The Wonders of the Five Elements: How Much Do You Know?

Editor’s Note

As a child, I played the game of “Metal, Wood, Water, Fire, Earth” without realizing that these elements are crucial components of the Five Elements theory, which is an essential theoretical system in Traditional Chinese Medicine (TCM). The intricate relationships of generation, overcoming, and transformation among the Five Elements are often not well understood. How should one learn about the Five Elements theory? Let’s see how the author interprets it in this article.

The Five Elements theory was developed by ancient people through long-term observation and experience of nature. To facilitate understanding and explanation of the laws of change and the inherent connections among things, five familiar substances from daily life—Wood, Fire, Earth, Metal, and Water—were used as representatives. The interdependent relationships among these five elements illustrate the complex changes in the world, thus forming the Five Elements theory.

As stated in the “Zeng Yun”:“It is the number of the center.”In the “I Ching, Commentary on the Appended Phrases”:“The number of heaven is five, the number of earth is five; the five positions complement each other, each having its own harmony.”This means that there are five numbers in heaven and earth, and these five numbers correspond to form Metal, Wood, Water, Fire, and Earth. In this context, the “Classified Classic of the Diagram and Wings” states:“People know that life is life, but do not know that within life there is overcoming; they know that overcoming is overcoming, but do not know that within overcoming there is utility; they know five as five, but do not know that within five, five times five equals twenty-five, and there is the wonderful interdependence.”The “I Ching Original” records:“The writing of the diagram and the creation is indeed the number of the Five Elements of heaven and earth…Five Elements generate and overcome each other.”As for the term “Xing” (行), the “Guang Yun” states:“It means to adapt, to go, to leave.”The “Kangxi Dictionary” states:“It means the way.”The “Yu Pian” states:“To walk, to leave a trace.”Thus, the “White Tiger Classic on the Five Elements” states:“The Five Elements refer to Metal, Wood, Water, Fire, and Earth. The term “Xing” refers to the meaning of the movement of the qi of heaven.”The “Xie Ji Bian Fang Shu” states:“It is the one that moves on the earth. The essence moves on the earth, and the qi connects here, thus there are five, hence it is called the Five Elements.”From this, we can understand that the Five Elements arise from the combination of the five numbers of heaven and earth. The five numbers are the central numbers, reflecting the origin of generation and overcoming. The Five Elements essentially represent five compatible algebraic forms, characterized by their movement, or specific series and qualities, and they also represent time and space, cause and effect relationships. Therefore, they are both elemental models and systems theory patterns.

Why are the Five Elements divided into Metal, Wood, Water, Fire, and Earth? Regarding Water, the “Shuo Wen” states:“It is the standard. The movement of the north symbolizes the flow of many waters, with a slight yang energy within.”The “Shi Ming” states:“Water is the standard, it levels things.”The “Book of Documents, Great Plan” states:“The Five Elements, the first is Water… Water moistens and descends.”Thus, the “White Tiger Classic on the Five Elements” states:“Water is located in the north; the north is where the yin qi resides beneath the yellow spring, nurturing all things. Water, in terms of its meaning, is the standard, nurturing things evenly, having a standard.”As for Fire, the “Shuo Wen” states:“Fire is destruction; the movement of the south is fiery and upward, symbolizing form.”The “Book of Documents, Great Plan” states:“The second is Fire… Fire is the flame that rises.”Thus, the “White Tiger Classic on the Five Elements” states:“Fire is in the south; the south is where the yang is above, and all things hang down. Fire, in terms of its meaning, is to follow; it means all things are bestowed, and fire represents transformation, where yang qi is active, and all things change.”As for Wood, the “Shuo Wen” states:“It is to sprout; it grows from the ground, moving eastward.”The “Book of Documents, Great Plan” states:“The third is Wood… Wood represents bending and straightening.”Thus, the “White Tiger Classic on the Five Elements” states:“Wood is in the east; the east is where the yin and yang qi begin to move, and all things begin to grow. Wood, in terms of its meaning, is to touch; it means the yang qi moves and touches the ground to emerge.”As for Metal, the “Shuo Wen” states:“It does not deviate from transformation; it moves westward.”The “Book of Documents, Great Plan” states:“The fourth is Metal; Metal is transformation.”Thus, the “White Tiger Classic on the Five Elements” states:“Metal is in the west; the west is where the yin begins, and all things are restricted; Metal, in terms of its meaning, is restriction.”As for Earth, the “Shuo Wen” states:“It is the source of all living things… symbolizing the emergence of things from beneath the earth.”The “Book of Documents, Great Plan” states:“The fifth is Earth… Earth is for agriculture.”Thus, the “White Tiger Classic on the Five Elements” states:“Earth is in the center; the center is where things are produced, and Earth is the source of all things, meaning to produce.”

From this, we can see that Water, Fire, Earth, Metal, and Wood are the Five Elements, which have a specific temporal and spatial system, representing a collection of qualities and elements. As stated in the “Classified Classic of the Diagram and Wings”:“The Five Elements are Water, Fire, Earth, Metal, and Wood. The Five Elements are the qualities of yin and yang, and yin and yang are the qi of the Five Elements; qi cannot exist without quality, and quality cannot function without qi. The movement is the movement of yin and yang qi.”Thus, it can be seen that the Five Elements are a method of summarizing all things in the world based on comparative analogy. The symbols of the Five Elements are as stated in the “Book of Documents, Great Plan”:“The Five Elements are: the first is Water, the second is Fire, the third is Wood, the fourth is Metal, and the fifth is Earth. Water moistens and descends, Fire flames upward, Wood bends and straightens, Metal transforms, and Earth is for agriculture.”The text expresses: the cold and moist descending behavior is the symbol of Water; the warm and fiery ascending behavior is the symbol of Fire; the gentle and nurturing growth is the symbol of Wood; the clear and strong quality is the symbol of Metal; the nurturing and transformative quality is the symbol of Earth. The Five Elements in TCM are also an abstract summary of these five different attributes. The “Nei Jing” established the theoretical system of the Five Elements in TCM based on the comparative analogy method, focusing on the five organs as the main body, corresponding to the five directions, five seasons, five types of qi, and internally relating to the five organs, five bodies, and five senses, applying the relationships of generation, overcoming, transformation, and mutual restraint among the Five Elements to elucidate the integrity of human life activities and their unity with the surrounding environment.

1. The Generative and Overcoming Relationships of the Five Elements

Within the Five Elements, there are specific relationships of generation and overcoming. The “Classified Classic of the Diagram and Wings” states:“Thus, in terms of generation, Water generates Wood, Wood generates Fire, Fire generates Earth, Earth generates Metal, and Metal generates Water. In terms of overcoming, Water can overcome Fire, Fire can overcome Metal, Metal can overcome Wood, Wood can overcome Earth, and Earth can overcome Water.”This reflects the objective laws of sequential generation in the River Diagram and reverse overcoming in the Luo Book.

Generation, as stated in the “Yu Pian”:“It means to produce.”The “Gu Liang Zhuan, Year Two of Duke Zhuang” states:“Only yin does not generate, only yang does not generate; three must combine to generate.”This means that the generation among the Five Elements refers to the concepts of production, nurturing, and growth. It is divided into two aspects: that which generates me is the mother and the benefactor, and that which I generate is the child and the kin; it reveals the law of generation in the direction of the River Diagram. Overcoming, as stated in the “Shuo Wen”:“To be able to conquer this thing is called overcoming.”The “Shi, Xiao Ya” states:“Indeed, overcoming has its limits; no one can overcome.”This means that the overcoming among the Five Elements refers to the concepts of limitation, overcoming, and victory. It is also divided into two aspects: that which overcomes me is precious and difficult, and that which I overcome is talent and enmity; it reveals the law of overcoming in the reverse direction of the Luo Book.

In summary, mutual generation means mutual nurturing and mutual promotion. The Five Elements theory believes that various things in nature, during their movement, development, and change, are not isolated from each other, but rather mutually influence and connect with each other. Mutual generation is one manifestation of this connection, and its sequence is: Wood generates Fire, Fire generates Earth, Earth generates Metal, Metal generates Water, and Water generates Wood. The mutual generation of the Five Elements also has the meaning of comparative analogy, referring to a mutually promoting relationship in the movement and change of things. Mutual overcoming means mutual restraint and mutual limitation; mutual overcoming is another manifestation of the connection among things during their movement, development, and change, and its sequence is: Wood overcomes Earth, Earth overcomes Water, Water overcomes Fire, Fire overcomes Metal, and Metal overcomes Wood. Thus, the “Su Wen, Baoming Quansheng Lun” states:“Wood obtains Metal and cuts, Fire obtains Water and extinguishes, Earth obtains Wood and flourishes, Metal obtains Fire and is deficient, Water obtains Earth and is exhausted; all things are thus, and cannot be exhausted.”

Based on the sequence of mutual overcoming among the Five Elements, it has evolved into the relationship of “what is overcome” and “what is not overcome.” Each element has both “overcoming me” and “I overcome” aspects; that which overcomes me is what I cannot overcome, and that which I overcome is what is precious and difficult. Mutual generation and mutual overcoming are two inseparable aspects of the development of things. Without generation, there is no occurrence and growth of things; without overcoming, normal coordinated change and development cannot be maintained. Therefore, there must be overcoming within generation and generation within overcoming; this is the normal phenomenon of the development of things, just as Zhang Jiebin said:“The mechanism of creation cannot be without generation, nor can it be without restraint; without generation, there is no way for development; without restraint, there is excess and harm.”

The overcoming relationships among the five organs ensure the normal functional activities of the organs. The “Su Wen, Five Organs Generation” states that the heart is “the master of the kidney”; the lung is “the master of the heart”; kidney water ascends to the heart fire, preventing the heart fire from rising; the heart fire can restrain the lung metal, thus the heart is the master of the lung; the yang heat of the heart can suppress the lung qi from being overly clear; the lung metal can restrain the liver wood, thus the lung is the master of the liver; the lung qi can descend to suppress the liver yang from being overly active; the liver wood can restrain the spleen earth, thus the liver is the master of the spleen; the liver qi can smooth and relieve the stagnation of the spleen qi; the spleen can restrain the kidney water, thus the spleen is the master of the kidney; the spleen qi can transform and prevent the kidney water from overflowing. The aforementioned restraining relationships among the five organs are explained using the mutual overcoming of the Five Elements.

2. The Riding and Humiliation Relationships of the Five Elements

In the Five Elements, the relationships of riding and humiliation arise from excessive or insufficient conditions. The “Exploring the Origins of Destiny” quotes Xu Dasheng:“Metal relies on Earth for birth, but too much Earth buries Metal; Earth relies on Fire for birth, but too much Fire scorches Earth; Fire relies on Wood for birth, but too much Wood burns Fire; Wood relies on Water for birth, but too much Water washes away Wood; Water relies on Metal for birth, but too much Metal makes Water turbid. Metal can generate Water, but too much Water sinks Metal; Water can generate Wood, but too much Wood shrinks Water; Wood can generate Fire, but too much Fire burns Wood; Fire can generate Earth, but too much Earth obscures Fire; Earth can generate Metal, but too much Metal weakens Earth. Metal can overcome Wood, but too strong Wood breaks Metal; Wood can overcome Earth, but too heavy Earth breaks Wood; Earth can overcome Water, but too much Water flows Earth away; Water can overcome Fire, but too much Fire burns Water; Fire can overcome Metal, but too much Metal extinguishes Fire. When Metal is weak and meets Fire, it will surely melt; when Fire is weak and meets Water, it will surely extinguish; when Water is weak and meets Earth, it will surely be blocked; when Earth is weak and meets Wood, it will surely collapse; when Wood is weak and meets Metal, it will surely be cut.”

The term “Riding” (乘), as defined in the “Kangxi Dictionary”:“It means to win.”The “Zhou Yu” states:“To ride on someone’s injustice is to bully.”This means that the mutual riding of the Five Elements refers to the concepts of taking advantage, attacking, and annihilating. It is also divided into two aspects: that which rides me is fatal, and I ride is to break. For example, when Fire is weak and meets Water, it will surely extinguish, as it rides on me to be fatal. Similarly, Wood can overcome Earth, but if Earth is heavy, Wood will break, as I ride on it to break. The term “Humiliation” (侮), as defined in the “Ji Yun”:“It means to belittle easily.”The “Yangzi Dialect” states:“Humiliation refers to being belittled.”This means that the mutual humiliation of the Five Elements refers to the concepts of belittling, degrading, and obscuring. It is also divided into two aspects: that which humiliates me is turbid, and I humiliate is obscure. For example, Water relies on Metal for birth, but too much Metal makes Water turbid, which is to humiliate me. Similarly, Fire can generate Earth, but too much Earth obscures Fire, which is to humiliate me.

From this, it can be seen that the generation and overcoming of the Five Elements reflect the normal relationships of development. Mutual riding means to take advantage of the situation; mutual humiliation means to bully the weak. Both mutual riding and mutual humiliation arise from the excessive or insufficient conditions of a certain element in the Five Elements, leading to an abnormal phenomenon where the normal coordinated relationships among things are lost. In this regard, the “Su Wen, Five Elements Running Great Discussion” states:“If qi is excessive, it will restrain what it overcomes and humiliate what it does not overcome; if it is insufficient, it will be humiliated by what it does not overcome and ride over what it overcomes, and what it overcomes will be light and humiliated.”This means that mutual riding is an abnormal change of the mutual overcoming of the Five Elements, such as when weak Metal meets Fire, it melts; when weak Fire meets Water, it extinguishes; when weak Water meets Earth, it is blocked; when weak Earth meets Wood, it collapses; when weak Wood meets Metal, it is cut. In the relationships of organs in TCM, if the liver is strong and the spleen is weak, it will lead to collapse, resulting in symptoms such as poor appetite, abdominal distension, and loose stools. If the lung is weak and the heart is strong, it will lead to melting, resulting in symptoms such as hemoptysis and other deficiencies. In the theory of qi, it expresses that Wood is for occurrence, Fire is for brightness, Earth is for stability, Metal is for strength, and Water is for flow.

The mutual humiliation of the Five Elements refers to an abnormal change of mutual overcoming, such as when Metal can overcome Wood, Wood is strong and Metal is weak; Wood can overcome Earth, Earth is heavy and Wood breaks; Earth can overcome Water, Water is excessive and Earth flows; Water can overcome Fire, Fire is excessive and burns Water; Fire can overcome Metal, Metal is excessive and extinguishes Fire.

The theory of riding and humiliation is mainly used to explain pathological changes and their transmission patterns. For example, the five organs correspond to the four seasons, so there are rules for the six qi causing diseases. Generally, it is the organ of the season that suffers from evil, but there are also organs that are overcome and not overcome that can suffer from evil. As the “Su Wen, Six Sections of Organ Images” states:“The qi of the heavens must have its constancy; if the qi does not attack, it is called abnormal; if it is abnormal, it will change…When the change reaches, there will be disease; what is overcome will be slight, what is not overcome will be severe; thus, if one is heavily affected by evil, they will die.”Moreover, the transmission of diseases among the five organs often follows the rules of generation and overcoming. In this regard, the “Su Wen, Jade Machine True Organ Theory” states:“Now, if wind and cold invade a person, causing the hair to stand on end, the skin to close and become hot, at this time, one can sweat and release it……If not treated; if the disease enters the lung, it is called lung obstruction, causing cough and shortness of breath, if not treated; the lung then transmits to the liver, called liver obstruction……If not treated; the liver transmits to the spleen, the disease is called spleen wind……If not treated; the spleen transmits to the kidney, the disease is called hernia……If not treated; the kidney transmits to the heart, the disease is called sudden illness……If not treated, after ten days, it is said that death is imminent.”The lung transmits to the liver, which is Metal overcoming Wood; the liver transmits to the spleen, which is Wood overcoming Earth; the spleen transmits to the kidney, which is Earth overcoming Water; the kidney transmits to the heart, which is Water overcoming Fire. This is based on the rules of mutual overcoming among the Five Elements, which is called “transmitting what is overcome.” It is similar to the relationships of riding and humiliation in the Five Elements theory, and it is also used to predict the prognosis of diseases. As the “Su Wen, Jade Machine True Organ Theory” states:“The five organs receive qi from what generates them, transmit it to what they overcome, and the qi resides in what generates them, dying in what they do not overcome. When the disease is about to die, it must first transmit and reach what it does not overcome, and then the disease will die. This refers to the reverse movement of qi, hence death.”This method of predicting the prognosis of diseases based on the relationships of riding and humiliation is recorded extensively in the “Nei Jing”.

3. The Acceptance and Treatment Relationships of the Five Elements

The acceptance and treatment of the Five Elements refer to the mutual acceptance, treatment, and moderation among the Five Elements. The “Difficulties and Easy Origins” states:“To suppress the strong and support the weak, to reduce the excessive and increase the insufficient, to drain the excess, to supplement the deficiency, to restrain the excessive, and to transform the insufficient, is the key to achieving moderation. Strong Metal requires Water to temper it into vessels; strong Fire requires Water to achieve balance; strong Water requires Earth to form ponds; strong Earth requires Water to nourish life; strong Wood requires Metal to become beams. Strong Metal requires Water to blunt its edge; strong Water requires Wood to release its force; strong Wood requires Fire to transform its stubbornness; strong Fire requires Earth to stop its flame; strong Earth requires Metal to control its blockage.”Thus, the “Classified Classic of the Diagram and Wings” states:“Yin and yang combine, and the way of generation exists in the middle……The so-called use of overcoming is like the flame of fire, which requires water to control it to achieve balance; the stubbornness of Metal requires Fire to temper it into tools; the bending and straightening of Wood requires Metal to shape it; the vastness of Earth requires Wood to promote its growth; the flooding of Water requires Earth to control it to form barriers. This is why mutual overcoming is also mutual completion.”Thus, acceptance means “to become prominent from the subtle, to mutually inherit each other”; treatment means “to manage the few and bring order.” The acceptance and treatment of the Five Elements refer to the meaning of treatment. As stated in the “Su Wen, Six Subtle Principles Great Discussion”:“Acceptance is restraint; restraint leads to generation and transformation.”This means that mutual acceptance and restraint are used to achieve moderation.

4. The Restraint and Transformation Relationships of the Five Elements

The restraint and transformation of the Five Elements summarize the generative and overcoming relationships among any three adjacent elements. In this regard, the “Classified Classic of the Diagram and Wings” states:“When the mother fails, the child must save it. For example, if Water is excessive, Fire will be harmed; the child of Fire is Earth, which emerges to restrain it; if Fire is excessive, Metal will be harmed; the child of Metal is Water, which emerges to restrain it; if Metal is excessive, Wood will be harmed; the child of Wood is Fire, which emerges to restrain it; if Wood is excessive, Earth will be harmed; the child of Earth is Metal, which emerges to restrain it; if Earth is excessive, Water will be harmed; the child of Water is Wood, which emerges to restrain it. The mechanism of creation cannot be without generation, nor can it be without restraint.”The “Star and Balance” states:“To use it to restrain what overcomes it can avoid misfortune. To use it to transform what overcomes it can turn misfortune into fortune. Although it is determined by generation and overcoming, the changes of fortune and misfortune actually shift to restraint and transformation.”There are also those that can restrain but cannot transform; those that can transform but cannot restrain, which can reverse their transformation.”For example, Fire relies on Earth to restrain Water, but if Wood overcomes Earth, then Earth cannot restrain Water! Using Water to transform Fire, and using Metal to support Water, can Water truly be transformed by Wood? There are those that generate but do not generate, those that overcome but do not overcome. Those that generate but do not generate, such as Water can generate Wood, or Wood is heavily injured by Metal, then Wood and Metal have no qi, and cannot receive the generation of Water; or Water is heavily injured by Earth, then Water has no qi and cannot generate Wood, thus Water and Wood may seem to generate each other, but what is the point of their generation! This is called generating but not generating; it cannot be hastily said to be generating……As for overcoming but not overcoming, such as Earth can overcome Water, but if Water receives the strength of Metal, Water is strong and Earth cannot overcome it; or if Earth is heavily overcome by Wood, then Earth is injured and cannot overcome Water, thus Water and Earth may seem to overcome each other, but what is the point of their overcoming! This is called overcoming but not overcoming; it cannot be hastily said to be overcoming! There are those that can overcome but do not dare to overcome……There are those that generate but have not yet generated, and those that can overcome generation, thus leading to overcoming. From overcoming, there is no overcoming; generation can be met with overcoming, thus leading to overcoming……Those that generate generate, but those that do not generate cannot generate. Those that overcome can overcome, but those that do not overcome cannot overcome.”

Copyright Statement

This article is excerpted from The Thirty-Two Lectures on the Five Movements and Six Qi (published by China Traditional Chinese Medicine Press, compiled by Liu Shaoyi), and the final interpretation rights belong to the original author. Recommended for publication by Yue Du Zhong Yi (WeChat ID: ydzhongyi), with cover images sourced from the internet. Unauthorized reproduction is prohibited; for content collaboration, please leave a message in the background. (Original submissions are welcome!)

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