Brief Introduction about Five Elements and the application on Human Body

( 5 elements, i.e. wood, fire, water, metal & earth : used in the Chinese natural medicine to explain various physiological and pathological phenomena)

Foreigners are always puzzled when they first heard about the 5-element theory. They find it too abstract and hard to understand. It is , in fact, quite plain and universally accepted as a series of natural laws in this country. Now we try to explain in an easy way by showing you some examples:

And the interactions among 5 elements:

 

•  Fire evolved from wood, because wood can catch fire;
• Earth evolved from fire, as anything on fire becomes ashes afterwards;
• Metal evolved from earth, because metals are from the earth;
• Water evolved from metal, as all metals can melt into liquid;
• Wood evolved from water, because water is indispensable for plants.
• Wood prevails over earth, because trees grow out of the earth;
• Earth prevails over water, as earth stops the flood;
• Water prevails over fire, because it extinguishes fire;
• Fire prevails over metal, as heat melts metals;
• Metal prevails over wood, because wood can be cut or sawn by metals.

The above-mentioned, if understood, becomes first step towards a better understanding of this 5 -element theory which sounds mythical and profound. In face, with the development of this 5-element theory, they have been endowed with more meanings.

The followings are the analogy drawn by the Chinese scholars majoring in preserving health by comparing the nature of these elements:

• Liver associates with wood;
• Heart associates with fire;
• Spleen associates with earth;
• Lung associates with metal;
• Kidney associates with water.
• Circulation of Assimilation: liver-heart-spleen-lung-kidney;
• Circulation of Depression: liver-spleen-kidney-heart-lung.

These interactions have been tested and approved by human clinical experiments. For example, spleen turns food and water into nutrition and vigour to nourish lung, A bad functioned lung will impair the function of spleen.