The Five Elements: the generating and overcoming cycles

The Five Elements underpin nearly every Eastern esoteric discipline: Tử Vi, feng shui, BaZi, traditional medicine. Each element represents a form of energy and a phase in the cycle of transformation.

The generating cycle: Wood feeds Fire, Fire creates Earth, Earth bears Metal, Metal enriches Water, Water nourishes Wood. This is the cycle of nurture — each element empowering the next.

The overcoming cycle: Wood parts Earth, Earth dams Water, Water quenches Fire, Fire melts Metal, Metal chops Wood. Overcoming is not evil — it is the controlling force that keeps all things in balance.

Its most common application: assessing compatibility between element natures, and choosing colors, directions and timing that suit one's destiny element.