gaining momentum

The count of allied forces (Bi-Jie + Yin-Xing) is greater than that of opposing forces (Shi-Shan + Cai-Xing + Guan-Sha).

This is the most straightforward of the three criteria — it's simply a matter of counting.

⚠️ However, different schools count differently: whether the hidden stems are counted equally, whether to apply weights, and how much value is assigned to the primary qi of the earthly branches each have their own rules. Therefore, mismatches in the numbers usually stem from different methodologies, not from anyone counting incorrectly.

Our site's methodology counts the four heavenly stems plus all the hidden stems of the earthly branches, totaling thirteen, and this is clearly displayed on the page.