巳

About

巳 (Sì, the Snake branch) is the 6th of the 12 Earthly Branches (地支) — Fire element, Summer. Hidden stems: 丙 (main), 庚, 戊 (residual). Six Harmony: 巳申合水 (whether it fully transforms depends on chart context). Three Harmony: 巳酉丑 → Metal. Clash: 巳亥沖 (direct clash). Penalty: 寅巳申 (Ungrateful Penalty). Harm: 寅巳害.⁠‌​​​‌‌​​‌​​‌​‌‌​‌‌​‌​​‌​‌​​​‌‌​​‌​​‌​​​‌‌​​‌‌‌‌​‌​​‌​‌​​‌​​‌‌​‌​‌‌​​​‌​‌‌‌​​‌‌​‌‌‌​​‌‌‌‌‌‌​​‌‌​‌‌‌​​‌​​‌‌‌​‌​​‌​‌‌​​‌‌‌‌‌‌​​‌​​​‌‌​‌​​‌​‌‌​​‌‌‌​‌‌​​‌​​​⁠

巳 is the Snake — the first month of summer (孟夏) and the double-hour 09:00–11:00, when the sun climbs in earnest. A "growth" branch (四生), its main hidden stem is 丙 Yang Fire, with 庚 metal and 戊 earth stored beside it. In the Metal triad 巳酉丑, 巳 is — perhaps surprisingly — where Metal is born: refining begins at the forge fire.⁠‌​​​‌‌​​‌​​‌​‌‌​‌‌​‌​​‌​‌​​​‌‌​​‌​​‌​​​‌‌​​‌‌‌‌​‌​​‌​‌​​‌​​‌‌​‌​‌‌​​​‌​‌‌‌​​‌‌​‌‌‌​​‌‌‌‌‌‌​​‌‌​‌‌‌​​‌​​‌‌‌​‌​​‌​‌‌​​‌‌‌‌‌‌​​‌​​​‌‌​‌​​‌​‌‌​​‌‌‌​‌‌​​‌​​​⁠

Key Attributes

Element

Fire

Season

Summer

Zodiac animal

Snake

Hidden stems

丙 (main) · 庚 · 戊 (residual)

Six Harmony

巳申合水

Three Harmony

巳酉丑 → Metal

Clash

巳亥沖 (direct clash)

Penalty

寅巳申 (Ungrateful Penalty)

Harm

寅巳害

In a chart, this means…

In a chart, 巳 contributes Fire with metal in its depths — a growth branch that starts more than one story. It is traditionally associated with intelligence, intensity and coiled readiness. The chart around it decides which of its stories runs.⁠‌​​​‌‌​​‌​​‌​‌‌​‌‌​‌​​‌​‌​​​‌‌​​‌​​‌​​​‌‌​​‌‌‌‌​‌​​‌​‌​​‌​​‌‌​‌​‌‌​​​‌​‌‌‌​​‌‌​‌‌‌​​‌‌‌‌‌‌​​‌‌​‌‌‌​​‌​​‌‌‌​‌​​‌​‌‌​​‌‌‌‌‌‌​​‌​​​‌‌​‌​​‌​‌‌​​‌‌‌​‌‌​​‌​​​⁠

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