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https://fengshui.info/elements/

Five Elements · Wŭ xíng · 五行

Five phases, one chain.

Not substances but behaviours: growing, radiating, settling, contracting, flowing. Each one makes the next, and the chain closes. Scroll down it, and you have gone round the year.

The generating and controlling cycles of the Five Elements Wood mù Fire huǒ Earth tǔ Metal jīn Water shuǐ generating → controlling ⇢
Fig. Round the ring, each element produces the next: Wood feeds Fire, Fire makes Earth, Earth yields Metal, Metal condenses Water, Water nourishes Wood. Across the star, each restrains the one two steps on.

  1. 01 / 05Spring · Dawneast · southeast

    Wood

    木 mù

    Growth, beginning, upward movement

    Motion
    Expanding upward
    Shape
    Tall, columnar, rectangular
    Colours
    Green, Teal, Pale blue-green
    In a room
    Timber · Living plants · Cotton, linen and other plant fibres

    Wood in full

    Looking straight up at trees and sky.

  2. 02 / 05Summer · Noonsouth

    Fire

    火 huǒ

    Brightness, recognition, activity

    Motion
    Rising and radiating
    Shape
    Triangular, pointed, star-like
    Colours
    Red, Vermilion, Orange, Strong pink
    In a room
    Light itself · Candles and hearths · Leather and wool

    Fire in full

    A doorway casting a long beam of warm light across concrete.

  3. 03 / 05Late summer · Afternooncentre · southwest · northeast

    Earth

    土 tǔ

    Stability, nourishment, containment

    Motion
    Settling, holding
    Shape
    Square, flat, low and wide
    Colours
    Ochre, Sand, Terracotta, Warm brown
    In a room
    Clay and ceramics · Brick · Plaster

    Earth in full

    A coral-coloured wall with windows and dappled sunlight.

  4. 04 / 05Autumn · Duskwest · northwest

    Metal

    金 jīn

    Precision, contraction, clarity

    Motion
    Contracting inward
    Shape
    Round, spherical, arched
    Colours
    White, Grey, Silver, Pale metallics
    In a room
    Steel, brass, iron · Polished stone · White walls

    Metal in full

    Brushed metal with fine vertical lines and a diagonal reflection.

  5. 05 / 05Winter · Midnightnorth

    Water

    水 shuǐ

    Depth, flow, stillness

    Motion
    Descending and flowing
    Shape
    Wavy, irregular, free-form
    Colours
    Black, Deep blue, Charcoal
    In a room
    Glass · Mirrors · Water features

    Water in full

    A rippling dark surface of water.

The other cycle

Each phase also restrains the one two steps on. That is how an excess is corrected.

The Five Elements, explained

Drawing
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