BaZi Concepts
What Is Void/Emptiness (Kong Wang) in BaZi?
Also called: Kong Wang, Xun Kong
Plain Explanation
Void/Emptiness (also called Xun Kong) refers to the two Earthly Branches that are left without a Heavenly Stem in a group of ten Stem–Branch pairs.
The sexagenary cycle is divided into six groups of ten pairs, called xun. There are ten Heavenly Stems and twelve Earthly Branches, so two Branches remain unused in each group. Here, xun means a group within the Stem–Branch cycle.
Example
The Jia–Zi (甲–子) group runs from Jia–Zi (甲–子) to Gui–You (癸–酉). The ten Stems pair with the ten Branches from Zi (子) through You (酉), leaving Xu (戌) and Hai (亥). Jia–Zi (甲–子) and Yi–Chou (乙–丑), which are in the same group, therefore have the same two void Branches: Xu (戌) and Hai (亥).
Void Branches in the Six Xun Groups
| Xun Group | Stem–Branch Range | Void Branches |
|---|---|---|
| Jia–Zi (甲–子) Xun | Jia–Zi (甲–子) to Gui–You (癸–酉) | Xu (戌) and Hai (亥) |
| Jia–Xu (甲–戌) Xun | Jia–Xu (甲–戌) to Gui–Wei (癸–未) | Shen (申) and You (酉) |
| Jia–Shen (甲–申) Xun | Jia–Shen (甲–申) to Gui–Si (癸–巳) | Wu (午) and Wei (未) |
| Jia–Wu (甲–午) Xun | Jia–Wu (甲–午) to Gui–Mao (癸–卯) | Chen (辰) and Si (巳) |
| Jia–Chen (甲–辰) Xun | Jia–Chen (甲–辰) to Gui–Chou (癸–丑) | Yin (寅) and Mao (卯) |
| Jia–Yin (甲–寅) Xun | Jia–Yin (甲–寅) to Gui–Hai (癸–亥) | Zi (子) and Chou (丑) |
Use a complete Stem–Branch pair to find its xun group. All ten pairs in that group have the same two void Branches.
What It Is Used For
Void/Emptiness is used to check which Branches in a chart fall within the void range of the selected xun group. For example, with a Jia–Zi (甲–子) Day Pillar as the reference, examine whether Xu (戌) or Hai (亥) appears elsewhere, then interpret those positions in the context of the whole chart.
Common Misunderstandings
Void Does Not Mean a Branch Disappears
The void Branches for Jia–Zi (甲–子) are Xu (戌) and Hai (亥); Zi (子) is not removed. If Xu (戌) or Hai (亥) appears elsewhere in the chart, retain those Branches and their hidden Stems and consider their effects alongside the other conditions.
A Pillar’s Own Xun Group Differs from Using the Day Pillar as the Reference
ChiBuddy’s Four Pillars table shows each pillar’s own void Branches in its column. Comparing other Branches with the Day Pillar’s xun group is a separate layer of analysis. The results shown for individual columns cannot be treated directly as the result of that Day Pillar comparison.
Void/Emptiness Is Not a Direct Favorability Judgment
The name first describes a Stem–Branch correspondence. It cannot by itself establish whether an event will succeed or fail.
Related Concepts
Updated 2026-10-16 · Editorial Policy