five elements
Philosophy's building blocks
The five elements are foundational substances in various philosophical and spiritual traditions.
In Chinese philosophy, they are wood, fire, earth, metal, and water—forces that interact in cycles of generation and destruction.
In Western and Greek tradition, the elements are earth, water, air, fire, and sometimes a fifth called aether.
The five elements must be balanced for good health. (Capitalized Five Elements often refers specifically to the Chinese system.)
- qiVital life energy
- ancient philosophyEarly Western thought systems
- etherVolatile organic solvent
- balanceSteadiness or amount owed
- traditional Chinese medicineAncient Eastern healing system
yin-yang · harmony · energy flow · air · feng shui · inner balance · astrology · natural forces · metaphysics · alchemy · earth · pentagram · symbolism · fire · water · chi · life force · spirit
- East Asian Culturechopsticks, yin and yang, tea ceremony, origami, qi
- fivesfiver, nickel, V, pentad, quintet
- TaoismTao, Taoism, Daoism, Laozi, Lao Tzu
- Chinese beliefsTaoism, Confucianism, qi, yin yang, feng shui
- Chinese healingacupuncture, acupressure, cupping, gua sha, moxibustion
- Chinese philosophyConfucianism, Confucius, Taoism, Daoism, Tao
five elementsfour elements
Classical natural categories
periodic table · four humors · yin and yang · monism · quintessence
five elementsperiodic table
Systematic display of elements
atomic theory · particle physics · quantum mechanics · standard model · molecular theory