BaZi Concepts
What Are Hidden Stems (Cang Gan) in BaZi?
Also called: Cang Gan, Canggan
Plain Explanation
Hidden Stems are the Heavenly Stems contained within an Earthly Branch. A Branch can contain more than one Stem.
Example
Yin (寅) contains Jia (甲), Bing (丙), and Wu (戊), which belong to Wood, Fire, and Earth respectively. When examining a Branch, you can list each of its hidden Stems.
Earthly Branch
Stems Within the Branch
How to Check
- 1
Find the Earthly Branch first
The lower characters in the Four Pillars are Earthly Branches, such as Yin (寅), Mao (卯), Zi (子), and Chou (丑).
- 2
Then check its hidden Stems
Hidden Stems have fixed correspondences, so check each Branch individually. Not every Branch contains three Stems: Yin (寅) contains Jia (甲), Bing (丙), and Wu (戊), while Zi (子) contains only Gui (癸).
What It Is Used For
Hidden Stems show which elements are present within a Branch and which Ten-God relationships those Stems have to the Day Master. They need to be considered together when examining rooting, support, and restraint within the Branches.
Common Misunderstandings
A Wood Branch does not contain only Wood
Yin (寅) belongs to Wood, but it also contains Bing (丙) Fire and Wu (戊) Earth. A Branch’s own element and the elements of its hidden Stems must be considered separately.
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Updated 2026-10-16 · Editorial Policy