Reference guide
The 60 Jiazi (sexagenary cycle)
The 60 Jiazi cycle explained for BaZi learners, including how Heavenly Stems and Earthly Branches pair into the repeating sexagenary calendar.
What is the 60 Jiazi cycle?
The 60 Jiazi cycle is the repeating sequence created by pairing the ten Heavenly Stems with the twelve Earthly Branches. It sits behind year, month, and day naming in the traditional Chinese calendar, which means it sits behind BaZi as well. If the stems and branches are the alphabet of BaZi, the 60 Jiazi cycle is one of the main ways that alphabet is arranged through time.
This sequence matters because BaZi does not assign pillars randomly. Year, month, day, and hour all come from a living calendar pattern. When readers talk about Jia Zi day, Ding Mao month, or Xin Hai year, they are using positions inside this sixty-step cycle.
Why the cycle is 60 units long
The logic is simple. There are ten Heavenly Stems and twelve Earthly Branches. They advance together one step at a time:
- Stem 1 pairs with Branch 1
- Stem 2 pairs with Branch 2
- and so on
Because the two sequences have different lengths, they do not realign immediately. They realign only when both return to the start at the same time. The least common multiple of 10 and 12 is 60, so the full cycle contains 60 unique stem-branch pairs before repeating.
That is why Jia Zi appears as pair 1 and again only after the full sequence completes. The cycle is orderly, fixed, and deeply embedded in traditional Chinese calendar practice.
The first ten pairs
| Order | Pair | Chinese |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | Jia Zi | 甲子 |
| 2 | Yi Chou | 乙丑 |
| 3 | Bing Yin | 丙寅 |
| 4 | Ding Mao | 丁卯 |
| 5 | Wu Chen | 戊辰 |
| 6 | Ji Si | 己巳 |
| 7 | Geng Wu | 庚午 |
| 8 | Xin Wei | 辛未 |
| 9 | Ren Shen | 壬申 |
| 10 | Gui You | 癸酉 |
These first ten matter beyond memorization because they form the first xun, the first ten-day block that later becomes relevant for Kong Wang calculation.
Why the pair matters more than the parts alone
One of the most useful shifts in BaZi learning is moving from “a stem here and a branch there” toward seeing the actual pair as a unit. Jia Zi is not just Jia plus Zi in the abstract. It is a visible Yang Wood expression seated on a Water-rooted branch context. Yi Chou is not just Yin Wood plus Ox. It is a different visible style set inside a different root environment. The pair has a feel before a full chart is even read.
This matters because the sexagenary cycle is not merely a storage system for names. It is a rhythm of repeated but non-identical units. The same stem lands on different branches. The same branch receives different stems. That changing pairing is part of what gives the calendar its texture.
The six xun groups
The 60 Jiazi sequence is naturally divided into six blocks of ten. Each block begins with a Jia stem and leaves two branches unused. Those two unused branches become the Void branches for that xun.
| Xun | Covers | Void branches |
|---|---|---|
| Jia Zi xun | 甲子 to 癸酉 | 戌 Xu and 亥 Hai |
| Jia Xu xun | 甲戌 to 癸未 | 申 Shen and 酉 You |
| Jia Shen xun | 甲申 to 癸巳 | 午 Wu and 未 Wei |
| Jia Wu xun | 甲午 to 癸卯 | 辰 Chen and 巳 Si |
| Jia Chen xun | 甲辰 to 癸丑 | 寅 Yin and 卯 Mao |
| Jia Yin xun | 甲寅 to 癸亥 | 子 Zi and 丑 Chou |
This is a good example of why the Jiazi cycle is more than a memorization exercise. It directly supports later interpretive tools.
The six xun as six ten-step families
Students often find the cycle easier once they stop imagining sixty unrelated entries and start seeing six families of ten. Each xun begins with a Jia stem and moves through a predictable sequence until the stems complete their ten-step run. That makes the cycle much easier to navigate mentally, and it explains why Kong Wang calculation is attached to xun logic rather than to isolated pair names.
The six xun model also helps with memory. You do not need to memorize every pair as a separate event. You can learn the internal pattern of one xun and then understand how the starting branch shifts across the next xun.
Explore the full 60 pairs
Reference explorer
Filter the 60 Jiazi by stem element
The sequence is fixed, but filtering makes it easier to see how the same stem element repeats across different branches and void-group decades.
Showing 60 of 60 pairs
Void branches are grouped by each ten-day xun.
#01
甲子
Jia Zi
jiǎ zǐ
Branch: 子 Zi · Rat
Xun: Jia Zi xun
Void: 戌 Xu · 亥 Hai
#02
乙丑
Yi Chou
yǐ chǒu
Branch: 丑 Chou · Ox
Xun: Jia Zi xun
Void: 戌 Xu · 亥 Hai
#03
丙寅
Bing Yin
bǐng yín
Branch: 寅 Yin · Tiger
Xun: Jia Zi xun
Void: 戌 Xu · 亥 Hai
#04
丁卯
Ding Mao
dīng mǎo
Branch: 卯 Mao · Rabbit
Xun: Jia Zi xun
Void: 戌 Xu · 亥 Hai
#05
戊辰
Wu Chen
wù chén
Branch: 辰 Chen · Dragon
Xun: Jia Zi xun
Void: 戌 Xu · 亥 Hai
#06
己巳
Ji Si
jǐ sì
Branch: 巳 Si · Snake
Xun: Jia Zi xun
Void: 戌 Xu · 亥 Hai
#07
庚午
Geng Wu
gēng wǔ
Branch: 午 Wu · Horse
Xun: Jia Zi xun
Void: 戌 Xu · 亥 Hai
#08
辛未
Xin Wei
xīn wèi
Branch: 未 Wei · Goat
Xun: Jia Zi xun
Void: 戌 Xu · 亥 Hai
#09
壬申
Ren Shen
rén shēn
Branch: 申 Shen · Monkey
Xun: Jia Zi xun
Void: 戌 Xu · 亥 Hai
#10
癸酉
Gui You
guǐ yǒu
Branch: 酉 You · Rooster
Xun: Jia Zi xun
Void: 戌 Xu · 亥 Hai
#11
甲戌
Jia Xu
jiǎ xū
Branch: 戌 Xu · Dog
Xun: Jia Xu xun
Void: 申 Shen · 酉 You
#12
乙亥
Yi Hai
yǐ hài
Branch: 亥 Hai · Pig
Xun: Jia Xu xun
Void: 申 Shen · 酉 You
#13
丙子
Bing Zi
bǐng zǐ
Branch: 子 Zi · Rat
Xun: Jia Xu xun
Void: 申 Shen · 酉 You
#14
丁丑
Ding Chou
dīng chǒu
Branch: 丑 Chou · Ox
Xun: Jia Xu xun
Void: 申 Shen · 酉 You
#15
戊寅
Wu Yin
wù yín
Branch: 寅 Yin · Tiger
Xun: Jia Xu xun
Void: 申 Shen · 酉 You
#16
己卯
Ji Mao
jǐ mǎo
Branch: 卯 Mao · Rabbit
Xun: Jia Xu xun
Void: 申 Shen · 酉 You
#17
庚辰
Geng Chen
gēng chén
Branch: 辰 Chen · Dragon
Xun: Jia Xu xun
Void: 申 Shen · 酉 You
#18
辛巳
Xin Si
xīn sì
Branch: 巳 Si · Snake
Xun: Jia Xu xun
Void: 申 Shen · 酉 You
#19
壬午
Ren Wu
rén wǔ
Branch: 午 Wu · Horse
Xun: Jia Xu xun
Void: 申 Shen · 酉 You
#20
癸未
Gui Wei
guǐ wèi
Branch: 未 Wei · Goat
Xun: Jia Xu xun
Void: 申 Shen · 酉 You
#21
甲申
Jia Shen
jiǎ shēn
Branch: 申 Shen · Monkey
Xun: Jia Shen xun
Void: 午 Wu · 未 Wei
#22
乙酉
Yi You
yǐ yǒu
Branch: 酉 You · Rooster
Xun: Jia Shen xun
Void: 午 Wu · 未 Wei
#23
丙戌
Bing Xu
bǐng xū
Branch: 戌 Xu · Dog
Xun: Jia Shen xun
Void: 午 Wu · 未 Wei
#24
丁亥
Ding Hai
dīng hài
Branch: 亥 Hai · Pig
Xun: Jia Shen xun
Void: 午 Wu · 未 Wei
#25
戊子
Wu Zi
wù zǐ
Branch: 子 Zi · Rat
Xun: Jia Shen xun
Void: 午 Wu · 未 Wei
#26
己丑
Ji Chou
jǐ chǒu
Branch: 丑 Chou · Ox
Xun: Jia Shen xun
Void: 午 Wu · 未 Wei
#27
庚寅
Geng Yin
gēng yín
Branch: 寅 Yin · Tiger
Xun: Jia Shen xun
Void: 午 Wu · 未 Wei
#28
辛卯
Xin Mao
xīn mǎo
Branch: 卯 Mao · Rabbit
Xun: Jia Shen xun
Void: 午 Wu · 未 Wei
#29
壬辰
Ren Chen
rén chén
Branch: 辰 Chen · Dragon
Xun: Jia Shen xun
Void: 午 Wu · 未 Wei
#30
癸巳
Gui Si
guǐ sì
Branch: 巳 Si · Snake
Xun: Jia Shen xun
Void: 午 Wu · 未 Wei
#31
甲午
Jia Wu
jiǎ wǔ
Branch: 午 Wu · Horse
Xun: Jia Wu xun
Void: 辰 Chen · 巳 Si
#32
乙未
Yi Wei
yǐ wèi
Branch: 未 Wei · Goat
Xun: Jia Wu xun
Void: 辰 Chen · 巳 Si
#33
丙申
Bing Shen
bǐng shēn
Branch: 申 Shen · Monkey
Xun: Jia Wu xun
Void: 辰 Chen · 巳 Si
#34
丁酉
Ding You
dīng yǒu
Branch: 酉 You · Rooster
Xun: Jia Wu xun
Void: 辰 Chen · 巳 Si
#35
戊戌
Wu Xu
wù xū
Branch: 戌 Xu · Dog
Xun: Jia Wu xun
Void: 辰 Chen · 巳 Si
#36
己亥
Ji Hai
jǐ hài
Branch: 亥 Hai · Pig
Xun: Jia Wu xun
Void: 辰 Chen · 巳 Si
#37
庚子
Geng Zi
gēng zǐ
Branch: 子 Zi · Rat
Xun: Jia Wu xun
Void: 辰 Chen · 巳 Si
#38
辛丑
Xin Chou
xīn chǒu
Branch: 丑 Chou · Ox
Xun: Jia Wu xun
Void: 辰 Chen · 巳 Si
#39
壬寅
Ren Yin
rén yín
Branch: 寅 Yin · Tiger
Xun: Jia Wu xun
Void: 辰 Chen · 巳 Si
#40
癸卯
Gui Mao
guǐ mǎo
Branch: 卯 Mao · Rabbit
Xun: Jia Wu xun
Void: 辰 Chen · 巳 Si
#41
甲辰
Jia Chen
jiǎ chén
Branch: 辰 Chen · Dragon
Xun: Jia Chen xun
Void: 寅 Yin · 卯 Mao
#42
乙巳
Yi Si
yǐ sì
Branch: 巳 Si · Snake
Xun: Jia Chen xun
Void: 寅 Yin · 卯 Mao
#43
丙午
Bing Wu
bǐng wǔ
Branch: 午 Wu · Horse
Xun: Jia Chen xun
Void: 寅 Yin · 卯 Mao
#44
丁未
Ding Wei
dīng wèi
Branch: 未 Wei · Goat
Xun: Jia Chen xun
Void: 寅 Yin · 卯 Mao
#45
戊申
Wu Shen
wù shēn
Branch: 申 Shen · Monkey
Xun: Jia Chen xun
Void: 寅 Yin · 卯 Mao
#46
己酉
Ji You
jǐ yǒu
Branch: 酉 You · Rooster
Xun: Jia Chen xun
Void: 寅 Yin · 卯 Mao
#47
庚戌
Geng Xu
gēng xū
Branch: 戌 Xu · Dog
Xun: Jia Chen xun
Void: 寅 Yin · 卯 Mao
#48
辛亥
Xin Hai
xīn hài
Branch: 亥 Hai · Pig
Xun: Jia Chen xun
Void: 寅 Yin · 卯 Mao
#49
壬子
Ren Zi
rén zǐ
Branch: 子 Zi · Rat
Xun: Jia Chen xun
Void: 寅 Yin · 卯 Mao
#50
癸丑
Gui Chou
guǐ chǒu
Branch: 丑 Chou · Ox
Xun: Jia Chen xun
Void: 寅 Yin · 卯 Mao
#51
甲寅
Jia Yin
jiǎ yín
Branch: 寅 Yin · Tiger
Xun: Jia Yin xun
Void: 子 Zi · 丑 Chou
#52
乙卯
Yi Mao
yǐ mǎo
Branch: 卯 Mao · Rabbit
Xun: Jia Yin xun
Void: 子 Zi · 丑 Chou
#53
丙辰
Bing Chen
bǐng chén
Branch: 辰 Chen · Dragon
Xun: Jia Yin xun
Void: 子 Zi · 丑 Chou
#54
丁巳
Ding Si
dīng sì
Branch: 巳 Si · Snake
Xun: Jia Yin xun
Void: 子 Zi · 丑 Chou
#55
戊午
Wu Wu
wù wǔ
Branch: 午 Wu · Horse
Xun: Jia Yin xun
Void: 子 Zi · 丑 Chou
#56
己未
Ji Wei
jǐ wèi
Branch: 未 Wei · Goat
Xun: Jia Yin xun
Void: 子 Zi · 丑 Chou
#57
庚申
Geng Shen
gēng shēn
Branch: 申 Shen · Monkey
Xun: Jia Yin xun
Void: 子 Zi · 丑 Chou
#58
辛酉
Xin You
xīn yǒu
Branch: 酉 You · Rooster
Xun: Jia Yin xun
Void: 子 Zi · 丑 Chou
#59
壬戌
Ren Xu
rén xū
Branch: 戌 Xu · Dog
Xun: Jia Yin xun
Void: 子 Zi · 丑 Chou
#60
癸亥
Gui Hai
guǐ hài
Branch: 亥 Hai · Pig
Xun: Jia Yin xun
Void: 子 Zi · 丑 Chou
Why Jiazi matters in actual BaZi study
At first glance, the Jiazi cycle can look like a reference page you only visit when you forget a pair. In practice, it supports several important reading tasks:
- it explains how day pillars are named
- it helps you understand decade and annual rhythm references
- it supports Kong Wang / Void calculations
- it gives intuition for how stems and branches pair rather than float separately
Over time, many readers stop thinking of stems and branches as isolated lists. They begin to recognize actual pairs. That shift makes timing pages and case studies much easier to follow.
Where the Jiazi cycle appears in practice
The cycle appears in more places than beginners expect:
- year pillars use the cycle to name years
- month pillars use seasonal branch logic with stem sequencing
- day pillars are directly named through the cycle
- hour pillars also derive from stem-branch pairing logic
This is why experienced readers often recognize day pillars quickly. They have internalized the cycle enough that the names stop looking like random transliteration and start behaving like actual calendrical positions.
Why day-pillars get memorized first
Many practitioners memorize day-pillar names earlier and more deeply than month or year naming because day pillars are so central to chart reading. The day pillar contains the Day Master and therefore the interpretive center of the chart. Once the day-pillar language becomes familiar, the entire cycle starts to feel less abstract because it is anchored to something that matters in every reading.
This is also why the 60 Jiazi cycle keeps showing up in case studies. It is not there to impress you with calendrical trivia. It is there because the day-pillar sequence is one of the fastest ways to make the calendar logic of BaZi feel alive and usable.
How to study the cycle without getting lost
Do not try to memorize all 60 at once if you are new. A better sequence is:
- Learn the Heavenly Stems.
- Learn the Earthly Branches.
- Understand why 10 and 12 create 60.
- Learn the six xun groups and their Void pairs.
- Use the explorer above as you read actual charts.
That approach gives you structure before memorization. It is much easier to remember a system once the logic feels natural.
Another useful tactic is to memorize the start of each xun first, not all sixty entries. Once you know how the xun blocks work, the rest of the sequence becomes much less overwhelming.
Where to go next
Use this page alongside The 10 Heavenly Stems and The 12 Earthly Branches. If you want to see one direct application of the 60-cycle logic, continue to Void branches (Kong Wang).
Common questions
Why is the cycle 60 units long?
The ten Heavenly Stems and twelve Earthly Branches move together until they realign at the least common multiple of 10 and 12, which is 60.
Does every BaZi chart use the Jiazi cycle?
Yes. BaZi pillars are assigned through the stem-branch calendar, so the 60 Jiazi sequence is built into how charts are calculated.
Why do practitioners memorize the cycle?
Because it helps with calendar logic, day-pillar recognition, Luck Pillar interpretation, and refinement concepts such as Kong Wang.
Are Jia Zi and Yi Chou just year names?
No. The 60-pair sequence can be used for years, months, days, and sometimes hours depending on the calculation context.
Do the pairs have meanings beyond the stem and branch separately?
Yes. Each pair combines a visible stem style with a rooted branch environment, which gives it a distinct feel even before a full chart is read.
How does the Jiazi cycle relate to Void branches?
Each block of ten pairs forms a xun. The two branches left out of that xun become the Void pair used in Kong Wang interpretation.
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Next step
Pair the theory with a real chart.
Use the glossary when you need a fast definition, then move into ZodiacZen's birth-based reading flow when you want the ideas to stop being abstract.
Keep reading
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