Five Elements

The Five Elements is a fivefold conceptual scheme that many traditional fields used to explain a wide array of phenomena, from cosmic cycles to the interaction between internal organs, and from the succession of political regimes to the properties of medicinal drugs. The "Five Phases" are Wood (木), Fire (火), Earth (土), Metal (金), and Water (水). This order of presentation is known as the "mutual generation" sequence. In the order of "mutual overcoming", they are Wood, Earth, Water, Fire, and Metal.
* Wood/Spring: a period of growth, which generates abundant wood and vitality
* Fire/Summer: a period of swelling, flowering, brimming with fire and energy
* Earth: the in-between transitional seasonal periods, or a separate 'season' known as Late Summer or Long Summer - in the latter case associated with leveling and dampening (moderation) and fruition
* Metal/Autumn: a period of harvesting and collecting
* Water/Winter: a period of retreat, where stillness and storage pervades
== Doctrines ==
The doctrine of five phases describes two cycles, a generating or creation (生) cycle, also known as "mother-son", and an overcoming or destruction (剋/克,) cycle, also known as "grandfather-grandson", of interactions between the phases. Within traditional medicine the effects of these two main relations are further elaborated:
* Inter-promoting (shēng cycle, mother/son)
* Inter-acting (grandmother/grandson)
* Over-acting (kè cycle, grandfather/grandson)
* Counter-acting (reverse kè)
==== Generating ====
The common memory jogs, which help to remind in what order the phases are:
* Wood feeds Fire
* Fire creates Earth (ash)
* Earth bears Metal
* Metal collects Water
* Water nourishes Wood
Other common words for this cycle include "begets", "engenders" and "mothers".
==== Overcoming ====
* Wood parts Earth (such as roots or trees can prevent soil erosion)
* Earth dams (or muddles or absorbs) Water
* Water extinguishes Fire
* Fire melts Metal
* Metal chops Wood
This cycle might also be called "controls", "restrains" or "fathers".
Category:Philosophy
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