Sexagenary

Definition

Sexagenary means relating to the number sixty or to a cycle containing sixty divisions. In astrology, the term most often refers to the sexagenary cycle used in the traditional Chinese calendar. This system combines ten Heavenly Stems with twelve Earthly Branches in a repeating sequence of sixty stem-branch pairs. Each year, month, day, or hour can therefore receive a distinct paired designation.

Astrological Meaning

Within Chinese astrology, each pair brings together a stem associated with yin or yang and one of the Five Elements, and a branch associated with an animal sign, season, and other symbolic correspondences. Interpretation considers the complete pair and its place within a chart rather than relying on the animal sign alone. Because ten and twelve share a common factor, their combinations repeat after sixty steps. In Western astrological writing, sexagenary may occasionally be used more generally for a sixtyfold period or classification, but it should not automatically be confused with the sextile, which is a 60-degree aspect.

Why It Matters

Understanding this term helps distinguish a structured calendrical cycle from simplified zodiac-animal descriptions. It also prevents confusion between traditions that use the number sixty differently. When reading a Chinese astrological chart, identifying the relevant stem-branch pair provides information about elemental quality, polarity, timing, and cyclical context. These factors offer symbolic themes and tendencies rather than fixed outcomes, and they are best interpreted alongside the chart’s other pillars and relationships.

Related Encyclopedia Entries

• Traditional Astrology
• Astrological Terminology
• Natal Chart
• Chinese Astrology
• Heavenly Stems
• Earthly Branches