The Formation of the Theory of Five Elements

The five elements are wood, fire, earth, metal, and water. In the beginning, the Chinese only knew that the five elements were indispensable things for daily life. Afterwards, they learned the properties of the five elements and their relationship with each other, which gave an understanding the world. They are set at a constant motion of change, leading to the theory of the five elements or the doctrine of the five evolutive phases.