Free Online Chinese Sexagenary Cycle (Sixty Jiazi)

Getting Started

Using the Chinese Sexagenary Cycle reference is simple and educational:

Basic Usage

1. Browse All 60 Jiazi: Scroll through the complete table to see all 60 combinations in order.
2. Search: Use the search box to find specific Jiazi by number, name, stem, branch, element, or zodiac animal.
3. View Details: Each row shows the number, Jiazi name, Heavenly Stem, Earthly Branch, Five Element, and zodiac animal.
4. 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