Introduction to Yin, Yang and the Five Elements (Part 2)

Previously we covered the concept of yin and yang, and its connection to Chinese metaphysics. In this post, we will go one step further and explore the five elements.

The five elements (五行) are wood, fire, earth, metal and water. Each element represents a form of energy, transforming from one state into another. Together, they represent the five phases that the universe cycles through. The five elements can be further polarized by yin and yang to create the ten heavenly stems. The heavenly stems are in turn used in divination arts like bazi and qimen dunjia, describing the energies in a given point in space and time.

The ancient Chinese used real-world phenomena as an analogy to describe these energies. The five elements in the context of Chinese metaphysics do not necessarily refer to physical objects. Instead, the five elements refer to five different qualities of energies, each embodying a different proportion of yin and yang. In the context of divination arts such as bazi or qimen dunjia, when a practitioner talks about analysing the five elements, he is referring to the underlying properties of the five elements.

Here is a brief overview of the five elements—and what they represent.

Wood

Wood (木) is new life. It is yin within yang, expressed as a seed growing into a tree, its roots digging into the earth, its trunk rising into the air, its branches spreading out to reach the sun. Wood requires water, and so it is supple. Wood is a vigorous, bursting energy, travelling in a straight line and expanding outwards. It is associated with vigour, vitality, and growth. It is associated with the season of spring.

Yin wood, Yi (乙), is characterized by vines, flowers and plants. It is gentle, delicate, refined, and adaptable. Yang wood, Jia ( 甲), is a sturdy tree. It is firm, grounded, persistent, direct, constantly striving forward and upward.

Fire

Fire (火) is heat, light and dryness. It is pure yang, manifest as a blazing fire. People gathered around fires for celebrations and warmth, and fire is used for cooking and smelting. Thus, fire has the property of drawing people together and transforming objects. Fire is a hot, rising and expansive energy. It is associated with the season of summer.

Yin fire, Ding (丁) is a candle. It is discreet, subtle, understated, but clearly visible in the dark—and can burst into a blazing flame, incinerating everything in its path. Yang fire, Bing (丙), is the sun. It is generous and selfless, energizing everything and everyone under itself, filled with passion and enthusiasm.

Earth

Earth (土) is stable, receiving and supporting. Neither inherently yin nor yang, it represents the balance of polarities. All things spring from the earth, all things return to the earth, and so earth is the centre of all things. Earth is heavy and unmoving; all things move around it. It is associated with the harvest season, which occurs in late summer. 

Yin Earth, Ji (己), is the fertile soil. It is nurturing, creative, resourceful, innovative and patient. Yang Earth, Wu (戊), is the mountain. It is massive, steady, reliable, independent.

Metal

Metal (金) is contraction, separation and descent. It is yang transforming into yin, becoming cool and dry. That which is cool and dry also becomes brittle. The word 金 actually means ‘gold’, and thus the element of metal is also associated with wealth and finance. Metal is associated with the season of autumn, when the leaves shrivel and fall from the branches.

Yin metal, Xin (辛), is jewelry and precious stones. It is beautiful, elegant, shiny, attention-grabbing, and sensitive. Yang metal, Geng (庚), is a hunk of raw metal, waiting to be forged. It is blunt, hard, tough, and ambitious.

Water

Water (水) is descent into stillness. It is pure yin, water flowing to the lowest point, from the mountains into the depths of the ocean. Water shapes itself to its container, and so it is swift and adaptable, until it comes to a rest. Water is associated with the season of winter, when all is cold and wet and unmoving.

Yin water, Gui (癸), is mist, rain, dew and snow. It is soft, gentle, nurturing, unpredictable and free-flowing. Yang water, Ren (壬), is the river and the sea. It is energetic, dynamic, adaptable, and driven.

View the Part and the Whole

In the Chinese language, every word refers to a broad concept, not necessarily a discrete meaning. Similarly, in Chinese metaphysics, each concept represents a range of related qualities. The deep art lies in understanding which qualities apply to a given situation, how they are expressed, how they relate to each other, and how to make use of them.

When you understand the essence of the five elements, you can interpret them in the context of a bazi chart, a qimen forecast, a feng shui audit, or anything else you are working on.

In a bazi chart, when a certain element dominates, it suggests the person has the properties of that element. In a qimen forecast, the elemental energies of a palace, as well as those of the heavenly stems in the palace, gives clues to interpret the outcome. In feng shui, the elements may well refer to physical phenomena, such as fire in the kitchen or metal in a feng shui cure.

While the core properties of each element remain the same across disciplines, these properties should be interpreted in the context of the chosen art. This allows for a holistic and comprehensive understanding of the art—and creates pathways for deeper studies into related arts. Such is the power of Chinese metaphysics: learning one art helps you learn others.

When discussing the five elements in the context of Chinese metaphysics, keep in mind that these are dynamic energies that are constantly interacting with each other, constantly changing form. The five elements should not be viewed in isolation from each other. Instead, see how the elements relate to each other, be it in a bazi chart, a qimen dunjia forecast, or a feng shui floorplan audit.

We began by analysing what each element represents. While crucial, this is simply the second step to understanding. In Chinese metaphysics, we deal with change and flow, and so we must study these processes as well. In the next post, we will look at how these energies transform.

We hope this post has been educational in your own journey in Chinese metaphysics. If you would like to know more about our services, click the contact form below.

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