The Five Elements represent five fundamental energies, and through their cycles of generation and restriction, balance of strength and weakness, and regulation of warmth and coldness, they determine the hierarchy of a destiny's structure, personality traits, and the auspiciousness or inauspiciousness of fortunes. The relationships between the Five Elements are those of generation and restriction. Both generation and restriction form cycles, representing two inseparable aspects of things. Where there is life, there is death; where there is support, there is constraint. They oppose each other, perfectly aligning with the laws of cosmic development in the theory of Yin and Yang.
Theory of the Five Elements
The Five Elements are a systematic view in ancient Chinese philosophy, widely applied in traditional Chinese medicine, geomancy (Feng Shui), destiny analysis, physiognomy, and divination.
The meaning of the Five Elements encompasses five basic dynamics in the process of Yin-Yang evolution:
Water (representing infiltration),
Fire (representing heat),
Metal (representing condensation),
Wood (representing expansion),
Earth (representing fusion).
Ancient Chinese philosophers used the theory of the Five Elements to explain the formation of all things in the world and their interrelationships. It emphasizes holism, aiming to describe the forms of movement and transformative relationships of things. Yin-Yang is the ancient doctrine of the unity of opposites, while the Five Elements are the primitive system theory.
Overview of the Five Elements
Like Yin-Yang, the Five Elements are the foundation and core of Yi studies. Many numerological systems, such as Four Pillars destiny, Qimen Dunjia, Liuyao Meihua, and Da Liu Ren, are fundamentally centered around "Yin-Yang and the Five Elements."
The Five Elements refer to these five distinct substances: Wood, Fire, Earth, Metal, and Water. The mutually nourishing and promoting relationships among them are called "generation," while the mutually restraining and repelling relationships are called "restriction." Among them:
Wood and Fire belong to Yang,
Metal and Water belong to Yin,
Earth belongs to the balance of Yin and Yang.
Corresponding to the "Three Pure Ones":
Wood and Fire are Yang,
Metal and Water are Yin,
Earth is harmony.
Corresponding to the "Four Symbols":
Wood → Lesser Yang (Shaoyang),
Fire → Greater Yang (Taiyang),
Metal → Lesser Yin (Shaoyin),
Water → Greater Yin (Taiyin),
Earth → The convergence of the Four Symbols, the knot of harmonizing Qi.
As stated in "Wu Xing Tong Lun" (Comprehensive Discussion on the Five Elements):
"The Five Elements are the substance of Yin-Yang, and Yin-Yang is the energy of the Five Elements. Energy cannot stand without substance, and substance cannot move without energy. The term 'Xing' (行) refers to the movement of Yin-Yang's energy."
The Five Elements are manifestations of Yin-Yang's waxing and waning at different stages and degrees, encompassing two nodes of quantitative and qualitative change. The "movement" of the Five Elements presents a fluctuating pattern.
Thus, the Five Elements are first and foremost material. Based on their material foundation, they can be divided into:
Innate Five Elements (based on primordial Qi),
Acquired Five Elements (based on postnatal Qi).
People often casually recite them as "Metal, Wood, Water, Fire, and Earth," but the more correct order is: Wood, Fire, Earth, Metal, and Water.
Relationships of the Five Elements
Generating Cycle:
Wood generates Fire,
Fire generates Earth,
Earth generates Metal,
Metal generates Water,
Water generates Wood.
Restricting Cycle:
Wood restricts Earth,
Earth restricts Water,
Water restricts Fire,
Fire restricts Metal,
Metal restricts Wood.
In the natural world, things reverse when they reach extremes. If the power of one element in the generation or restriction relationship becomes too unbalanced, it may lead to reverse generation or reverse restriction.
