TCM 5 Element Typology

What makes you, you? What traits make up your personality/temperament and can they be grouped together to build a cohesive system that helps explain and predict the ways in which act and feel on a daily basis? Typologies and systems of classification seek to accomplish those goals and have always been a fascinating topic to me. There are many typology models, for example I am an INTJ, Eneagram 3, Choleric/Melancholy etc. and of course TCM has their own ancient system of typology. What differentiates the TCM system of typology is that it is based on the natural world and its phenomena as well as the internal relationships between the different elements in TCM. There are five different types in Chinese medicine and they correspond to the elements of wood, fire, earth, metal, and water. Each element has unique relationships and interactions with the other elements. These interactions are the basis for the 5 element foundational theories of TCM. This theory can be used, and expounded upon, to explain the existence of life as we know it. Obviously this is a huge topic that cannot be discussed in a series of simple writings. For our purposes we will only be focusing on the mental and emotional correspondences of the 5 elements and how they can be used to understand the underlying operating system of an individual. This should also not be confused with the 5 element acupuncture model. There will obviously be overlap between the two of them, but I am not representing that model as I only have a brief knowledge of it. In this series of posts I will go through the five elements and how they can be used to better understand one’s self and others. The two books that I will be drawing from are “Fire Child Water Child” by Stephen Scott Cowan MD, and “Between Heaven and Earth” by Harriet Beinfield and Efrem Korngold. So without further ado let’s get started with the first element, wood.