In Chinese Medicine, the concept of Five Elements refers to the activity of
metal, wood, water, fire and earth. It is used to explain the abstract concept
of relationship among things or events, with wide connotation. These five
elements do not refer to these five specific elements themselves.
Wood: elements that have the function or nature of growing, ascending and
dredging or easiness belong to wood element.
Fire: everything that has the function or nature of heat or rising belong to
fire element.
Earth: elements with the function of bearing, nursing and receiving belong to
earth element.
Metal: elements with function of clearing, descent, or gathering belong to
metal element.
Water: elements with the characteristics of cold and cool, moistening and
moving downward are water elements.
The theory of five elements explains the mutual relation among objects by
applying the concept of mutually reinforce and restrict each other. This theory
considers that nothing is isolated and still. Instead, they maintain a balance
in movement of reinforcement and restriction.
In Chinese Medicine, based on different characteristic s of these five
elements, this theory is mainly used to analyze the nature of five elements and
mutual relation of organic Zang-Fu (internal organs), channels and physical
function.
Besides, it is used to explain the mutual influence of Zang-Fu,
channels and physical function under the pathological condition.
