Chinese Five Element Theory

The reflexology I practice incorporates Chinese Five Element Theory. Chinese Medicine is governed by Yin and Yang and the five elements which are Wood, Fire, Earth, Metal and Water which represent the fundamental qualities of all matter in the universe. The Chinese discovered how the Five Elements affected people and noted a list of correspondences associated with each Element. The goal of the reflexologist is to achieve equilibrium between all the elements.

Role of Sheng Cycle (creating cycle):

  • Generation
  • Nourishment
  • Proliferation

Sheng Cycle Diagram

The Sheng Cycle

  • Wood creates Fire by burning
  • Fire creates Earth from ashes
  • Earth creates Metal by hardening
  • Metal creates Water by containment
  • Water creates Wood by nourishment

Patterns of the Sheng Cycle

  • Just as Wood feeds Fire – Liver blood feeds the spirit of the Heart
  • As Fire generates Earth – Heart supports the Spleen by providing warmth and metabolic energy (oxygen rich blood) necessary for assimilation of food
  • As Earth gives rise to Metal – Spleen supports Lung by raising food Essence upwards to be combined with air Essence.
  • As Metal vitalises Water – Lung nourishes Kidney by precipitating it’s moist Qi downwards to be collected and stored as Essence
  • As Water nourishes Wood – Kidney Essence can be understood to generate the blood stored by the Liver

The relationships amongst the Five Elements are like a model of relationships among the internal organs. The Sheng Cycle can be viewed in terms of the relationship between a mother and child. The ‘child’ Element may be deficient in energy if it is not receiving enough qi from its ‘mother.’ In order to fix the problem it is often appropriate to treat the ‘mother’ rather than the child. For example, if the Earth Element is deficient, the reflexologist may treat the Fire Element to provide energy for the Earth Element. However, if a ‘child’ Element is very full this can affect the ‘mother’ Element. For example if the Fire Element is too full it could be stealing Qi from the Wood Element which then becomes depleted.

  Yin Yang
Wood Liver Gall Bladder
Fire Heart Small Intestine
Earth Spleen Stomach
Metal Lungs Large Intestine
Water Kidneys Bladder

The Yin organs as the Sheng Cycle

  • Liver is mother of Heart
  • Heartis mother of Spleen
  • Spleen is mother of Lungs
  • Lungs are mother of Kidneys
  • Kidneys are mother of Liver

The Yang organs of the Sheng Cycle

  • Gall Bladder is the mother of Small Intestine
  • Small Intestineis the mother of Stomach
  • Stomach is the mother of Colon
  • Colon is the mother of Bladder
  • Bladder is the mother of Gall Bladder

The role of the Ke Cycle (control cycle)

  • Restraint
  • Control
  • Limitation

Ke Cycle Diagram

The Ke Cycle

  • Wood controls Earth by covering
  • Earth controls Water by damming
  • Water controls Fire by extinguishing
  • Fire controls Metal by melting
  • Metal controls Wood by cutting

Each organ is kept in check by another to maintain balance. If for example the organs of the Wood Element struggle the Earth Element organs often show signs of distress.

Patterns of the Ke Cycle

  • Liver has the power to activate and transport blood complimenting the Spleens capacity to store it
  • Spleensability to absorb and distribute moisture counterbalances the Kidneys ability to excrete and concentrate Essence
  • Kidney Yin energy counterbalances Fire energy of the Heart
  • Heart governs the blood counterbalancing the Lungs ability to govern Qi
  • Lungs mobilise Qi and this counteracts the Livers ability to store blood

The Yin organs of the Ke cycle

  • Liver controls the Spleen
  • Heart controls the Lungs
  • Spleen controls the Kidneys
  • Lungs control the Liver
  • Kidney controls the Heart

The Yang organs of the Ke Cycle

  • Gall Bladder controls the Stomach
  • Small Intestine controls the Colon
  • Stomach controls the Bladder
  • Colon controls the Gall Bladder
  • Bladder controls the Small Intestine

In practice the reflexologist aims to discover which Element became imbalanced first. Treatment is focused on this Element and this has a knock on affect on the other imbalanced Elements. By treating the root of the client’s qi disharmony the therapist seeks to help the body find its equilibrium.

Chinese Five Element Correspondences Table

  Wood Fire Earth Metal Water
Colour Green Red Yellow White Blue
Emotion Anger Joy Worry Grief Fear
Sound Shouting Laughing Singing Weeping Groaning
Season Spring Summer Late Summer Autumn Winter
Climate Wind Heat Humidity Dryness Cold
Taste Sour Bitter Sweet Pungent Salty
Power Growth Maturity Harvest Decrease Storage
Grains Wheat Beans Rice Hemp Millet
Sense Organs Eyes Tounge Mouth Nose Ears
Tissues Sinews Vessels Muscles Skin Bones

References and Recommended Reading List for Chinese Five Element Theory

Maciocia, G. (2005) The Foundations of Chinese Medicine: A Comprehensive Text for Acupuncturists and Herbalists.China: Churchill Livingstone

Hicks, A. Hicks, J. Mole, P. (2004) Five Element Constitutional Acupuncture. China: Churchill Livingstone

Special thanks to Edinburgh Napier University for permission to use the Patterns of the Sheng and Ke Cycles and the diagrams.

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