Feng Shui Institute

Chinese Animal Signs

A Chinese astrology chart is composed of "Celestial" or "Heavenly Stems", denoted by one of the Five Elements (either yin or yang), and up to four animals of the Chinese Zodiac or horoscope. Professionally, the animals in a Chinese horoscope are known as "Earthly Branches".

In a Four Pillars of Destiny Chinese astrology chart, the Heavenly Stems and Earthly Branches are arranged in four columns or "pillars" and as there are two parts to each column, the Four Pillars of Destiny is traditionally known as Ba Zi, meaning "Eight Characters". There are ten Heavenly Stems and twelve Earthly Branches, and they are used not only to construct a Chinese horoscope, but also in the practice of Feng Shui to indicate auspicious and inauspicious directions on a traditional Chinese compass or Luo Pan.

The Ten Heavenly Stems

The ten Heavenly Stems represent heaven's chi and "providence". They are arranged according to the Five Elements and subdivided into yang and yin polarities. The sequence begins with yang wood (Jia), yin wood (Yi), yang fire (Bing), yin fire (Ding), yang earth (Wu), yin earth (Ji), yang metal (Geng), yin metal (Xin), yang water (Ren), and ends with yin water (Gui).

The Twelve Earthly Branches

Directly below the Heavenly Stems in your Chinese astrology chart are your "Earthly Branches", more commonly known as the twelve animals of the Chinese zodiac or horoscope. They represent "Earth Luck", meaning nature or destiny, and enable a person to be in the right place and, with "Heaven Luck", at the right time. The Earthly Branches are also arranged according to the Five Elements and their Yin and Yang polarities. The Twelve Earthly Branches comprise the Chinese zodiac signs of Rat, Ox, Tiger, Rabbit, Dragon, Snake, Horse, Sheep, Monkey, Rooster, Dog and Pig, and should always be written in this order.

The Earthly Branches show the rise and fall of qi throughout the year, and as there are twelve zodiac signs and twelve months in a year, each Earthly Branch is fixed to a specific month. The Chinese use double hours so each animal sign is also associated with a two hour period of a day.

With practice, Four Pillars of Destiny charts are easy to compile and we provide a list of general traits associated with each Earthly Branch below, as well as a Free Chinese Astrology Chart Calculator. However, correct analysis of the Four Pillars of Destiny is an extremely complex subject. Fully understanding the complexities of a chart, and interpreting what it means is much more difficult, and Four Pillars of Destiny readings could even be considered an art form. A professional Feng Shui consultant can provide Chinese astrology readings in order to understand your personal energy, compare it with that of your home or business, and offer advise on how to use simple, subtle cures to create the perfect environment for you, your family and staff.

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