The Five Elements 五行
Fire, Earth, Metal, Water, and Wood. The theory of five elements painted a splendid picture in ancient Chinese culture and later became one of the most important components in the system of TCM.
Author: Zoey Gong, Kai Yim
Reference: tcmwiki.com
People in ancient China believed that wood, fire, earth, metal and water were indispensable to daily life and were key to the variations in the natural world. Today we can still find examples of these elements and their natural relationships: people still drink water and use fire to cook food; metal and wood are still made into various tools; and earth still ensures the growth of all things! These elements are interrelated and influence each other in specific dynamics. Such a cognition and understanding eventually formed the theory of the five elements.
Five Elements “(wu xing)” is actually not the best translation of the theory. In Chinese, "wu" refers to five, for the five elements: wood, fire, earth, metal and water; and "xing" means movement and transformation. So "wu xing" (five elements) actually refers to the movement and transformation of these elements including their interrelationships, hence why its also referred to as the “Five Phases.”
The theory of five elements holds that all things in the natural world are derived from wood, fire, earth, metal, and water. Life bears the basic properties of all five elements and maintains a harmonious balance through the activities of constant inter-promotion and inter-restraint.
Wood: Flexing and extending | Growing, ascending, developing freely
Fire: Flaming upward | Warming, brightening, moving upwards
Earth: Cultivating and reaping | Growing, supporting, transporting, receiving
Metal: Changing | Purifying, astringent, descending
Water: Moistening and flowing downward | Moistening, moving downwards, cooling, storing
Source: https://katvillain.com/the-five-elements/
There are two major cycles among the five elements.
Generation Cycle: This can be understood as a “mother-daughter” relationship, where one element promotes or generates the next. For example, Wood makes Fire, and Fire burns things into ash (Earth). Therefore, Wood is the mother of Fire, while Earth is the child of Fire.
Control Cycle: This can be understood as a “dominant-submissive” relationship, where one element restricts or properly controls another. For example, Fire controls Metal by melting it, and Metal restricts Wood by being able to cut it down (ie: You chop wood with a metal axe).
Equilibrium between Two Cycles: The two cycles among the five elements are in fact inseparable. Without promotion, nothing can grow and develop; without restraint, there will be no way to prevent harm caused by excessive development of things. Only when restraint exists in promotion and promotion in restraint, can the normal development and harmonious balance of things be maintained.
