Water (Wu Xing)
Encyclopedia
Water is the low point of the matter, or the matter's dying or hiding stage. Water is the fifth stage of Wu Xing.
Water is the most yin
in character of the Five elements. Its motion is downward and inward and its energy is stillness and conserving. It is associated with the Winter
, the North
, the planet Mercury
, the color black
, cold weather, night, and the Black Tortoise (Xuan Wu) in Four Symbols
.
It is also associated with the moon
, which was believed to cause the dew to fall at night.
thought, water is representative of intelligence and wisdom, flexibility, softness and pliancy; however, an over-abundance of the element is said to cause difficulty in choosing something and sticking to it. In the same way, Water can be fluid and weak, but can also wield great power when it floods and overwhelms the land. Water governs the Kidney and Urinary bladder and is associated with the ears and bones. The negative emotion associated with water is fear/anxiety, while the positive emotion is calmness.
Grey and Blue colours also represent Water.
, water is included in the 10 heavenly stems
(the five elements in their yin and yang
forms), which combine with the 12 earthly branches
(or Chinese signs of the zodiac
), to form the 60 year cycle
. Yang water years end in 2 (e.g. 1992), while Yin years end in 3 (e.g. 1993). Water governs the Chinese zodiac signs Pig
, Rat
, and Ox
. Water usually represents wealth and money luck in Feng Shui
, although it might differ in some subjective scenarios.
In the conquest cycle, Water overcomes Fire
, as "nothing will put out a fire as quickly as water"; Earth
overcomes water as earth-built canals direct the flow, as well as soil absorbing water.
Water is the most yin
Yin and yang
In Asian philosophy, the concept of yin yang , which is often referred to in the West as "yin and yang", is used to describe how polar opposites or seemingly contrary forces are interconnected and interdependent in the natural world, and how they give rise to each other in turn. Opposites thus only...
in character of the Five elements. Its motion is downward and inward and its energy is stillness and conserving. It is associated with the Winter
Winter
Winter is the coldest season of the year in temperate climates, between autumn and spring. At the winter solstice, the days are shortest and the nights are longest, with days lengthening as the season progresses after the solstice.-Meteorology:...
, the North
North
North is a noun, adjective, or adverb indicating direction or geography.North is one of the four cardinal directions or compass points. It is the opposite of south and is perpendicular to east and west.By convention, the top side of a map is north....
, the planet Mercury
Mercury (planet)
Mercury is the innermost and smallest planet in the Solar System, orbiting the Sun once every 87.969 Earth days. The orbit of Mercury has the highest eccentricity of all the Solar System planets, and it has the smallest axial tilt. It completes three rotations about its axis for every two orbits...
, the color black
Black
Black is the color of objects that do not emit or reflect light in any part of the visible spectrum; they absorb all such frequencies of light...
, cold weather, night, and the Black Tortoise (Xuan Wu) in Four Symbols
Four Symbols
Four Symbols can refer to:* The Four Symbols of Chinese constellation.* Led Zeppelin IV, a Led Zeppelin album...
.
It is also associated with the moon
Moon
The Moon is Earth's only known natural satellite,There are a number of near-Earth asteroids including 3753 Cruithne that are co-orbital with Earth: their orbits bring them close to Earth for periods of time but then alter in the long term . These are quasi-satellites and not true moons. For more...
, which was believed to cause the dew to fall at night.
Attributes
In Chinese TaoistTaoism
Taoism refers to a philosophical or religious tradition in which the basic concept is to establish harmony with the Tao , which is the mechanism of everything that exists...
thought, water is representative of intelligence and wisdom, flexibility, softness and pliancy; however, an over-abundance of the element is said to cause difficulty in choosing something and sticking to it. In the same way, Water can be fluid and weak, but can also wield great power when it floods and overwhelms the land. Water governs the Kidney and Urinary bladder and is associated with the ears and bones. The negative emotion associated with water is fear/anxiety, while the positive emotion is calmness.
Grey and Blue colours also represent Water.
Astrology
In Chinese AstrologyChinese astrology
Chinese astrology is based on the traditional astronomy and calendars. The development of Chinese astrology is tied to that of astronomy, which came to flourish during the Han Dynasty ....
, water is included in the 10 heavenly stems
Heavenly Stems
The ten Celestial or Heavenly Stems are a Chinese system of ordinals that first appear during the Shang dynasty, ca. 1250 BC, as the names of the ten days of the week. They were also used in Shang-period ritual as names for dead family members, who were offered sacrifices on the corresponding day...
(the five elements in their yin and yang
Yin and yang
In Asian philosophy, the concept of yin yang , which is often referred to in the West as "yin and yang", is used to describe how polar opposites or seemingly contrary forces are interconnected and interdependent in the natural world, and how they give rise to each other in turn. Opposites thus only...
forms), which combine with the 12 earthly branches
Earthly Branches
The Earthly Branches provide one Chinese system for reckoning time.This system was built from observations of the orbit of Jupiter. Chinese astronomers divided the celestial circle into 12 sections to follow the orbit of Suìxīng . Astronomers rounded the orbit of Suixing to 12 years...
(or Chinese signs of the zodiac
Zodiac
In astronomy, the zodiac is a circle of twelve 30° divisions of celestial longitude which are centred upon the ecliptic: the apparent path of the Sun across the celestial sphere over the course of the year...
), to form the 60 year cycle
Sexagenary cycle
The Chinese sexagenary cycle , also known as the Stems-and-Branches , is a cycle of sixty terms used for recording days or years. It appears, as a means of recording days, in the first Chinese written texts, the Shang dynasty oracle bones from the late second millennium BC. Its use to record years...
. Yang water years end in 2 (e.g. 1992), while Yin years end in 3 (e.g. 1993). Water governs the Chinese zodiac signs Pig
Pig (zodiac)
The Pig , is the last of the 12 animals which appear in the Chinese zodiac. The Year of the Pig is associated with the earthly branch Hai .In Chinese culture, the pig is associated with fertility and virility...
, Rat
Rat (zodiac)
The Rat is one of the 12-year cycle of animals which appear in the Chinese zodiac related to the Chinese calendar, the Year of the Rat is associated with the earthly branch symbol 子...
, and Ox
Ox (zodiac)
The Ox is one of the 12-year cycle of animals which appear in the Chinese zodiac related to the Chinese calendar. The Year of the Ox is denoted by the earthly branch character 丑...
. Water usually represents wealth and money luck in Feng Shui
Feng shui
Feng shui ' is a Chinese system of geomancy believed to use the laws of both Heaven and Earth to help one improve life by receiving positive qi. The original designation for the discipline is Kan Yu ....
, although it might differ in some subjective scenarios.
Cycle of Wu Xing
In the regenerative cycle of the Wu Xing, metal engenders Water, as metal traps falling water from a source; Water begets Wood as "rain or dew makes plant life flourish".In the conquest cycle, Water overcomes Fire
Fire (Wu Xing)
Fire , is the prosper of the matter, or the matter's prosperity stage. Fire is the second phase of Wu Xing.Fire is yang in character. Its motion is upward and its energy is expansive...
, as "nothing will put out a fire as quickly as water"; Earth
Earth (Wu Xing)
Earth , is the changing point of the matter. Earth is the third one of Wu Xing.Earth is a balance of both yin and yang, the feminine and masculine together. Its motion is inward and centering, and its energy is stabilizing and conserving. It is associated with the color yellow and the planet...
overcomes water as earth-built canals direct the flow, as well as soil absorbing water.