In more detail
These are symbolic categories, not measurements of the physical substances in a person. Our naming approach considers their relationships and context rather than simply adding the least represented element.
Wu Xing
The characters
- 五wǔfive
- 行xíngto move; to go
Together, 五行 reads “five movements”, which is why 五行 is also translated as the Five Phases: the word describes processes in motion rather than fixed substances.
Sources
- 三命通会 卷一 · 论五行生克
- Internet Encyclopedia of Philosophy: Wuxing · Early texts and the development of the five-category framework
These terms describe a traditional symbolic framework. Chart interpretation and our naming method remain experimental.