Term: Five Elements

The Five Elements Philosophy (Gogyō Shisō in Japanese, Ngũ Hành in Vietnamese) or the Five Elements Theory (Gogyō Setsu) is a philosophy of natural philosophy that originated in ancient China. The theory is that all things are made up of five elements: fire, water, wood, metal, and earth (the command of the seven lunar days).

Additionally, the idea that the five elements ‘influence each other, and through their birth, death, prosperity, and decline, all things change and circulate.’

It is a philosophy compared to the Western theory of the four elements.

Origin

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The term ‘Five Elements’ first appeared in the scriptures in the chapters ‘Gan Shi’ and ‘Hong Fan’ of the Book of Documents^[2]。 There is also a theory that the ‘Five Elements’ in the Ganshi chapter indicate the movement of five stars, but it is unclear whether it refers to the five elements. On the other hand, the Hongfan chapter explicitly states that it consists of fire, water, wood, metal, and earth, viewing the ‘Five Elements’ as the five elements. Therefore, the current meaning of ‘Five Elements’ is considered to be the Hongfan chapter as the oldest form. Also, in the Hongfan chapter, the ‘Five Elements’ and the Five Flavors are interpreted in connection ^[3].