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The doctrine of five elements describes two Cycles of Balance, a generating or creation (生, shēng) cycle and an overcoming or destruction (克, kè) cycle of interactions between the phases.

Generating

• Wood feeds Fire;
• Fire creates Earth (ash);
• Earth bears Metal;
• Metal collects Water and
• Water nourishes Wood.

Overcoming

• wood parts earth;
• earth absorbs water;
• water quenches fire;
• fire melts metal and
• metal chops wood