Fire, Water, Wood, Metal, Earth... Five primary elements. Which one suits you? What does this give you? The system of interaction between the 5 primary elements is very interesting, educational, and understanding it can even bring tangible benefits in life.
There is a Western European system/concept of the five elements (air, water, earth, fire, ether) and a Chinese one, coming from Taoism. In this post we’ll talk about the Chinese one, which is called Wu-hsing.
The concept of Wu Xing has been widely used and is used in traditional Chinese medicine, in fortune-telling practices, in martial arts (there is even a fighting style completely built on this system - Xingyiquan), in numerology, in Feng Shui, etc.
Wu-Xing. Theory and concept of the five elements
The concept of the five primary elements is not so well known, but no less deep and interesting.
According to Chinese cosmogony, the world is based on the mutual generation and mutual overcoming of five primary elements (principles, elements): earth, metal (sky), water, fire and wood.
- The nature of water is to be wet and flow downwards.
- The nature of fire is to burn and rise.
- The nature of wood is to bend and straighten.
- The nature of metal is to obey external influences and change.
- The nature of the earth is manifested in the fact that it receives crops, produces crops and is present in everything.
Graphically, the Wu-shin concept looks like this:
Animal sign of birth hour
According to Chinese astrology, the day is divided into 12 periods, each of which corresponds to a specific animal sign. This means that a person born in the hour of any animal will have the traits of this sign. Here are the correspondences between birth times and animal signs:
- 23.00 - 01.00 - Rat time.
- 01.00 - 03.00 - Ox time.
- 03.00 - 05.00 - Tiger time.
- 05.00 - 07.00 - Rabbit time.
- 07.00 - 09.00 - Dragon time.
- 09.00 - 11.00 - Snake time.
- 11.00 - 13.00 - Horse time.
- 13.00 - 15.00 - Sheep time.
- 15.00 - 17.00 - Monkey time.
- 17.00 - 19.00 - Rooster time.
- 19.00 - 21.00 - Dog time.
- 21.00 - 23.00 - Boar time.
The time of birth can help clarify some other nuances of a person’s character traits. It has been noticed, for example, that a Rat born at night is much more courageous and agile than one born during the day. The Ox shows its famous efficiency from the early morning, while at night it needs rest. A tiger, stalking its victims at night, seems to convey its energy of cruelty to a person of this sign, born in the dark. The Morning Rabbit is the most energetic of all, as is the Dragon, and for the Snake the early evening is most favorable. The Horse is most active during the day, and the Sheep is most active in the early morning. The Monkey, born immediately after lunch, is endowed with truly devilish cunning, and the Rooster is most significant if born at dawn. Evening Dogs stand out with their devotion even against the background of other Dogs, and the Pig is still sleeping at this time.
Interaction of 5 elements in Wu Xing
There are two processes here (actually there are more, but these are the main ones):
1. The circle of generation (or nutrition) goes clockwise: Fire generates earth, earth generates metal, metal generates water, water generates wood, wood generates fire and the circle closes.
2. The circle of destruction follows the star: Fire destroys metal, metal destroys wood, wood destroys earth, earth destroys water, water destroys fire, and everything closes again.
It turns out that each element has 2 close ones. One who nourishes him and the second whom he nourishes. There is one “hostile” one - which destroys it. And there is one addict who is destroyed by himself.
This is important to understand in order to continue using the table.
Element Water
Water gives the world diplomats who combine flexibility with determination, and politeness with persistence; Such people set themselves a goal that is extremely difficult to achieve in a direct way, but still achieve success.
Water people have highly developed intuition, they are sensitive to the mood of others, sociable, charming and quite intelligent. In addition, they are usually quite talented, but need help and support to demonstrate their abilities.
Water protects the North; the season of this element is winter, the planet is Mercury, the color is black.
Which element matches you?
Now it is also important to find out which element in this concept you are (there are no intersections with the zodiac tradition, but there are coincidences, for example, I am “Fire” in all of them). Finding out who you are is very easy! You need to look at the last digit of your year of birth:
- 0 and 1 – you are “Metal”.
- 2 and 3 – you are “Water”.
- 4 and 5 – you are a “Tree”.
- 6 and 7 – you are “Fire”.
- 8 and 9 – you are “Earth”.
You can also remember your animal from the 12 animals of the eastern horoscope and get a complete bunch. For example, I was born in 1977. This is the year of the Snake. The element “Fire” corresponds to me. So I am the “Fire Snake”.
But let's get back to the elements. So, I am "Fire". I have three "allies". I am nourished and given energy by people, things, products and phenomena of the elements “Wood” and “Fire” itself. I myself feed the “Earth”. What destroys me is what is associated with the element “Water”. And finally, my relationship with the element “Metal” is this: it cannot particularly influence me, but I can destroy it when interacting.
Now it is important to understand how different things and phenomena relate to elements and are thus interconnected. This is easy to find out from the table below:
New Year according to the Eastern calendar
The Chinese cyclical calendar uses a sixty-year cycle, being a combination of 10-year (heavenly trunks) and 12-year (earthly branches) cycles. Each 60-year circle begins with a Yang wooden rat and ends with a Yin water pig. The next one began on February 2, 1984 and will end on January 29, 2044.
Beginning of a new year – Animal sign – Element – Color
02/05/1924 - Rat (Mouse) - Tree - Green. 01/24/1925 - Bull - Tree - Green. 02/13/1926 - Tiger - Fire - Red. 02/02/1927 - Rabbit (Cat) - Fire - Red. 01/23/1928 - Dragon - Earth - Yellow. 02/10/1929 - Snake - Earth - Yellow. 01/30/1930 - Horse - Metal - White. 02/17/1931 - Sheep (Goat) - Metal - White. 02/06/1932 - Monkey - Water - Black. 01/26/1933 - Rooster - Water - Black. 02/14/1934 - Dog - Tree - Green. 02/04/1935 - Pig (Boar) - Tree - Green. 01/24/1936 - Rat (Mouse) - Fire - Red. 02/11/1937 - Bull - Fire - Red. 01/31/1938 - Tiger - Earth - Yellow. 02/19/1939 - Rabbit (Cat) - Earth - Yellow. 02/08/1940 - Dragon - Metal - White. 01/27/1941 - Snake - Metal - White. 02/15/1942 - Horse - Water - Black. 02/05/1943 - Sheep (Goat) - Water - Black. 01/25/1944 - Monkey - Tree - Green. 02/13/1945 - Rooster - Tree - Green. 02/02/1946 - Dog - Fire - Red. 01/22/1947 - Pig (Boar) - Fire - Red. 02/10/1948 - Rat (Mouse) - Earth - Yellow. 01/29/1949 - Bull - Earth - Yellow. 02/17/1950 - Tiger - Metal - White. 02/06/1951 - Rabbit (Cat) - Metal - White. 01/27/1952 - Dragon - Water - Black. 02/14/1953 - Snake - Water - Black. 02/03/1954 - Horse - Tree - Green. 01/24/1955 - Sheep (Goat) - Tree - Green 02/12/1956 - Monkey - Fire - Red 01/31/1957 - Rooster - Fire - Red 02/18/1958 - Dog - Earth - Yellow 02/08/1959 - Pig (Boar) - Earth - Yellow 01/28/1960 - Rat (Mouse) - Metal - White 02/15/1961 - Bull (Cow) - Metal - White 02/05/1962 - Tiger - Water - Black 01/25/1963 - Rabbit (Cat) - Water - Black 02/13/1964 - Dragon - Tree - Green 02/02/1965 - Snake - Tree - Green 01/21/1966 - Horse - Fire - Red 02/09/1967 - Sheep (Goat) - Fire - Red 01/30/1968 - Monkey - Earth - Yellow 02/17/1969 - Rooster - Earth - Yellow 02/06/1970 - Dog - Metal - White 01/27/1971 - Pig (Boar) - Metal - White 02/15/1972 - Rat (Mouse) - Water - Black 02/03/1973 - Bull - Water - Black 01/23/1974 - Tiger - Tree - Green 02/11/1975 - Rabbit (Cat) - Tree - Green 01/31/1976 - Dragon - Fire - Red 02/18/1977 - Snake - Fire - Red 02/07/1978 - Horse - Earth - Yellow 01/28/1979 - Sheep (Goat ) - Earth - Yellow 02/16/1980 - Monkey - Metal - White 02/05/1981 - Rooster - Metal - White 01/25/1982 - Dog - Water - Black 02/13/1983 - Pig (Boar) - Water - Black 02/02/1984 - Rat( Mouse) - Tree - Green 02/20/1985 - Ox - Tree - Green 02/09/1986 - Tiger - Fire - Red 01/29/1987 - Rabbit (Cat) - Fire - Red 02/17/1988 - Dragon - Earth - Yellow 02/06/1989 - Snake - Earth - Yellow 01/27/1990 - Horse - Metal - White 02/15/1991 - Sheep (Goat) - Metal - White 02/04/1992 - Monkey - Water - Black 01/23/1993 - Rooster - Water - Black 02/10/1994 - Dog - Tree - Green 01/31/1995 - Pig (Boar) - Tree - Green 02/19/1996 - Rat (Mouse) - Fire - Red 02/07/1997 - Ox - Fire - Red 01/27/1998 - Tiger - Earth - Yellow 02/16/1999 - Rabbit( Cat) - Earth - Yellow 02/05/2000 - Dragon - Metal - White 01/24/2001 - Snake - Metal - White 02/12/2002 - Horse - Water - Black 02/01/2003 - Sheep (Goat) - Water - Black 01/22/2004 - Monkey - Tree - Green 02/09/2005 - Rooster - Tree - Green 01/29/2006 - Dog - Fire - Red 02/18/2007 - Pig (Boar) - Fire - Red 02/07/2008 - Rat (Mouse) - Earth - Yellow 01/26/2009 - Ox - Earth - Yellow 02/10/2010 - Tiger - Metal - White 02/03/2011 - Rabbit (Cat) - Metal - White 01/23/2012 - Dragon - Water - Black 02/10/2013 - Snake - Water - Black 01/31/2014 - Horse - Tree - Green 02/19/2015 - Sheep (Goat) - Tree - Green 02/08/2016 - Monkey - Fire - Red 01/28/2017 - Rooster - Fire - Red 02/16/2018 - Dog - Earth - Yellow 02/05/2019 - Pig (Boar) - Earth - Yellow 01/25/2020 - Rat (Mouse) - Metal - White 02/12/2021 - Bull - Metal - White 02/01/2022 - Tiger - Water - Black 01/22/2023 - Rabbit (Cat) - Water - Black 02/10/2024 - Dragon - Tree - Green 01/29/2025 - Snake - Tree - Green 02/17/2026 - Horse - Fire - Red 02/06/2027 - Sheep (Goat) - Fire - Red 01/26/2028 - Monkey - Earth - Yellow 02/13/2029 - Rooster - Earth - Yellow 02/03/2030 - Dog - Metal - White 01/23/2031 - Pig (Boar) - Metal - White 02/11/2032 - Rat (Mouse) - Water - Black 01/31/2033 - Ox - Water - Black 02/19/2034 - Tiger - Tree - Green 02/08/2035 - Rabbit (Cat) - Tree - Green 01/28/2036 - Dragon - Fire - Red 02/15/2037 - Snake - Fire - Red 02/04/2038 - Horse - Earth - Yellow 01/24/2039 - Sheep (Goat ) - Earth - Yellow 02/12/2040 - Monkey - Metal - White 02/01/2041 - Rooster - Metal - White 01/21/2042 - Dog - Water - Black 02/09/2043 - Pig (Boar) - Water - Black
Analyzing and applying element table data
Again, for example, let’s look at it in relation to me. The two elements “Wood” and “Fire” give me energy. So, this is what is good for me (does not contradict nature and gives strength/energy):
- spring and summer;
- emotions and materiality;
- red, blue, green colors;
- sit facing east or south;
- practice morning and afternoon;
- take care of the eyes, liver, gall bladder;
- get annoyed and laugh;
- eat lamb, poultry, wheat, oats, carrots;
etc.
The element “Water” destroys me and it means it is better to avoid or especially control the processes associated with this element. In this case, pay special attention to the kidneys, bladder, and blood vessels. There is a higher likelihood of developing diseases.
Of course, in all this there is no need to reach the point of fanaticism and, say, shy away from people and phenomena of a destructive sign. Just keep in mind that there are such patterns and take them into account somewhere. Moreover, it is believed that an element that has learned to control its “destroyer” and interact with it receives special power.
More interesting observations. Why do liver diseases affect the appearance of the eyes? It’s simple – it’s one element “Wood”. Why can pain in the heart be significantly reduced or even eliminated by massaging the thumb and ring finger? Because these are the elements - “Wood” and “Fire”, etc. You can find many interesting patterns.
Element Wood
Wood people are characterized by kindness, responsiveness, spontaneity of reactions and actions. They dream of devoting their lives to travel or research, and if they do not have such an opportunity, they give free rein to their boundless imagination, turning into inventors, brilliant storytellers or writers. They are idealists, seriously concerned about ethical issues, and easily disappointed in people.
Tree people get along well with others, infecting them with their enthusiasm and optimism. True, they prefer productive cooperation to empty chatter, so they practically do not allow lazy people into their environment.
The tree is the patron of the East; the season of this element is spring, the planet is Jupiter, the color is green .
Metal type person
People of this type like to structure and put everything into shelves, from work projects to personal relationships. Any disorder and chaos dismays them.
Appearance: broad square shoulders, clear facial features, straight hair. Such people usually have a fast metabolism, so they rarely have weight problems.
Strengths: they are reliable, hardworking and responsible people. They are very organized and disciplined, follow the rules and never let anyone down.
Problems: the tendency towards order in a “metal” person also has a downside - it is difficult for him to perceive the world as changing.
For example, he performed certain tasks every day at work - and today he was given a completely new task. For a “metal” person this is serious stress.
When there is an imbalance, the sense of self-preservation in such people becomes hypertrophied. They are afraid of any changes, do not allow themselves to share their thoughts or feelings, and withdraw into their “shell.”
Vulnerable organ: lungs. Therefore, breathing exercises and walks in the fresh air are extremely important for “metal” people.
Main emotion: sadness. People of this type are prone to sadness and melancholy; they are more likely than others to “get stuck” in grief. They remember emotional pain for a long time, and this makes it difficult for them to form new relationships.
Foods: Acidic foods, leafy greens and vegetables are best for this body type. It is undesirable to eat dry (for example, muesli) and fried foods, as well as foods that form mucus in the body: dairy, sweets, alcohol, coffee.
What is useful for maintaining balance:
✓ Anything that strengthens your lungs is good for you. Practice breathing exercises, breathe moist air, tap the lung meridians.
✓ Don't avoid communication. Friendly meetings and joint projects are what balance your emotions and are vital for you.
✓ From time to time, get out of your comfort zone, do something new and unusual for you. Learn to enjoy it!
✓ Learn to let go: people, things, situations. Don’t keep your emotions inside, let them come out: express your pain to someone (at least in a diary), scream, cry.
