The Monkey 申 in BaZi

Nature

The Monkey (申) is a Yang Metal branch, one of the two Metal branches, with the Rooster. Its month runs from about 8 August to about 8 September, the opening of autumn, when the first cool air cuts through the lingering summer heat. Its hours are 15:00 to 17:00, late afternoon, when the sun begins to slant and shadows stretch long across the ground.

In BaZi, the Monkey carries the energy of a season turning. It is the moment when the year shifts from the fullness of summer growth toward the gathering and sorting of autumn. The Metal of the Monkey is not the polished blade of the Rooster or the heavy ore of the Dog; it is the raw, unrefined stuff of the earth, sharp-edged and restless. A Monkey in a chart tends to bring a quick, curious mind and a love of clever solutions, like someone who spots a shortcut where others see only a straight road.

The branch has a forward, almost impatient quality, like the first wind that shakes the leaves before the trees have begun to change colour. It can be resourceful and playful, but also stubborn in its own way, because the Metal inside it does not bend easily. As with every branch, the whole chart decides what the Monkey does for a person, and its energy can land very differently depending on the elements around it.

Hidden stems

The Monkey (申) holds three hidden stems 藏干 inside it: 庚 Yang Metal as its main energy, 壬 Yang Water, and 戊 Yang Earth. The first stem, 庚 Yang Metal, is the branch's core. It gives the Monkey its hard, direct quality, like the edge of a new tool that has not yet been dulled by use. This stem is what makes the Monkey feel sharp, decisive and quick to act.

The second hidden stem is 壬 Yang Water. Water inside Metal is like a stream running through a rocky gorge. It brings a flowing, adaptable side to the Monkey, a sense of movement and change beneath the surface. This stem can make the Monkey branch good at reading situations and finding the path of least resistance, even when the outer energy seems fixed.

The third hidden stem is 戊 Yang Earth. Earth inside Metal is the source of stability, the soil from which the ore is dug. This stem adds a grounding layer to the Monkey, a practical streak that can hold things together. Together, these three stems make the Monkey a branch of layered energies: the sharp Metal at the front, the moving Water behind it, and the steady Earth underneath.

Clashes and combinations

The Monkey (申) forms a six-combination 六合 with the Snake (巳, Yin Fire), and together they move toward Water. This combination tends to feel like a meeting of opposites that somehow fit. The Snake brings a focused, intense heat, and the Monkey answers with its quick Metal energy. When they combine, the result is cooling and fluid, like steam turning to rain. In a chart, this can ease tension between the two branches and create a smoother flow of energy.

The Monkey clashes 沖 with the Tiger (寅, Yang Wood). This is a direct opposition, like two forces pushing hard against each other. The Monkey's Metal controls the Tiger's Yang Wood, so the clash often feels like a struggle, a sudden breaking of momentum or a sharp disagreement. In a luck pillar or a year, a Monkey-Tiger clash can bring abrupt changes or force a person to defend their ground.

The Monkey is harmed 害 by the Pig (亥, Yin Water). Harm is a quieter friction, not a full clash but a steady drain. The Pig's Water can feel like it is pulling the Monkey's energy sideways, causing small misunderstandings or a sense of being undermined. The Monkey also receives punishment 刑 with the Tiger (寅, Yang Wood) and the Snake (巳, Yin Fire). Punishment is a repetitive, grinding tension, like a knot that keeps tightening. With the Tiger, it can feel like repeated conflict; with the Snake, like a slow burn of irritation.

In each pillar

When the Monkey (申) appears in the year pillar 年柱, it tends to colour a person's early roots and family environment with a restless, inventive energy. Others may first see this person as clever, quick-witted and slightly unpredictable, like someone who always has a trick or a plan. The family background may have a quality of movement or change, not necessarily difficult, but never still.

In the month pillar 月柱, the Monkey sits in its own season, from about 8 August to about 8 September. This is a strong placement for the branch, like a tree planted in its own soil. In work and career matters, it tends to bring a sharp, analytical mind and a talent for solving problems quickly. The person may prefer roles that allow them to think on their feet and avoid routines that feel too predictable.

When the Monkey is in the day pillar 日柱, the branch under the Day Master, it governs the house of the partner and the inner self. In relationships, this placement tends to bring a need for mental stimulation and a partner who can keep up with a fast, curious mind. The person may value independence even in close bonds, and the relationship can feel lively but also prone to sudden shifts.

In the hour pillar 時柱, the Monkey rules later life and children. It tends to bring a late-afternoon energy, active and alert but winding down toward evening. In old age, this placement can mean a person stays mentally sharp and engaged, never quite settling into a quiet retirement. Children may inherit the Monkey's quickness and resourcefulness, for better or worse.

With other signs

The Monkey (申) gathers with the Rat (子) and the Dragon (辰) to form a three-harmony 三合 group that moves toward Water. When these three branches appear together in a chart, they create a strong, flowing current of Water energy. This group tends to be resourceful, adaptable and hard to pin down, like a river that finds its way around every obstacle. People with these three signs in their year branches may find each other clever and stimulating company.

The Monkey also forms a directional 三會 group with the Rooster (酉) and the Dog (戌), moving toward Metal. This group is about gathering and consolidating, like the work of autumn itself. The three branches together create a focused, unyielding Metal energy that can be very determined and practical. When the Monkey and the Rooster meet, they share a sharp, logical quality; when the Monkey meets the Dog, the Dog's loyalty can steady the Monkey's restless edge.

When two people's year branches meet, the Monkey tends to get along best with the Rat and the Dragon, finding a natural rhythm of shared ideas and movement. With the Tiger, there is often friction, a sense of being challenged or opposed. With the Snake, the combination can be productive but also intense, like a fire that needs careful tending. To see how these energies play out in a real connection, the best way is to put two charts side by side and look at the full picture.