Wu Xing (Five Elements)

Wu Xing, or the Five Elements, is a traditional Chinese concept describing five fundamental materials—Wood, Fire, Earth, Metal, and Water—that symbolize dynamic processes and interconnected energies in nature and life. Each element interacts through creation (Wood feeds Fire, Fire creates Earth’s ash, Earth bears Metal, Metal collects Water, Water nourishes Wood) and destruction cycles (Fire melts Metal, Metal cuts Wood, Wood parts Earth, Earth absorbs Water, Water suppresses Fire). These relationships help explain natural phenomena, health, and harmony by emphasizing balance and flow among these elements within systems.