The relationship between the five elements in the twenty-four solar terms

The Five Elements is a systematic view of China's ancient Taoist philosophy, which is widely used in traditional Chinese medicine, geomantic omen, numerology, physiognomy and divination. The meaning of the five elements includes five basic trends in the evolution of Yin and Yang: water (moistening the lower part), fire (burning the upper part), gold (converging), wood (prolonging) and earth (neutralizing). So what does it have to do with seasons and wild animals?

The relationship between five elements and seasons? Under the guidance of the five elements theory, the spatial orientation in nature can be divided into five aspects: wood lives in the east, gold lives in the west, fire lives in the south, water lives in the north, and soil lives in the center; The five elements are in harmony with the four seasons, that is, wood dominates spring, fire dominates summer, gold dominates autumn, water dominates winter and soil dominates the four seasons.

Woody is born in the sun, and it begins to grow when the sun is shining in spring. The east is where the sun rises, so the trees are placed in the east. The nature of fire is hot, hot in summer, and the south is the season and place with the most sunshine, so the fire is placed in the south. Gold is cool and cold, and the fallen leaves of trees no longer grow in autumn, and the west is the direction of sunset. Around sunset, the sun's spirit drops and the climate is cool, so gold is placed in the west. The nature of water is cold, the climate in winter is cold, and the climate in northern China is also cold, so we put water in the north. The nature of the soil is thick and moderate, which is conducive to the growth of all things. The center is located in the square, so the soil is placed in the center.

The five elements correspond to all animals: Mu Qinglong, Fire Suzaku, Earth Huanglong, Golden White Tiger and Water Xuanwu. Qinglong, one of the four gods in China's ancient mythology, is the oriental god who represents Tai Hao and the seven nights in the East. It is a glimpse of gossip, symbolizing the sun in the four elephants and the spring in the four seasons.