Mao is the yin-wood branch (hidden Yi), the 2nd month, 5–7 am — lush growth, soft but tenacious.
Mao governs charm and sensibility. The Mao–You clash and Zi–Mao punishment spark romance drama; Mao–Xu harmony and the Hai–Mao–Wei wood frame support it. Mao bends to kindness, never to force.