The five elements of Saju: Wood, Fire, Earth, Metal and Water

The five elements are the basic vocabulary of Saju. They are not substances but forms of energy and change that relate to one another, like the seasons.

The five elements and their correspondences

The nourishing cycle (相生)

Each element feeds the next, as in nature:

• Wood feeds Fire (fuel makes the flame burn).
• Fire generates Earth (ashes enrich it).
• Earth holds Metal (minerals are born in it).
• Metal condenses Water (dew forms on cold metal).
• Water nourishes Wood (plants grow with water).

The moderating cycle (相剋)

They also balance one another, like a system of counterweights:

• Wood holds Earth (the roots).
• Earth contains Water (dikes and banks).
• Water puts out Fire.
• Fire melts Metal.
• Metal cuts Wood (the axe).

These relationships are neither “good” nor “bad”: an excess or a lack of any element is what is considered an imbalance. For example, a little Metal prunes Wood and helps it grow; too much Metal cuts it down.

How they are used in your chart

Your chart has eight characters and each belongs to an element. Counting them gives a map of your balance: which elements abound and which are missing. The stems are also read as “ten archetypes” (the Day Masters). With your Day Master as the center, the other elements are read as support, resources, expression, structure and discipline.

Elements and colors, without superstition

The tradition suggests that bringing in the color or qualities of the element that appears least in your chart may help balance you. We take it as a playful, symbolic invitation: you can try it if you find it inspiring, but it is neither a requirement nor a guarantee.