Analyze the body parts indicated by the ten Heavenly Stems

Analyze the body parts indicated by the ten Heavenly Stems

The Heavenly Stems and Earthly Branches are the foundation of the Four Pillars and Eight Characters (Bazi) in Chinese fortune-telling and the theory of Traditional Chinese Medicine (TCM). Many veteran TCM practitioners would first determine a patient's Bazi and then observe the patient's illness situation based on it. After that, they would prescribe the right medicine according to the diagnosis of the case.

In the Bazi, which parts of the human body do the Heavenly Stems and Earthly Branches correspond to?

The Parts of the Human Body Represented by the Five Elements and Ten Heavenly Stems

1. Wood
Liver, gallbladder, head, neck, joints, tendons and veins, eyes, nerves, limbs, hair
The head and gallbladder are represented by Jia; the liver and neck are represented by Yi; the arms, limbs, gallbladder, tendons and veins, hair, and Fengmen acupoint are represented by Yin; the liver, chest, eyes, hands, claws, and tendons are represented by Mao.

2. Fire
Small intestine, heart, shoulders, blood, menstrual blood, face, teeth, tongue, abdomen, nerves, blood vessels, blood pressure
The shoulders and small intestine are represented by Bing; the heart and blood are represented by Ding; the face, teeth, heart, meridians, Sanjiao (Triple Burner), and throat are represented by Si; the heart and abdomen, small intestine, eyes, tongue, and spirit are represented by Wu.

3. Earth
Spleen, stomach, ribs, abdomen, back, chest, lungs, abdomen, skin and flesh, lumps
The stomach, ribs, that is, both the Heavenly Stem and the back, lungs, that is, both the Earthly Branch are represented by Wu; the back, chest, nape, shoulders, and skin are represented by Chen; the abdomen and spleen are represented by Ji; the belly, abdomen, spleen, and muscles are represented by Chou; the spleen, chest, stomach, abdomen, mouth, lips, and teeth are represented by Wei; the Mingmen (Gate of Life), chest, tendons and veins, buttocks, legs, knees, and feet are represented by Xu.

4. Gold
Lungs, large intestine, liver, umbilicus, throat, trachea, nose, skin, hemorrhoids, respiratory system, bones, teeth
The intestine and umbilicus are represented by Geng; the lungs and thighs are represented by Xin; the throat, lungs, large intestine, bones and tendons, and meridians are represented by Shen; the lungs, nose, fur, and voice are represented by You.

5. Water
Kidneys, bladder, tibia, feet, head, perineum, urethra, yin qi, waist, ears, uterus, hernia, reproductive system, blood, sweat
The bladder and tibia are represented by Ren; the kidneys and feet, and semen are represented by Gui; the perineum, ears, waist, liquid, and urine are represented by Zi; the kidneys, head (it should be noted that there might be a typo here, perhaps it means "kidney" instead of "head"), scrotum, marrow, and sperm are represented by Hai.

The Parts of the Body Represented by the Four Pillars

1. The Year Pillar refers to the head, and its specific coverage includes: the parts above the shoulders, that is, the neck, ears, eyes, head, hair, central nervous system of the brain, face, nose, teeth, tongue, etc.

2. The Month Pillar refers to the chest system, and its specific coverage includes: the parts from the shoulders to the waist, that is, the chest, lungs, arms, respiratory tract, heart, liver, gallbladder, breasts, etc.

3. The Day Pillar refers to the abdomen including the hips, and its specific coverage includes: the waist, intestines, stomach, umbilicus, bladder, renal pelvis, urinary system, reproductive system, digestive system, excretory system, anus, and pudenda, etc.

4. The Time Pillar refers to the lower limbs and also the hips, and its specific coverage includes: the parts below the waist, that is, the pudenda, hips, legs, feet, ankles, and knees, etc.