Nurturing (Yang) — The Twelfth of the Twelve Stages
In a Nutshell
The twelfth of the Twelve Stages: the image of formation tended and raised — after which the cycle returns to Birth — Jia Wood's Nurturing falls on Xu.
Quick facts
| Item | Detail |
|---|---|
| Stage position | Twelfth of the Twelve Stages |
| Jia Wood's Nurturing | Xu |
| Yi Wood's Nurturing | Wei (yin stems count backward) |
What is Nurturing (Yang)?
Nurturing is the twelfth stage of the "Twelve Stages," describing the Five Elements' qi after taking shape, tended and raised as it grows — the last of the twelve stages. The counting is yang-forward, yin-backward: take Jia Wood — Jia's Birth is at Hai, and counting forward, Hai is Birth, Zi is Bath, Chou is Coming of Age, Yin is Arrival, Mao is Peak, Chen is Decline, Si is Sickness, Wu is Death, Wei is Grave, Shen is Extinction, You is Conception, and the twelfth position, Xu, is Nurturing. For the yin stem Yi Wood, Birth is at Wu, and counting backward, the twelfth position, Wei, is Nurturing. In other words, a Jia Wood Day Master meeting Xu, or an Yi Wood Day Master meeting Wei, is the Day Master traveling into the "Nurturing" ground.
The image of "Nurturing" is formation tended and raised: like a seedling sheltered and cared for, gradually growing — following "Conception," where qi was received and shape taken, the new life here receives its care. After "Nurturing" comes "Birth" again: the Twelve Stages cycle round and round — Birth, Bath, Coming of Age, Arrival, Peak, Decline, Sickness, Death, Grave, Extinction, Conception, Nurturing — without end. When traditionally assessing the Day Master's Strength (Prosperous/Weak), "Nurturing" is read as a position where the Five Elements' qi is growing but still under care — strength calls must weigh the month branch and the whole chart.
The complete order of the Twelve Stages and the yang-forward / yin-backward rule are set out in the *San Ming Tong Hui* (Book 2, on the Five Elements lodging in the twelve palaces) and the *Zi Ping Zhen Quan* ("On the Life and Death of Yin and Yang"); the original passages are quoted below. MoZhu's Twelve Stages lookup tool uses the yang-forward / yin-backward counting and shows the stage of each of the Four Pillars' stems.
"Nurturing" describes only one link in the Five Elements' cycle of strength — one auxiliary concept for reading the Day Master's strength. This page introduces the stage's meaning, the lookup method, and the classical account, and draws no inferences from it.
Classical sources
"The Five Elements lodge in twelve palaces: Birth, Bathing, Cap and Belt, Official Post, Emperor, Decline, Sickness, Death, Grave, Extinction, Conception, Nurture, circling without end."
Plain words: The fixed order of the Twelve Stages.
Source: *San Ming Tong Hui*, Book 2, "On the Prosperity and Decline of the Five Elements and Their Lodging in the Twelve Palaces" — original: 五行寄生十二宫：长生、沐浴、冠带、临官、帝旺、衰、病、死、墓、绝、胎、养，循环无端，周而复始。
"The San Ming Ti Yao says: … third, Taking Shape: the myriad things take shape in the earth, as a person takes shape in the womb."
Plain words: Nurture, called "Taking Shape" in the San Ming Ti Yao, is the stage when things take form, like a child forming in the womb. Jia Wood is in Nurture at Xu, Yi Wood at Wei.
Source: *San Ming Tong Hui*, Book 2, "On the Prosperity and Decline of the Five Elements and Their Lodging in the Twelve Palaces", quoting the *San Ming Ti Yao* — original: 《三命提要》云：……三曰成形，万物在地中成形，如人在母腹成形也。
"Yang gathers and advances, so it runs forward; yin disperses and retreats, so it runs backward. That is why Birth, Bathing and the rest differ, forward for yang and backward for yin."
Plain words: Yang stems count forward, yin stems backward, so the two stems of one element land on different branches.
Source: *Zi Ping Zhen Quan*, "On the Life and Death of Yin and Yang" — original: 阳主聚，以进为进，故主顺；阴主散，以退为退，故主逆。长生沐浴等项，所以有阳顺阴逆之殊也。
*For entertainment purposes only.*