Zodi Animal· The Elements· Earth 土· Earth's two cycles

A room of Earth · 土

One of the five phases behind your Primal Zodiac Animal

Earth's two cycles

shēng and kè

Earth is fed by Fire (火生土), it feeds Metal (土生金), it controls Water (土克水), and it is controlled by Wood (木克土). As the centre, Earth is the hinge that steadies the whole cycle.

Feeding and draining

To strengthen a weak Earth, add its mother, Fire, whose ash makes soil. To drain an overfull Earth, let it pour into its child, Metal, the ore it bears. This is the generating cycle, 相生 (xiāng shēng).

Holding in check

To calm an excessive Earth, add its controller, Wood, whose roots part and loosen it. Earth in turn keeps Water from running to excess by damming and banking it. When a phase grows too strong the balance can distort into over-control (相乘) or rebellion (相侮), which is why the aim is always proportion, not dominance. As the centre, Earth touches every other phase and keeps them in relation.

Where Earth sits

Leave Earth in any direction

The five phases are one lens on your Zodi Animal, the creature you get when your Western Sun sign crosses your Chinese zodiac year.