CULTURE | THE NATURAL ELEMENTS
Wu Xing :
The Five Elements Philosophy
The concept of wu xing is one that is prominent in Chinese thought and practices . Usually translated as “ Five Phases ”, this conceptual framework is used in traditional Chinese practices to explain a host of natural phenomena from cosmic cycles to the interactions of internal bodily organs . It is even used in understanding political regimes and Chinese medicinal properties .
Text Elizabeth Lim
The five elements are around 73 days each and are used to describe the states in Nature :
Water Blue Winter
Wood Green Spring
Fire Red Summer
Earth , Brown , Transitional Season
Metal Silver Autumn
A period of retreat , where stillness and storage pervades |
A period of growth , which generates abundant wood and vitality |
A period of swelling , flowering , brimming with fire and energy |
An in-between transitional seasonal period associated with levelling and dampening ( moderation ) and fruition |
A period of harvesting and collecting |
Wu xing has often been compared to the ancient Greek philosophy featuring four elements that are regarded as unchanging building blocks of matter , but in Chinese belief , the five elements are seen as “ ever-changing forces ”. The concept of wu xing first came into existence during the period in Chinese history known as the Spring and Autumn Period ( 770 – 476 BCE ) and was seen as a way of describing natural processes that we are unable to see nor understand .
The foundation of wu xing revolves around the understanding and knowledge that there is an intrinsic source of energy in our universe that can only be understood through the interactions of these five natural elements . The elements are not seen as being physical objects but rather , a never-ending series of interactions and processes throughout the universe . These five interactions are explained as fuelling , forming , containing , carrying and feeding – and are known as the creation cycle . But just as there is a creation to all things , there is also destruction , which is described in the form of a destruction cycle , where the five overcoming interactions are melting , penetrating , separating , absorbing and quenching .
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