The Five Elements (Wu Xing) Explained
Wu Xing — the five elements of Wood, Fire, Earth, Metal and Water — is a cornerstone of Chinese metaphysics, used in everything from medicine to feng shui to BaZi.
The five elements
Each element has a character: Wood grows, Fire rises, Earth stabilizes, Metal contracts, Water flows. Everything is described as a balance of these forces.
The generating cycle
Elements feed one another in a circle: Wood feeds Fire, Fire makes Earth (ash), Earth bears Metal, Metal carries Water, Water nourishes Wood.
The controlling cycle
They also keep each other in check: Wood parts Earth, Earth dams Water, Water quenches Fire, Fire melts Metal, Metal cuts Wood. Balance is the goal.
Find your element
Discover your birth-year element with our five elements calculator.