Ja (子)(子)
Ja (子), the first of the twelve earth branches, corresponds to the Rat, the midwinter month beginning at Major Snow, the hours of 23:00–1:00, and Water (水) energy.
It represents the deepest darkness just before a new day and year begin, suggesting wisdom held within like a seed and the promise of a fresh start.
Basics
| Item | Value |
|---|---|
| Five Elements·Yin and Yang | Water (水) · Yang (yin in function) |
| Zodiac animal | Year of the Rat |
| Month | One month from Major Snow (around December 7 on the solar calendar) |
| Hours | 23:00–1:00 |
| Season · Direction | Midwinter · Due north |
| Hidden stems (Seowoon engine) | Gye (癸) · Im (壬) — the first is the main stem |
| Six Harmony | Ja-Chuk Combination (Earth) |
| Three Harmony | Sin-Ja-Jin Water configuration |
| Clash | Ja-O Clash |
| Resentment | Ja-Mi |
| Branch category | Four Peak Branches (Sawangji, 四旺地) — a Peach Blossom position |
What Ja (子) means
Ja is the Water of midnight. Its surface is cool and still, but just as the next day's sun is preparing to rise, thoughts and plans grow out of sight beneath it.
As a Peach Blossom position among the Four Peak Branches, it is associated with both personal magnetism and sensitivity.
Detailed Explanation
Ja is considered yang in essence (體) but yin in function (用), with Gye Water (癸水) as its main hidden stem. This suggests someone who may seem outgoing yet is sensitive and thoughtful within.
Ja forms a Six Harmony with Chuk, taking on Earth energy, and joins Sin and Jin in a Three Harmony Water configuration. It clashes head-on with O and forms an uneasy Resentment relationship with Mi. Among the twelve earth branches, it belongs to the Four Peak Branches (Sawangji, 四旺地), which also carry Peach Blossom qualities.
Its hidden stems are Gye (癸) · Im (壬), according to the Seowoon engine's seasonal stem allocation table. The first, or main stem, is used to determine the Ten Gods and Day Master strength.
Personality: Strengths
It suggests intelligence, quick judgment, and a knack for gathering information. Key strengths include finding a way through a crisis and quietly securing practical gains.
Personality: Weaknesses·Things to Watch
It can suggest overthinking that builds into worry, or keeping so much inside that others find you hard to read. Chasing opportunities may also make it difficult to settle in one place.
Careers and Natural Aptitudes
It is associated with work involving information and knowledge (research · analysis · IT · finance), nighttime work, Water-related fields (distribution · trade · fisheries), and planning · strategy.
Love and Compatibility
In romance, it suggests close attention to a partner and a quietly emerging charm. With Ja as the day branch, Peach Blossom energy occupies the partner seat, suggesting an emotionally rich relationship.
In earth-branch compatibility, Six Harmony with Chuk and Three Harmony with Sin · Jin are considered attractive pairings. A Clash with O and Resentment with Mi call for more care. A full compatibility reading considers both people's Day Masters and day branches.
Health
Traditional saju associates Water with the kidneys · bladder and ears. Readings for charts with several Ja branches traditionally advise keeping the body warm.
These traditional organ associations are an old framework for interpreting constitution, not a medical diagnosis. Any physical symptoms should be evaluated according to modern medical standards.
A common misconception
People often say, “Those born in the Year of the Rat are shrewd”, but your zodiac animal is only one year-branch character. Personality is read through the Day Master and all eight chart characters. Ja has a stronger influence on personal tendencies when it appears as the day or month branch.
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Related entries
- Chuk (丑)Chuk (丑), the second of the twelve earth branches, corresponds to the Ox, the late-winter month beginning at Minor Cold, the hours of 1:00–3:00, and the energy of frozen winter Earth (土).
- O (午)O (午), the seventh of the twelve Earthly Branches, represents the Horse, midsummer beginning at Mangjong, the hours 11:00~13:00, and Fire (火) energy at its strongest.
- Hae (亥)Hae (亥), the last of the twelve earthly branches, represents the Pig, early winter beginning at the Start of Winter solar term, the hours 21:00~23:00, and the embracing energy of Water (水).
- All of Earthly Branches Dictionary
Frequently asked questions
What time is the Ja hour?
It runs from 23:00 to 1:00. Schools differ on whether to assign the Ja hour to the next day (early Ja hour) or the current day (late Ja hour).
What hidden stems are inside Ja (子)?
In the Seowoon engine, Gye Water is the main hidden stem, accompanied by Im Water. Ten God relationships are determined using Gye Water.
What happens when Ja meets O?
This forms a Ja-O Clash, where Water and Fire meet head-on. It can suggest change, movement, or emotional friction, with its meaning depending on which chart positions are involved.
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