What are the Five Elements?
The Five Elements (五行) are the five fundamental elements that constitute all things in the universe. Wood (木), Fire (火), Earth (土), Metal (金), and Water (水) continuously cycle and influence each other.
In Korean Fortune, each Heavenly Stem and Earthly Branch belongs to one of the Five Elements. By analyzing the distribution of elements in one's chart, we can understand their personality and destiny.
The Five Elements
Wood (木)
Characteristics
- Growth, development, expansion
- Spring, morning, east
- Blue, green
- Liver, gallbladder, eyes
Personality
- Benevolent and compassionate
- Creative and progressive
- Upright and righteous
- Patient
Fire (火)
Characteristics
- Passion, expansion, light
- Summer, daytime, south
- Red, orange
- Heart, small intestine, tongue
Personality
- Bright and active
- Courteous and artistic
- Passionate, expressive
- Impatient
Earth (土)
Characteristics
- Neutralization, stability, nurturing
- Seasonal transitions, center
- Yellow, brown
- Spleen, stomach, mouth
Personality
- Reliable and sincere
- Mediator role
- Values trust
- Stubborn
Metal (金)
Characteristics
- Contraction, decisiveness, transformation
- Autumn, evening, west
- White, gold
- Lungs, large intestine, nose
Personality
- Loyal and upright
- Decisive, driven
- Strong sense of justice
- Can be cold
Water (水)
Characteristics
- Storage, wisdom, flexibility
- Winter, night, north
- Black, navy blue
- Kidneys, bladder, ears
Personality
- Wise and intelligent
- Highly adaptable
- Good at improvisation
- Likes change
Generating Cycle (相生)
The generating cycle describes relationships where elements help and nourish each other. The preceding element generates and nurtures the following element.
- Wood burns to create Fire
- Fire becomes ash and forms Earth
- Earth bears Metal within it
- Metal condenses to form Water
- Water nourishes Wood
Destructive Cycle (相剋)
The destructive cycle describes relationships where elements restrain and control each other. The preceding element overcomes the following element.
- Wood depletes Earth's nutrients
- Earth dams and absorbs Water
- Water extinguishes Fire
- Fire melts Metal
- Metal cuts Wood
Five Elements Analysis in Korean Fortune
By analyzing which elements the eight characters in your Korean Fortune belong to, we can identify personality characteristics, strengths, and weaknesses.
- Balanced distribution: Balanced personality, stable
- Excess of certain element: Strong manifestation of that element's characteristics
- Lack of certain element: Deficiency in that element's characteristics, requires supplementation
💡 Balance of Elements
A good Korean Fortune chart is not necessarily one with perfectly balanced elements, but one where the necessary elements work appropriately. Deficient elements can be supplemented through luck cycles (Da Yun or Liu Nian), or compensated through name, occupation, direction, etc.