The five Chinese Elements

What are Chinese Elements?

All the Chinese Astrology Signs pass through five Elements. These Elements are Fire, Wood, Water, Earth and Metal. Everyone and everything must interact with these Elements. Each element is associated with one of the planets in our solar system. Fire is paired with Mars; Wood is paired with Jupiter; Water is paired with Mercury; Earth is paired with Saturn and Metal is paired with Venus.

There are relationships between each of these Chinese Elements. They each have a beneficial relationship, a destructive relationship and a hostile relationship to the other Elements. The beneficial relationships are as follows: Water generates Wood; Wood generates Fire; Fire generates Earth; Earth generates Metal; Metal generates Water. The destructive relationships are as follows: Water puts out Fire; Fire melts Metal; Metal cuts Wood; Wood breaks Earth and Earth swallows Water. The hostile relationships are as follows: Water hates Fire; Fire hates Metal; Metal hates Wood; Wood hates Earth and Earth hates Water.

Each of these Elements has their own set of characteristics that affect the animal signs. As each of the Elements pass through the animal signs, these characteristics modify the animal signs, making changes to the normal characteristics of that Sign. This creates 60 different combinations in the Chinese zodiac.

The concept of Yin and Yang also affect the Five Chinese Elements, so there is a Yin Water and a Yang Water, and so on. The way it is set up in the Chinese zodiac is that Yin falls in odd numbered years and Yang falls in even numbered years.

Chinese Earth Element
Those born in the Earth Element are patient and reliable. This Element has a high sense of duty towards the people they are close to. They are ambitious, yet idealistic. They approach problems in a logical, methodical manner. They follow their intuition and have strong deductive talents. They are the moral compass by which they judge the world. They are very ethical and disciplined. They have the ability to use their resources wisely. Their conservative nature helps them most of the time. They make good planners or administrators. They are usually wise in all financial issues. They have a talent for keeping things in their proper perspective. Their steadiness and reliability impresses those around them. They are disciplined and tend to not show their emotions. They want to be important, yet they want to be loved. It would do them well to become a bit more adventurous in life. They are usually respected and admired.

The Element of Earth may be considered stubborn or rigid. They may be controlling or only interested in their own abilities to gain. They may end up questioning their own instincts and distrusting their wisdom. They have a fear of the unknown that can be very strong.

Earth is the Center. It is the changing of the seasons. Earth's color is yellow, and it is associated with the digestive system, especially the stomach and spleen. They would do well to stay away from wetlands and moisture.

Chinese Fire Element
Those born with the Fire Element love adventure and excitement; they have dynamic personalities and can become excellent leaders. They are competitive and may become restless. Fire Elements tend to have a rather magnetic attraction. They don't like to be secluded away from others. They prefer to form strong bonds with their loved ones. Fire is confident and sure. They like to explore anything new. They are brilliant and warm. They are decisive and dramatic. They may be aggressive about achieving the things they want in life. They are gifted speakers. They are clever and want others to know it. They can be hypersensitive. It is best if they can learn patience and compassion.

The Fire Element may become selfish and inconsiderate. They become impatient when they are thwarted in their ambitions. When they try to force their way, they hit more obstacles.

The Fire Element is the South and represents the season of summer. Fire's obvious color is red. It is associated with the circulatory system and the heart. They should stay away from too much heat and too much emotion.

Chinese Metal Element
Those born with the Metal Element are tenacious and self-reliant. They like to enjoy themselves but care about and respect others. They are usually pretty reserved, but when pushed they can be very forceful and unyielding. Metal likes to live in an orderly fashion. They prefer a balanced environment and like things to be clean. Metal is confidant and determined. This can set them apart from all the others. When they know what they seek, they pursue it unflinchingly. Obstacles and setbacks do not bother them. They are natural problem solvers. They don't mind solitude; in fact while they want the acclaim for their accomplishments, they much prefer to be left on their own. They are virtuous, and their inner strength of character is well known. Metal creates their own success and sets out to attain it with a single purpose.

Metal can be a bit impulsive. They have a liking for luxury and power that their gifts with money can provide. They can be unreasonable and stubborn sometimes. They may become rather set in their ways. They are demanding when in charge and expect all around them to meet their high expectations.

Metal is the West. It is associated with the season of autumn. Metal's color is white. In the body, Metal is associated with the respiratory system and the lungs in particular.

Chinese Wood Element
Those born with the Wood Element are generous. They strictly adhere to their sense of ethical behavior. They like to explore. Their powers of persuasion are very strong. Wood people are often artists in whatever they do. They are diligent and committed to their work. They like to be busy and believe that hard work is good for you. They are very confident. They have a deep appreciation of what they have and do not lust after that which they cannot attain. They like to have many varied interests. They are loyal friends. They do not indulge in selfish behavior. They love working on a team. They are very compassionate with others.

Wood tends to be a spendthrift. They may tend to take on more than they can handle and become overwhelmed. One thing they need to work on is learning their own limits. They may become overly dependent on others. Wood tends to be passive and inhibited. It is easy for them to lose themselves in the crowd. They should avoid areas with prevailing strong winds.

The Element of Wood is the East. It is associated with the season of spring. Appropriately, it is the color green, and it is associated with the liver and gall bladder.

Chinese Water Element
Those born with the Element of Water can be charming and sensitive as well as compassionate. They are very flexible and "go with the flow" so to speak. They are often intelligent and creative. They have a great imagination and are not afraid to use it! They make excellent philosophers and thinkers. They often freelance. They often have more than one profession. Water has good people skills and can be very subtly persuasive. They have talents in communication and diplomacy. They are intuitive and can find things that elude others. They have a flair for organizing and can delegate with the best of them. They have the gift of noticing the special talents of others and making them feel good about their abilities.

Water can also be secretive and deceptive. They don't like to share their secrets with others. They have great skills of manipulation. Water tends to try to find the easiest way out. They may be too passive and too malleable to the whims of others. They need to learn to stand on their own two feet and follow their own path. They should avoid places heavy with water.

Water Element is the North. It is associated with the season of winter. Water's color is black and it is associated with the lungs, skeleton and excretory system.

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