The Ten Gods in Ba Zi, also known as the Shi Shen, are essential components of Chinese metaphysics, particularly within the Four Pillars of Destiny system. These Gods play a pivotal role in understanding the dynamics of a person's Destiny Chart and provide insights into their characteristics, behaviors, and interactions with others.

The concept of the Ten Gods is deeply rooted in the interactions between the Five Elements—Wood, Fire, Earth, Metal, and Water—and their Yin-Yang attributes. Each of the Five Elements has a supportive or controlling relationship with others, creating a web of connections that define the qualities of the Gods.

Previously in the Ba Zi - Five Stars Analysis article, we have seen how the Five Stars are defined in relation to the Day Master element. These principles can be found in personality traits, people typologies, or places. In a future article, we will see how to evaluate the Quality of gods. The strength of the element is always an important factor but not the only one.

A good-quality, strong god will have an important influence on the Destiny Chart in contrast with a weak and low-quality god. In this last case we can say that the Day Master has a very low affinity with all that god represents traits, people, places, or matters.

A god is considered to be hidden when it is located in the sub-Qi of the branches only. To use the traits or skills related to such a star a person should persevere working in this respect. At the same time, being hidden, the god is protected from the effects of the clashes affecting the Pillar.

A god is considered revealed when it appears in the Heavenly Stems. The characteristics of such a god are visible and most obvious to the people around the person, especially at first sight.

A god is considered to be excessive when it is strong and appears more than 4 times in a Destiny Chart. It can happen in such cases that god is converted in the opposite (Friends become Rob Wealth, Direct Officer becomes Seven Killings, Direct Resource becomes Indirect Resource and the Eating God becomes Hurting Officer). Unfortunately, when it converts, the god will manifest only the negative aspects of its opposite god.

Find out more in our article Evaluating the Quality of the Ten Gods in Ba Zi.

Description of the Ten Gods

Here's a closer look at the Ten Gods and their significance. Check on your Ba Zi Profile and what the elements representing the Ten Gods for you. With few exceptions, the god representing the Main Qi in the Hidden Stems of your Month Pillar determines your profile, which doesn't say so much about your inner self but about you in relation to those around you, your family, and your career.

Derived from the Friends Star

The Friend (F): Represented by the same element as the Day Master with the same polarity, the Friend is seen as a person who you know professionally and personally but crucially, who is of the same rank or status or position as you in life.

Rob Wealth (RW): Represented by the same element as the Day Master but with opposite polarity, Rob Wealth can be a person from one of the three broad classes of persons: partners, rivals, and individuals within your network. Friends of different backgrounds, cultures, characters, or upbringings; people with Rob Wealth Stars in their chart will tend to have a more international set of friends.

Derived from the Output Star

Hurting Officer (HO): Connected to the element produced by the Day Master's element but with opposite polarity, Hurting Officer represents creativity, talent, and artistic abilities. It signifies the potential for self-expression and innovation. It is someone who wants to be seen, and who plays to the gallery, performing on TV. It relates primarily to external and extroverted talents and abilities such as speaking, debating, negotiating, arguing, and presenting, as well as extroverted artistic skills such as singing, dancing, and acting. It should not be hidden but should actually appear on the Stem or be part of the Main Qi of an Earthly Branch for it to be effective

Eating God (EG): It is the element produced by the Day Master, with the same polarity as it, Eating God is associated with knowledge, intellect, and learning. It relates more to behind-the-scenes creativity – the strategists, the ones who orchestrate, the writers, the composers, the producers. Eating God relates to the ability to enjoy, appreciate, and luxuriate in the finer things in life. It is acceptable, even favorable, for the Eating God Star to be a Hidden Star. This is because the Eating God Star by its very nature is introverted and is a behind-the-scenes Star.

Derived from the Wealth Star

Indirect Wealth (IW): Aligned with the element that the Day Master controls, Direct Wealth signifies represents two specific classes of individuals: entrepreneurs and investors. We can say that:

The absence of IW, only DW in the Chart: makes the individual inclined to be risk-averse, the person needs to engage in an entrepreneurial venture that does not have a lot of ups and downs or fluctuations from a revenue standpoint
BaZi Chart has Excessive Indirect Wealth Stars: excessively greedy to the point that nothing satisfies them
Hidden IW: innate entrepreneurial skills and instincts, makes their money from borderline illegal sources

Direct Wealth (DW): Sharing the same element as the one that the Day Master controls but with different polarity, Direct wealth is associated with values like responsibility, reliability, and accountability and denotes an honorable, trustworthy, principled, and upright character. Traditional Ba Zi texts regard the Direct Wealth Stars as an Auspicious Star and thus it is regarded as a favorable Star to have in a Ba Zi chart.

Derived from the Resource Star

Indirect Resource (IR): Associated with the element that produces the Day Master's element and having the same polarity, Indirect Resource references the unconventional, the unorthodox, and the eccentric or paranormal, in traditional society, people who are different or stand out because they are weird, tend to be ostracized. It represents external support, mentorship, and assistance from others. It indicates collaboration and cooperative endeavors.

Direct Resource (DR): Aligned with the element that produces the Day Master but with opposite polarity, Direct Resource signifies internal support, self-improvement, and personal growth. It reflects one's ability to draw on internal strengths. It reflects one's ability to draw on internal strengths. Regarded as an Auspicious god as it is the god that marks out a person as knowledgeable, educated, refined, civilized, and gentle.

Derived from the Influence Star

Seven Killings (7K): Associated with the element that controls the Day Master's element and having the same polarity, Seven Killings represents competitiveness, assertiveness, and strategic thinking. It reflects a person's ability to overcome challenges and achieve goals. Often associated with a military career, it is the star of power and charisma. One could even go as far as to say, it’s the star of greatness. Are surrounded by enemies or petty people and desire to achieve greatness, a thirst for power, a high appetite for outrageous risks, and a love for living life on the edge.

Direct Officer (DO): Connected to the element that controls the Day Master's element but with opposite polarity, the Direct Officer symbolizes discipline, structure, and order. It reflects organizational skills and the ability to bring structure to various aspects of life. The presence of the Direct Officer Star in a chart marked out a man as a real gentleman and a woman as a true lady; chaste, gentle, and well-mannered, it is the god of status, recognition, acknowledgment, high rank, respectability, leadership, authority, power, and fame.

Conclusion

The interactions and relationships among these Ten Gods create a complex web of influences within an individual's Destiny Chart. Ba Zi practitioners carefully analyze the strengths, weaknesses, and interactions of these Gods to provide a comprehensive assessment of a person's characteristics, career prospects, and compatibility in relationships.

Understanding the role of the Ten Gods in Ba Zi offers valuable insights into the nuances of an individual's destiny, providing a roadmap for personal development, decision-making, and navigating the various aspects of life. As practitioners delve into the intricate dance of these celestial forces, they unlock the secrets encoded in the Destiny Chart, guiding individuals toward a more harmonious and purposeful existence.

The interactions and relationships among these Ten Gods create a complex web of influences within an individual's Destiny Chart. Ba Zi practitioners carefully analyze the strengths, weaknesses, and interactions of these Gods to provide a comprehensive assessment of a person's characteristics, career prospects, and compatibility in relationships.

Understanding the role of the Ten Gods in Ba Zi offers valuable insights into the nuances of an individual's destiny, providing a roadmap for personal development, decision-making, and navigating the various aspects of life. As practitioners delve into the intricate dance of these celestial forces, they unlock the secrets encoded in the Destiny Chart, guiding individuals toward a more harmonious and purposeful existence.