Traditional Chinese Medicine

In TCM, natural phenomena can be classified into the Wu Xing, or the Five Phases, usually translated as five elements, five movements or five steps, Metal, Water, Wood, Fire & Earth.

Common Associations of the Five Elements & Table of Correspondences

Five Element Relationships

It was observed over the years that the Five Elements relate to each other in different ways;

1. Sheng Cycle (Generating/Nourishing Sequence)
2. Ko Cycle (Controlling/Regulating Sequence)
3. Destructive Cycle (Overacting Sequence/Cheng cycle)
4. Anti Ko Cycle (Insulting Sequence/Wu Cycle)

1. Sheng Cycle or Nourishing Cycle

The Generating Sequence or mother-child relationship. The clockwise sequence on the circle represents the Shen cycle

As in the cycle of the seasons, each element generates another, i.e., one element is the "mother" of the next.

· Wood (Liver) creates Fire (Heart) Wood is the Mother of Fire Liver is the Mother of the Heart
· Fire (Heart) creates Earth (Spleen) Fire is the Mother of Earth
· Earth (Spleen) creates Metal (Lungs) Earth is the Mother of Metal
· Metal creates Water Metal is the Mother of Water
· Water creates Wood. Water is the Mother of Wood

Naturally, therefore, each element is generated by another: Fire is the child of Wood, Earth is the child of Fire, etc. In nature, we see this in the seasonal changes: Winter transforms into Spring, Spring changes into Summer.

Generating
The common memory jogs, which help to remind in what order the phases are;

Wood feeds Fire;
Fire creates Earth (ash);
Earth bears Metal;
Metal carries Water (as in a bucket or tap);
Water nourishes Wood.

Other common words for this cycle include "begets", "engenders" and "mothers."

2. Ko Cycle or Controlling / Regulating Cycle

The clockwise sequence depicted by the pentagon represents the regulating or destructive cycle.

This cycle might also be called "controls", "restrains" or "fathers". The Ko cycle is also often referred to as the grandmother-son cycle.

Controlling Sequence or father-child relationship. Each element is said to control, check, or regulate another.

· Wood controls Earth
· Fire controls Metal
· Earth controls Water
· Metal controls Wood
· Water controls Fire

Controlling

The common memory jogs, which help to remind in what order the phases are;
Wood parts Earth;
Earth absorbs Water;
Water quenches Fire;
Fire melts Metal;
Metal chops Wood.

This cycle ensures that a balance is maintained between elements.

There are also two Cycles of Imbalance:

• An overacting cycle (cheng)
• An insulting cycle (wu).

3. Destructive / Overacting / Cheng cycle

This is the same as the Ko cycle, but in this sequence, one Element is said to "over-control" or "destroy" another, causing the controlled element to become Deficient. This happens when balance breaks down so that one element becomes excessive in relationship to another.

E.g. An excess of Wood energy will over-control Earth, causing Earth to become Deficient.

4. Anti- ko / Insulting / Wu cycle

This cycle is the reverse of the Ko cycle or controlling sequence. In the Insulting Sequence, the element that should BE controlled becomes imbalanced and excessive and controls the element that normally controls it.

Example: Instead of Metal controlling Wood, if Wood becomes excessive, it can "insult" Metal, causing it to become imbalanced. This is akin to the child rebelling and insulting or trying to discipline its father.

Four Possible Pathologies

1. The element in Excess overacts on another (Overacting sequence)

2. The element in Deficiency insulted by another (Insulting sequence)

3. The element in Excess drains from Mother (pathological Sheng cycle)

4. The element in Deficiency fails to nourish Child (pathological Sheng cycle)

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