Time Table of the Twelve Hours, What Are the Corresponding Heavenly Stems and Earthly Branches?
Zi hour [23:00-00:59] corresponds to the zodiac sign "Rat", also known as "night", "midnight", or "the middle of the night". Rats are most active during this time.Chou hour [01:00-02:59] corresponds to the zodiac sign "Ox", also known as "cock's crow", or "wild rooster". The ox chews the food it didn't digest during the day at this time.
Yin hour [03:00-04:59] corresponds to the zodiac sign "Tiger", also known as "dawn", also called "daybreak", "morning", or "sunrise": This is the time when night and day alternate. Tigers are strongest at this time.
Mao hour [05:00-06:59] corresponds to the zodiac sign "Rabbit", also known as "sunrise", also called "the beginning of the sun", "dawn", or "rising sun": This refers to the time when the sun just appears and rises slowly.
Chen hour [07:00-08:59] corresponds to the zodiac sign "Dragon", also known as "meal time", also called "morning meal": The ancient "morning meal" time, which is the time for breakfast. The moon is also called the "Jade Rabbit", and it is still in the sky during this time. It is said that this is the time when "a group of dragons bring rain".
Si hour [09:00-10:59] corresponds to the zodiac sign "Snake", also known as "corner of the sun", also called "solar corner": The time approaching noon is called "corner of the sun". Snakes hide in the grass during this time.
Wu hour [11:00-12:59] corresponds to the zodiac sign "Horse", also known as "noon", also called "midday" or "midday". At this time, the sun is most intense, the yang energy reaches its peak, and yin energy will begin to appear, while the horse is a yin animal.
Wei hour [13:00-14:59] corresponds to the zodiac sign "Sheep", also known as "afternoon", also called "sunset", "sunset", or "evening": meaning the time when the sun sets. The sheep eat grass during this period.
Shen hour [15:00-16:59] corresponds to the zodiac sign "Monkey", also known as "feeding time", also called "sunset meal" or "evening meal". Monkeys like to call during this time.
You hour [17:00-18:59] corresponds to the zodiac sign "Rooster", also known as "sunset", also called "sunset", "sunset", or "evening": meaning the time when the sun sets. The rooster starts to return to the coop in the evening.
Xu hour [19:00-20:59] corresponds to the zodiac sign "Dog", also known as "twilight", also called "evening", "sunset", or "late evening": At this time, the sun has already set, and it is not yet dark. The world is hazy and indistinct, hence called "twilight". The dog starts to guard the door.
Hai hour [21:00-22:59] corresponds to the zodiac sign "Pig", also known as "the time of people settling down", also called "fixed dusk": At this time, the night is deep, and people have already stopped their activities and are resting and sleeping. Pigs are sound asleep during the late night.
The Origin of the Twelve-Hour System
It was already used during the Western Zhou Dynasty. In the Han Dynasty, it was named "midnight", "cock's crow", "dawn", "sunrise", "meal time", "corner of the sun", "noon", "afternoon", "feeding time", "sunset", "twilight", and "time of people settling down". It also used the twelve earthly branches to represent it, with the time from 23:00 to 1:00 at night being Zi hour, 1:00 to 3:00 being Chou hour, 3:00 to 5:00 being Yin hour, and so on.In ancient China, people used the method of "copper pot dripping water" to measure time, dividing a day and night into twelve hours, namely Zi, Chou, Yin, Mao, Chen, Si, Wu, Wei, Shen, You, Xu, and Hai, corresponding to the current 24 hours. The time from 11 p.m. to 1 a.m. is Zi hour, 1 a.m. to 3 a.m. is Chou hour, 3 a.m. to 5 a.m. is Yin hour, and so on. An ancient hour corresponds to two hours today, so when the clock first came to China, some people called one hour "big hour", and one hour of the new time was called "small hour". Later, with the popularity of clocks, the term "big hour" disappeared, while "small hour" continued to be used until today.
