Ten stems, twelve branches
The ten heavenly stems and twelve earthly branches pair in sequence, forming the sixty Jiazi cycle; each year corresponds to exactly one pair in the cycle.
1900–2100 index
2051
辛未 · Goat- Zodiac
- Goat
- Stem & Branch
- 辛未
- Na Yin
- Roadside Earth
- Li Chun
- 2051-02-04 05:36
Tai Sui relations
李素 General · South-southwest
On-duty Tai Sui
Goat
Clash with Tai Sui
Ox
Punishment with Tai Sui
Dog
Punishment with Tai Sui
Ox
Harm with Tai Sui
Rat
Break with Tai Sui
Dog
Nine Palace Flying Stars
Center
3Three Jade
Northwest
2Two Black
West
1One White
Northeast
9Nine Purple
South
8Eight White
North
7Seven Red
Southwest
6Six White
East
5Five Yellow
Southeast
4Four Green
Year Hexagram
䷅
Song / Conflict
Heaven over Water
Monthly Solar Terms
1
Minor Cold · 01-05 18:02
Major Cold · 01-20 11:18
2
Beginning of Spring · 02-04 05:36
Rain Water · 02-19 01:17
3
Awakening of Insects · 03-05 23:22
Spring Equinox · 03-20 23:59
4
Pure Brightness · 04-05 03:49
Grain Rain · 04-20 10:40
5
Beginning of Summer · 05-05 20:47
Grain Buds · 05-21 09:31
6
Grain in Ear · 06-06 00:40
Summer Solstice · 06-21 17:18
7
Minor Heat · 07-07 10:49
Major Heat · 07-23 04:13
8
Beginning of Autumn · 08-07 20:41
End of Heat · 08-23 11:29
9
White Dew · 09-07 23:51
Autumn Equinox · 09-23 09:27
10
Cold Dew · 10-08 15:50
Frost Descent · 10-23 19:10
11
Beginning of Winter · 11-07 19:22
Minor Snow · 11-22 17:02
12
Major Snow · 12-07 12:28
Winter Solstice · 12-22 06:34
Method and sources
- lunar-javascript solar term calculation
- Ma-Zeng 2020 annual allocation scheme and reproducible algorithm
- Ma-Zeng source provenance and 129,600-row audit references
This material is for traditional-cultural study and reflection. It does not establish factual causation or replace medical, legal, financial or other professional advice.
What is a Liu Nian (annual year)
Liu Nian is the annual stem-branch cycle: 2051 corresponds to one Gan-Zhi pair. In a personal reading, that pair is considered alongside the natal chart and current luck cycle. This encyclopedia provides general year references for 1900–2100, including Gan-Zhi, Nayin, Tai Sui relationships, and calendar details.
How a Gan-Zhi year is determined
The year turns at Lichun
Under the common Lichun-based BaZi convention, the year pillar changes at the Start of Spring solar term, usually around February 3–5, rather than on January 1. Births before that solar-term boundary are generally assigned to the previous year's pillar; conventions can vary by school.
The Nayin element
Each Gan-Zhi pair also carries a Nayin element (e.g., Jiazi-Yichou 'Metal in the Sea') — the source of folk names like the 'Metal Pig year'.
What to read in a Liu Nian
Tai Sui relationship
The year branch versus your birth branch: same-branch (Zhi Tai Sui), clash, punishment or harm each set a different annual tone — Tai Sui years call for extra care in folk tradition.
Year Gan-Zhi vs your Day Master
Traditional BaZi interpretation considers how the annual stem and branch relate to a person's Day Master. The same year can be read differently across charts; this is a cultural framework, not a guaranteed outlook.
Ten Gods stirred
A personal BaZi reading may examine which Ten Gods the annual Gan-Zhi relates to in a chart, as one way to discuss themes such as work, resources, or communication. These traditional interpretations are not predictions of specific events.
Stacked on your Da Yun
Some BaZi schools read the annual cycle alongside the current Da Yun decade cycle to add context. The same annual combination may be interpreted differently within different chart and timing frameworks.
The generic year and your year are not the same
This encyclopedia explains general annual references such as Gan-Zhi, Tai Sui, and Nayin. A personal annual reading requires relating the year to an individual chart and Da Yun; the luck-timeline page provides that chart-based view after you create a profile. Open the luck-cycle timeline
Liu Nian FAQ
When does the Liu Nian year begin?
Under the common Lichun-based convention, the year pillar changes at the Start of Spring solar term, usually around February 3–5. A birth before that boundary is generally assigned to the previous year's stem-branch; some schools use different conventions.
Why is my zodiac year considered sensitive?
In traditional terminology, Ben Ming Nian is the year when the annual branch matches a person's birth-year branch. Folk customs may treat it as a time for extra care, but it does not determine an individual's outcome; interpretations depend on the full chart and personal circumstances.
What exactly is Tai Sui?
Tai Sui is a traditional calendrical and astrological concept associated with the year's branch. Folk references describe relationships such as matching, clash, punishment, or harm with the birth-year branch; these are cultural interpretations, not factual forecasts.
Nayin vs the regular elements?
Regular elements reason from the stems and branches themselves — the main engine of BaZi. Nayin is a second element layer over the pair, mostly used in folk descriptions and some annual readings.
How much does the year change annually?
The year's Gan-Zhi changes every year, so its interactions with your chart change too; but the decade Da Yun trend sits underneath — the year is the fluctuation layer, Da Yun the trend layer.
How do I look up a specific year's Gan-Zhi?
Pick the year in this encyclopedia to see its stem-branch, Nayin and Tai Sui notes, for any year from 1900 to 2100.