Chinese Sexagenary Cycle (Sixty Jiazi)
Complete reference of the 60-year Chinese Sexagenary Cycle with Heavenly Stems and Earthly Branches. Search and explore all 60 Jiazi combinations used in Chinese calendar, astrology, and traditional timekeeping.
Chinese Sexagenary Cycle (Sixty Jiazi) Tool Introduction
A comprehensive Chinese Sexagenary Cycle reference featuring all 60 combinations of the Ten Heavenly Stems (天干) and Twelve Earthly Branches (地支). This ancient Chinese system, known as Ganzhi or Jiazi, has been used for over 2,000 years for counting years, months, days, and hours in traditional Chinese calendar and astrology.
Perfect for students of Chinese culture, feng shui practitioners, astrology enthusiasts, historians, genealogists, and anyone interested in traditional Chinese timekeeping systems. The Sexagenary Cycle is fundamental to understanding Chinese zodiac, fortune-telling, and traditional medicine.
Our interactive reference includes detailed information for each of the 60 Jiazi combinations, including the Heavenly Stem, Earthly Branch, associated Five Element (Wu Xing), and corresponding Chinese zodiac animal. Simply search by number, name, stem, branch, element, or zodiac to find specific combinations.
The tool displays all 60 combinations in order, with color-coded elements (Wood, Fire, Earth, Metal, Water) for easy identification. All data is available offline once loaded, making it perfect for study, research, or quick reference.
Chinese Sexagenary Cycle (Sixty Jiazi) User Guide
Getting Started
Using the Chinese Sexagenary Cycle reference is simple and educational:
Basic Usage
- Browse All 60 Jiazi: Scroll through the complete table to see all 60 combinations in order.
- Search: Use the search box to find specific Jiazi by number, name, stem, branch, element, or zodiac animal.
- View Details: Each row shows the number, Jiazi name, Heavenly Stem, Earthly Branch, Five Element, and zodiac animal.
- Learn the System: Study the reference cards showing all 10 Heavenly Stems and 12 Earthly Branches.
Understanding the Sexagenary Cycle
Ten Heavenly Stems (天干)
The Heavenly Stems are:
- 甲 (Jiǎ) - Wood Yang
- 乙 (Yǐ) - Wood Yin
- 丙 (Bǐng) - Fire Yang
- 丁 (Dīng) - Fire Yin
- 戊 (Wù) - Earth Yang
- 己 (Jǐ) - Earth Yin
- 庚 (Gēng) - Metal Yang
- 辛 (Xīn) - Metal Yin
- 壬 (Rén) - Water Yang
- 癸 (Guǐ) - Water Yin
Twelve Earthly Branches (地支)
The Earthly Branches correspond to the 12 Chinese zodiac animals:
- 子 (Zǐ) - Rat (鼠)
- 丑 (Chǒu) - Ox (牛)
- 寅 (Yín) - Tiger (虎)
- 卯 (Mǎo) - Rabbit (兔)
- 辰 (Chén) - Dragon (龙)
- 巳 (Sì) - Snake (蛇)
- 午 (Wǔ) - Horse (马)
- 未 (Wèi) - Goat (羊)
- 申 (Shēn) - Monkey (猴)
- 酉 (Yǒu) - Rooster (鸡)
- 戌 (Xū) - Dog (狗)
- 亥 (Hài) - Pig (猪)
How the Cycle Works
The 60 Jiazi are formed by pairing each Heavenly Stem with each Earthly Branch in sequence. Since there are 10 stems and 12 branches, the cycle repeats every 60 combinations. The first combination is 甲子 (Jiǎzǐ), and the cycle ends with 癸亥 (Guǐhài).
Five Elements (五行)
Each Heavenly Stem is associated with one of the Five Elements:
- Wood (木): 甲, 乙 - Associated with growth, expansion, and spring
- Fire (火): 丙, 丁 - Associated with heat, passion, and summer
- Earth (土): 戊, 己 - Associated with stability, nourishment, and transitions
- Metal (金): 庚, 辛 - Associated with strength, structure, and autumn
- Water (水): 壬, 癸 - Associated with flow, wisdom, and winter
Practical Applications
- Chinese Calendar: Years, months, days, and hours are all counted using the Sexagenary Cycle
- Astrology: Birth charts (八字 Bazi) use four Jiazi pillars for fortune-telling
- Feng Shui: Timing and direction selection based on Jiazi combinations
- Traditional Medicine: Acupuncture timing and herbal medicine selection
- Historical Dating: Traditional Chinese historical records use Jiazi for dating events
Key Features
- Complete 60 Jiazi: All combinations from 甲子 to 癸亥
- Detailed Information: Stem, branch, element, and zodiac for each Jiazi
- Quick Search: Find any Jiazi by multiple criteria
- Color-Coded Elements: Visual identification of Five Elements
- Bilingual Support: Chinese characters with pinyin romanization
- Educational Tool: Perfect for learning Chinese culture and astrology
- Offline Access: Use without internet connection once loaded
Tips & Tricks
- The cycle starts with 甲子 (Jiǎzǐ) - this is why the system is called "Jiazi"
- Each Jiazi year repeats every 60 years (e.g., 1984, 2044 are both 甲子 years)
- The current year's Jiazi can be calculated from any known Jiazi year
- In Bazi astrology, your birth year, month, day, and hour each have a Jiazi
- The Earthly Branches also represent the 12 two-hour periods of the day
Frequently Asked Questions
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