Chinese Five Elements Theory ☯️ Wu Xing (五行) Explained
The Chinese five elements are wood, fire, earth, metal and water. Wood comes first, water comes last with earth in the middle. In Chinese five element theory the relationships between the five Chinese elements forms four dynamic cycles:
- Creative cycle (also known as the generating cycle or productive cycle). Follow the arrows clockwise around the outside:
Each element is the mother of the following element and the son of the preceding element. Wood feeds fire, fire creates earth (ash), earth produces metal, metal collects water (e.g. condensation) and water nourishes wood, which completes the creative cycle. - Weakening cycle (also known as the exhaustive cycle). Follow the arrows counter-clockwise around the outside:
The weakening cycle is the opposite of the creative cycle. For example; when metal ore is removed from the earth it becomes exhausted. - Destructive cycle (also known as the overcoming cycle or control cycle). Follow the straight lines in the direction of the arrows:
Each element exerts control to suppress or inhibit the following element. For example; wood takes nutrients from the earth, earth can stop the flow of water, water can overcome fire, fire can melt metal and metal (e.g. in the form of an axe) can split wood. - Suppression cycle (also known as insults cycle or counter-acting cycle). Follow the straight lines backwards around the straight lines:
If the element being acted-upon is too strong, or the acting element is too weak, the cycle can temporarily reverse. For example; if there’s not enough water to put out a fire the water is vaporized and the fire continues. However, if the flow of water in a river is too strong it may overcome its banks causing a flood.
Chinese five element theory chart created by ADDucation and released under the Creative Commons Zero license. No credit required but always appreciated.
- ADDucation’s five elements theory lists and tables are compiled by Joe Connor and last updated on Jan 16, 2023 @ 2:02 pm
The Chinese five elements (also known as five phases and five elementals) influence every aspect of daily life in Chinese culture including; setting up home (feng shui), cooking healthy Chinese food, entertaining guests (tea ceremonies), listening to music, health (Chinese medicine), exercise and relaxation (meditation, tai chi and other martial arts), making decisions (Chinese astrology), philosophy, spirituality and religion (Chinese cosmology).
List of Chinese 5 Elements in Traditional Chinese Medicine (TCM)
Chinese Five Elements Theory Medicine Lifestyle Tips for TCM
In China, and some other Asian cultures, more people rely on traditional Chinese medicine for their health and well being than western medicine. A traditional Chinese medicine practitioner takes an holistic approach to diagnosis.
The external evidence presented by a person (their body, pallor, skin, hair, gait, nails, feet, hands, tongue and bodily fluids) in conjunction with the meridian system (which charts the flow of life-energy “qi” through the body) is used to diagnose “blockages” and suggest treatments.
Treatments could include acupuncture, acupressure, manipulative therapy “Tui na”, massage, herbal remedies etc.
Important! This ADDucation list is published for information only and does NOT constitute medical advice. If you have any health issues always seek professional medical advice.
ADDucation Tips:Click the ➕ icon to reveal more information in hidden columns. Resize your browser to see more/less columns.
| Elements (Wu Xing) | Wood (mu 木) | Fire (huo 火) | Earth (tu 土) | Metal (jin 金) | Water (shui 水) |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Color/s | Green | Red | Yellow | White | Black (blue) |
| Ying organs (Zang) | Liver | Heart / pericardium | The spleen / pancreas | The lungs | The kidneys |
| Yang organs (Zu) | Gall bladder | Small intestine | Stomach | Large intestine | Urinary bladder |
| Face parts / Sensory organs | Eyes | Tongue | Mouth | Nose | Ears |
| Bodily fluids | Tears | Sweat | Saliva | Mucus | Urine |
| Sense | Sight | Speech | Taste | Smell | Hearing |
| Body part | Tendons | Pulse | Muscle | Skin | Bones |
| Bodily fluid | Tears | Sweat | Saliva | Mucus | Urine |
| Fingers | Index finger | Middle finger | Thumb | Ring finger | Little finger |
| Body tissue | Ligaments | Arteries | Muscles | Skin and hair | Bones |
| Life-stage | Birth | Childhood and adolescence | Adulthood | Maturation, old age. | Old age, death |
| Hun-Po theory / Five shen system | Hun (ethereal soul) | Shen (Emperor of the Heart) Unified shen | Yi (intellect) | Po (corporeal soul) | Zhi (will to act) |
List of Chinese Five Elements in Chinese Cosmology
How Chinese Cosmology UsesChinese Five Element Theory
In Chinese cosmology (The System of Correspondences) the universe has three layers:
- Heaven (tian)
- Earth (Di 地)
- Humans (ren 人)
When the yin and yang aspects of each of the five elements are in balance we can lead happier balanced lives. Heaven and earth gave birth to the ten thousand things, including humans, and we are the most valuable treasure.
Each layer is made up from the same five elements and they are connected to universal energies which resonate within each layer and between the three layers. Consequently our bodies mirror the energy in the universe internally.
For example, the five yin organs (the heart, liver, spleen, lungs and kidneys) are connected to earthly energy, and the six yang organs (the small intestine, gall bladder, stomach, large intestine, bladder and pericardium) are connected to heavenly energy. The energy of all five elements connects the layers together in the universal macrocosm.
ADDucation Tips:Click the ➕ icon to reveal extra information. Resize browser to see more/less columns.
| Elements (Wu Xing) | Wood (mu 木) | Fire (huo 火) | Earth (tu 土) | Metal (jin 金) | Water (shui 水) | Chinese 5 Elements Notes |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| The Planets | Jupiter | Mars | Saturn | Venus | Mercury | These five planets, combined with the Sun and the Moon, make up the Seven Rulers (Qi Zheng). Their position in twenty eight Chinese lunar houses governs everything that has happened in the past or is yet to happen in the future on a personal, earthy and universal level. |
| Direction | East | South | Center | West | North | |
| Heavenly creatures | Azure Dragon / Blue-green Dragon. | Vermilion Bird / Scarlet Bird. | Yellow Dragon. | White Tiger. | Black Tortoise / Mysterious Warrior. | The 28 lunar houses are divided into four directions, each with seven houses. The east by the blue/green dragon, the south by the red bird, the west by the white tiger and the north by the black turtle and snake. |
| Seasons of the year | Spring | Summer | Changing of the seasons / Late Summer. | Autumn | Winter | Each season lasts seventy two days. |
| Development | Sprouting | Blooming | Ripening | Withering | Dormant | |
| Climate | Windy | Hot | Damp | Dry | Cold | |
| Moon Phase | New Yang | Full Yang | Yin/Yang balance. | New Yin | Full Yin | |
| Direction and Natural phenomena | Expansive and external in all directions. | Ascending | Stabilizing (harmony) | Contracting and internal | Descending | |
| Spiritual dimension | Ethereal soul (hun 魂) | Spirit (shen 神) | Intention (yi 意) | Corporeal soul (po 魄) | Vital essence (jing 精) | |
| Beneficial emotions | Kindness (ren 仁) | Respect (li 禮), self sacrifice | Honesty (xin 信), trustworthiness | Discernment (yi 義), propriatory | Wisdom (zhi 志) | |
| Damaging emotion | Anger (nu 怒). | Excessive joy (xi 喜) | Worry (si 思) | Grief (ku 苦) | Fear (kong 恐) |
Chinese 5 Elements in Martial Arts Table
Chinese Five Elements Theory in Martial Arts & Five Elements Boxing (Wuxingquan)
The Chinese five elements (directions) can be combined with the eight powers/trigrams of the Bagua (Ba Fa/Pa Kua/eight symbols) associated with Taoist cosmology to give thirteen tactics, often referred to as “five elements, eight methods”.
The five Chinese elements can also be combined with the I Ching 64 permutations “hexagrams” (derived from the trigrams) and the twelve animals of the Chinese Zodiac (Sheng Xiao).
These combinations offered many other tactics which have evolved into other arts and methods.
ADDucation Tips: Resize browser to see more/less columns.Click the ➕ icon to expand columns on tablets and mobiles.
| Elements (Wu Xing) | Wood (mu 木) | Fire (huo 火) | Earth (tu 土) | Metal (jin 金) | Water (shui 水) |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Directions | Look around / move left (Zuo gu) | Move forwards (Jin bu) | Centered (Zhong ding) | Move backwards (Tui bu) | |
| Orientation | Outward | Upwards | Centering | Inward | Downward |
| Energy | Generative energy | Expansive energy | Stabilizing energy | Contracting energy | Conserving energy |
| Taichi chuan energies | Joining or connecting energy / jin (connecting jin) | Following energy / jin (following jin) | Do not let go and do not resist | Adhering energy / jin (adhering jin) | Sticking energy / jin |
| Wuxingquan five fists | Crushing Fist (Pengquan). | Cannon Fist (Paoquan). | Crossing Fist (Hernquan). | Splitting / Cutting Fist (Piquan). | Drilling Fist (Tzuanquan). |
List of Chinese Zodiac Signs
Chinese Five Elements Theory – List of Zodiac Signs
Each of the 12 Chinese zodiac animal signs is associated with one of the Chinese five elements. Use the table below to find the fixed Chinese element for each sign of the Chinese Zodiac.
| Chinese Zodiac Animal Signs | Chinese 5 Elements (Wu Xing) |
|---|---|
| Monkey, Rooster | Metal |
| Tiger, Rabbit | Wood |
| Rat, Pig | Water |
| Snake, Horse | Fire |
| Ox, Dragon, Sheep, Dog | Earth |
Each Chinese animal sign is also sub-divided into the five elements. In Chinese astrology the animal signs play a similar role to the signs of the zodiac in western culture.
You can find your Chinese animal sign and associated personality traits, lucky colors, ideal partners and more by entering your birth year on ADDucation’s Chinese Animal Signs of the Zodiac List…
Chinese 5 Elements in Chinese Music
Chinese Five Elements Theory in Chinese Music List
The Chinese pentatonic scale has just five notes compared to the seven note western scale. Do, Re, Mi, Fa, Sol, La, Si becomes:
- Gong (Do)
- Shang (Re)
- Jiao (Mi)
- Zhi (Sol)
- Yu (La)
Each tone influences the human body in different ways:
ADDucation Tips:Click the ➕ icon to reveal extra information. Resize browser to see more/less columns.
| Elements (Wu Xing) | Wood (mu 木) | Fire (huo 火) | Earth (tu 土) | Metal (jin 金) | Water (shui 水) | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Note | Jiao (Mi) Affects the liver. Soothing, giving a sense of comfort and relaxation. Can be used to dispel anger. | Zhi (Sol) Affects the heart. Invigorating with a sense of passion and excitement. Can be used to treat depression. | Gong (Do) Affects the spleen. Mediating in nature giving a sense of calm and seriousness. Ideal to help anyone who has been frightened. | Shang (Re) Affects the lungs. Cleansing in nature and gives a sense of quietness. Can be used to help anyone suffering from anxiety and irritability. | Yu (La) Affects the kidneys. Cooling and moistening in nature with a sedative effect. Can be helpful for insomnia caused by excessive joy or sorrow. | Gong=Do (note 1) Shang=Re (note 2) Jiao=Mi (note 3) Zhi=Sol (note 5) Yu=La (note 6) notes 4 (Fa) and 7 (Si) are omitted. |
| Tone | Chueh (Jiao) Chueh based music is Spring like. Makes one feel conciliatory and kind hearted. | Chih (Zhi) Chih based music is highly emotional, even fiery and makes one feel generous. | Keng (Gong) Keng based melodies are noble and can make one tolerant and kind. | Shang Shang based melodies are unbending and heavy like metal which makes one feel righteous and friendly. | Yue (Yu) Yue based tunes are melancholy, like running water and can help restore balance and feel generous. | Five tones are based on perfect fifth, in order of Gong, Zheng, Shang, Jiao, Yu. Mode-structures of Gong and Zheng have sprightly major property, while mode-structures of Jiao and Yu have oppressive ditty property, mode-structure of Shang is between the two. Because mode-structures of five notes do not include acumination sound, tense and disharmonious intervals like minor second, tritone, major second seventh, the whole music is tranquil and soft, by which people can express emotions. For example, happy memories, beautiful wishes, nature and so on. |
| Emotions / Feelings | Anger | Over excitement | Anxiety /Meditate | Grief / Worry | Fear | See the emotions in our Chinese Horoscope table. |
| Moods | Happiness | Joy | Desire | Anger | Sadness | |
| Virtues | Humanity | Manner | Trust | Righteousness | Wisdom | Virtues ascribed by Dong Zhong Shu. |
Chinese Five Elements and Feng Shui
Chinese Five Elements Theory in Feng Shui List
ADDucation Tips:Click the ➕ icon to expand columns on tablets and mobiles.
| Elements (Wu Xing) | Wood (mu 木) | Fire (huo 火) | Earth (tu 土) | Metal (jin 金) | Water (shui 水) |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Compass direction | East | South | Center | West | North |
| Shapes | Rectangular | Angular | Square | Round | Undulating |
| Orientation | Outward | Upwards | Centering | Inward | Downward |
Chinese 5 element theory underpins the Chinese art (system/practice/mythology) of Feng Shui which is used to design and position things, based on ying and yang energy flow, to achieve harmony with the environment.
Chinese 5 Elements in Religion
Chinese Five Elements Universe in Theory and Religion
The Chinese five elements of universe are an integral part of ceremonies and rituals in religions including Taoism, Confuscianism, Buddism and others.
Taoist shrines typically include:
- Five bowls of fruit which represent the Chinese five elements in their pre-natal (earlier heaven) form in the creative cycle between the elements.
- Five plates of food which represent the Chinese five elements in their post-natal (later heaven) form in the destructive cycle between the elements.
- Taoist Hung-Po theory, also known as the five-shen system associates spirits with the five yin organs in the body; heart, kidney, spleen, liver, and lungs.
If you can help expand this section please add your comments below.
Chinese 5 Elements in Other Lists
More Chinese Five Elements Theory References
ADDucation Tips:Click the ➕ icon to expand columns on tablets and mobiles. Resize browser to see more/less columns. Start typing in the Filter table box to find anything inside the table.
| Elements (Wu Xing) | Wood (mu 木) | Fire (huo 火) | Earth (tu 土) | Metal (jin 金) | Water (shui 水) |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Materials | air, sound, minerals, mana, ink, acid, mind, rubber, paper, static, wax, plywood, health. | visible light, soap, thermal radiation, uv rays, rust, bleach, infrared beams, burn, blaze, oil, glass, mass, clay. | rock, carbon, dust, sand, energy, powder, space, sugar, smoke, gems, ash, gravity, earthquakes. | gold, platinum, holy water, snow, ice, frost, alloys, forge, nimbus clouds, ether, milk. | the sea, vegetation, electrical currents, storms, rain, steam, fluid, mud, slime, sludge, salt, time, pressure, glass mirror, shadows. |
| Livestock | Dog | Sheep, goat | Cattle | Chicken | Pig |
| Animal type | Scaly | Feathered | Human | Furred | Shelled |
| Sound | Shouting | Laughing | Singing | Weeping | Groaning |
| Climate / Weather | Wind | Hot / Heat. | Dampness / Humid. | Dryness | Cold |
Traditional Chinese Medicine Lifestyle Tips:
- Chinese 5 Elements Cooking…
- Help improve ADDucation’s Chinese five elements theory lists and tables by adding your comments below…
- share
- share
- save
- share
- share
2 responses to “Chinese Five Elements Theory ☯️ Wu Xing”
zhongbi says:
January 21, 2022 at 12:50 pm
The Five Phases also correspond with the five seasons of the Chinese traditional calender, each with 72 days as follows:
- Spring-Wood
- Summer-Fire
- Harvest*-Earth
- Autumn-Metal
- Winter-Water.
* Harvest time is between western summer and autumn, from solstice to equinox (August-September).
Reply
Joe Connor says:
January 22, 2022 at 12:39 pm
Thanks Zhongbi, we’ll find a way to get that info into the main table.
Reply
