The Tiger in Saju

No animal is more Korean than the tiger. It appears in folk paintings (민화 minhwa) with a magpie, often looking more comic than fierce, in countless children's stories that open with the line from the days when tigers smoked pipes, and as a guardian of mountains and villages.

In Saju the Tiger is the branch 寅 In. It is wood, the first month of spring, and the hours from 03:00 to 05:00, just before dawn. The Saju year itself begins in the Tiger month at Ipchun, so the Tiger carries a sense of new starts and forward push.

Your animal is your year branch, one of eight characters. The Tiger also appears as a month branch (early February to early March) and in day and hour pillars. Because the Saju year starts at Ipchun, a person born on 1 February is still counted in the previous animal year.

• Bold
• Protective
• Independent
• Energetic

Harmonies

The Tiger's six harmony partner is the Pig 亥, read as turning toward wood. Its three harmony partners are the Horse 午 and the Dog 戌, the fire trine, read as passionate and loyal.

Clash and wonjin

The Tiger clashes with the Monkey 申, wood against metal, and forms a punishment with the Snake and Monkey. Its wonjin is the Rooster 酉. These are read as sources of friction and energy that ask for patience.

Tiger years and when they start

Each Tiger 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.

See all eight of your characters