The Five Elemental Energies

By Daniel Reid
"The Five Elemental Energies of Wood, Fire, Earth, Metal, and Water encompass all the
myriad phenomena of nature. It is a paradigm that applies equally to humans."
The Yellow Emperor's Classic of Internal Medicine
(second century bc)
The Five Elemental Energies (wu sing) represent the
tangible activities of yin and yang as manifested in the
cyclic changes of nature which regulate life on earth.
Also known as the Five Movements (wu yun), they define
the various stages of transformation in the recurring
natural cycles of seasonal change, growth and decay,
shifting climatic conditions, sounds, flavors, emotions,
and human physiology. Each energy is associated with
the natural element which most closely resembles its
function and character, and from these elements they
take their names. Unlike the Western and other systems
of five elements, the Chinese system focuses on energy
and its transformations, not on form and substance. The elements thus symbolize the
activities of the energies with which they are associated.
As manifestations of yin and yang on earth, the Five Elemental Energies represent
various degrees of 'fullness' and 'emptiness' in the relative balance of yin and yang within
any particular energy system. An ancient Chinese text explains this principle as follows:
By the transformation of yang and its union with yin, the Five
Elemental Energies of Wood, Fire, Earth, Metal, and Water arise,
each within its specific nature according to its share of yin and yang.
These Five Elemental Energies constantly change their sphere of
activity, nurturing and counteracting one another so that there is a
constancy in the transformation from emptiness to abundance and
abundance to emptiness, like a ring without beginning or end. The
interaction of these primordial forces brings harmonious change and
the cycles of nature run their course . . . The Five Elemental Energies
combine and recombine in innumerable ways to produce manifest
existence. All things contain all Five Elemental Energies in various
proportions.
Let's take a look at this idea in terms of the basic seasonal cycles of nature, which
influence every living thing on earth.
Water is the elemental energy associated with winter, when a state of extreme yin
prevails. Winter is the season of stillness and rest, during which energy is condensed,
conserved, and stored. Water is a highly concentrated element containing great potential
power awaiting release. In the human body, Water is associated with essential fluids such
as hormones, lymph, marrow, and enzymes, all of which contain great potential energy.
Its color is black, the color which contains all other colors in concentrated form. In nature,
Water is dissipated by excess heat; in humans, Water energy is depleted by the 'heat' of
stress and excess emotions. The way to conserve the potential energy of Water is to stay
still and 'be cool'.
The next phase of the seasonal cycle is spring, during which the Wood element arises
from the potential energy of Water, just as plants sprout from the ground in spring rains.
This is the 'new yang' stage of the cycle. Wood energy is expansive, exhilarant,
explosive. It is the creative energy of 'spring fever', awakening the procreative drive of
sexuality. It is associated with vigor and youth, growth and development. In the human
body, Wood energy is associated with the movement of muscles and the activity of
tissues. Its color is green, the vibrant color of spring growth. Wood energy demands free
expression and space for open expansion. Blocking it gives rise to feelings of frustration,
anger, jealousy, and stagnation.
Just as spring develops naturally into summer, so the aggressive creative energy of
Wood matures into the flourishing 'full yang' energy of Fire. This is the most overtly
energetic phase of the cycle, during which the 'heat' of full yang energy is sustained. All
life forms flourish in summer owing to the warm, stable glow of Fire energy. Fire is related
to the heart, which is the seat of human emotions and the organ whose constant warmth
and pulse keeps blood and energy moving. Its color is red, the warm color of fire and
blood. It is associated with love and compassion, generosity and joy, openness and
abundance. If blocked it results in hypertension and hysteria, heart problems and nervous
disorders.
Towards the end of summer comes an interlude of perfect balance during which Fire
burns down and energy mellows, transforming itself into the elemental energy of Earth.
Neither yin nor yang predominates during this period; instead they are in a state of
optimum balance. This is the pivot of the cycle, the fulcrum between the yang energies of
spring and summer and the yin energies of autumn and winter. The Five Elemental
Energies hum in harmony at this time, providing a sense of ease, well-being, and
completeness. The Earth energy of late summer is the phase and the feeling celebrated
in the song 'Summertime, and the living is easy ...' Its color is yellow, the color of sun and
earth, and in human anatomy it is associated with the stomach, spleen, and pancreas,
which lie at the center of the body and nourish the entire system. If Earth energy is
deficient, digestion is impaired and the entire organism is thrown off balance owing to
insufficient nourishment and vitality.
As summer passes into autumn, the energy of Earth transforms into Metal. During the
Metal phase, energy once again begins to condense, contract, and draw inward for
accumulation and storage, just as the crops of summer are harvested and stored in
autumn for use in winter. Wastes are eliminated, like winnowing chaff from wheat, and
only the essence is kept in preparation for the nonproductive Water phase of winter. If the
harvest fails or falls short, there may not be sufficient energy stored during Water/winter to
generate a strong and healthy cycle in the following Wood/spring. Metal energy controls
the lungs, which extract and store essential energy from air and expel wastes from the
blood, and the large intestine, which eliminates solid wastes while retaining and recycling
water. Its color is white, the color of purity and essence. Autumn is the season of
retrospection and meditative insight, for shedding old skin and dumping the excess
baggage of external attachments and emotions accumulated in summer, just as trees shed
their leaves and bees drive drones from the hive at this time of year. Resisting this energy
by clinging sentimentally to past attachments can cause feelings of melancholy, grief, and
anxiety, which manifest themselves physiologically in breathing difficulties, chest pain, skin
problems, and low resistance. Flues, colds, and other respiratory ailments are common
indicators of blocked Metal energy, which is associated with the lungs. Just as Metal is a
refined extract of Earth forged by Fire, so autumn is the season for extracting and refining
essential lessons from the activities and experiences of summer, transforming them into
the quiet wisdom of winter.
And so the great wheel of nature turns in a continuous cycle of elementary energies,
drawing all living things in its wake and proceeding in an orderly and rhythmic sequence:
Wood > Fire > Earth > Metal> Water >
new yang full yang balanced yin & yang new yin full yin
spring summer late summer fall winter
dawn noon afternoon dusk midnight
Like yin and yang, the Five Elemental Energies maintain their internal harmony through a
system of mutual checks and balances known as 'creative' and 'control' cycles. Both these
cycles, which counteract and balance one another, are in constant operation, maintaining
the dynamic fields of polar forces required to move and transform energies. The creative
cycle is one of generation, like the relationship between mother and child. Water
generates Wood by nourishing its growth; Wood generates Fire by providing its fuel; Fire
generates Earth by fertilizing it with ashes; Earth yields Metal by extraction and
refinement; Metal becomes liquid like Water when it is melted.
The opposite force is the control cycle, a relationship of subjugation similar to that between
the victor and the vanquished in battle. The Internal Medicine Classic describes the
control cycle as follows:
Wood brought into contact with Metal is felled;
Fire brought into contact with Water is extinguished;
Earth brought into contact with Wood is penetrated;
Metal brought into contact with Fire is dissolved;
Water brought into contact with Earth is halted.
Whenever a particular elemental energy grows too strong, it tends to exert an excessively
stimulating influence over the following element in the creative cycle, like a domineering
mother over a child, and at this point the element which controls the excessive energy
kicks in to subjugate it and restore harmony. For example, if Wood flourishes to excess,
providing so much fuel that Fire burns out of control, Metal steps in to cut down the supply
of Wood and thereby re-establish normal balance. The creative and control cycles
maintain constant harmony and balance among the Five Elemental Energies.

Wood helps Fire, is helped by Water, hinders Earth, is hindered by Metal

Fire helps Earth, is helped by Wood, hinders Metal, is hindered by Water
Earth helps Metal, is helped by Fire, hinders Water, is hindered by Wood
Metal helps Water, is helped by Earth, hinders Wood, is hindered by Fire
Water helps Wood, is helped by Metal, hinders Fire, is hindered by Earth
Another cycle, not recognized in this essay, is referred to as the Tonification cycle, where
the Earth element is considered to be the fulcrum during periods of transition. As you can
see, each element is dominant for four hours during the 24 hour cycle, except the Earth
element, which is dominant for eight hours, but during these periods of transition the Earth
element is 'combined' with the energies of the other elements preceding/proceeding those
times in the cycle, hence, each of the elements remain balanced.
Theoretical Foundations of the Five Elements
Here is a list of all of the basic foundations of the Five Elements according to ancient
Chinese tradition.
General Foundations
Element Wood Fire Earth Metal Water
Yin/Yang
Phase New Yang Full Yang New Yin Full Yin
Balance
Color green red yellow white black
Center
Direction east south west north
(nadir/zenith)
Life Cycle infancy youth adulthood old age death
1-3am, 7-9am
Hours 3 - 7 am 9 am - 1 pm 3 - 7 pm 9 pm - 1 am
1-3pm, 7-9pm
Energy
generative expansive stabilizing contracting conserving
Quality
late summer
Season spring summer (between autumn winter
seasons)
Climate windy hot damp dry cold
Development sprouting, blooming, fruit withering, dormancy,
ripening, harvest
Phase leaves growing growing seeds falling storage
Smell rancid scorched fragrant putrid rotten
Flavor sour bitter sweet pungent salty
Mental emotion, willpower,
clarity intuition spontaneity
Quality sensitivity creativity
Negative
anger hate anxiety grief fear
Emotion
Positive
patience joy empathy courage calmness
Emotion
irritability, worry, regret, sadness,
nervousness,
Other blame, rage, remorse, shame, loneliness,
shock,
Emotions resentment, obsessiveness, disappointme insecurity
excitement
jealousy self-doubt nt, guilt
rectitude,
propriety, integrity,
Virtue benevolence faith, trust wisdom
order righteousness
, dignity
Expression shouting laughter song weeping groan
Yin (Zang)
Spleen-Pancreas Kidneys
solid internal Liver (LV) Heart (HT) Lungs (LU)
(SP) (KD)
organ
Triple Burner
(TB)
Yang (Fu)
Gallbladder Small Intestine Large
hollow Stomach (ST) Bladder (BL)
(GB) (SI) Intestine (LI)
internal organ
Pericardium
(PC)
BL=3pm-
GB= 11pm-1am SI= 1pm-3pm ST= 7am-9am LI= 5am-7am 5pm
Active Times
LV= 1am-3am HT= 11am-1pm SP= 9am-11am LU= 3am-5am KD=5pm-
7pm
TB= 9pm-11pm
PC= 7pm-9pm
Body tendons pulse muscle skin bones
Aperture eyes tongue, throat lips, mouth nose ears
Bodily Fluids tears sweat saliva mucus urine
facial head/pubic
Expands Into nails lips body hair
complexion hair
Black
Primal Spirit Green Dragon Red Pheasant Yellow Phoenix White Tiger
Tortoise
Zodiac
Male Animal Gemini,
Tiger Cancer Virgo,
Horse Libra Taurus,
Dragon, Dog Leo
Scorpio,
Aquarius Sagittarius,
Capricorn
Monkey Aires,
Pisces
Rat
Female
Rabbit Snake Cow, Sheep Hen Hog
Animal
Numbers 8, 3 2, 7 10, 5 4, 9 6,1
Planet Jupiter Mars Saturn Venus Mercury
I Ching
wind, thunder fire earth, mountain heaven, lake water
Trigrams
Hexagrams 51, 57 30 2, 52 1, 58 29

The organs and energy meridians of the body relate to the Five Elements through
the functions they carry out, their associated emotions and overall qualities of
energy.
Continue to Twelve Primary Channels and Zang-Fu theory