The Five Elements of Chinese Astrology : Water , Wood, Fire , Earth and Metal

Chinese astrology propagates the belief that the five elements, namely metal, wood, water, fire and earth have a lot to do with a person’s astro-personality.

These five elements are represented by the five planets (Venus, Jupiter, Mercury, Mars and Saturn in respective order). Each of the 12 Chinese zodiac signs are governed by the five elements, which also have a yang (male) and a ying (female) side.

Traditionally, the elements are supposed to conquer one another because they are all interrelated by natural law.

Wood conquers earth, earth conquers water, water conquers fire, fire conquers metal and metal conquers wood. Applied to human relationships, it means that your particular element will influence and be influenced by other elements at some point or the other.

Here’s a little more about each personality and the traits linked to them.

Water

  • Characteristics: Wise and liberal
  • Shape: Wavy
  • Symbolic color: Black and deep blue
  • Direction: North
  • Image: Tortoise

The water personality is emotional, sensitive, flexible and intuitive. These people are diplomatic and unimposing and have excellent skills in interpersonal relations.

They have good communication skills and can persuade even their opponents to agree with them easily. They are able to wear away any opposition from others through their consistent and firm approach.

Considering they can easily strike a rapport with others, they have the capability to advance their ideas by influencing people around them. They also go by their gut feeling and instinctively know how to make the right moves.

They can also recognize and identify talent in people immediately. They are great team leaders as they believe in appreciating hard work and giving credit when it’s due. But on the other hand, they tend to be escapists. They can also be inconsistent and passive, and depend too much on others for support.

Wood

  • Characteristics: Kindness
  • Shape: Rectangle
  • Colors: Green and light blue
  • Direction: East and Southeast
  • Image: Dragon

The wood personality is solid and tough yet sensitive and vulnerable as well. These people tend to put the collective good before their own individual interests, and this leadership quality makes them the backbone of any business or social group.

Warm and generous, they are generally popular in their circles. These people have high morals and great confidence. They know and understand the intrinsic value of things and are happy and content as people. Since they have wide and varied interests, they make an interesting company.

They are systematic in their thinking and have excellent administrative abilities. Always looking for renewal and growth, they are cooperative and ambitious. They are generous and unselfish and will share recognition or rewards with their team.

They will find support and finances whenever they need it because others have faith in their business acumen and abilities. However, they tend to take on more than they can handle, and may not finish what they start if they spread themselves out
too thin.

Fire

  • Characteristics: Vibrant and hot
  • Shape: Triangle
  • Colors: Orange, red, pink, and purple
  • Direction: South
  • Image: Phoenix

The fire personality is decisive, confident and aggressive. These people are born leaders, and love adventure and innovation.

Always busy with something or the other, they like to explore new horizons. True to their element they usually attract others through their brilliance and dynamism. They always dominate others with their originality and clever, manipulative ways.

They love challenges and will be motivated to do better in the face of pressure. However, they have to be sympathetic to your cause before they consider helping you. They also tend to be aggressive and may try to achieve their goals by force.

At times, their selfishness makes them inconsiderate and impatient. They need more patience and compassion to curb their impulsive tendencies.

Earth

  • Characteristics: Stable, trustworthy and stubborn
  • Shape: Square
  • Colors: Yellow, brown and beige
  • Direction: Northeast and Southwest
  • Image: Emperor

The earth’s personality is serious, logical, and methodical. These people possess foresight and excellent deductive powers. They are intelligent and objective and can work with a single-minded dedication. They often know where to direct their resources for best results.

Good planners and able administrators are cautious and prudent in financial matters. Conservative by nature, they are generally low-key and unassuming. Their strong points are their sound reasoning, reliability, discipline, and steadiness.

On the flipside, they can be very close-minded and selfish. They are not very creative and imaginative, and security is their driving concern whether it’s material or emotional.

The zodiac sign of 2024 is the Dragon and the element is Wood

Metal

  • Characteristics: Sharp and righteous
  • Shape: Circle and oval
  • Colors: White, gold, and silver
  • Direction: West and Northwest
  • Image: Tiger

The metal personality is tough, a matter of fact and success-driven. These people pave a way for themselves with confidence and determination.

They always achieve their objectives, regardless of any setbacks, failures or hardships. Though they can be unreasonable, inflexible and stubborn at times, they are self-reliant and will solve problems on their own. They work out their own destiny and never give up things halfway and will persist till the end.

They do not like any kind of interference in their affairs. They have strong impulses and possess the strength and energy to change whatever they do not like. They are generally prosperous and have an air of luxury and power about themselves.