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Bazi Ten Gods (十神): the 10 gods explained

The Bazi ten gods (sometimes written as the 10 gods of Bazi, or 十神) are ten fixed labels that describe how each visible stem on the chart relates to the day master. They come from the five-element cycle (production and control) plus the yin/yang match between the two stems. Same input → same label. There is no scoring, no weighting, and no judgment in the derivation.

Structural labels, not destiny claims. BaziTrace uses ten-god labels as a vocabulary for describing the chart, not as predictions about personality, aptitude, relationships, wealth, health, or future events.

The five relationship families at a glance

Before listing all ten names, it helps to see them grouped by relationship to the day master. Each family is one element direction; the two labels inside a family differ only by yin/yang polarity (same polarity → the “indirect” label, opposite polarity → the “direct” label). Polarity is not a value judgment.

Peer (same element) — the stem shares the day master's element. Indirect (same polarity): 比肩 (companion). Direct (opposite polarity): 劫财 (rob wealth).
Output (day master produces this element) — the stem is what the day master generates. Indirect (same polarity): 食神 (eating god). Direct (opposite polarity): 伤官 (hurting officer).
Wealth (day master controls this element) — the stem is what the day master commands. Indirect (same polarity): 偏财 (indirect wealth). Direct (opposite polarity): 正财 (direct wealth).
Officer / Authority (this element controls the day master) — the stem is what constrains the day master. Indirect (same polarity): 七杀 (seven killings). Direct (opposite polarity): 正官 (direct officer).
Resource (this element produces the day master) — the stem is what feeds and supports the day master. Indirect (same polarity): 偏印 (indirect seal). Direct (opposite polarity): 正印 (direct seal).

Read the families as a map of structural positions, not as personality archetypes. The ten names below are the same labels, written out individually so you can look one up directly.

How a ten-god label is chosen

For any visible stem on the chart, BaziTrace asks two questions:

How does the stem's element relate to the day master's element? Same element, day master produces this element, day master controls this element, this element controls the day master, or this element produces the day master.
Does the stem share yin/yang polarity with the day master? Same polarity picks the “indirect” label in the pair; opposite polarity picks the “direct” label.

The two answers together fix one of the ten labels below. The day master stem itself is, by construction, 比肩 (companion).

The ten labels

比肩 (companion) — same element, same polarity as the day master.
劫财 (rob wealth) — same element, opposite polarity.
食神 (eating god) — day master produces this element, same polarity.
伤官 (hurting officer) — day master produces this element, opposite polarity.
偏财 (indirect wealth) — day master controls this element, same polarity.
正财 (direct wealth) — day master controls this element, opposite polarity.
七杀 (seven killings) — this element controls the day master, same polarity.
正官 (direct officer) — this element controls the day master, opposite polarity.
偏印 (indirect seal) — this element produces the day master, same polarity.
正印 (direct seal) — this element produces the day master, opposite polarity.

What BaziTrace counts and what it does not

BaziTrace labels every visible stem on the four pillars. It also labels the hidden stems inside each branch (see the hidden stems page). It does not weigh the labels, score your balance, recommend remedies, or predict anything.

No personality verdict. The day master is a starting point, not a profile.
No element-balance score. The five-element tally is descriptive only.
No useful-god, no喜用神 (favorable element). The engine never picks a “good” element.
No prediction, no remedy. Those framings are not in the engine output.

How to read the labels

Read each pillar as a structural snapshot. The day pillar's visible stem is always 比肩. The other three (or four, with the hour pillar) labels describe how each stem sits in the chart relative to the day master.

You can see this on your own chart by opening the calculator and looking at the “Ten gods (十神) and hidden stems (藏干)” section below the five-element tally. The same labels are also visible in the chart copy summary if you choose to copy it.

Frequently asked questions

Why does the day pillar label say 比肩?

The day pillar's stem IS the day master. By construction any stem is 比肩 to itself — same element, same polarity.

Are the labels positive or negative?

They are not. 正 and 偏 in the names reflect yin/yang match with the day master, not a value judgment. We do not say a label is “good” or “bad.”

Does BaziTrace use the labels to make predictions?

No. The optional AI explanation is explicitly told to use these labels as structural names only and never to infer personality, health, relationships, or future outcomes from them.