Introduction to the 10 Gods in BaZi
The 10 Gods are functional roles in BaZi — not religion. They show how your Day Master expresses output, manages resources and wealth, exerts power, and forms alliances. Learn the standard names, groupings, and how to read them with timing.
Why the 10 Gods Matter
The 10 Gods describe how your Day Master interacts with your chart. They explain how you create value, manage power and resources, and navigate people. New to BaZi? Start with What Is BaZi? (Explained).
The Five Functional Groups
Output
Wealth
Power / Authority
Resource
Companion
Output Gods
Functions that express ideas, create value, and influence others.
- Eating God (Shi Shen): Creativity, expansion, refined expression, sustainable growth.
- Hurting Officer (Shang Guan): Innovation, rule-breaking, visibility, challenging authority.
Use Output to stand out, persuade, and break stale patterns. Deep dive: Eating God vs. Hurting Officer — When to Use Each.
Wealth Gods
Functions that manage your relationship with money, assets, and opportunity.
- Direct Wealth (Zheng Cai): Stable income, assets, tangible financial gain.
- Indirect Wealth (Pian Cai): Windfalls, unconventional income, speculative plays.
Entrepreneurs rely on Wealth to control resources and capture windows. Deep dive: Direct Wealth vs. Indirect Wealth — Risk and Reward.
Power / Authority Gods
Functions related to structure, discipline, leadership, and competitive action.
- Direct Officer (Zheng Guan): Order, responsibility, consistent authority, systems.
- Seven Killings (Qi Sha / Pian Guan): Decisive action, competitiveness, calculated risk.
Lead and compete effectively — balance with Resource to avoid burnout. Deep dive: Direct Officer vs. Seven Killings — Order vs. Pressure.
Resource Gods
Functions that provide knowledge, support, and recovery.
- Direct Resource (Zheng Yin): Learning, nurturing, stability, long-term development.
- Indirect Resource (Pian Yin): Instinct, lateral thinking, unconventional learning.
This is your foundation layer — it sharpens and replenishes you. Deep dive: Direct Resource vs. Indirect Resource — Learning vs. Instinct.
Companion Gods
Functions that govern alliances, networks, and competition for shared resources.
- Friend (Bi Jian): Allies, collaboration, shared resources.
- Rob Wealth (Jie Cai): Rivalry, aggressive competition, redistribution of resources.
Companions can amplify reach or erode margin — use with intent. Deep dive: Friend vs. Rob Wealth — Community vs. Competition.
How to Start Reading the 10 Gods
- Identify your dominant Gods (repeated or on key pillars).
- Track timing — which Gods activate in your current Luck Pillar and year.
- Adjust strategy — lean on supportive Gods; contain the disruptive ones.
Build core skills first: Find Your Day Master, How to Read Your BaZi Chart in 5 Steps, BaZi Is Not Fortune-Telling.
Next Steps
The 10 Gods are strategic functions, not fixed personalities. Your advantage comes from choosing which function to lead with at the right time — and sequencing actions to match your cycles. Continue to the 10 Gods Hub for deeper profiles.
