BaZi Reference Library

The Twelve Earthly Branches: Animals, Elements, and Hours

Connect the twelve Branches with zodiac animals and traditional two-hour periods.

The Twelve Earthly Branches form the lower row of a BaZi chart. They are also associated with the twelve zodiac animals and traditional two-hour periods.

• Zi 子 Rat: 23:00–00:59
• Chou 丑 Ox: 01:00–02:59
• Yin 寅 Tiger: 03:00–04:59
• Mao 卯 Rabbit: 05:00–06:59
• Chen 辰 Dragon: 07:00–08:59
• Si 巳 Snake: 09:00–10:59
• Wu 午 Horse: 11:00–12:59
• Wei 未 Goat: 13:00–14:59
• Shen 申 Monkey: 15:00–16:59
• You 酉 Rooster: 17:00–18:59
• Xu 戌 Dog: 19:00–20:59
• Hai 亥 Pig: 21:00–22:59

These clock ranges are the common civil-time reference. A calculator may apply location, historical time-zone, or true-solar-time rules. Close to a boundary, check the method before deciding the Hour Branch.

An Earthly Branch can contain one or more Hidden Stems. That is why its elemental role is richer than simply replacing it with a zodiac animal.