Metal | Indirect Wealth | 偏财 Pian Cai |
| 辛 Xin Metal | Direct Wealth | 正财 Zheng Cai |
| 壬 Ren Water | Eating God | 食神 Shi Shen |
| 癸 Gui Water | Hurting Officer | 伤官 Shang Guan |
甲子 years, 1900 to 2100
Next 甲子 months and days
China Standard Time; a month runs from one jie solar term to the next.
Months
- Dec 6, 2028 to Jan 5, 2029
- Dec 7, 2033 to Jan 5, 2034
Days
- Dec 16, 2026
- Feb 14, 2027
- Apr 15, 2027
- Jun 14, 2027
- Aug 13, 2027
- Oct 12, 2027
FAQ
Is 甲子 a good or bad pillar?
Not on its own; that depends on the whole chart, which this site does not read. Structurally, Jia has no root in 子, which clashes with 午 and combines with 丑.
What is the Na Yin of Jia Zi?
Sea Metal (海中金), which Jia Zi shares with 乙丑 Yi Chou; the Na Yin names go in pairs, 30 for the 60 pillars. The San Ming Tong Hui explains how the name was chosen in its 论纳音取象 section, quoted above.
Which years are Jia Zi (甲子) years?
Between 1900 and 2100: 1924, 1984, 2044. Each starts at Lichun, around February 4, not on January 1. Under the Chinese New Year rule the same years are the Year of the Yang Wood Rat.
Neighboring and related pillars
Quotations keep the script of the source. Not a reading, a prediction or advice.