In Korean folk dream reading, a pig in a dream (돼지꿈) is the classic happy dream, and people still mention one with a grin. A pig's head also sits at the center of the traditional gosa (고사) ritual for a new business or building. The Pig is read as generous, easygoing and warm.
In Saju the Pig is the branch 亥 Hae. It is water, the first month of winter, and the hours from 21:00 to 23:00, the last of the day. Its hidden stems hold earth, wood and water, so it is read as winter water already carrying the seed of spring wood.
Your animal is your year branch and one of eight characters. The Pig also appears as a month branch (early November to early December) and in day and hour pillars. The Pig year begins at Ipchun, around 4 February.
- Generous
- Sincere
- Easygoing
- Enjoys life
The five Pigs of the sixty year cycle
Every twelve years is a Pig year, and each one wears the colour of its heavenly stem. The same colour comes back every sixty years. Each card opens the day pillar with the same two characters.
Harmonies
The Pig's six harmony partner is the Tiger 寅, read as turning toward wood. Its three harmony partners are the Rabbit 卯 and the Goat 未, the wood trine.
Clash and wonjin
The Pig clashes with the Snake 巳, water against fire. It is a self punishment branch. Its wonjin is the Dragon 辰. The tradition reads these as tension to understand, not a verdict.
- Six harmony: Tiger
- Three harmony: Rabbit and Goat
- Clash: Snake
- Wonjin: Dragon
The Pig with each animal
How the tradition reads the Pig branch meeting each of the twelve, as it would in gunghap between two year or day branches. One pair of branches is a small part of two charts; compare the full charts for the whole picture.
| Rat 子 No named pattern A neutral pairing: nothing in the tradition pulls these two branches together or apart. | |
| Ox 丑 No named pattern A neutral pairing: nothing in the tradition pulls these two branches together or apart. | |
| Tiger 寅 Six harmony A pair of branches that bond easily, read as comfort and a natural fit. | |
| Rabbit 卯 Three harmony Two branches from the same trine, read as shared purpose and working well as a team. | |
| Dragon 辰 Wonjin 원진 The resentment pair of Korean gunghap: read as irritation without an obvious cause, eased by talking it through. | |
| Snake 巳 Clash Branches from opposite points of the year, read as movement and contrast that ask for give and take. | |
| Horse 午 No named pattern A neutral pairing: nothing in the tradition pulls these two branches together or apart. | |
| Goat 未 Three harmony Two branches from the same trine, read as shared purpose and working well as a team. | |
| Monkey 申 Harm A subtle mismatch, read as small misunderstandings that grow if nobody names them. | |
| Rooster 酉 No named pattern A neutral pairing: nothing in the tradition pulls these two branches together or apart. | |
| Dog 戌 No named pattern A neutral pairing: nothing in the tradition pulls these two branches together or apart. | |
| Pig 亥 Self punishment The same branch twice, read as two people with the same tender spot. |
Pig years and when they start
Each Pig year begins at Ipchun, shown here in Korea Standard Time. If you were born before the start time, your year pillar belongs to the previous animal.
| Year | Pillar | Color animal | Starts (KST) | Ends (KST) |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1935 | 乙亥 Eul-hae | Blue Pig | 5 Feb 1935, 02:48 | 5 Feb 1936, 08:29 |
| 1947 | 丁亥 Jeong-hae | Red Pig | 5 Feb 1947, 00:50 | 5 Feb 1948, 06:42 |
| 1959 | 己亥 Gi-hae | Yellow Pig | 4 Feb 1959, 22:12 | 5 Feb 1960, 03:53 |
| 1971 | 辛亥 Sin-hae | White Pig | 4 Feb 1971, 20:26 | 5 Feb 1972, 02:19 |
| 1983 | 癸亥 Gye-hae | Black Pig | 4 Feb 1983, 18:39 | 5 Feb 1984, 00:18 |
| 1995 | 乙亥 Eul-hae | Blue Pig | 4 Feb 1995, 16:13 | 4 Feb 1996, 22:08 |
| 2007 | 丁亥 Jeong-hae | Red Pig | 4 Feb 2007, 14:18 | 4 Feb 2008, 20:00 |
| 2019 | 己亥 Gi-hae | Yellow Pig | 4 Feb 2019, 12:14 | 4 Feb 2020, 18:03 |
| 2031 | 辛亥 Sin-hae | White Pig | 4 Feb 2031, 09:58 | 4 Feb 2032, 15:49 |