In traditional Chinese philosophy, natural phenomena can be classified into the Wu Xing (Chinese: 五行; Pinyin: wǔxíng), or the Five Elements: metal (Chinese: 金; Pinyin: jīn), wood (Chinese: 木; Pinyin: mù), water (Chinese: 水; Pinyin: shuǐ), fire (Chinese: 火; Pinyin: huǒ), and earth (Chinese: 土; Pinyin: tǔ). These elements were used for describing interactions and relationships between phenomena. Five Phases is the more appropriate way of translating wǔxíng — literally, "five goings". Traditional Taijiquan schools relate them to footwork and refer to them as five "steps". The original foundation is based on the concept of the Five Cardinal Points.
The doctrine of five phases describes two Cycles of Balance, a generating or creation (生, shēng) cycle and an overcoming or destruction (克, kè) cycle of interactions between the phases.
[edit] Generating
Wood feeds Fire;
Fire create激 Earth (ash);
Earth bears Metal;
Metal collects Water and
Water nourishes Wood.
[edit] Overcoming
wood parts earth;
earth absorbs water;
water quenches fire;
fire melts metal and
metal chops wood
There are also two Cycles of Imbalance, an overacting cycle (cheng) and an insulting cycle (wu).
Five Chinese Elements - Diurnal Cycle
[edit] Circadian or Diurnal Cycle and other cycles
According to Chinese medical theory, each organ is associated with one of the Five Phases. It is believed to be more efficacious to treat an organ during a particular time period appropria......余下全文>>,