Patrick Sia · Qimen learning series · 4 of 4
The 10 Stems 天干
The stems name who or what a palace is about — people, objects, body parts and events. Read each stem for character, then for situations.
- Wood · Kindness
- Fire · Politeness, passion
- Earth · Trustworthy
- Metal · Justice
- Water · Wisdom
Stems by element
Grouped by element and its virtue, as in Patrick’s chart. Tap a stem to jump to its card.
How stems are used in a chart
Stems identify who or what a palace is about.
Stems as people
| Stem | Represents |
|---|---|
| Day 日干 | Self — the asker |
| Year 年干 | Superior · University (academic questions) |
| Month 月干 | Peer |
| Hour 时干 | Junior · the matter itself · stock traders or buyers |
Find a birth-year stem (last digit of the year)
Example: born 1977 → last digit 7 → 丁 Ding. Use it to find the subject’s palace when several people share one chart. The Chinese year starts at 立春 (about 4 February); for births before then, use the previous year.
乙 丙 丁 are the Three Wonders 三奇 (Sun, Moon and Star Wonder). 戊 己 庚 辛 壬 癸 are the Six Yi 六仪. 甲 hides under one of the Six Yi, so it never appears on its own.
For learning purposes only. Notes draw on Patrick Sia’s teaching notes plus plain-language context, which is not classical text. A real reading weighs the whole chart — stems, door, star, deity, palace condition, Fuyin/Fanyin, Grave, emptiness and the question asked. Health notes are not medical advice.