Quia



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The Five Elements Theory

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The Five Elements theory posits wood, fire, earth, metal, and water as the basic elements of the material world. These elements are in constant movement and change. Moreover, the complex connections between material objects are explained through the relationship of interdependence and mutual restraint that governs the five elements. In traditional Chinese medicine Five Elements theory is used to interpret the relationship between the physiology and pathology of the human body and the natural environment.

The Basic Content of the Five Elements Theory

The Categorization of Things

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The ancient physicians used the Five Elements theory to study extensively the connections between the physiology and pathology of the zang-fu organs and tissues and the natural environment. By adopting the methodology of "comparing similarity to expose phenomenon," the ancient Chinese attributed different phenomena to the categories of the five elements. On the basis of the phenomena's different characteristics, functions, and forms, the complex links between physiology and pathology as well as the correlation between the human body and the natural environment were explained.

Categorization of Zang, Fu, Flavours and Senses according to the Five Elements

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| |Elements |

| |Wood |Fire |Earth |Metal |Water |

|Flavors |sour |bitter |sweet |pungent |salty |

|Zang |liver |heart |spleen |lung |kidney |

|Fu |gall bladder |s. intestine |stomach |l. intestine |urinary |

|Senses |eye |tongue |mouth |nose |ear |

|Tissue |tendon |vessel |muscle |hair/skin |bone |

Five Elements theory assigns each of the five elements a series of abstract generalizations and then applies them to the classification of all phenomena. Wood, for example, involved the aspects of germination, extension, softness, and harmony. It is then inferred that anything with those characteristics should be included in the category of the wood element. As for the rest of the five elements: fire involves the aspects of heat and flaring; earth involves the aspects of growing, nourishing, and changing; metal is associated with cleaning up, killing, strength, and firmness; and water is associated with cold, moisture, and downward flowing. As in the case of wood, the aspects of the other five elements are used to categorize all material objects in terms of one of the particular five elements. The following table shows the five categories of objects and phenomena according to five elements classification.

Categorization of Objects, Nature and Phenomena according to the Five Elements

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| |Elements |

| |Wood |Fire |Earth |Metal |Water |

|Directions |east |south |center |west |north |

|Changes |germinate |grow |transform |reap |store |

|Color |green |red |yellow |white |black |

The Mutual Generation, Mutual Subjugation, Extreme Subjugation, and Counter Subjugation Relationships of the Five Elements

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The Five Elements theory asserts that between each of the elements there exists the close relationships of mutual generation, mutual subjugation, extreme subjugation, and counter subjugation. The theory explains the interrelatedness of all things through the use of those close relationships.

Mutual generation means multiplication and promotion, while mutual subjugation means mutual restriction and restraint. The order of mutual generation among the five elements is that wood generates fire, fire generates earth, earth generates metal, metal generates water, and water generates wood. In this way generation is circular and endless. In the mutual generating relation of the five elements, each of the elements has the property of "being generate" and "generating." The one which generates is the "mother," the one which is generated is the "son." This is known as the "mother-son relationship." Each of the five elements has this type of mutual generating relationship with the other.

According to the order of mutual subjugation, however, wood subjugates earth, metal subjugates wood, etc. Each of the five elements also shares this subjugation relationship with the other. This relationship has the properties of "being subjugated" and of "subjugating." The former means that my ability is inferior to the object, while the later denotes my superiority to the object. Therefore, the mutual subjugating relationship among the five elements is also known as the relationship of "being superior to" and "being inferior to" another element.

Mutual generation and mutual subjugation are two aspects which cannot be separated. If there is no generation, then there is no birth and growth. If there is no subjugation, then there is no change and development for maintaining normal harmonious relations. As the Leijing tuyi says, "If there is no generation, then there is no growth and development. If there is no restriction, then endless growth and development will become harmful." Thus the movement and change of all things exists through their mutual generating and subjugating relationships. These relationships are the basis of the never ending circulation of natural elements.

Extreme subjugation and counter subjugation are the pathological conditions of the normal mutual generation and subjugation relationships. Extreme subjugation denotes that the subjugation of one of the five elements to another surpasses the normal level. For example, if there is hyperactivity of the wood element, it will subjugate the earth element. The latter elements is made weak and insufficient.

Counter subjugation means that one of the five elements subjugates the other opposite to the normal mutual subjugation order. For example, when metal is weak and insufficient, it leads to the hyperactivity of wood. The latter will then counter subjugate the former. In the Suwen it says:

When the qi of one of the five elements is excessive, it will subjugate its subjugated element (such as wood subjugating earth) and counter subjugate the subjugating element (such as wood counter subjugating metal).

Moreover, the Five Elements theory recognizes a correlation between those things which are related to a particular element. As the Suwen points out, "The East generates wind, wind generates wood, wood generates sour, sour generates liver, liver generates tendons....". According to Five Elements theory, each element has its own repertory of relationships among the objects that compose the physical world. The theory of Five Elements is therefore the theoretical basis of the unique bond between man and nature.

Application of the Five Elements Theory to Traditional Chinese Medicine

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The Five Elements theory is applied to the physiology and pathology of the human body by using the relationships of generation and subjugation to guide clinical diagnosis and treatment.

The Physiological Functions and Interrelationships of the Five Zang Organs

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Physiologically the Five Elements theory explains the unity of the mutual relationships between the zang-fu organs and body tissues as well as between the human body and nature. The physiological activities of the five zang organs can be classified according to the different characteristics of the five elements. For example, the liver is said to preside over the vigorous flow of qi and also has the function of ensuring free qi circulation. Since these characteristics are similar to the properties of wood, the liver is categorized as wood in the scheme of the five elements. Heart yang has a warming action so it belongs to the category of the fire element. The spleen is the source of transformation of essential substances and is associated with the earth element's characteristics of growth and transformation. The lung has clearing and descending properties and is associated with the metal element's characteristics of clearing and astringency. The kidney has the function of controlling water metabolism and storing essence and is associated with the water element's characteristics of moistening and flowing downward.

The Five Elements theory is also used to describe the correlations of physiological functions between zang-fu organs and body tissues. There are both generating and subjugating relationships among the five zang organs. The generating relationships are: the essence of kidney (represented by the water element) nourishes the liver; the liver (represented by the wood element) stores the blood in order to support the heart; the heat of the heart (represented by the fire element) warms the spleen; the spleen (represented by the earth element) transforms and transports the essential nutrients to replenish the lung; and the clearing and descending functions of the lung (represented by the metal element) assist the flowing of kidney water.

The subjugating relationships among the same organs are as follows: the clearing and descending functions of the lung (metal element) can restrict the hyperactivity of liver yang; the unobstructed flowing of liver (wood element) qi is capable of removing the stagnation of the spleen (earth element); the transportation and transformation of spleen is able to subdue the overflowing of kidney water; and the nourishing and moistening function of kidney (water element) can prevent the strong flaring up of heart fire. The yang heat of the heart (fire element) can control the hyperactivity of the lung's clearing and descending functions.

Furthermore, the Five Elements theory is employed to express the mutual relationships between the human body with the seasons, climates, and flavors. For example, while the wood element is associated with East, spring, wind, sour, etc., it is also connected with the liver, tendons, and eyes of the human body. In this way the Five Elements theory gives expression to a holistic view of the relationship between the human body and its natural environment.

Five Elements Theory and Pathological Influences on the Zang-Fu Organs

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Five Elements theory is not only used to correlate the functions of the sang-fu organs, but also to demonstrate their mutual pathological influence. To denote the mutual influence of the sang-fu organs in pathological changes the concepts of extreme subjugation and counter subjugation are used. For example, liver disease may affect the spleen because wood over-subjugates earth, while spleen illness may affect the liver as earth counter subjugates wood. Diseases of the liver and spleen interact with each other. Liver disease may also influence the heart, this is a "mother affecting son" illness. If the liver disease is transmitted to the lung, this is categorized as wood counter subjugating metal. If it is transmitted to the kidney, then it is considered a "son affecting mother" illness. The other zang organs follow suit. Thus the application of the Five Elements theory in explaining the complicated interaction between the zang organs can be summed up by these four relationships: extreme subjugation, counter subjugation, mother affecting son illness, and son affecting mother illness.

Use of the Five Elements Theory in the Diagnosis and Treatment of Disease

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Abnormal changes of the internal organ's functions and interrelationships can be detected by external appearances. Thus changes in a a patient's complexion, voice, sense of taste, pulse, etc. can be used to diagnose disease. According to the Five Elements theory the five zang organs have certain connections with the "five colors," "five tones," and "five tastes" as well as changes in the pulse. Therefore, in the clinical diagnosis of a disease, the data collected by the four diagnostic methods (inspection, auscultation and olfaction, inquiring, and palpation) should be analyzed according to the properties and changing laws of mutual generation and subjugation, extreme subjugation, and counter subjugation of the Five Elements theory. For example, a blue complexion accompanied with a preference for food of a sour taste and a wiry pulse, suggests liver disease. A flushed face accompanied by a bitter taste in the mouth and a forceful pulse suggests heart disease with the symptom-complex of hear-fire flaring up. A patient with insufficient spleen qi may have a blue complexion implying wood's (i.e., liver) extreme subjugation of earth (i.e., spleen). If a patient is suffering from heart trouble and has a dark complexion, it may be explained as water (i.e., kidney) subjugating fire.

The occurrence and development of a disease is sometimes related to the abnormality of the mutual generation and subjugation relationships. Therefore, clinical treatment should not only concentrate on the diseased zang organ, but also be concerned with readjusting the relationships between the particular zang or fu organs in accordance with Five Elements theory. For example, the Nanjing says, "When the liver is diseased, the liver will transmit to the spleen, and so one should replenish the qi of the spleen." This reflects the clinical application of five element's extreme subjugation theory. The laws of mutual generation and subjugation and extreme subjugation and counter subjugation have been applied by subsequent generations of traditional Chinese medicine practitioners to create more methods of treatment such as "cultivating the earth in order to generate metal," "nourishing the water to conserve wood," "supporting the earth to restrict wood," etc.

The yin-yang and Five Elements theories represent the world outlook and methodology of the ancient Chinese for their understanding and explanation of nature. The application of these two theories to Chinese medicine consists of viewing the phenomena and laws of nature and applying them to the study of the physiological activities and pathological changes of the human body and its interrelationships. The theory of Yin-Yang explains the dynamics of physical objects through a consideration of their contrary, mutual depending, consuming-increasing and transforming relationships. Normal human physiological activities are understood as the relative balance and harmonization between yin and yang. When yin and yang lose their relative balance and coordination, disease occurs. The theories of Yin-Yang and the Five Elements are used together as a guide to clinical diagnosis and treatment.

Chinese element theory...

The five traditional Chinese elements are Water, Wood, Fire, Earth and Metal. These are the five basic forms of energy, which are constantly being transformed from one into another throughout the natural world. Their names are convenient labels, or images to help us understand their function, but their meaning goes far beyond the label. In humans, for example, the elements determine our whole physical, psychological and emotional balance. This page describes the characteristics of the five elements, the interactions between them, and some ways you can take these ideas further.

Characteristics of the five elements

Water: Solitude, privacy, introspection, philosophy, mystery, truth, honesty, anxiety, nervousness, insecurity. (Images: Black, Night, Winter)

Wood: Leadership, assertiveness, creativity, planning, decision-making, competitiveness, conflict, anger, frustration. (Images: Green, Morning, Spring)

Fire: Self-expression, emotional extremes, empathy, extrovert, attention-seeking, sociable, talkative. (Images: Red, Mid-day, Midsummer)

Earth: Caring, supportive, nourishing, family-oriented, stability, grounding, "mother hen", worrier. (Images: Yellow, Afternoon, Late summer)

Metal: Precise, meticulous, logical, analytical, moderation, self-control, morality, tendency to pessimism (Images: White, Evening, Autumn)

Interactions between elements

|[pic] |The blue lines represent |

| |the Creation cycle (e.g. |

| |"Water creates Wood" - i.e.|

| |Water energy has a tendency|

| |to transform into Wood), |

| |and the black lines |

| |represent the Control cycle|

| |(e.g. "Water controls Fire"|

| |- i.e. Water energy, if |

| |present in any quantity, |

| |has a moderating effect on |

| |Fire). |

|  | |

Taking things further

The key to staying healthy is to keep the five elements in balance. There are many ways to do this - for example through meditation, yoga or martial arts such as aikido. Some Shiatsu practitioners teach Makko-Ho exercises - yoga-like techniques specifically designed to balance the elements. Go to the links page to find out more about all these techniques, and about Chinese medicine, Shiatsu and holistic health in general. Or see the Zen & meditation page for further information on the ideas behind Zen Dynamics.

For fun, practice writing the characters for the Chinese 5 elements

five elements (metal, wood, water, fire, earth):

Chinese Pinyin: jin1 mu4 shui3 huo3 tu3

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The Five Elements Theory of Chinese Cooking [pic]Learn about the Role of the Five Elements in Chinese Cooking [pic][pic]

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| More of This Feature |

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|• Five-Spice Powder - The First "Feel|

|Good" Drug? |

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|• Yin and Yang in Chinese Cooking |

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Written by Rhonda Parkinson

Like the concept of yin and yang, the Five Elements Theory is at the cornerstone of Chinese culture. What is the Five Elements Theory? The Chinese believe that we are surrounded by five energy fields: wood, fire, earth, metal, and water. However, the elements are not static: they are constantly moving and changing.   (In fact, some scientists think the term "element" is misleading, and prefer to refer to the "five phases" or "five forces.")

Once the Chinese identified the five elements, they set about categorizing all phenomena within the five categories. Everything, from a river to sounds to the organs in our bodies, can be described in terms of the five elements.  How things are characterized depends on their individual qualities.  For example, earth is associated with growth and nourishment, so the spleen, which monitors the blood - digesting debris and producing antibodies when necessary - is categorized as an earth element.

Just as an imbalance between yin and yang can produce destructive forces, keeping all elements in balance promotes harmony both in our surroundings and ourselves. Of course, balancing five elements is a little more complicated than achieving harmony between two opposing forces. According to Chinese belief, each element acts upon two others, either giving birth to it or controlling it. For example, wood gives birth to fire and controls or suppresses earth.  Similarly, fire gives birth to earth and controls metal. All the elements are constantly interacting with other elements - none stand alone. The table below outlines the relationships.

|Gives Birth To |Controlling |

|Wood - Fire |Wood - Earth |

|Fire - Earth |Earth - Water |

|Earth - Metal |Water - Fire |

|Metal - Water |Fire - Metal |

|Water - Wood |Metal - Wood |

To give an example from nature, a plant (wood) grows when it is given water.  When burnt, wood gives birth to fire, and the burnt ashes subsequently return to the earth.  

What role does the Five Elements Theory Play in the Chinese diet?

You'll see adherence to the five elements theory in many facets of Chinese life.  Martial arts, for example: many schools have a series of basic movements, each designed to keep the body in harmony with one the elements. And the five elements theory plays a large role in Feng Shui, the latest trend in both landscaping and interior decorating. Literally meaning "wind and water," Feng Shui is all about aligning energies in your home or work environment in a way that is most conducive with your own personal energy.

As for diet, Chinese herbalists believe that, to properly treat a patient, you must know the state of the five elements in their body. A deficiency or an excess of an element can lead to illness. In The Chinese Kitchen: Recipes, Techniques, Ingredients, History, and Memories from America's Leading Authority on Chinese Cooking, Eileen Yin Fei-Lo provides some wonderful examples of how her grandmother used the principles of the five elements theory to cure common illnesses. Treating a cough with winter melon tea and fresh water chestnuts is just one example.

A detailed look at the use of five elements theory in diagnosing and treating illnesses is beyond the scope of this article.  Suffice to say that practitioners of traditional Chinese medicine rely on it to explain the relationships between the body organs and tissues, as well as between the body and the outside environment. The table below outlines the relationship between the five elements and body parts, feelings, colors, and taste. 

|Element |Yin |Yang |Feelings |Colors |Tastes |

|Wood |Liver |Gall Bladder |Rage |Green |Sour |

|Fire |Heart |Small Intestine |Happiness |Red |Bitter |

|Earth |Spleen |Stomach |Thought |Yellow |Sweet |

|Metal |Lungs |Large Intestine |Sorrow |White |Spicy |

|Water |Kidneys |Bladder |Fear |Black |Salty |

How would a physician use the above information to make a diagnosis? Let's say a patient suddenly developed a preference for sour food.  This could indicate liver problems.  Of course, the actual process of examining a patient and making a diagnosis is much more complex than merely consulting a chart.  It requires a thorough understanding of the interaction between all the elements. Because time and date of birth are also thought to play a role in an individual's "state of the five elements," many physicians will consult astrological charts before making a diagnosis. 

"He that takes medicine and neglects diet, wastes the skills of the physician."

(Chinese proverb)

Five Spice Powder and the Five Elements Theory [pic]Was Five-Spice Powder the First "Feel Good" Drug? [pic][pic]

Written by Rhonda Parkinson

Although the exact origins of five-spice powder are lost to history, there is some thought that the Chinese were attempting to produce a "wonder powder" encompassing all of the five elements. All of the five flavors - sour, bitter, sweet, pungent, and salty - are found in five-spice powder. Then again, it's possible that a cook accidentally stumbled upon this particular combination of spices, and realized its power to enliven the blandest dish.  Whatever the case, there is no doubt that five-spice powder is unique.   

Of course, these days the specific combination of spices used to make up five-spice powder varies. In fact, some brands could more accurately be labeled "seven-spice powder," since they contain seven ingredients. A standard recipe calls for fennel, cloves, and cinnamon, along with star anise and Szechuan peppercorns. However, you'll also find five-spice powder made with cassia (a member of the same family as cinnamon), ginger, nutmeg, and even licorice (star anise has a wonderful licorice flavor).  Feel free to experiment with different varieties until you find the one you like best.

Bottled five-spice powder can often be found at local supermarkets.  However, if at all possible, I would recommend purchasing it from an Asian market. You'll pay less and the spice mixture will be more authentic. An added advantage is that it is frequently packaged in plastic bags, allowing the aroma to come through and giving you a chance to compare brands before buying. At home, remove from the bag and store in a dry place in a sealed jar.

Below I've provided a basic recipe for five-spice powder, along with several dishes that make use of its powerful flavor.  But don't limit your use of five-spice powder to specific recipes - add it whenever you want to lend flavor to stir-fries, soups and red-cooked dishes.  It works well with meats, and makes an excellent marinade. (You'll sometimes find packages of five-spice marinade designed specifically for chicken in Asian markets). Just remember to use sparingly - a little goes a long way.

How To Make Five-Spice Powder

From Rhonda Parkinson,

Your Guide to Chinese Food.

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Five-spice powder encompasses all five flavors - sweet, sour, bitter, pungent, and salty. This recipe is reprinted with permission from Raphael Meyer, American Kashrus Services.

Difficulty: N/A

Time Required: 15 minutes

Here's How:

1. In a dry skillet, roast 2 teaspoons of Szechuan peppercorns by shaking the pan over low to medium heat until the aroma of the peppercorns is released (about three minutes).

2. Grind the roasted peppercorns and 8 star anise in a blender or pepper mill.

3. Strain the blended seasonings.

4. Mix in 1/2 teaspoon ground cloves, 1 tablespoon ground cinnamon, and 1 tablespoon ground fennel seeds.

5. Grind the seasonings until very fine.

6. Store in an airtight container.

Tips:

1. Use five-spice powder sparingly, as it can be quite pungent.

2. If desired, you can substitute black peppercorns for the Szechuan peppercorn, and ground anise for the star anise (use 4 teaspoons of ground anise).

What You Need:

• Spices

• Skillet

• Blender or a Spice Mill

• Airtight Container

The Ancient Chinese Five Element Theory

-History, Applications, and Reality.

By Peter Huston

Please Excuse Us -This Essay is Under Construction. We have not yet loaded the tables and charts. Please come back soon. We do appreciate your interest in this project.

Today, in many circles, there is a continuing interest in the many traditional arts and sciences that Chinese civilization has produced. Among these are martial arts, Chinese astrology, tradtional Chinese medicine including both herbalism and acupuncture, and 'feng shui' (geomancy) or 'the art of placing things to ensure good fortune", among others. These arts are based on a fascinating, densely interwoven mixture of practical experience, magical thinking and symbolic correlations, and the traditional or proto-scientific beliefs developed in ancient China and still existing today. Although many, including myself, feel that such traditions have an inherent value as the cultural legacy of a proud civilization, Due to the continuing interest in these arts ultimately one must ask questions regarding the pragmatic efficiency of arts and traditions such as Geomancy, Traditional Chinese Medicine, Astrology, and others. One way to determine much of these arts' utility is in analyzing the underlying theories, and chief among these is the Chinese belief in the cycles of the five elements.

Most readers know that the ancient Greeks, like the ancient civilizations of India, had a theory of the four elements; earth, wind, fire, and water. The Chinese had a different view on things and divided the world into five elements. Furthermore, the concept of the uses and effects of the five elements was also quite different from that of the Greeks. One difference lay in the Chinese choice of the fundamental elements used in their theories. They viewed the world as being divisible into earth, water, wood, metal, and fire. Exactly why and how they chose these as the likely fundamental elements of all matter is not known. The slightly different choice of elements was not the only difference between the two systems of elements.

There was also a completely different underlying theory. This difference is so great that many scholars feel that the two systems should not even be designated with the same terms. These scholars prefer to use terminology such as the "five phases", the "five forces", the "five phases of change" (Unschuld), the "five transformational phases" (Porkert), and the "five agents". (Schirokauer) As is apparent, all of these new terms emphasize change, states or phases of change and the flow of energy, rather than the innate composition of a given object. Traditionally most Chinese scholars and developers of traditional Chinese science were much more concerned with how things acted and interacted than in their innate composition, and these terms reflect this important difference. (The term "element" seems to have been clumsily adapted early on when Europeans were first exposed to the Chinese theories and strove to correlate them with their own.) Nevertheless, innacurate as it may be, the phrase "five elements' is the most widely accepted. In fact, while most Western scholars avoid the term, the official publications of the People's Republic of China continue to use the term "five elements". (Geng, et al)

In the Greek theories, as in modern chemistry, things were composed of mixtures of the various elements. In the Chinese theories, things were not so much composed of "fire" and "earth", as they were associated with them. In most cases these associations remained constant for an object or part of an object. The theory was intended so that literally anything that could be divided into five parts could be correlated and associated with these elements. It was intended to be a series of universal correspondences and, as such, was felt to be useful to describe the patterns of everything. Table One is intended to show just a small sample of the overwhelming number of such correspondences. Unfortunately, in some cases, one cannot help but get the impression that some items were forcibly divided into five categories to make them fit into the system. For instance, to fit the four directions, north, south, east, and west into the system it was necessary to take the concept of "the center" and correlate it with the "earth element." As for the significance and use of these correspondences with the various elements this will be explained shortly.

Also, it must be noted that many of the divisions of the ancient Chinese are not those that a modern scientist would find meaningful. For example, if we look at chart one, the categories of animals of the ancient Chinese would obviously appear primitive to most modern zoologists or biologists.

As with so much in the history of Chinese scientific thinking, the exact origins of the theory remain vague. Although it is credited to a man by the name of Chou Yen, the details of his life remain sketchy. Although he is often credited with being the father of Chinese science, we don't know the exact dates during which he lived, although we do know that it was sometime between 350 and 270 B.C. Similarly, although some believe that he invented the system of the five elements in their entirety, most believe that he took a variety of preexisting notions and reworked and formalized them into a unified and combined system.

For example, different sorts of "Grains" were considered to be classifiable according to the five elemental correspondences. For example, we find that "beans" for some curious reason would always be associated with the element "water". This would not normally change. Similarly, "wheat" was associated with "wood." And continuing, "millet", "glutinious millet", and "rice" were each associated with "earth", "fire", and "metal" respectively. As one can see from this example, such correspondences between elements and real life objects and concepts tended to be abstract and often seem quite arbitrary to an outside viewer.

Some have suggested that the ancient Chinese might have been just as well off if they had used more abstract terms instead of the naturalistic ones that they chose. For instance the system might have worked just as well if the terms, A, B, C, D, and E, had been chosen (although the Chinese of course had no alphabet) or the numerical terms, "first", "second", "third", "fourth", and "fifth" had been used. This is an interesting point. Although this may be true, on the other hand the entire system of correspondences arose out of an attempt to explain the behavior of nature in a systematic manner. If the Ancient Chinese had not been thinking in naturalistic terms then it is difficult to imagine that the system would ever have arisen in the first place.

There are various ways in which Chinese civilization uses the five elements. The simplest is as a way to sort things and to divide the world into abstract, almost mystical, categories. For example, in the Hsing-Yi Chuan style of Kung Fu, there are five "forms" or integrated series of movements and techniques that the martial artists study and practice. Each of these is intended to emulate from, correspond to, and synchronize the practitioners mind and body in harmony with a particular one of the five elements. (Stubenbaum) Undoubtedly, this association with the ancient scientific beliefs of Chinese civilization has, at times, added much prestige to the art of Hsing-Yi Chuan and its practitioners in Chinese civilization.

In a different manner, the five elements can be used to determine the compatibility of different things. For example, the purpose of the traditional art of Feng Shui (Geomancy), is to determine the most desirable placement of objects within a landscape or in an interior setting. Within this system, different sorts of hills are each associated with one of the five elements. See Table Two. For obvious reasons, it is considered that a hill type that corresponds to "fire" is incompatible with something that is either wooden or corresponds to the "wood" element. It is the Feng Shui expert's job to ensure that such disastrous landscaping decisions be avoided, whenever possible. (If such a situation is impossible to avoid, then the feng shui expert is expected to recommend procedures to compensate. For example, if persons are forced by circumstances to build on an unlucky site, then he might recommend the hanging of mirrors to deflect away the bad luck.) 1

To give a second example, within the Chinese system certain times of the year were felt to be dominated by different elements in varying combinations. Because of this, one could be born with an astrological combination that was felt to be extremely unlucky due to the affects and imbalances of the various elements at one's time of birth. Such bad fortune could follow one through one's entire life unless it were compensated for. Fortunately, however, different sorts of names were also felt to correspond in varying amounts to the different elements. Therefore, by consulting with an expert, one could determine a name for a child that would contain the proper sort of correspondences to compensate for many of the hazards and misfortunes of having a poor birth date.

Such uses of the five elements, although strange to a Westerner, are simple to understand once one gets used to the internal logic of the system, and need not be looked at further here. One could name other possible examples endlessly. These relationships were relatively simple.

These were more complex relationships that were felt to be describable within the system. The relationships between the five elements and their corresponding objects or ideas, were felt to follow logical patterns. Early on it was felt that some of the elements could dominate and suppress others, and that these relationships followed set patterns. Significantly there was no single element that would dominant all elements, but instead each of the five could dominate one other element and then find itself dominated by one in turn. These patterns could be arranged in a nice cyclical pattern. This cycle is shown in TABLE THREE.

The Chinese took this cycle of domination and attempted to use it to describe the behavior of many objects and concepts in their lives. (9) It and variations upon it became an important part of the way in which Chinese scholars came to see the world as functioning. Still, the cycle of domination was only half of the commonly used cycles. There was another, similar, cycle that was just as important. This was the cycle of generation, and it is shown in TABLE FOUR.

It was felt that some elements worked in such a way that they would produce a certain other element. Each element was believed to foster the growth of one other element. It in turn led to the production and growth of another element. Furthermore, these relationships among the elements could be described in a cyclical manner similar to the process which described the domination of elements. This was referred to as the cycle of generation. Although some might assume that such a cycle would merely be the cycle of domination reversed, this is not the case. The cycle of generation had a unique logic that was all its own. Also known as the "mother and son" cycle, it was based on ideas relating to how the different fundamental elements would give rise to and produce one another under ideal conditions.

These cycles are considered to be universal constants. As the fundamental building blocks of Chinese science, they were used in a variety of ways and felt to show a variety of relationships among a variety of things. In theory, any relationship that can possibly occur among any two objects of the same class is believed to be describable by these cycles.

These cycles are used in medicine for a variety of purposes including plotting the spread of illnesses. They have historically been used as part of various prognostication and divination systems.

Yet with just two cycles, the cycles of domination and generation, the relationships that appear to be describable within the system are somewhat limited. Furthermore, if one takes items from the lists of items that corresponds to the elements and starts plugging them into the charts to see how they go together, then, on occasion, one gets some very unnatural and strange results. The Chinese, being a very intelligent people, noticed this themselves at an early date.

For eample, the Chinese philosopher, Wang Chung, who lived from 27 A.D. until 97 A.D., made some extensive criticisms of these and other theories in Chinese history. Wang Chung's criticisms of the theory of the five elements and the cycles of dominations and subjugation are based on the following facts. One is that within the theory there is no way to determine when items from the five elemental categories are supposed to cooperate and when they are supposed to struggle for dominance. He noted that philosophers of the time often seemed to decide these things based not on these theories but rather on their observations of behavior, and noted that this was a weakness in the theories. For instance it was felt that the five elements corresponded to various internal organs and that together they worked in such a way so that the body ran smoothly without struggling against itself. On the other hand the five elements were felt to correspond to various animals and these tended to kill and eat each other. Although, in theory, these two differences could be explained away by saying that the first was caused by the cycle of generation and the second by the cycle of subjugation there was no way to tell which of these cycles was intended to be used at any given time or under any given circumstances. His second criticism was that if one took these cycles, even if one knew which one should be used then the predicted results did not always correspond to what was known to happen. He pointed out that within the theory as written rats should make a habit of attacking and eating horses, and roosters should devour rabbits whenever the two meet. Oxen and sheep should prey upon wild boars, and snakes should eat monkeys. Obviously these things simply did not occur.

Despite these serious criticisms, Wang Chung himself seems to have felt that the systems of yin-yang and five element correspondences did have a certain utility and were inherently true to at least some extent. It would seem that by voicing these criticisms he merely wished to see the system refined more. This is a common theme in the history of Chinese science. There is a great hesitation to throw away ideas if they are believed to be useful in some situations. Even today there are many who rather see these ideas "refined" rather than simply discarded.

The five element theory became widely accepted and ultimately became incorporated as an integral part of many of the applied Chinese arts and sciences. As most, if not all, of these arts were seen as being useful then it only stands to reason that this was taken as further evidence that the five element theory was a sound and valid concept. Once imbedded in a variety of Chinese arts and sciences the difficulty in abandoning or even questioning the theory grew. Today, although we can see that the five element theory is not valid as a piece of scientific reasoning it is significant for at least two reasons. One of these is historical. Compared to the proto-scientific theories of other peoples the Chinese theory of the five elements is really quite interesting and at least as sophisticated as those held by other civilizations at the time of its birth and development. To me there is a certain abstract beauty in the way in which the five elements, and its related cycles, the divisions of yin and yang, the eight trigrams, the ten branches, the twelve stems, and the sixty four permeations of Yin and Yang which make up the contents of the I-Ching all tick away like clock work regulating the flow of Chi in a holistic, self consistent world view.

The second reason for studying the five element theory is that we must familiarize ourselves with the idea in order to truly understand the traditional arts and sciences that it became a part of. Without understanding this idea, and its strengths, weaknesses, and signifigance then we cannot thoroughly understand the ideas that have incorporated them. As today, there is a renewed interest in many of these arts within the United States and the Western world, such a familiarity is quite worthwhile.

1. If this whole system sounds a little shady and arbitrary to you you are not alone. Traditionally, in Chinese society, to call someone a "Feng Shui Expert" ("Feng Shui Hsian-sheng") had the same meaning as calling them a "flim-flam man" or a "Snake Oil Salesman".

THE END OF MAIN BODY OF TEXT

Insert Number One -The Theory Behind the Cycle of Domination

Insert Number Two -The Theory Behind the Cycle of Generation

Insert Number Three -Select Bibliography.

Table Number One -Some Representative EXamples of Five Element Correspondences

Link under construction TABLE Number One -A Diagram of the Cycle of Domination

Footnotes Number One and two.

TABLE TWO -THE FIVE HILLS AND THEIR CORRESPONDING "ELEMENT"

TABLE THREE -THE FIVE ELEMENT CYCLE OF GENERATION

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