A system of relationships
Despite the English name, the Ten Gods are not ten supernatural beings. They are ten symbolic relationship categories formed by comparing another Stem or Branch with the Day Master.
Five basic relationships—same, expressed, controlled, controlling, and supporting—each divide by yin-yang polarity. That produces ten categories.
The ten Korean categories
The traditional names are Bigyeon (비견) and Geopjae (겁재) for peer relationships; Siksin (식신) and Sanggwan (상관) for expression; Pyeonjae (편재) and Jeongjae (정재) for what the Day Master controls; Pyeongwan or Chilsal (편관·칠살) and Jeonggwan (정관) for what controls it; and Pyeonin (편인) and Jeongin (정인) for resources that support it.
Translations such as Rob Wealth, Hurting Officer, or Seven Killings sound dramatic. Their names are inherited technical labels, not literal predictions of theft, injury, or violence.
How readers use them
Practitioners may connect the categories with themes such as peers, creativity, learning, work, resources, boundaries, or authority. Meaning depends on placement, strength, season, combinations, and the whole chart.
A category is not automatically lucky or unlucky. Its useful and difficult expressions emerge from context, which is why isolated online labels can feel much harsher than a thoughtful reading.
How the Ten Gods relate to the Day Master
First identify the Day Master, then compare the other influence by element and polarity. The category describes that relationship. It is not a stand-alone personality test and does not carry the same interpretation in every chart.
For example, a discussion of expression and a discussion of support begin from different relationships. Ask the reader to explain that connection in ordinary language before moving into specialized names.
Reading dramatic names with care
When a translated category sounds alarming, ask what the technical term means in the chart being discussed. Inherited names such as Seven Killings should not be treated as literal forecasts. Placement and the wider pattern matter.
Write down the chart relationship separately from the practical theme offered in the consultation. This makes it easier to revisit the explanation, ask questions, and distinguish a cultural interpretation from an established fact.
Sources & further reading
Lucia’s guide is written in original language from the reference material below. Interpretive traditions vary by school and practitioner.