BaZi Concepts
What Are Shun Yong and Ni Yong in BaZi?
Also called: Shun Yong Ni Yong
Plain Explanation
Shun Yong and Ni Yong are two ways of arranging relationships in BaZi chart-pattern analysis. Shun Yong supports and protects the Ten God being used; Ni Yong restrains or redirects its effect to serve the chart’s needs.
First identify the Ten God at the center of the analysis, then examine what the other Stems and Branches do to it.
Example
The same Eating God can serve different purposes. For a Jia (甲) Wood Day Master, Bing (丙) Fire is Eating God, Wu (戊) Earth is Indirect Wealth, and Geng (庚) Metal is Seven Killings. Consider two separate cases: one needs to support Indirect Wealth, while the other needs to restrain Seven Killings.
| Approach | Example of Cooperation | Direction of the Effect |
|---|---|---|
| Shun Yong | Eating God generates Wealth | Fire generates Earth; Eating God supports Wealth’s function |
| Ni Yong | Eating God restrains Seven Killings | Fire controls Metal; Eating God restrains Seven Killings’ function |
What It Is Used For
Shun Yong and Ni Yong help explain the roles of the other Ten Gods in a chart pattern: providing support and protection, or restraining and redirecting an effect. To assess whether the arrangement works, state which approach is being used, then consider whether actual strength and position allow it to function.
Common Misunderstandings
Shun Yong Is Not Always Favorable, and Ni Yong Is Not Always Unfavorable
Shun and ni describe the direction of cooperation; favorability describes whether the effect supports the chart’s needs. Appropriate restraint can also be favorable, so these two approaches cannot be equated directly with good and bad.
Ni Yong Includes More than Direct Control
Ni Yong may also redirect an effect through generation. For example, Hurting Officer generating Wealth directs its energy toward supporting Wealth. Ni Yong therefore does not only mean suppressing one side.
Related Concepts
Updated 2026-10-16 · Editorial Policy