Gourt Home::Gourt :: Sexagenary cycle
The Chinese sexagenary cycle (干支 pinyin: gānzhī) is a cyclic numeral system of 60 combinations of the two basic cycles, the ten Heavenly Stems (天干; tiāngān) and the twelve Earthly Branches (地支; dìzhī). These have been traditionally used as a means of numbering the years, not only in China but also in other East Asian nations like Japan, Korea, and Vietnam.
Ten Heavenly Stems
| Heavenly Stem |
Chinese name |
Japanese name |
Korean name |
Vietnamese name |
Yin Yang | Element | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | 甲 | jiǎ | kō/kinoe (木の兄) | gap 갑 | giáp | yang | wood |
| 2 | 乙 | yǐ | otsu/kinoto (木の弟) | eul 을 | ất | yin | |
| 3 | 丙 | bǐng | hei/hinoe (火の兄) | byeong 병 | bính | yang | fire |
| 4 | 丁 | dīng | tei/hinoto (火の弟) | jeong 정 | đinh | yin | |
| 5 | 戊 | wù | bo/tsuchinoe (土の兄) | mu 무 | mậu | yang | earth |
| 6 | 己 | jǐ | ki/tsuchinoto (土の弟) | gi 기 | kỷ | yin | |
| 7 | 庚 | gēng | kō/kanoe (金の兄) | gyeong 경 | canh | yang | metal |
| 8 | 辛 | xīn | shin/kanoto (金の弟) | shin 신 | tân | yin | |
| 9 | 壬 | rén | jin/mizunoe (水の兄) | im 임 | nhâm | yang | water |
| 10 | 癸 | guǐ | ki/mizunoto (水の弟) | gye 계 | quý | yin |
Twelve Earthly Branches
| Earthly Branch |
Chinese name |
Japanese name |
Korean name |
Vietnamese name |
Chinese zodiac |
Corresponding hours |
|
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | 子 | zǐ | shi/ne | ja 자 | tý | Rat/Mouse (鼠) | 11 p.m. to 1 a.m. |
| 2 | 丑 | chǒu | chū/ushi | chuk 축 | sửu | Ox/Cow/Bull (牛) | 1 to 3 a.m. |
| 3 | 寅 | yín | in/tora | in 인 | dần | Tiger (虎) | 3 to 5 a.m. |
| 4 | 卯 | mǎo | bō/u | myo 묘 | mẹo/mão | Rabbit/Hare* (兔) | 5 to 7 a.m. |
| 5 | 辰 | chén | shin/tatsu | jin 진 | thìn | Dragon (龍) | 7 to 9 a.m. |
| 6 | 巳 | sì | shi/mi | sa 사 | tỵ | Snake (蛇) | 9 to 11 a.m. |
| 7 | 午 | wǔ | go/uma | o 오 | ngọ | Horse (馬) | 11 a.m. to 1 p.m. |
| 8 | 未 | wèi | mi or bi/hitsuji | mi 미 | mùi | Sheep/Goat (羊) | 1 to 3 p.m. |
| 9 | 申 | shēn | shin/saru | shin 신 | thân | Monkey (猴) | 3 to 5 p.m. |
| 10 | 酉 | yǒu | yū/tori | yu 유 | dậu | Chicken/Rooster (雞) | 5 to 7 p.m. |
| 11 | 戌 | xū | jutsu/inu | sul 술 | tuất | Dog (狗) | 7 to 9 p.m. |
| 12 | 亥 | hài | gai/i | hae 해 | hợi | Pig/Boar (豬) | 9 to 11 p.m. |
In a traditional story of the twelve animals, the cat and rat were once good friends, but the animals to be selected to represent the years included the cat but not the rat. These animals had to present themselves to be given the honour of representing the years in the cycle, and the cat asked the rat to wake him up before they had to go. The rat didn't do this, but instead went himself. When they came to cross a river, the rat jumped on the ox's back, and just before the ox got to the bank, the rat jumped off and was first in line. This is why the twelve animals are lead by the rat, and because the cat was cheated out of its rightful place, rats are forever sought out by cats for revenge.
The Sexagenary Cycle
| Stem-Branch | Chinese name | Japanese name | Associations | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | 甲子 | jiǎ-zǐ | kōshi/kinoe-ne | Yang Wood Rat |
| 2 | 乙丑 | yǐ-chǒu | itchū/kinoto-ushi | Yin Wood Ox |
| 3 | 丙寅 | bǐng-yín | heiin/hinoe-tora | Yang Fire Tiger |
| 4 | 丁卯 | dīng-mǎo | teibō/hinoto-u | Yin Fire Rabbit |
| 5 | 戊辰 | wù-chén | boshin/tsuchinoe-tatsu | Yang Earth Dragon |
| 6 | 己巳 | jǐ-sì | kishi/tsuchinoto-mi | Yin Earth Snake |
| 7 | 庚午 | gēng-wǔ | kōgo/kanoe-uma | Yang Metal Horse |
| 8 | 辛未 | xīn-wèi | shinbi/kanoto-hitsuji | Yin Metal Sheep |
| 9 | 壬申 | rén-shēn | jinshin/mizunoe-saru | Yang Water Monkey |
| 10 | 癸酉 | guǐ-yǒu | kiyū/mizunoto-tori | Yin Water Chicken |
| 11 | 甲戌 | jiǎ-xū | kōjutsu/kinoe-inu | Yang Wood Dog |
| 12 | 乙亥 | yǐ-hài | itsugai/kinoto-i | Yin Wood Pig |
| 13 | 丙子 | bǐng-zǐ | heishi/hinoe-ne | Yang Fire Rat |
| 14 | 丁丑 | dīng-chǒu | teichū/hinoto-ushi | Yin Fire Ox |
| 15 | 戊寅 | wù-yín | boin/tsuchinoe-tora | Yang Earth Tiger |
| 16 | 己卯 | jǐ-mǎo | kibō/tsuchinoto-u | Yin Earth Rabbit |
| 17 | 庚辰 | gēng-chén | kōshin/kanoe-tatsu | Yang Metal Dragon |
| 18 | 辛巳 | xīn-sì | shinshi/kanoto-mi | Yin Metal Snake |
| 19 | 壬午 | rén-wǔ | jingo/mizunoe-uma | Yang Water Horse |
| 20 | 癸未 | guǐ-wèi | kibi/mizunoto-hitsuji | Yin Water Sheep |
| 21 | 甲申 | jiǎ-shēn | kōshin/kinoe-saru | Yang Wood Monkey |
| 22 | 乙酉 | yǐ-yǒu | itsuyū/kinoto-tori | Yin Wood Chicken |
| 23 | 丙戌 | bǐng-xū | heijutsu/hinoe-inu | Yang Fire Dog |
| 24 | 丁亥 | dīng-hài | teigai/hinoto-i | Yin Fire Pig |
| 25 | 戊子 | wù-zǐ | boshi/tsuchinoe-ne | Yang Earth Rat |
| 26 | 己丑 | jǐ-chǒu | kichū/tsuchinoto-ushi | Yin Earth Ox |
| 27 | 庚寅 | gēng-yín | kōin/kanoe-tora | Yang Metal Tiger |
| 28 | 辛卯 | xīn-mǎo | shinbō/kanoto-u | Yin Metal Rabbit |
| 29 | 壬辰 | rén-chén | jinshin/mizunoe-tatsu | Yang Water Dragon |
| 30 | 癸巳 | guǐ-sì | kishi/mizunoto-mi | Yin Water Snake |
| 31 | 甲午 | jiǎ-wǔ | kōgo/kinoe-uma | Yang Wood Horse |
| 32 | 乙未 | yǐ-wèi | itsubi/kinoto-hitsuji | Yin Wood Sheep |
| 33 | 丙申 | bǐng-shēn | heishin/hinoe-saru | Yang Fire Monkey |
| 34 | 丁酉 | dīng-yǒu | teiyū/hinoto-tori | Yin Fire Chicken |
| 35 | 戊戌 | wù-xū | bojutsu/tsuchinoe-inu | Yang Earth Dog |
| 36 | 己亥 | jǐ-hài | kigai/tsuchinoto-i | Yin Earth Pig |
| 37 | 庚子 | gēng-zǐ | kōshi/kanoe-ne | Yang Metal Rat |
| 38 | 辛丑 | xīn-chǒu | shinchū/kanoto-ushi | Yin Metal Ox |
| 39 | 壬寅 | rén-yín | jin'in/mizunoe-tora | Yang Water Tiger |
| 40 | 癸卯 | guǐ-mǎo | kibō/mizunoto-u | Yin Water Rabbit |
| 41 | 甲辰 | jiǎ-chén | kōshin/kinoe-tatsu | Yang Wood Dragon |
| 42 | 乙巳 | yǐ-sì | itsushi/kinoto-mi | Yin Wood Snake |
| 43 | 丙午 | bǐng-wǔ | heigo/hinoe-uma | Yang Fire Horse |
| 44 | 丁未 | dīng-wèi | teibi/hinoto-hitsuji | Yin Fire Sheep |
| 45 | 戊申 | wù-shēn | boshin/tsuchinoe-saru | Yang Earth Monkey |
| 46 | 己酉 | jǐ-yǒu | kiyū/tsuchinoto-tori | Yin Earth Chicken |
| 47 | 庚戌 | gēng-xū | kōjutsu/kanoe-inu | Yang Metal Dog |
| 48 | 辛亥 | xīn-hài | shingai/kanoto-i | Yin Metal Pig |
| 49 | 壬子 | rén-zǐ | jinshi/mizunoe-ne | Yang Water Rat |
| 50 | 癸丑 | guǐ-chǒu | kichū/mizunoto-ushi | Yin Water Ox |
| 51 | 甲寅 | jiǎ-yín | kōin/kinoe-tora | Yang Wood Tiger |
| 52 | 乙卯 | yǐ-mǎo | itsubō/kinoto-u | Yin Wood Rabbit |
| 53 | 丙辰 | bǐng-chén | heishin/hinoe-tatsu | Yang Fire Dragon |
| 54 | 丁巳 | dīng-sì | teishi/hinoto-mi | Yin Fire Snake |
| 55 | 戊午 | wù-wǔ | bogo/tsuchinoe-uma | Yang Earth Horse |
| 56 | 己未 | jǐ-wèi | kibi/tsuchinoto-hitsuji | Yin Earth Sheep |
| 57 | 庚申 | gēng-shēn | kōshin/kanoe-saru | Yang Metal Monkey |
| 58 | 辛酉 | xīn-yǒu | shin'yū/kanoto-tori | Yin Metal Chicken |
| 59 | 壬戌 | rén-xū | jinjutsu/mizunoe-inu | Yang Water Dog |
| 60 | 癸亥 | guǐ-hài | kigai/mizunoto-i | Yin Water Pig |
The sexagenary cycle was first used for days in the Shang Dynasty, and later also used for years and less commonly for months.
For example, the year 2000 was 17th year of the 78th sexagenary cycle, a gēng-chén year (庚辰年), a year of the Yang Metal Dragon. Therefore, 2004 is four years after, the 21st year of the 78th sexagenary cycle, called a jiǎ-shēn year (甲申年), a year of the Yang Wood Monkey.
The naming of the months and days is not common now, although they will be shown on Chinese calendars and almanacs.
See also
Chinesisches Horoskop | Cycle sexagésimal | 육십간지 | 干支 | Sexagesimala_cykeln | Can Chi | 干支
"Sexagenary cycle"