The Ox is the second animal and one of the most loved in Korean farming life. For centuries a family's ox was its tractor and its savings account, and the saying that a person is as hardworking as an ox (소처럼 일한다) is still a compliment.
In Saju the Ox is the branch 丑 Chuk. It is earth, the last month of winter, and the hours from 01:00 to 03:00. Inside it sit hidden stems of water, metal and earth, so it is read as a frozen field storing what spring will need.
Your animal is your year branch and only one of eight characters. The Ox also appears as a month branch (early January to early February) and in day and hour pillars. In Saju the Ox year starts at Ipchun, around 4 February, which surprises many people born in January.
- Patient
- Dependable
- Hardworking
- Quietly stubborn
Harmonies
The Ox's six harmony partner is the Rat 子, read as a practical earth pairing. Its three harmony partners are the Snake 巳 and the Rooster 酉, the metal trine, read as precise and determined.
Clash and wonjin
The Ox clashes with the Goat 未, two earth branches from opposite seasons. Its wonjin is the Horse 午. The tradition reads these as places where rhythms differ, which is something to talk about, not something to fear.
Ox years and when they start
Each Ox 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) |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1925 | 乙丑 Eul-chuk | Blue Ox | 4 Feb 1925, 16:36 | 4 Feb 1926, 22:38 |
| 1937 | 丁丑 Jeong-chuk | Red Ox | 4 Feb 1937, 14:25 | 4 Feb 1938, 20:14 |
| 1949 | 己丑 Gi-chuk | Yellow Ox | 4 Feb 1949, 12:23 | 4 Feb 1950, 18:20 |
| 1961 | 辛丑 Sin-chuk | White Ox | 4 Feb 1961, 09:52 | 4 Feb 1962, 16:17 |
| 1973 | 癸丑 Gye-chuk | Black Ox | 4 Feb 1973, 08:04 | 4 Feb 1974, 14:00 |
| 1985 | 乙丑 Eul-chuk | Blue Ox | 4 Feb 1985, 06:12 | 4 Feb 1986, 12:07 |
| 1997 | 丁丑 Jeong-chuk | Red Ox | 4 Feb 1997, 04:02 | 4 Feb 1998, 09:56 |
| 2009 | 己丑 Gi-chuk | Yellow Ox | 4 Feb 2009, 01:50 | 4 Feb 2010, 07:47 |
| 2021 | 辛丑 Sin-chuk | White Ox | 3 Feb 2021, 23:59 | 4 Feb 2022, 05:50 |