The ten gods, explained
The ten gods (十神, shí shén) describe how each of the other seven characters in your chart relates to your day master, the character that stands for you. Compare the two stems’ elements and polarities and you get one of ten relations. They translate the elements into life: money, work, standing, support and self-expression.
How the ten gods are worked out
Take the day master as “me” and look at the other character’s element:
| Relation | Same polarity | Opposite polarity | Usual meaning |
|---|---|---|---|
| Same element as me | Friend 比肩 | Rob Wealth 劫财 | Peers, friends, rivals |
| I produce it | Eating God 食神 | Hurting Officer 伤官 | Expression, craft, talent |
| I control it | Indirect Wealth 偏财 | Direct Wealth 正财 | Money and practicality; for men, also the wife |
| It controls me | Seven Killings 七杀 | Direct Officer 正官 | Rules, rank, pressure; for women, also the husband |
| It produces me | Indirect Resource 偏印 | Direct Resource 正印 | Learning, elders, mentors |
An example: your day master is 甲, yang wood. 丁 is yin fire; wood produces fire and the polarities differ, so 丁 is 甲’s Hurting Officer. 己 is yin earth; wood controls earth and the polarities differ, so 己 is 甲’s Direct Wealth.
The English names vary between books. You will see “Seven Killings” as “7 Killings”, “Resource” as “Seal”, “Friend” as “Companion”. The Chinese names don’t change.
Direct Wealth or Indirect Wealth?
- Direct Wealth (正财): steady money earned by work, such as a salary or your main business; also a careful, practical streak.
- Indirect Wealth (偏财): opportunity money that moves, such as side income, commission, projects and deals through people; also generosity and a social streak.
Indirect Wealth is not windfall or gambling luck. riffos never gives lucky numbers or investment advice.
Are Seven Killings and Hurting Officer bad?
Not by themselves. The names sound harsh because these are strong forces: Seven Killings is pressure and drive, Hurting Officer is talent that breaks rules, Rob Wealth is the competitive urge. For a strong day master, Seven Killings is often fuel; a weak one needs Resource to soften the pressure, which the old books call 印化杀. Whether a ten god helps depends on the balance of the whole chart, not on its name.
The year’s ten gods
Each year’s stem and branch also play a ten god for your day master. 2027 is a 丁未 year. For a 甲 day master, 丁 is Hurting Officer and 未 (whose main hidden stem is 己) is Direct Wealth; for a 庚 day master, 丁 is Direct Officer and 己 is Direct Resource.
riffos uses the year’s ten gods to light the strongest directions on your bagua. Direct and Indirect Wealth light wealth. Direct Officer lights career and reputation, Seven Killings career. Direct Resource lights learning and helpers, Indirect Resource learning. Eating God lights creativity, Hurting Officer creativity and reputation. Friend and Rob Wealth light helpers. The rule is still under review, and health is never lit by the year.