Earth generates Metal. Metal creates Water. Water controls Fire. Fire controls Metal. Metal controls Wood.
Wood controls Earth.
Earth controls Water. The Creation and Control cycles interact constantly to maintain an overall balance in the system. The five elemental energies play a vital role in the Chinese herbal system . Each of the herbs contains one or more elemental energies, and are categorized according to the type of elemental energy that is predominant in the herb and how it influences the human energy system.