Chinese Zodiac 60-Year Cycle Stem–Branch Calculator
Compute the exact Heavenly Stem and Earthly Branch for any given year in the 60-year cycle, helping you identify your full stem–branch sign like 'Wood Rat'.
What is the 60-Year Cycle?
The 60-Year Cycle (also known as the Sexagenary Cycle or GanZhi) is a fundamental system in Chinese astrology and calendar. It combines 10 Heavenly Stems (天干 Tiangan) with 12 Earthly Branches (地支 Dizhi) to create a unique 60-year repeating cycle.
Each year in this cycle has a unique combination of one Heavenly Stem and one Earthly Branch, such as "Jia Rat" (1984), "Yi Ox" (1985), or "Geng Dragon" (2024). This combination determines the year's elemental energy and zodiac characteristics.
10 Heavenly Stems
The Heavenly Stems represent the Five Elements (Wood, Fire, Earth, Metal, Water) in both Yin and Yang forms: Jia/Yi (Wood), Bing/Ding (Fire), Wu/Ji (Earth), Geng/Xin (Metal), Ren/Gui (Water).
12 Earthly Branches
The Earthly Branches correspond to the 12 Chinese Zodiac animals: Rat, Ox, Tiger, Rabbit, Dragon, Snake, Horse, Goat, Monkey, Rooster, Dog, and Pig. Each represents a different year in the 12-year zodiac cycle.
Fun Fact
The 60-year cycle results from the least common multiple of 10 (Heavenly Stems) and 12 (Earthly Branches). This means every 60 years, the exact same stem–branch combination repeats. The current cycle started in 1984 (Jia Rat) and will complete in 2043 (Gui Pig).
Understanding Heavenly Stems and Earthly Branches
Each year in the 60-year cycle has both a Heavenly Stem and an Earthly Branch. Together, they create a complete designation that tells you about the year's energy:
Heavenly Stem (天干)
The Heavenly Stem represents the element and polarity (Yin/Yang) of the year. It cycles through 10 combinations: 5 elements × 2 polarities. The stem influences the year's general energy and element.
Earthly Branch (地支)
The Earthly Branch is the zodiac animal of the year. It cycles through the 12 animals in order: Rat, Ox, Tiger, Rabbit, Dragon, Snake, Horse, Goat, Monkey, Rooster, Dog, Pig.
Combined Designation
When combined, the Heavenly Stem and Earthly Branch create a unique name like 'Geng Dragon' or 'Jia Rat'. This full designation is used in BaZi (Four Pillars) astrology and traditional Chinese calendar systems.
Calculation Method
The cycle is calculated from a reference year (1984 = Jia Rat). For any year, subtract 1984, then take modulo 10 for the Heavenly Stem and modulo 12 for the Earthly Branch to find the position in the cycle.
How Can You Use This?
- Discover your year's complete stem–branch designation (e.g., 'Wood Rat' instead of just 'Rat')
- Understand the elemental energy of any year in history or the future
- Learn which years share the same stem–branch combination (every 60 years)
- Use this information for BaZi (Four Pillars) astrology and Chinese calendar calculations