Here's the concept in one sentence: every element in your chart has a specific relationship to your Day Master, and that relationship defines its role in your life.
Your Day Master is one of the five elements in a Yin or Yang form. Every other element in the chart โ whether it's in a visible stem or a hidden stem โ is also one of those five elements in a Yin or Yang form. When you compare any element to your Day Master, it falls into one of ten possible relationships. Those ten relationships are the Ten Gods.
The names sound unusual at first โ Direct Officer, Seven Killings, Rob Wealth โ but don't let that throw you. Each one describes a type of energy dynamic between you and another element. Once you understand the logic behind them, the names actually make a lot of sense.
The Ten Gods are built on two fundamental cycles that govern how the five elements interact:
These two cycles are the engine behind all ten relationships. The element that produces you, the element you produce, the element that controls you, the element you control โ combined with whether the polarity matches or not โ that's how you get ten distinct roles.
Here's how each of the Ten Gods is determined and what it generally represents. In every case, the relationship comes from comparing the other element to your Day Master.
Remember: polarity matters. A Yang element relating to a Yang Day Master creates a different dynamic than a Yin element relating to a Yang Day Master, even if the element itself is the same. That's why there are ten Gods instead of five.
The element that produces you is like a source of nourishment and support. It gives you energy, knowledge, and backing.
Direct Resource
Zheng Yin (ๆญฃๅฐ) โ "Seal"
The element that produces your Day Master, with opposite polarity.
This is nurturing, protective energy. Direct Resource represents your mother, education, knowledge, and the kind of support that comes without conditions. People with strong Direct Resource tend to be studious, kind, and well-liked. They have a natural ability to learn and absorb information. Too much Direct Resource can make someone dependent or overly sheltered.
Indirect Resource
Pian Yin (ๅๅฐ) โ "Partial Seal"
The element that produces your Day Master, with the same polarity.
This is also supportive energy, but less conventional. Indirect Resource represents unconventional learning, creative thinking, and a more independent mind. People with strong Indirect Resource are often original thinkers, interested in unusual subjects, and sometimes a bit eccentric. Too much can lead to overthinking or emotional detachment.
These represent your peers, your sense of self, and how you relate to people on your own level.
Friend
Bi Jian (ๆฏ่ฉ) โ "Shoulder to Shoulder"
The same element and same polarity as your Day Master.
This is the energy of companionship, competition, and independence. Friend represents people who are like you โ siblings, peers, rivals. A strong Friend influence means someone who values their independence, is competitive, and prefers to do things their own way. Too much Friend energy can lead to stubbornness or difficulty cooperating.
Rob Wealth
Jie Cai (ๅซ่ดข) โ "Rob Wealth"
The same element but opposite polarity as your Day Master.
This is similar to Friend but more aggressive. Rob Wealth represents people who compete with you for the same resources. It's associated with boldness, risk-taking, and sometimes recklessness. People with strong Rob Wealth are often charismatic and daring, but may struggle with sharing or trusting others. It can also indicate financial volatility.
The element you produce is like your creative output โ what you put into the world.
Eating God
Shi Shen (้ฃ็ฅ) โ "Food God"
The element your Day Master produces, with the same polarity.
This is joyful, expressive energy. Eating God represents creativity, enjoyment of life, appetite (literally and figuratively), and talent that flows naturally. People with strong Eating God are often artistic, sociable, and easy-going. They tend to enjoy good food, good company, and a comfortable life. Too much can lead to laziness or overindulgence.
Hurting Officer
Shang Guan (ไผคๅฎ) โ "Wound Officer"
The element your Day Master produces, with opposite polarity.
This is rebellious, sharp, and intensely creative energy. Hurting Officer represents unconventional expression, a critical mind, and a desire to challenge authority. People with strong Hurting Officer are often brilliant, outspoken, and difficult to control. They're natural innovators but can be argumentative or overly critical. This God gets its dramatic name because it "wounds" the Officer โ the element that represents authority and structure.
The element you control represents what you can acquire โ your wealth, your possessions, and in traditional readings, your partner (for a male chart).
Direct Wealth
Zheng Cai (ๆญฃ่ดข) โ "Proper Wealth"
The element your Day Master controls, with opposite polarity.
This is stable, earned wealth. Direct Wealth represents steady income, financial responsibility, and practical management. People with strong Direct Wealth tend to be reliable, hardworking, and good with money. In traditional Bazi, it also represents the wife in a male chart. Too much Direct Wealth can make someone overly focused on material security or too cautious.
Indirect Wealth
Pian Cai (ๅ่ดข) โ "Partial Wealth"
The element your Day Master controls, with the same polarity.
This is windfall or speculative wealth. Indirect Wealth represents unexpected gains, generosity, social connections, and a more relaxed attitude toward money. People with strong Indirect Wealth are often generous, sociable, and lucky with side ventures or investments. In traditional Bazi, it can represent the father or a secondary partner. Too much can lead to financial instability or scattered energy.
The element that controls you represents pressure, structure, discipline, and authority in your life.
Direct Officer
Zheng Guan (ๆญฃๅฎ) โ "Proper Officer"
The element that controls your Day Master, with opposite polarity.
This is legitimate, structured authority. Direct Officer represents career, reputation, discipline, law, and social status. People with strong Direct Officer tend to be responsible, well-organised, and respected in their community. They follow rules and value order. In traditional Bazi, it represents the husband in a female chart. Too much Direct Officer can make someone rigid, overly concerned with appearances, or afraid to take risks.
Seven Killings
Qi Sha (ไธๆ) โ "Seven Killings"
The element that controls your Day Master, with the same polarity.
This is aggressive, intense pressure. Seven Killings represents power struggles, danger, ambition, and the kind of pressure that either breaks you or makes you stronger. People with strong Seven Killings are often bold, driven, and thrive under pressure. They can be confrontational and intense, but when well-managed, they're capable of extraordinary achievement. This is one of the most powerful and complex Gods in the system.
Here's a summary showing how each God is derived. Assuming a Yang Fire Day Master (Bing) as an example:
The logic is the same for every Day Master โ you just swap out the elements based on your own.
Looking at our ongoing example:
The Day Master is Bing (ไธ) โ Yang Fire. Now let's label every visible element:
Ren (ๅฃฌ, Yang Water): Water controls Fire, same polarity โ Seven Killings
Jia (็ฒ, Yang Wood): Wood produces Fire, same polarity โ Indirect Resource
Bing (ไธ, Yang Fire): This is the Day Master itself
Xin (่พ, Yin Metal): Fire controls Metal, opposite polarity โ Direct Wealth
And the hidden stems:
Geng (ๅบ, Yang Metal) inside Shen: Fire controls Metal, same polarity โ Indirect Wealth
Ren (ๅฃฌ, Yang Water) inside Shen: Water controls Fire, same polarity โ Seven Killings
Wu (ๆ, Yang Earth) inside Shen: Fire produces Earth, same polarity โ Eating God
Wu (ๆ, Yang Earth) inside Chen: Fire produces Earth, same polarity โ Eating God
Yi (ไน, Yin Wood) inside Chen: Wood produces Fire, opposite polarity โ Direct Resource
Gui (็ธ, Yin Water) inside Chen: Water controls Fire, opposite polarity โ Direct Officer
Ding (ไธ, Yin Fire) inside Wu: Same element, opposite polarity โ Rob Wealth
Ji (ๅทฑ, Yin Earth) inside Wu: Fire produces Earth, opposite polarity โ Hurting Officer
Yi (ไน, Yin Wood) inside Mao: Wood produces Fire, opposite polarity โ Direct Resource
This chart has a strong presence of Resource energy (both Direct and Indirect), Output energy (Eating God and Hurting Officer), and Authority energy (both Seven Killings and Direct Officer). That paints a picture of someone with strong intellectual support, creative drive, and significant pressure or ambition in their life. The Wealth element is present but less dominant.
The Ten Gods are the language of Bazi interpretation. Without them, a chart is just a collection of elements. With them, you can start to see the dynamics of someone's life โ where they get support, where they face pressure, how they express themselves, what drives them financially, and what kind of authority they deal with.
Every concept that comes after this โ chart strength, luck pillars, special structures โ builds on the Ten Gods. They're not just a classification system. They're the story of how energy moves through your life.
