The Chinese Five Elements and Gemstones
The Chinese Five Elements and Gemstones
Whereas Plato and Aristotle spoke of four elements in nature, the ancient Chinese developed a philosophy of five elements known as Wuxing, or the five phases 3000 years ago. These five phases are Earth (soil), Water, Air, Fire and Metal (gold).
The 5 Elements are continually evolving and changing within our body and the surrounding space. At different stages in life, some elements are dominating while others are weakening. Therefore, knowing the interactions of the elements and what they represent and harmonizing these elements within our body and surroundings will ensure good health and abundance. We can achieve this with feng shui, acupuncture, tai-chi, martial arts and Traditional Chinese Medicine.
Gemstones as in all nature are also governed by the 5 element principles. Each mineral and color is assigned an element and thus gemstones are able to help in restoring balance. One way of doing this is by wearing or holding your birthstone or placing it in a designated feng shui area in your office or at home.
There is also a corresponding element to your Chinese zodiac sign and the year you are born, understanding this will guide you to your fengshui gemstone.
FOR EXAMPLE, FIRE ELEMENT BIRTH YEAR ARE THOSE BORN IN THE YEARS: 1926, 1927, 1936, 1937, 1946, 1947, 1956, 1957, 1966, 1967, 1976, 1977, 1986, 1987, 1996, 1997, 2006, 2007, 2016, 2017
EARTH ELEMENT BIRTH YEAR ARE: 1928, 1926, 1938, 1939, 1948, 1949, 1958, 1959, 1968, 1969,1978, 1979, 1988, 1989, 1998, 1999, 2008, 2009, 2018, 2019
METAL ELEMENT BIRTH YEAR ARE: 1930, 1931, 1940, 1941, 1950, 1951, 1960, 1961, 1970, 1971, 1980, 1981, 1990, 1991, 2000, 2001, 2010, 2011, 2020, 2021
WATER ELEMENT BIRTH YEAR ARE: 1932, 1933, 1942, 1943, 1952, 1953, 1962, 1963, 1972, 1973, 1982, 1983, 1992, 1993, 2002, 2003, 2012, 2013, 2022, 2023
WOOD ELEMENT BIRTH YEAR ARE THOSE BORN IN: 1925, 1934, 1944, 1945, 1954, 1955, 1964, 1965, 1974, 1975, 1984, 1985, 1994, 1995, 2004, 2005, 2014, 2015, 2024, 2025
You can also balance the energies of emotions by placing a complementary gemstone on the associated meridian points.
Anger is of the Wood element and its meridian points are at the chest on the right or at the heel of the foot.
Anxiety is of the Fire element and its meridian points are at the palm of the hand and at the armpit.
Grief is of the Metal element and its meridian points are at the collarbone and below the nose.
Fear is of the Water element and its meridian points are at the back of the knee and ball of the foot.
Worry is of the Earth element and its meridian points are at the throat and at the front hip.
Another way to balance the elements is by boosting an element with another complementary element. For example,
Wood feeds Fire - you can boost the Fire element with a Wood element gemstone.
Fire creates Earth - you can boost the Earth element with a Fire element gemstone.
Earth makes Metal - you can boost a Metal element with an Earth element gemstone.
Metal carries Water - you can boost a Water element with a Metal element gemstone.
Water feeds Wood - you can boost a Wood element with a Water element gemstone.
Now each element is linked with a direction and color and such color is also associated with a gemstone.
Earth is at the Center of the five directions. Water is at the North of the five directions. Wood is at the East of the five directions. Fire is located at the South of the five directions. And Metal is at the West of the five directions.
The Earth element are of yellow and brown colors, its meridian point is the Stomach and gemstones that can be used are Citrine and Tiger’s Eye.
The Water element are of blue and black colors and its meridian point is the Kidney. Gemstones that can be used are Lapis Lazuli and Obsidian.
The Wood element is green and its associated meridian is the gallbladder. Therefore, you can use the green-colored gemstones such as Emerald and Chrysoprase.
The Fire element are of the color red and its meridian point is the Heart. We can use Pyrope Garnet or Ruby.
The Metal element are of White and Gray colors and its meridian point is the Lung. We can use Moonstone and Hematite gemstones.
The ancient Chinese believed that the key to a happy, well-balanced, healthy life is found in the balancing of these five elements. These five phases that are found not only in nature, but also inside ourselves and outside ourselves, in the universe. Besides herbs, breathing exercises like Tai-chi, and the martial arts, gemstones, too, can also help you obtain a healthy body.
Whereas Plato and Aristotle spoke of four elements in nature, the ancient Chinese developed a philosophy of five elements known as Wuxing, or the five phases 3000 years ago. These five phases are Earth (soil), Water, Air, Fire and Metal (gold).
The 5 Elements are continually evolving and changing within our body and the surrounding space. At different stages in life, some elements are dominating while others are weakening. Therefore, knowing the interactions of the elements and what they represent and harmonizing these elements within our body and surroundings will ensure good health and abundance. We can achieve this with feng shui, acupuncture, tai-chi, martial arts and Traditional Chinese Medicine.
Gemstones as in all nature are also governed by the 5 element principles. Each mineral and color is assigned an element and thus gemstones are able to help in restoring balance. One way of doing this is by wearing or holding your birthstone or placing it in a designated feng shui area in your office or at home.
There is also a corresponding element to your Chinese zodiac sign and the year you are born, understanding this will guide you to your fengshui gemstone.
FOR EXAMPLE, FIRE ELEMENT BIRTH YEAR ARE THOSE BORN IN THE YEARS: 1926, 1927, 1936, 1937, 1946, 1947, 1956, 1957, 1966, 1967, 1976, 1977, 1986, 1987, 1996, 1997, 2006, 2007, 2016, 2017
EARTH ELEMENT BIRTH YEAR ARE: 1928, 1926, 1938, 1939, 1948, 1949, 1958, 1959, 1968, 1969,1978, 1979, 1988, 1989, 1998, 1999, 2008, 2009, 2018, 2019
METAL ELEMENT BIRTH YEAR ARE: 1930, 1931, 1940, 1941, 1950, 1951, 1960, 1961, 1970, 1971, 1980, 1981, 1990, 1991, 2000, 2001, 2010, 2011, 2020, 2021
WATER ELEMENT BIRTH YEAR ARE: 1932, 1933, 1942, 1943, 1952, 1953, 1962, 1963, 1972, 1973, 1982, 1983, 1992, 1993, 2002, 2003, 2012, 2013, 2022, 2023
WOOD ELEMENT BIRTH YEAR ARE THOSE BORN IN: 1925, 1934, 1944, 1945, 1954, 1955, 1964, 1965, 1974, 1975, 1984, 1985, 1994, 1995, 2004, 2005, 2014, 2015, 2024, 2025
You can also balance the energies of emotions by placing a complementary gemstone on the associated meridian points.
Anger is of the Wood element and its meridian points are at the chest on the right or at the heel of the foot.
Anxiety is of the Fire element and its meridian points are at the palm of the hand and at the armpit.
Grief is of the Metal element and its meridian points are at the collarbone and below the nose.
Fear is of the Water element and its meridian points are at the back of the knee and ball of the foot.
Worry is of the Earth element and its meridian points are at the throat and at the front hip.
Another way to balance the elements is by boosting an element with another complementary element. For example,
Wood feeds Fire - you can boost the Fire element with a Wood element gemstone.
Fire creates Earth - you can boost the Earth element with a Fire element gemstone.
Earth makes Metal - you can boost a Metal element with an Earth element gemstone.
Metal carries Water - you can boost a Water element with a Metal element gemstone.
Water feeds Wood - you can boost a Wood element with a Water element gemstone.
Now each element is linked with a direction and color and such color is also associated with a gemstone.
Earth is at the Center of the five directions. Water is at the North of the five directions. Wood is at the East of the five directions. Fire is located at the South of the five directions. And Metal is at the West of the five directions.
The Earth element are of yellow and brown colors, its meridian point is the Stomach and gemstones that can be used are Citrine and Tiger’s Eye.
The Water element are of blue and black colors and its meridian point is the Kidney. Gemstones that can be used are Lapis Lazuli and Obsidian.
The Wood element is green and its associated meridian is the gallbladder. Therefore, you can use the green-colored gemstones such as Emerald and Chrysoprase.
The Fire element are of the color red and its meridian point is the Heart. We can use Pyrope Garnet or Ruby.
The Metal element are of White and Gray colors and its meridian point is the Lung. We can use Moonstone and Hematite gemstones.
The ancient Chinese believed that the key to a happy, well-balanced, healthy life is found in the balancing of these five elements. These five phases that are found not only in nature, but also inside ourselves and outside ourselves, in the universe. Besides herbs, breathing exercises like Tai-chi, and the martial arts, gemstones, too, can also help you obtain a healthy body.