Chinese astrology holds that the five cosmic elements, Metal, Water, Wood, Fire, and Earth, add an extra level of meaning to the Animals of the Chinese Zodiac.
A person's Chinese element is determined by the Chinese Year of his birth, in the same way as his Chinese zodiac sign is determined.
The Chinese elements help lead to a deeper understanding of the characteristics of people born under the Chinese zodiac signs.
Chinese Elements and Chinese New Years
Each of the five Chinese elements governs a two year period in turn. The first year of the pair is associated with the Yin, or female, element of Yin-Yang, and the second year with the Yang, or male, element. Consequently, there is a ten year cycle of these combinations.
The current cycle of Chinese New Years associated with the elements started in 2004, and the next one starts in 2014. These cycles are:
- 2004: Year of the Monkey - Yin Metal
- 2005: Year of the Rooster - Yang Metal
- 2006: Year of the Dog - Yin Water
- 2007: Year of the Pig - Yang Water
- 2008: Year of the Rat - Yin Wood
- 2009: Year of the Ox - Yang Wood
- 2010: Year of the Tiger - Yin Fire
- 2011: Year of the Rabbit - Yang Fire
- 2012: Year of the Dragon - Yin Earth
- 2013: Year of the Snake - Yang Earth
- 2014: Year of the Horse - Yin Metal
- 2015: Year of the Sheep - Yang Metal
- 2016: Year of the Monkey - Yin Water
- 2017: Year of the Rooster - Yang Water
- 2018: Year of the Dog - Yin Wood
- 2019: Year of the Pig - Yang Wood
- 2020: Year of the Rat - Yin Fire
- 2021: Year of the Ox - Yang Fire
- 2022: Year of the Tiger - Yin Earth
- 2023: Year of the Rabbit - Yang Earth
Chinese Elements and the Major Planets
Each Chinese element is associated with one of the major planets:
- Metal - Venus
- Water - Mercury
- Wood - Jupiter
- Fire - Mars
- Earth - Saturn
Chinese Elements and Colors
Each Chinese element is associated with a color:
- Metal - White
- Water - Black
- Wood - Green
- Fire - Red
- Earth - Yellow
People born in a Year of the Metal Element
People who are born in a Chinese Year associated with the Metal element tend to have these characteristics:
- determination to follow their dreams
- enjoyment of the luxuries of life
- self-controlled, particularly in forging their own future
- unheeding of others opinions, their own way is right
People born in a Year of the Water Element
People who are born in a Chinese Year associated with the Water element tend to have these characteristics:
- serene and peaceful
- calm, with a charm that attracts admiration and makes them natural leaders
- creative
- a tendency to be misled
People born in a Year of the Wood Element
People who are born in a Chinese Year associated with the Wood element tend to have these characteristics:
- becomes stronger as they grow older
- strong understanding of life, making them good advisers or counselors
- a strong friend, always helping others build on their strengths
- good business acumen
- open minded and willing to explore new ideas
People born in a Year of the Fire Element
People who are born in a Chinese Year associated with the Fire element tend to have these characteristics:
- enthusiastic and emotional, commanding attention from others
- takes decisive action that attracts others to their ideas
- a source of new ideas and original solutions to problems
- not easily swayed from their chosen path
People born in a Year of the Earth Element
People who are born in a Chinese Year associated with the Earth element tend to have these characteristics:
- wise, taking care about everything they undertake
- ethical, moral, and logical
- control of everything around them and the ability to see the unexpected
- a tendency to struggle to understand the unknown, and a fear of things they can not control
Compatibility between Chinese Elements
Each Chinese element has a conducive, or affinity, relationship with another element, and has a controlling, or destructive, relationship withe another element:
- Metal gives Water, and Metal controls Wood
- Water gives Wood, and Water controls Fire
- Wood gives Fire, and Wood controls Earth
- Fire gives Earth, and Fire controls Metal
- Earth gives Metal, and Earth controls Water
Sources:
Mark Tibbits - A professional writer and educator who writes about Astrology, South Asia/China, the UK, the British Royal Family, and Religion.
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