The functional relationships between the elements of the Eight Characters include: generation, restraint, control, transformation, support, suppression, integration, conflict, punishment, harm, and destruction. Among them, there are six items that occur between the heavenly stems: "generation, restraint, control, transformation, support, and suppression"; There are two events that occur simultaneously between the Heavenly Stems and Earthly Branches: merging and colliding; There are three items that occur between the branches of the earth: "punishment, harm, and destruction".

1. Xiangsheng: that is, Jia generates Ding, Ding generates Wu, Wu generates Xin, etc. The characteristic is the difference in yin and yang attributes, which is a relationship of transformation from one thing to another.

2. Xiangke: namely Jiakewu, Wukelun, Renkelong, etc. The characteristic is that the yin and yang attributes are the same, and it is a relationship where one thing replaces another.

3. Xiangzhi: that is, to subdue the things that restrain me through mutual growth. Gold can overcome wood, but wood can make fire to overcome gold; Fire can overcome gold, but gold can produce water to overcome fire; Water can overcome fire, but fire can produce soil to overcome water; Soil can overcome water, but water can generate wood to overcome soil; Wood can overcome soil, but soil can produce gold to overcome wood. This is a cycle of restraint and counter restraint, which are mutually restrictive and interdependent.

4. Xianghua: that is, resolving mutual conflicts through mutually generated things, commonly known as "clearing customs". If Jinkemu has water, it will pass through, reflecting the basic attribute of things being "greedy for life and forgetting to control".

5. Oppose each other: that is, all the five elements that arise from each other will inevitably inhibit each other. For example, if wood generates fire, then the fire must be restrained by the wood, and if the wood runs out, the fire will extinguish, which is called "wood suppressing fire". The rest are fire suppressing earth, earth suppressing gold, gold suppressing water, and water suppressing wood.

6. Mutual support: that is, to move. If water produces wood, then wood can move water, making the originally quiet water "move" from static to dynamic, which is called "wood supporting water". The rest are water supporting gold, gold supporting earth, earth supporting fire, and fire supporting wood.

7. Harmony: divided into two types: "Heavenly Stem Harmony" and "Earthly Branch Harmony". The combination of heavenly stems and earthly stems reflects the law of the unity of yin and yang opposition. It has both the function of "resolving" and the function of "transforming". 'Resolve' is to transform the originally incompatible five elements into non incompatible and achieve harmony; 'Huasheng' is the transformation into another new substance. Taking "Yi Geng He Hua Jin" as an example, Geng is gold and Yi is wood. The two have mutually exclusive attributes, are in opposite positions, and have different yin and yang. Through "harmony", they form a "Tai Chi" that is both opposed and unified, and transform into a new substance - "Jin". It is worth noting that this "gold" is no longer the original Geng Jin.

Di Zhi He: divided into Di Zhi Liu He, Di Zhi San He, and Di Zhi San Hui. The Earthly Branches of Liuhe refer to the combination of Zi Chou He, Yin Hai He, Mao Xu He, Chen You He, Si Shen He, and Wu Wei He. Regardless of its combination, its function is to strengthen both parties, but after the combination, the nature of both parties remains unchanged. For example, the combination of Zi and Chou will strengthen the states of Zi and Chou, but after the combination, Zi is still Zi and Chou is still Chou. The three branches of the earth are combined, namely the Shen Zichen Water Bureau, the Hai Mao Wei Wood Bureau, the Yin Wu Xu Fire Bureau, and the Si You Three Alloy Bureau. It is the combination of the Five Elements' specialized Qi. Because Shen is in the state of water being born, Zi is in the state of water flourishing, and Chen is in the state of water returning to its original state. The saying that three words are indispensable and half combined has gone astray. The three meetings of the Earthly Branches are Hai Zi Chou Hui Shui, Yin Mao Chen Hui Mu, Si Wu Wei Huo, and Shen You Xu Hui Jin. It is the combination of prosperity. One of the three characters must be a monthly branch.

8. Xiangchong: divided into two types: Tian Gan Si Chong and Di Zhi Liu Chong. The Four Chongs of Heavenly Stems include: Jia and Geng, Yi and Xin, Bing and Ren, Ding and Gui, totaling four pairs; The six strokes of Earthly Branches include: Zi and Wu, Chou and Wei, Yin and Shen, Mao and You, Chen and Xu, Si and Hai, totaling six pairs. There are two conditions for forming a conflict: A, being in a symmetrical position on the Tai Chi diagram; B, having the same Yin Yang attribute. Therefore, it is also known as' hedging '. There are two types of conflicting outcomes: impulse and breakthrough, mainly determined by the prosperity or decline of both sides. When Wang meets with Chong, we discuss its changes; when Xiu prisoner meets Chong, we not only discuss its changes, but also whether it has been broken.

9. There are three types of punishments: Zi Mao Xiang Xing, Yin Si Shen San Xing, and Xu Chou Wei San Xing. Punish the offender with imprisonment and injury.
10. Mutual harm: Zi and Wei, Chou and Wu, Yin and Si, Mao and Chen, You and Xu, Shen and Hai, a total of six pairs. Mutual harm refers to mutual harm.