The Pig (亥, Hae) in Korean Saju: Water Branch, Years and Clash
Hae (해 亥) is the twelfth and last Earthly Branch (지지 地支 jiji) in Korean Saju (사주), and its animal is the Pig. It is Water at the start of winter, cold rain and rising rivers, and it closes the twelve-branch circle before the Rat begins it again. Pig years include 1983, 1995, 2007, 2019 and 2031. In Korea the Pig is a symbol of plenty, and 2007 was widely promoted as a "golden pig" year, but in Saju the branch is read through its element and hidden stems.
The branch behind the animal
Hae is Water and listed as Yin. Its month starts at Ipdong (입동 立冬, Start of Winter) around November 7 and runs to about December 6, the tenth month of the Saju year. Its hour is 21:00 to 23:00, late evening.
Inside it are three hidden stems (지장간 支藏干 jijanggan):
- Mu (戊) Yang Earth, 7 days
- Gap (甲) Yang Wood, 7 days
- Im (壬) Yang Water, 16 days, the main qi
Two points follow from this list. First, the main qi is Im, a Yang stem, although Hae sits on the Yin side of the table. As with the Rat, Snake and Horse, schools differ on whether to use the table polarity or the main qi's polarity when assigning Ten Gods to Hae. Second, Gap Wood is already inside. Wood is "born" in Hae in the classical scheme, which is why the Pig opens the Wood triple frame. Water feeding a sprouting tree is a good picture of this branch, and the Five Elements guide explains that generating cycle.
As your year branch, and as your day branch
Your tti (띠), the animal people mean in Korea when they ask your sign, comes from your year branch. A reader treats it as the outermost layer: family origin, early surroundings and social image. The Pig year is traditionally linked with generosity, sincerity and an easy-going manner. Everyone born in the same Saju year shares it, so a reader adds it to the picture rather than starting from it.
The day branch (일지 日支 ilji) is the spouse palace (배우자궁 配偶者宮), directly under your Day Master. It is read for partnership, marriage and private character. A Hae day branch gives the self a deep, flowing Water base with Wood growing inside. For Im Water it is a firm root. For Byeong Fire, Hae is Seven Killings, the controlling element right under the self. For Gap Wood it is Indirect Resource, a source of support.
Harmony, triple frame and clash
Here are Hae's classical links. Read them as descriptions of how energies combine in a chart. They do not settle anyone's compatibility.
| Relationship | Partner(s) | Note |
|---|---|---|
| Six harmony (육합 六合 yukhap) | In 寅 Tiger | Water feeding Wood; classical texts say this pair produces Wood |
| Triple frame (삼합 三合 samhap) | Hae 亥 Pig, Myo 卯 Rabbit, Mi 未 Goat | The Wood frame; Hae is where Wood is born |
| Clash (충 沖 chung) | Sa 巳 Snake | Water against Fire across the circle |
Pig and Snake both start a season, so their clash is usually read in terms of movement: travel, relocation, a change of direction. Other factors in each chart decide whether that movement feels like opportunity or disruption.
Why your Saju year may differ from your zodiac year
The Saju year starts at Ipchun (입춘 立春), around February 4, while the lunar zodiac changes at Lunar New Year. In 2007, the "golden pig" year, these were two weeks apart.
Ipchun 2007 fell on February 4 and Lunar New Year on February 18. A baby born on February 12, 2007 was greeted as a Dog by the lunar calendar, from the Byeong-sul (丙戌) year of 2006. In Saju that child is already a Jeong-hae (丁亥) Pig, because Ipchun had passed. Mid-January births are often simpler: a child born on January 20, 2008 was a Pig on both calendars, since 2008's Mu-ja (戊子) Rat year had not yet started by either count.
The five Pig day pillars
Hae is Yin and appears with the five Yin stems: Eul-hae (乙亥), Jeong-hae (丁亥), Gi-hae (己亥), Sin-hae (辛亥) and Gye-hae (癸亥). Gye-hae is the sixtieth and last pillar of the whole cycle.
FAQ
Which years are Pig years in Saju?
Pig years include 1947, 1959, 1971, 1983, 1995, 2007 and 2019, with 2031 next. Each begins at Ipchun around February 4.
What element is the Pig?
Hae is Water. Its main hidden stem is Im (壬) Yang Water, and it also holds Gap (甲) Yang Wood and Mu (戊) Yang Earth.
Who is the Pig compatible with?
Traditionally Hae forms a six harmony with the Tiger and a Wood triple frame with the Rabbit and Goat, and it clashes with the Snake. These describe chart dynamics, so real compatibility needs both full charts.
Hidden stems
| Stem | Element | Share of the month |
|---|---|---|
| 戊 Mu | Yang Earth | 7 days |
| 甲 Gap | Yang Wood | 7 days |
| 壬 Im | Yang Water | 16 days |
Pig years
Years whose pillar carries this branch. A Saju year starts at Ipchun, around February 4, so anyone born before that in January or early February belongs to the previous year.
| Year (from ~Feb 4) | Year pillar |
|---|---|
| 1935 | 乙亥 Eul-hae · Yin Wood Pig |
| 1947 | 丁亥 Jeong-hae · Yin Fire Pig |
| 1959 | 己亥 Gi-hae · Yin Earth Pig |
| 1971 | 辛亥 Sin-hae · Yin Metal Pig |
| 1983 | 癸亥 Gye-hae · Yin Water Pig |
| 1995 | 乙亥 Eul-hae · Yin Wood Pig |
| 2007 | 丁亥 Jeong-hae · Yin Fire Pig |
| 2019 | 己亥 Gi-hae · Yin Earth Pig |
| 2031 | 辛亥 Sin-hae · Yin Metal Pig |
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