Five Elements

The five elements or Wu Xing is primarily concerned with process and change – hence the use of the word - phases.

The elements used being = Wood, Fire, Earth, Metal, Water

A prime example being –

There are 4 cycles of these elements. 2 of the cycles are used extensively in Feng Shui and related subjects.

1. The Productive Cycle
2. The Reductive Cycle – it is essentially the reverse of the Productive Cycle
3. The Controlling Cycle
4. The Destructive Cycle – it is essentially the reverse of the Controlling Cycle

Caption: The Cycle of the elements. Shown are the Productive and Controlling cycles. The other cycles, the Reductive and Destructive cycles are essentially the opposite of the respective cycles. Showing more arrows complicates the diagram.

The Productive Cycle

Wood feeds Fire

Fire feeds Earth (lava, ash)

Earth bears Metal (metals found in the earth)

Metal forms water (melts to a liquid)

Water nourishes Wood

The Reductive Cycle (it is the reverse of the productive cycle)

Wood depletes water

Water rusts metal

Metal impoverishes Earth

Earth smoothers Fire

Fire burns Wood

The Controlling Cycle

Wood controls or stabilised Earth

Earth contains Water (river banks or dams)

Water dampens Fire (Regulates)

Fire melts metal

Metal breaks wood

Destructive Cycles (it is the reverse of the Controlling cycle)

Wood dulls metal

Metal reduces Fire (conducts heat away)

Fire evaporates Water

Water destroys or destabilises Earth

Earth rots Wood

Descriptions of the Elements