Cast & Chart

Snake and Pig

These are traditional rules about the twelve signs. No chart decides a relationship.

The traditional relations

  • 六沖 Six Clashes

    Two branches that sit opposite each other on the circle of twelve.

What tradition says

Sixth and twelfth on the circle, 巳 and 亥 are a direct opposition, and 六沖, the Six Clashes, lists them. 巳 is fire, 亥 is water, both are yin, and water quenches fire. The Sanming Tonghui calls clashes generally unlucky and then at once makes room for exceptions. Where the year-sound elements of the two feed each other, it reads the clash differently, and its example is 辛巳 meeting 癸亥.

The usual popular contrast sets a Snake who keeps counsel against a Pig who shows everything on the surface. Many popular compatibility charts then list the match as difficult, and that is the clash table restated in the language of personality.

One sign is said to be guarded and the other open, so the topic is privacy. What do you each consider yours to keep, and what would you feel hurt not to be told? Compare the lists and look for the gaps.

Water against fire across the circle is the rule for 巳 and 亥 as signs, and the actual Snake and Pig in question are under no such rule.

Where this text comes from

The relation tables follow 五行大義 volume 2 and 三命通會 volumes 2 and 3 on Wikisource. The popular readings are modern and come from neither.

The English here is our own plain wording, not a translation of a single source.