五行 - The Five Elements (Wuxing)

五行是一套简单而复杂的系统，也是整个华夏文明建立世界模型的基石。一个简单的方法论，

1. 研究事物错综复杂的关系，必先确定一个“主体”；

2. 确定主体中需要研究分析的属性；

3. 其他事物对主体的关系只有四种，简单的称之为“生克”关系，

   1. 通过牺牲主体部分增益事物，对主体而言，形象的称为，“我生者”；

   2. 通过牺牲其他部分增益主体，对主体而言，形象的称为，“生我者”；

   3. 通过牺牲主体部分消灭事物，对主体而言，形象的称为，“我克者”；

   4. 通过牺牲其他部分消灭主体，对主体而言，形象的称为，“克我者”。

4. 万事万物对主体的关系就这样简单的归纳出来了。这四类事物加上主体本身一共是五个；

5. 五类事物两两关系，组成一个闭合的生态系统，缺一不可，这个系统就是“五行”的世界模型；

6. 实际操作中，五行两两关系本身需要考虑强弱的影响，造成四种结果，

   1. 生，生者牺牲部分，被生者大大增益；

   2. 克，克者牺牲部分，被克者被大大削弱。一个变体是反生为克，当被生者远远强于生者，由于绝对数量差距悬殊，生者牺牲的比率被放大了，反而达到削弱生者的效果；

   3. 乘，乘虚侵袭，克者远远强于被克者，被克者被削弱到近似于被消灭了，破坏了五行循环的结构。相克是正常情况下的制约关系；相乘则是正常制约关系遭到破坏以后的过度克伐，是反常现象；

   4. 侮，恃强凌弱，被克者远远强于克者，由于绝对数量差距悬殊，克者牺牲的比率远远大于被克者削减的，反而达到削弱克者的效果。

事物和事物之间不同属性中存在五行关系，维持着一个动态的平衡。

事物本身没有纯粹的五行属性，而是一个五行属性的动态平衡体。在五行基础上引入阴阳概念，这个世界模型达到平衡统一。

五行文化的核心并不是为了表示“世界是由五种元素组成”，而是因为“五”是表现生克乘侮的最小数值，也可认为是世界模型的最基础的一个解。

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Five elements is a simple yet complex system, and also the foundation of the entire Chinese civilization's world model. A simple methodology:

1. To study the complex relationships of things, we must first determine a "main subject";

2. Determine the attributes of the main subject that need to be studied and analyzed;

3. The relationship of other things to the main subject only has four types, simply referred to as the "generation and overcoming" relationship,

   1. Gaining something by sacrificing part of the main subject, for the main subject, the image is called "those who give me life";

   2. Gaining the main subject by sacrificing other parts, for the main subject, the image is called "those who live by me";

   3. Eliminating something by sacrificing part of the main subject, for the main subject, the image is called "those who overcome me";

   4. Eliminating the main subject by sacrificing other parts, for the main subject, the image is called "those who are overcome by me".

4. The relationships of all things to the main subject are thus simply deduced. These four types of things plus the main subject itself are a total of five;

5. The relationships of the five types of things with each other form a closed ecological system, one cannot be missing, this system is the "five elements" world model;

6. In actual practice, the relationships between the five elements must consider the impact of strength and weakness, resulting in four outcomes,

   1. "Generation", the generator sacrifices part, the generated greatly benefits;

   2. "Overcoming" or "constraining", the overcome sacrifices part, the overcome is greatly weakened. A variation is reverse generation to overcoming, when the generated is far stronger than the generator, due to the absolute numerical difference, the ratio of the sacrifice of the generator is magnified, and it instead achieves the effect of weakening the generator;

   3. "Multiply" or "overpowering", where the conqueror is far stronger than the conquered, weakening the conquered to the point of nearly being eliminated, destroying the structure of the Five Elements cycle. Constraining relationships are normal, but overpowering is an abnormal phenomenon, a disruption of the normal constraints.

   4. "Insult" or "taking advantage of the weak", where the conquered is far stronger than the conqueror. Due to the absolute numerical difference, the conqueror sacrifices proportionately more than the conquered loses, resulting in weakening the conqueror instead.

There is a dynamic balance between the different attributes of things that exist in the five elements.

Things themselves do not have pure five-element attributes, but are a dynamic balance of five-element attributes. By introducing the concept of yin and yang on the basis of the five elements, this world model achieves a balance and unity.

The core of the five-element culture is not to represent that "the world is composed of five elements", but because "five" is the minimum value that represents the relationship between "generation", "overcoming", "overpowering" or "insult", it can also be considered as the most basic solution of the world model.

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为了便于记忆，上古文化中以“水金土火木”指代五行，展示不同元素间最基础的相互关系。

• 木，

  • 生火，以木燃火；

  • 克土，木生土中；

• 火，

  • 生土，以木生火，火尽余灰，草木灰就是土了；

  • 克金，火可以煅金，也可以用来熔金；

• 土，

  • 生金，金属矿藏大都埋在土里，古代来看，就是土生金了；

  • 克水，水来土掩，堤坝高筑，就算土克水了。

• 金，

  • 生水，古人通过观察发现金属放置一段时间后表面会有水珠，认为金能生水，就是现代科学所说的冷凝现象；

  • 克木，触金而枯，重金属中毒了；又或者金属制造的刀具可以伐木；

• 水，

  • 生木，以水浇灌而草木生发；

  • 克火，水是灭火最有利的武器。

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In order to facilitate memory, the ancient culture used "water, metal, earth, fire, and wood" to represent the Five Elements, which shows the most basic mutual relationship between different elements.

• Wood,

  • generates fire, wood is used to burn fire;

  • restrains earth, wood grows in the earth;

• Fire,

  • generates earth, wood burns to create fire, and the ashes of grass and wood become earth;

  • restrains metal, fire can be used to purify metal or melt metal;

• Earth,

  • generates metal, metal ore deposits are mostly buried in the earth;

  • restrains water, building dams and levees restrains water;

• Metal,

  • generates water, ancient people observed that metal surfaces would have water droplets after some time, and thought that metal could generate water, this is the modern scientific phenomenon of condensation;

  • restrains wood, metal poisoning can wither wood, or metal tools can be used to cut wood;

• Water,

  • generates wood, water is used to water and nourish plants and trees;

  • restrains fire, water is the most effective weapon to extinguish fire.

华夏文明传承中，大多有阴阳五行的影子，中医、命理、占卜……

比如中医理论，就以五行对应五脏六腑，

• 木 => 肝、胆；

• 火 => 心、小肠；

• 土 => 脾、胃；

• 金 => 肺、大肠；

• 水 => 肾、膀胱。

五行系统中，对于相同的元素，一般使用“朋（友）”、“比（肩）”的字样。

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In the inheritance of Chinese civilization, there are many traces of the yin-yang and five elements in various aspects such as traditional Chinese medicine, fortune-telling, and divination.

For example, in traditional Chinese medicine theory, the five elements correspond to the five organs and six viscera, with

• wood corresponding to the liver and gallbladder,

• fire corresponding to the heart and small intestine,

• earth corresponding to the spleen and stomach,

• metal corresponding to the lungs and large intestine, and,

• water corresponding to the kidneys and bladder.

Within the five elements system, the same element is generally referred to as "peng (friend)" or "bi (shoulder)."

八方五行 - The Five Elements in Eight Directions

站在华夏文明发祥地，这世界划分八个方向，东、东南、南、西南、西、西北、北。

古人们发现，

• 东方多参天大树，参天大树就是五行中的“木”。五行木指代东方；

• 南方气候炎热，炎热天气属“火”。五行火指代南方；

• 西方矿藏丰富，矿藏属“金”。五行金指代西方；

• 北方水力资源丰富。五行水指代北方。

四个方向所指代的五行比较纯粹，赋予他们“阳”的属性。

• 东方和南方交互感应，就是木生火。但是，野火烧不尽，春风吹又生。花草就可以用来指代东南方。花草也属“木”，为了和东方“阳木”区别，我们赋予“阴木”的属性；

• 南方和西方交互感应，烈火煅金，火克金而生土。这土本身具备了金的性质，坚定厚重，就像岩石一般。岩石属“土”，具备“阳”的性质。西南方就是“阳土”；

• 西方和北方交互感应，金有了一些水的性质，流动、清澈、秀气，就像水银朱砂珍珠。这类东西属“金”，兼具了“阴”的性质。西北方属“阴金”；

• 北方和东方交互感应，水木共生，那就是田园泥土。泥土属“土”，在水的滋润下带上了“阴”的特性。西北方就是“阴土”。

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Standing in the birthplace of Chinese civilization, the world is divided into eight directions: east, southeast, south, southwest, west, northwest, and north. Ancient people discovered that:

• The east has many tall trees, which are represented by the element "wood" in the Five Elements. The Five Elements of wood represent the east;

• The south has a hot climate, which is represented by the element "fire" in the Five Elements. The Five Elements of fire represent the south;

• The west has rich mineral resources, which are represented by the element "metal" in the Five Elements. The Five Elements of metal represent the west;

• The north has abundant water resources. The Five Elements of water represent the north.

The Five Elements that the four directions represent are relatively pure and are assigned the attribute of "yang".

• The east and south interact and create the relationship of wood generating fire. However, wild fire cannot burn everything, and spring wind blows again and again. Flowers and plants can be used to represent the southeast. Flowers and plants also belong to "wood", but in order to differentiate from the "yang wood" of the east, we assign them the attribute of "yin wood";

• The south and west interact and create the relationship of fire refining metal, and fire overcomes metal to create earth. This earth itself has the properties of metal, firm and heavy, like rocks. Rocks belong to "earth" and have "yang" properties. The southwest is "yang earth";

• The west and north interact and create the relationship of metal being influenced by water, becoming fluid, clear, and elegant, like mercury, cinnabar, and pearls. These things belong to "metal" and have both "yin" properties. The northwest is "yin metal";

• The north and east interact and create the relationship of water and wood growing together, resulting in farm soil. Farm soil belongs to "earth" and, under the nourishment of water, acquires "yin" characteristics. The northeast is "yin earth".

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五行交感并不能涵盖所有的情况，只是取出其中一个可能的现象，古人为了方便记忆而做的一个“定义”，为的是将“阴阳五行”和方位关系对应起来。而接下来的学说理论，是在这基础上发展起来的，所以能够自圆其说，并不矛盾。当然，如果一开始时候的“定义”取了另一套对应关系，那么发展起来的也将是另一套理论了。

这样，八方五行有了一一对应关系，

• 东方 => 阳木，参天大树，栋梁之材；

• 东南 => 阴木，柔顺委婉，花草之属；

• 南方 => 火；

• 西南 => 阳土，坚定厚重，岩石一类；

• 西方 => 阳金，坚强锐利，金银铜铁；

• 西北 => 阴金，精华秀气而成，水银朱砂珍珠之类；

• 北方 => 水；

• 东北 => 阴土，接纳含蓄，田园泥土。

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The Five Elements theory of interaction cannot cover all situations, it is just one possible phenomenon that ancient people chose for convenience and to define in order to correspond the "yin-yang Five Elements" and the directional relationship. The theories that developed later are based on this foundation, so it is not contradictory. Of course, if the initial "definition" had been different, then the developed theories would also have been different.

In this way, the five elements corresponding to the eight directions are，

• East => Yang Wood, tall trees, material for main support;

• Southeast => Yin Wood, gentle and elegant, flowers and plants;

• South => Fire;

• Southwest => Yang Earth, firm and heavy, rocks;

• West => Yang Metal, strong and sharp, gold, silver, copper, iron;

• Northwest => Yin Metal, essence and elegance, mercury, cinnabar, pearls;

• North => Water;

• Northeast => Yin Earth, receptive and hidden, farm soil.