According to ancient Chinese philosophy, the Five Elements (五行 wu xing) include Metal (金 jīn), Wood (木 mù), Water (水 shuǐ), Fire (火 huǒ), and Earth (土 tǔ). The Chinese believe that everything in the universe, our health included, is governed by the Five Elements.
Characteristics of the Five Elements
Metal
Righteousness, firmness, rigidity, persistence, strength, and determination. Metal corresponds to the lungs and large intestine.
Wood
Benevolence, warmth, generosity, strength, flexibility, and boldness. Wood corresponds to the liver and to the gall bladder.
Water
Wisdom, flexibility, calmness, softness, and gentleness. Water corresponds to the kidneys and to the bladder.
Fire
Propriety, dynamism, strength, enthusiasm, creativity, and persistence. Fire corresponds to the heart and to the small intestine.
Earth
Honesty, stubbornness, rigidity, patience, thoughtfulness, and stability. Earth corresponds to the spleen and to the stomach.
These Five Elements interact with each other according to the principles of mutual generation and mutual inhibition. Wood generates Fire, Fire generates Earth, Earth generates Metal, Metal generates Water, and Water generates Wood; conversely, Water inhibits Fire, Fire inhibits Metal, Metal inhibits Wood, Wood inhibits Earth, and Earth inhibits Water.
The Five Elements are equally important and should be kept in balance. If they are balanced, the environment will be stable, and people can live peacefully and have good luck.
If they are imbalanced, the environment will be unstable and unpredictable, which will in turn have a negative influence on you. Chinese astrology, therefore, uses the balance theory of Yin-Yang and the Five Elements to predict people’s fortunes.
