Ten Gods Relationship Diagram

Complete Guide to the Ten Gods System

What Are the Ten Gods (Shi Shen)?

The Ten Gods (十神) are the core classification system in BaZi for describing how every character in a chart relates to the Day Master (日主). Using the Day Master as the reference point, every other Heavenly Stem — including Hidden Stems within the Earthly Branches — is categorized into one of ten "Gods" based on its Five Element relationship and Yin-Yang polarity: Peer (比肩), Rob Wealth (劫财), Eating God (食神), Hurting Officer (伤官), Indirect Wealth (偏财), Direct Wealth (正财), Seven Killings (七杀), Direct Officer (正官), Indirect Resource (偏印), and Direct Resource (正印).

These ten relationships fall into five fundamental categories: Same-as-me (比劫, Peers), I-produce (食伤, Output), I-control (财, Wealth), Controls-me (官杀, Authority), and Produces-me (印, Resource). Each category governs a distinct sphere of life energy — Peers represent competition and selfhood, Output represents creative expression and talent, Wealth represents material fortune and romantic attraction, Authority represents pressure and institutional power, and Resource represents protection and knowledge.

How to Derive the Ten Gods

Taking Jia Wood (甲, Yang Wood) as the Day Master: Jia seeing Jia = Peer (same element, same polarity); Jia seeing Yi (乙) = Rob Wealth (same element, opposite polarity). Jia produces Bing Fire (丙, Yang Fire), so Jia seeing Bing = Eating God; Jia seeing Ding (丁) = Hurting Officer. Jia controls Wu Earth (戊, Yang Earth), so Jia seeing Wu = Indirect Wealth; Jia seeing Ji (己) = Direct Wealth. Geng Metal (庚) controls Jia, so Jia seeing Geng = Seven Killings; Jia seeing Xin (辛) = Direct Officer. Ren Water (壬) produces Jia, so Jia seeing Ren = Indirect Resource; Jia seeing Gui (癸) = Direct Resource.

The pattern: same element + same polarity = Peer; same element + opposite polarity = Rob Wealth. Produced element + same polarity = Eating God; opposite polarity = Hurting Officer. Controlled element + same polarity = Indirect Wealth; opposite polarity = Direct Wealth. Controlling element + same polarity = Seven Killings; opposite polarity = Direct Officer. Producing element + same polarity = Indirect Resource; opposite polarity = Direct Resource.

Ten Gods, Strength, and Chart Patterns

The Ten God that emerges from the Month Branch's dominant energy determines the chart pattern (格局) — whether it is a Direct Officer pattern, Eating God pattern, Seven Killings pattern, and so on. This is the central axis of the entire analysis. Ten Gods in other pillars serve as supporting or constraining forces. Pattern analysis, at its core, asks whether the Month Branch's primary Ten God can function effectively — when the Useful God flows unobstructed, the pattern is clear; when the Unfavorable God interferes, the pattern is muddled.

Di Tian Sui (滴天髓) states: "The ten Stems each have distinct natures; only when employed at the right time do they achieve merit." Whether a given Ten God is "useful" or "unfavorable" depends entirely on the chart's overall needs. The same Direct Officer that serves as a Useful God in a strong Day Master chart may become a source of oppressive pressure in a weak Day Master chart. This is why no simplistic verdict — "Eating God is always good" or "Seven Killings is always bad" — holds in serious analysis. Everything is relative to the pattern.