The Original Asian Zodiac 6: The Ten Heavenly Stems

(Continued from The Original Asian Zodiac 5:  The Twelve Earth Branches)

Ten Heavenly Stems

I have to state for the record that this subject is an exhausting subject to dig into.  I kept running into a few issues, and although they are not huge issues, they exhaust me.

Firstly, all the words are not modern.  They are either Middle Vietnamese, or Old Vietnamese, or Ancient Vietnamese.  I can find decent translations for the Middle and the Old, but some of the ancient words needed digging into contexts of where they had been found. 

Since I’m not trying to get a PhD, I abstained from listing all the context passages that indicate the meanings because I’m not trying to write a dissertation for Viet Linguistics (although that would be a fun thing to dig into).  I just stated the meanings out and I’m done with it.

Secondly, in just about every book written on this subject, you will find various explanations for the roots of these ten words, but they are all over the place.  A few don’t even make sense.  Some say it’s the ten days of the week, and others say it’s dead people’s names.  I’ve even heard that it’s supposed to be the names of ten stars in the sky.

The truth is really only clear if one has an intimate understanding of the hexagrams of the I Ching.  For those of you who actually do I Ching divinations, you will find this to be quite obvious.

The ten names are taken straight out of the Vietnamese I Ching, and the meanings of each stem corresponds to the trigrams indicated.

If any of you are I Ching experts, you will see the correlation between it and the astrological signs used as the ten heavenly stems.  Since there are ten Stems and only eight trigrams, two are repeated.

Let’s take a look at them.

The Ten Heavenly Stems

These are the ten Can-Heaven-yang-sun and the meanings of those words.  I can call them by their English names if it makes more sense.  For example, Giáp, in ancient Viet, means Thunder.

I’m just afraid of making it even more confusing, so I chose to keep the original Viet word, rather than translate it from Middle Viet –> to Ancient Viet –> to English.  It is a big mess that way.  However, if you want to see it completely translated and defined more rigorously as a unit, then let me know and I will create something that will try to clarify this a bit more.

It makes it

1. Giáp: one – ☳ –  Thunder-Lightning/Chấn – wood – yang – oldest wood brother:  to open, as in the beginning of the cosmos
2. Ất: two – ☴ – Wind/Tốn – wood – yin – youngest wood daughter: to pull, as in the beginning, cosmos was to pulled up
3. Bính: three – ☲ – Fire/Ly – fire – yang – oldest fire son: suddenly, as in suddenly all things appeared
4. Đinh: four – ☴ – Wind/Tốn fire/wood– yin – youngest fire sister: power, as in all things became powerful
5. Mậu: five – ☶ – Mountain/Cấn – earth – yang – oldest earth brother: dense or thick, as in all things grew more dense
6. Kỷ: six – ☷ – Earth/Khôn – yin – earth – yin – youngest earth sister: to remember, as in all things began to use symbols to remember
7. Canh: seven – ☰ – Sky/Càn – Metal/Sky – yang – oldest metal brother: to bear fruit, as in all things began to beget
8. Tân: eight – ☱ – Lake/Đoài – Metal/Water – yin – youngest metal sister: new, as in all things began to be harvestable, or reborn
9. Nhâm: nine – ☵ – Water/Khảm –  water – yang – oldest water brother: to carry, as in utilizing the chi to carry and nourish the cosmos
10. Quý: ten – ☱ – Lake/Đoài – water – yin – youngest water sister: to measure, to have prescience and be able to predict the future

The Can Chi Cycle

Before I get into the combo platter Can Chi, I need to reiterate the various components that make up the 60 year cycle of the Can Chi.  I added a little bit more than 60 years because I realized that I had started the cycle with number 1, which is Giáp Rat.

Now, normally, the best place to start is at the beginning of a cycle, so we can see how the cycle progresses through its iterations. Problem is, Giáp Rat started 96 years ago, meaning it is only personally relevant to someone who was born in 1924.

Since we are currently living in the year 2020, that means the chance of someone reading my blog at the grand age of 96 is slim to none.

In the meantime, 96 – 60 =  36.  If I only presented 60 Can Chi, which is really all I need to explain the process, then anyone who is younger than 36 years old is not going to be able to see their relevant information without doing a little bit of arithmetic.

Now, you all know I hate math with a passion, but since I was already neck deep in this chart, I figured I might as well extend it out so that it covers everyone alive today, plus any children you might have for the next 20 or so years.

The Can Chi Components:

The Heavenly Stems Can:  Giáp • Ất • Bính • Đinh • Mậu • Kỷ • Canh • Tân • Nhâm •   Quý

The Earthly Branches Chi:  Rat • Buffalo • Tiger • Cat • Kron • Snake • Horse • Goat • Monkey  • Chicken • Dog •  Pig

The Five Elements of the I Ching:  wood • metal • water • earth • fire

I just suddenly realized I never went into the Five Elements, so I will do it now.  Back in ancient days, we only had five elements.  Wood, metal, water, earth, and fire.  We used these as symbols and as components that enacted changes.  For example, a rat is just a rat, until it’s turned into a fire rat.  Now it’s super rat!  😀

It is also the same for the Heavenly Can, which adds its specific meaning to the combination of the animals and one of the five elements.

For example:  The first sign is the Giáp Metal Rat.  Since we know Giáp means Thunder-Lightning, this would be the Thunder-Lightning Metal Rat.

When lightning strikes water, it zaps around on the surface, but gets neutralized when it goes below the surface.

Since this specific metal rat is the kind that you find under the surface of the ocean (see the I Ching images in the table below), what happens is that if lightning happens to strike the metal rat, the first thing that happens is that the fully submerged metal rat will not be harmed, and can therefore be a conduit and transport the dangerous current away from others.

The scope of a post is so small that I can’t go into each of these years in detail like this, but that is what each year would require for more in-depth understanding of how the I Ching’s insights give to the zodiac animals.

I made the I Ching images in green italicized texts to separate them from the Can Chi.  I translated it as best I could, but quite often, an individual word can mean more than one thing.  However, I think I have them accurately translated.  If anyone sees errors, please let me know and I will fix it. 

In future, I will separate the Can Chi I Ching chart out into its own page because it’s rather long.  For now, it can stay here for a bit. 

This is the entire 120 year rotation that the Can Chi cycle goes through.  That means in the year 2044, we go back to the number 1, and we get Giáp Rat again.  

The Can Chi of the I Ching

1924	Giáp	Metal Rat	Metal under ocean: Hải Trung Kim
1925	Ất	Metal Buffalo	Metal under ocean: Hải Trung Kim
1926	Bính	Fire Tiger	Fire from oven: Lư Trung Hỏa
1927	Đinh	Fire Cat	Fire from oven: Lư Trung Hỏa
1928	Mậu	Wood Kron	Large Forest Tree: Đại Lâm Mộc
1929	Kỷ	Wood Snake	Large Forest Tree: Đại Lâm Mộc
1930	Canh	Earth Horse	Earth along the roadway: Lộ Bàng Thổ
1931	Tân	Earth Goat	Earth along the roadway: Lộ Bàng Thổ
1932	Nhâm	Metal Monkey	Metal on sword blade: Kiếm Phong Kim
1933	Quý	Metal Chicken	Metal on sword blade: Kiếm Phong Kim
1934	Giáp	Fire Dog	Fire on the Mountain: Sơn Đẩu Hỏa
1935	Ất	Fire Pig	Fire on the Mountain: Sơn Đẩu Hỏa
1936	Bính	Water Rat	Silent Underground Water: Giản Hạ Thủy
1937	Đinh	Water Buffalo	Silent Underground Water: Giản Hạ Thủy
1938	Mậu	Earth Tiger	Earth on Fort: Thành Đầu Thổ
1939	Kỷ	Earth Cat	Earth on Fort: Thành Đầu Thổ
1940	Canh	Metal Kron	Metal in Candle Wax: Bạch Lạp Kim
1941	Tân	Metal Snake	Metal in Candle Wax: Bạch Lạp Kim
1942	Nhâm	Wood Horse	Willow Wood: Dương Liễu Mộc
1943	Quý	Wood Goat	Willow Wood: Dương Liễu Mộc
1944	Giáp	Water Monkey	Water from Stream: Tuyền Trung Thủy
1945	Ất	Water Chicken	Water from Stream: Tuyền Trung Thủy
1946	Bính	Earth Dog	Earth on the Roof: Ốc Thượng Thổ
1947	Đinh	Earth Pig	Earth on the Roof: Ốc Thượng Thổ
1948	Mậu	Fire Rat	Fire in Lightning: Tích Lịch Hỏa
1949	Kỷ	Fire Buffalo	Fire in Lightning: Tích Lịch Hỏa
1950	Canh	Wood Tiger	Coniferous Wood: Tùng Bách Mộc
1951	Tân	Wood Cat	Coniferous Wood: Tùng Bách Mộc
1952	Nhâm	Water Kron	Long River Water: Trường Lưu Thủy
1953	Quý	Water Snake	Long River Water: Trường Lưu Thủy
1954	Giáp	Metal Horse	Gold in Sand: Sa Trung Kim
1955	Ất	Metal Goat	Metal in Sand: Sa Trung Kim
1956	Bính	Fire Monkey	Fire at the Foothills: Sơn Hạ Hỏa
1957	Đinh	Fire Chicken	Fire at the Foothills: Sơn Hạ Hỏa
1958	Mậu	Wood Dog	Wood on the Flat Plains: Bình Địa Mộc
1959	Kỷ	Wood Pig	Wood on the Flat Plains: Bình Địa Mộc
1960	Canh	Metal Rat	Earth on the Wall: Bích Thượng Thổ
1961	Tân	Earth Buffalo	Earth on the Wall: Bích Thượng Thổ
1962	Nhâm	Metal Tiger	Platinum: Kim Bạch Kim
1963	Quý	Metal Cat	Platinum: Kim Bạch Kim
1964	Giáp	Fire Kron	Fire Light: Phúc Đăng Hỏa
1965	Ất	Fire Snake	Fire Light:  Phúc Đăng Hỏa
1966	Bính	Water Horse	Water from the Sky: Thiên Hà Thủy
1967	Đinh	Water Goat	Water from the Sky: Thiên Hà Thủy
1968	Mậu	Earth Monkey	Marsh land: Đại Trạch Thổ
1969	Kỷ	Earth Chicken	Marsh land: Đại Trạch Thổ
1970	Canh	Metal Dog	Metal Jewelry: Thoa Xuyến Kim
1971	Tân	Metal Pig	Metal Jewelry: Thoa Xuyến Kim
1972	Nhâm	Wood Rat	Mulberry Wood: Tang Đố Mộc
1973	Quý	Wood Buffalo	Mulberry Wood: Tang Đố Mộc
1974	Giáp	Water Tiger	Large Waterfall: Đại Khê Thủy
1975	Ất	Water Cat	Large Waterfall: Đại Khê Thủy
1976	Bính	Earth Kron	Earth in Sand: Sa Trung Thổ
1977	Đinh	Earth Snake	Earth in Sand: Sa Trung Thổ
1978	Mậu	Fire Horse	Fire from the Sky: Thiên Thượng Hỏa
1979	Kỷ	Fire Goat	Fire from the Sky: Thiên Thượng Hỏa
1980	Canh	Wood Monkey	Pomegranate Wood: Thạch Lựu Mộc
1981	Tân	Wood Chicken	Pomegranate Wood: Thạch Lựu Mộc
1982	Nhâm	Water Dog	Ocean Water: Đại Hải Thủy
1983	Quý	Water Pig	Ocean Water: Đại Hải Thủy
1984	Giáp	Metal Rat	Metal under ocean: Hải Trung Kim
1985	Ất	Metal Buffalo	Metal under ocean: Hải Trung Kim
1986	Bính	Fire Tiger	Fire from oven: Lư Trung Hỏa
1987	Đinh	Fire Cat	Fire from oven: Lư Trung Hỏa
1988	Mậu	Wood Kron	Large Forest Tree: Đại Lâm Mộc
1989	Kỷ	Wood Snake	Large Forest Tree: Đại Lâm Mộc
1990	Canh	Earth Horse	Earth along the roadway: Lộ Bàng Thổ
1991	Tân	Earth Goat	Earth along the roadway: Lộ Bàng Thổ
1992	Nhâm	Metal Monkey	Metal on sword blade: Kiếm Phong Kim
1993	Quý	Metal Chicken	Metal on sword blade: Kiếm Phong Kim
1994	Giáp	Fire Dog	Fire on the Mountain: Sơn Đẩu Hỏa
1995	Ất	Fire Pig	Fire on the Mountain: Sơn Đẩu Hỏa
1996	Bính	Water Rat	Silent Underground Water: Giản Hạ Thủy
1997	Đinh	Water Buffalo	Silent Underground Water: Giản Hạ Thủy
1998	Mậu	Earth Tiger	Earth on Fort: Thành Đầu Thổ
1999	Kỷ	Earth Cat	Earth on Fort: Thành Đầu Thổ
2000	Canh	Metal Kron	Metal in Candle Wax: Bạch Lạp Kim
2001	Tân	Metal Snake	Metal in Candle Wax: Bạch Lạp Kim
2002	Nhâm	Wood Horse	Willow Wood: Dương Liễu Mộc
2003	Quý	Wood Goat	Willow Wood: Dương Liễu Mộc
2004	Giáp	Water Monkey	Water from a Stream: Tuyền Trung Thủy
2005	Ất	Water Chicken	Water from a Stream: Tuyền Trung Thủy
2006	Bính	Earth Dog	Earth on the Roof: Ốc Thượng Thổ
2007	Đinh	Earth Pig	Earth on the Roof: Ốc Thượng Thổ
2008	Mậu	Fire Rat	Fire in Lightning: Tích Lịch Hỏa
2009	Kỷ	Fire Buffalo	Fire in Lightning: Tích Lịch Hỏa
2010	Canh	Wood Tiger	Coniferou Wood: Tùng Bách Mộc
2011	Tân	Wood Cat	Coniferou Wood: Tùng Bách Mộc
2012	Nhâm	Water Kron	Long River Water: Trường Lưu Thủy
2013	Quý	Water Snake	Long River Water: Trường Lưu Thủy
2014	Giáp	Metal Horse	Metal in Sand: Sa Trung Kim
2015	Ất	Metal Goat	Metal in Sand: Sa Trung Kim
2016	Bính	Fire Monkey	Fire at the Foothills: Sơn Hạ Hỏa
2017	Đinh	Fire Chicken	Fire at the Foothills: Sơn Hạ Hỏa
2018	Mậu	Wood Dog	Wood on the Flat Plains: Bình Địa Mộc
2019	Kỷ	Wood Pig	Wood on the Flat Plains: Bình Địa Mộc
2020	Canh	Metal Rat	Earth on the Wall: Bích Thượng Thổ
2021	Tân	Earth Buffalo	Earth on the Wall: Bích Thượng Thổ
2022	Nhâm	Metal Tiger	Platinum: Kim Bạch Kim
2023	Quý	Metal Cat	Platinum: Kim Bạch Kim
2024	Giáp	Fire Kron	Fire Light: Phúc Đăng Hỏa
2025	Ất	Fire Snake	Fire Light: Phúc Đăng Hỏa
2026	Bính	Water Horse	Water from the Sky: Thiên Hà Thủy
2027	Đinh	Water Goat	Water from the Sky: Thiên Hà Thủy
2028	Mậu	Earth Monkey	Marsh land: Đại Trạch Thổ
2029	Kỷ	Earth Chicken	Marsh land: Đại Trạch Thổ
2030	Canh	Metal Dog	Metal Jewelry: Thoa Xuyến Kim
2031	Tân	Metal Pig	Metal Jewelry: Thoa Xuyến Kim
2032	Nhâm	Wood Rat	Mulberry Wood: Tang Đố Mộc
2033	Quý	Wood Buffalo	Mulberry Wood: Tang Đố Mộc
2034	Giáp	Water Tiger	Large Waterfall: Đại Khê Thủy
2035	Ất	Water Cat	Large Waterfall: Đại Khê Thủy
2036	Bính	Earth Kron	Earth in Sand: Sa Trung Thổ
2037	Đinh	Earth Snake	Earth in Sand: Sa Trung Thổ
2038	Mậu	Fire Horse	Fire from the Sky: Thiên Thượng Hỏa
2039	Kỷ	Fire Goat	Fire from the Sky: Thiên Thượng Hỏa
2040	Canh	Wood Monkey	Pomegranate Wood: Thạch Lựu Mộc
2041	Tân	Wood Chicken	Pomegranate Wood: Thạch Lựu Mộc
2042	Nhâm	Water Dog	Ocean Water: Đại Hải Thủy
2043	Quý	Water Pig	Ocean Water: Đại Hải Thủy

As you can see, it is much more difficult to see the entirety of the cycles if you write it out as a table like this.  We Viets turn it into a circle with numbers and letters, but for me, pictures do so much more to simplify and clarify.  The images help so much since I’m a visual person.

So here is the wheel of the zodiac with all the numbers displayed.

To read this circular calendar, you need to read it in counter-clockwise direction, as this is how it was read back in the old days.  Start with the Rat at the top and work your way through the water buffalo, tiger etc. until you reach the Pig, and there is your 120 years of animals.

Yay we’re done!  It took me so long to get all this researched and presented because even though I was quite familiar with the I Ching, the difficult part was translating moldy old Viet words into something that resembles how we would think and talk in today’s world.

There is also another issue.  Quite a few ancient Viet words don’t have an English equivalent, so I had to combine different words to make up new words or try to translate as best I could, the context of what something means.

Next up…how to figure out leap years and when exactly Tết will occur.

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