The generating and controlling cycles of the five elements

1.The generating cycle: one gives birth to the next

• Wood feeds fire: wood burns and makes fire
• Fire makes earth: the ash left by fire becomes soil
• Earth bears metal: metals and minerals form in the ground
• Metal brings water: drops of water gather on cold metal
• Water nourishes wood: water makes trees grow

Elements next to each other in this cycle are like parent and child: one nurtures the other. The giving side is sometimes called the “mother” and the receiving side the “child”.

2.The controlling cycle: one keeps another in check

• Wood controls earth: roots grip and hold the soil
• Earth controls water: banks of earth hold water back
• Water controls fire: water puts out fire
• Fire controls metal: fire melts metal
• Metal controls wood: a metal blade cuts wood

Control is often thought of as the “bad” relationship, but without restraint things run out of hand. A moderate amount of control gives things shape and keeps the whole in balance.

3.Hiwa, over-control and insult

Hiwa (比和), harmony

Two of the same element. Their energy doubles: in a good direction it flourishes all the more, in a bad direction it becomes excessive.

Sōjō (相乗), over-control

Control that is too strong, so one element damages the other more than it should.

Sōbu (相侮), insult

The side that should be controlled is too strong and pushes back, like a little water that fails to put out a fire and is boiled away instead.

4.How fortune-telling uses it

In eto readings and Four Pillars, the balance of the five elements in your birth chart is read, and missing elements are added to even things out. In compatibility readings, two people whose elements generate each other are seen as a supportive match, and two whose elements control each other as a stimulating one.

Each element is described in detail on its own page: wood, fire, earth, metal and water.

5.FAQ

Is a “controlling” relationship bad for compatibility?

Not necessarily. Control also means two people push each other to grow. If the stronger side is considerate, it becomes a healthy tension rather than a struggle.