Although we don’t fully understand Yin-Yang and the Five Elements, we’ve heard of them in many fields. They are extensive and profound, but there’s no need to study them too deeply—just enough to cast Bazi. All learning should serve practical purposes.
The Concept of Yin and Yang
The ancients believed that everything has two sides: Yin and Yang.
- Male is Yang, female is Yin;
- Sun is Yang, moon is Yin;
- Mountain is Yang, water is Yin, and so on.
The relationship between Yin and Yang is: Like repels like, and opposites attract.
The Five Elements
Next, let’s learn about the Five Elements, which are: Metal, Wood, Water, Fire, Earth.
Diagram of the Five Elements’ Mutual Generation and Restraint
The Five Elements interact through mutual generation and mutual restraint.
Mutual Generation of the Five Elements
Metal generates Water, Water generates Wood, Wood generates Fire, Fire generates Earth, Earth generates Metal.
Mutual Restraint of the Five Elements
Metal restrains Wood, Wood restrains Earth, Earth restrains Water, Water restrains Fire, Fire restrains Metal.
Practical Examples of Mutual Generation and Restraint
Many people have questions about the principles of mutual generation and restraint. Let’s first look at practical examples:
Examples of Mutual Restraint
- Metal restrains Wood: An ax cutting down a tree;
- Wood restrains Earth: Trees breaking through the soil to grow;
- Earth restrains Water: Soil blocking floods;
- Water restrains Fire: Water putting out a fire;
- Fire restrains Metal: Fire melting metal.
Examples of Mutual Generation
- Water generates Wood: Trees absorbing water to grow;
- Wood generates Fire: Burning wood making the fire stronger;
- Fire generates Earth: Everything turning to ashes after a big fire, which becomes soil;
- Earth generates Metal: Metal being refined from underground minerals;
- Metal generates Water: Melted metal turning into liquid.
The Relationship Between Yin-Yang and the Five Elements
Does Yin-Yang have a relationship with the Five Elements?
Yin and Yang influence the mutual generation and restraint of the Five Elements, because the Five Elements also have Yin and Yang attributes. For example:
- Water generates Wood: Yin Water generating Yang Wood has strong generating power, because Yin and Yang (opposites) attract; on the contrary, Yin Water generating Yin Wood has weak generating power, because Yin and Yin (likes) repel.
- Similarly, Water restrains Fire: Yang Water restraining Yin Fire has weak restraining power (opposites attract); Yin Water restraining Yin Fire has strong restraining power (likes repel).
