Stem and Branch Fighting Relationships

The Five Elements are Metal, Water, Wood, Fire and Earth. They can be broken down into Yin and Yang as Yang Wood, Yin Wood, Yang Fire, Yin Fire, Yang Earth, Yin Earth, Yang Water and Yin Water . They are called Stem in Chinese astrology.

Stem Fighting Relationship

Five Element Direction The Stem Fighting Relationship is determined from the direction of elements. Ancient Chinese considered "face to face" as the enmity relationship. Wood is in the east and faces Metal in the West.  Water is in the north and faces Fire in the south. They dislike each other, so they live in different places. When Yang meets Yang or Yin meets Yin, they reject each other which is also natural.


Sky Fight

Yang Wood (1) and Yang Metal (7) will fight each other.

Yin Wood (2) and Yin Metal (8) will fight each other.

Yang Fire (3) and Yang Water (9) will fight each other.

Yin Fire (4) and Yin Water (10) will fight each other.

There is a Stem Fighting Relationship when the difference of two Stem sequences is six.


The Branches are Rat, Cow, Tiger, Rabbit, Dragon, Snake, Horse, Sheep, Monkey, Chicken, Dog and Pig, which are 12 animal in Chinese astrology.

Branch Fighting Relationship

Five Element Direction Just like Stem Fighting relationship, the Branch Fighting relationship is from relative positions of the elements. Chinese considered "face to face" as the enmity relationship. Wood is in the east and faces Metal in the West.  Water is in the north and faces Fire in the south. They are dislike each other, so they live in different places. Also, same genders reject each other which is natural.


Earth Fighting Rat (1) and Horse (7) will fight each other.

Cow (2) and Sheep (8) will fight each other.

Tiger (3) and Monkey (9) will fight each other.

Rabbit (4) and Chicken (10) will fight each other.

Dragon (5) and Dog (11) will fight each other.

Snake (6) and Pig (12) will fight each other.

There is a Branch Fighting Relationship when the difference of two Branch sequences is six.

Five Element background    Five Element chart


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