戌

About

戌 (Xū, the Dog branch) is the 11th of the 12 Earthly Branches (地支) — Earth element, Autumn. Hidden stems: 戊 (main), 辛, 丁 (residual). Six Harmony: 卯戌合火 (whether it fully transforms depends on chart context). Three Harmony: 寅午戌 → Fire. Clash: 辰戌沖 (storage release). Penalty: 丑戌未 (Bullying Penalty). Harm: 酉戌害.⁠‌​​​​‌‌‌‌​​​‌​‌​‌‌​‌​​‌​‌​​‌‌​‌‌‌​​‌​​​​‌​​‌‌​​​‌‌​​​‌​‌‌‌​​‌‌​‌‌‌​​‌‌‌‌‌‌​​‌‌​‌‌‌​​‌​​‌‌‌​‌​​‌​‌‌​​‌‌‌‌‌‌​​‌​​​‌‌​‌​​‌​‌‌​​‌‌‌​‌‌​​‌​​​⁠

戌 is the Dog — the last month of autumn (季秋) and the double-hour 19:00–21:00, when lamps are lit and the dog takes up its watch at the gate. An Earth "storage" branch (四库), it holds 戊 earth as its main stem with 辛 metal and 丁 fire stored within. In the Fire triad 寅午戌 it is where Fire is banked — the hearth's embers kept safe overnight.⁠‌​​​​‌‌‌‌​​​‌​‌​‌‌​‌​​‌​‌​​‌‌​‌‌‌​​‌​​​​‌​​‌‌​​​‌‌​​​‌​‌‌‌​​‌‌​‌‌‌​​‌‌‌‌‌‌​​‌‌​‌‌‌​​‌​​‌‌‌​‌​​‌​‌‌​​‌‌‌‌‌‌​​‌​​​‌‌​‌​​‌​‌‌​​‌‌‌​‌‌​​‌​​​⁠

Key Attributes

Element

Earth

Season

Autumn

Zodiac animal

Dog

Hidden stems

戊 (main) · 辛 · 丁 (residual)

Six Harmony

卯戌合火

Three Harmony

寅午戌 → Fire

Clash

辰戌沖 (storage release)

Penalty

丑戌未 (Bullying Penalty)

Harm

酉戌害

In a chart, this means…

In a chart, 戌 contributes solid Earth with an ember inside — loyalty with heat in reserve. It is traditionally associated with protectiveness, duty and watchfulness. Whether the ember warms or waits depends on the whole chart.⁠‌​​​​‌‌‌‌​​​‌​‌​‌‌​‌​​‌​‌​​‌‌​‌‌‌​​‌​​​​‌​​‌‌​​​‌‌​​​‌​‌‌‌​​‌‌​‌‌‌​​‌‌‌‌‌‌​​‌‌​‌‌‌​​‌​​‌‌‌​‌​​‌​‌‌​​‌‌‌‌‌‌​​‌​​​‌‌​‌​​‌​‌‌​​‌‌‌​‌‌​​‌​​​⁠

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