Yi Chou (乙丑): the Yin Wood Ox, pillar 2 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
乙丑 is pillar 2 of the sixty: the yin wood stem 乙 Yi over the Ox branch 丑 Chou. The last 乙丑 year was 1985 and the next is 2045; the next 乙丑 day is Dec 17, 2026. The San Ming Tong Hui gives it the image of raw, unworked ore, and it shares the Na Yin Sea Metal (海中金) with 甲子.
Stem
乙 Yi · Yin Wood
Branch
丑 Chou · Ox · Earth
Na Yin
海中金 Sea Metal
Void branches
戌亥 (Dog, Pig)
乙丑 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
乙丑……为顽矿
乙丑: raw, unworked ore.
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 乙丑 pillar
| Hidden stem in 丑 | Element | Ten God from 乙 |
|---|---|---|
| 己 Ji (main) | Yin Earth | Indirect Wealth 偏财 |
| 癸 Gui | Yin Water | Indirect Resource 偏印 |
| 辛 Xin | Yin Metal | Seven Killings 七杀 |
| Branch element against the stem | Earth 土: an element the stem controls (Wood) |
|---|---|
| Root of the stem | Yi has no root in 丑: none of its hidden stems is Wood |
| Twelve stages | Yi is in 衰 Decline on 丑 |
| Ten-day group (旬) | starts with 甲子; void branches 戌 Xu, 亥 Hai |
| As an hour pillar | the Ox hour, 01:00-03:00, on 甲 and 己 days |
How 丑 Chou relates to the other branches
| Six Harmony (六合) | 子 Zi (Rat), associated with Earth |
|---|---|
| Clash (六冲) | 未 Wei (Goat) |
| Harm (六害) | 午 Wu (Horse) |
| Punishment (刑) | 戌 Xu, 未 Wei |
| Three Harmony (三合) | 巳酉丑: the Metal frame |
| Seasonal group (方合) | 亥子丑: North, Winter, Water |
乙 Yi against each Day Master
| Day Master | 乙 is its | Chinese |
|---|---|---|
| 甲 Jia Wood | Rob Wealth | 劫财 Jie Cai |
| 乙 Yi Wood | Friend | 比肩 Bi Jian |
| 丙 Bing Fire | Direct Resource | 正印 Zheng Yin |
| 丁 Ding Fire | Indirect Resource | 偏印 Pian Yin |
| 戊 Wu Earth | Direct Officer | 正官 Zheng Guan |
| 己 Ji Earth | Seven Killings | 七杀 Qi Sha |
| 庚 Geng Metal | Direct Wealth | 正财 Zheng Cai |
| 辛 Xin Metal | Indirect Wealth | 偏财 Pian Cai |
| 壬 Ren Water | Hurting Officer | 伤官 Shang Guan |
| 癸 Gui Water | Eating God | 食神 Shi Shen |
乙丑 years, 1900 to 2100
Next 乙丑 months and days
China Standard Time; a month runs from one jie solar term to the next.
Months
- Jan 5, 2029 to Feb 3, 2029
- Jan 5, 2034 to Feb 4, 2034
Days
- Dec 17, 2026
- Feb 15, 2027
- Apr 16, 2027
- Jun 15, 2027
- Aug 14, 2027
- Oct 13, 2027
FAQ
Is 乙丑 a good or bad pillar?
Not on its own; that depends on the whole chart, which this site does not read. Structurally, Yi has no root in 丑, which clashes with 未 and combines with 子.
What is the Na Yin of Yi Chou?
Sea Metal (海中金), which Yi Chou shares with 甲子 Jia Zi; 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 Yi Chou (乙丑) years?
Between 1900 and 2100: 1925, 1985, 2045. 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 Yin Wood Ox.
Neighboring and related pillars
Quotations keep the script of the source. Not a reading, a prediction or advice.