Concept
Earth (wuxing)
Overview
In Chinese philosophy, earth or soil (Chinese: 土; pinyin: tǔ) is one of the five concepts that conform the wuxing. Earth is the Qi balance of both yin and yang in the Wuxing philosophy, as well as the changing or central point of physical matter or a subject. Its motion is centralising, and its energy is stabilizing and conserving.
Earth is associated with the colour yellow or ochre and the planet Saturn and it lies at the centre of the four directions of the compass in Chinese cosmology. It is associated with late summer and also the turning point of each of the four seasons, as Earth is prone to being over burdened or stuck. Its climate is that of dampness, which causes the body-mind to be clouded through a deficiency of yang qi. In traditional Chinese medicine, earth governs the yin, Zang organ the spleen, and the yang, Fu organ stomach, mouth and muscles. Its Primal Spirit is the Yi, and emotion of happiness and is represented by the Yellow Dragon or Qilin, color yellow and golden.
Overview adapted from Wikipedia (CC BY-SA 4.0; see the article history for authors).
In the original texts
Passages from public-domain books where Earth (wuxing) is discussed.
Plato, that the visible world was framed after the exemplar of the intellectual world; the soul of the visible world was first produced, then the corporeal figure, first that which proceeded from fire and earth, then that which came from air and water. Pythagoras, that the world was formed of five solid figures which are called mathematical; the earth was produced by the cube, the fire by the pyramid, the air by the…
Plutarch, Complete Works of Plutarch — Volume 3
names the idea; states what it is; opens on it
That earth should have such properties need not cause us any surprise, for our own body is compounded of the earthly element. Indeed, we do make use of earth as a purifying agent. We wash the ground with earth to remove bad smells, we put it over decaying matter to prevent the pollution of the air, we wash our hands with it, and even employ it to clean the private parts. Yogis besmear their bodies with it; some…
Mahatma Gandhi, A Guide to Health
names the idea; a chapter is titled for it; opens on it
When the Moon has slightly separated from the Sun, straightway she is partly illumined on the half directed towards us; she turns towards us a slender silvery crescent, and slightly illumines the Earth; the Sun’s illumination increases upon the Moon as she approaches her first quarter, and the reflexion of that light increases on the Earth; the brightness in the Moon next extends beyond the semicircle, and our…
Galileo Galilei, The sidereal messenger of Galileo Galilei
names the idea; states what it is; opens on it
Hence the reason is obvious, why the seas are not increased by the daily accession of so many rivers. The earth has, therefore, the whole of its globe girt, on every side, by the sea flowing round it. And this is not a point to be investigated by arguments, but what has been ascertained by experience.
the Elder Pliny, The Boys' and Girls' Pliny
names the idea; a chapter is titled for it; opens on it
Sometimes also, even without losing its moisture, the earth is fused by the fire, and on cooling becomes a stone of a black colour.[326] In the same manner, when this earth is deprived of the water it holds in mixture, but yet has small particles and is of a saline nature, it forms a half-solid body, still capable of solution in water,—either nitre, which purifies both oil and earth, or else salt, a substance so…
Plato, The works of Plato
names the idea; states what it is; opens on it
Philosophers who discussed Earth (wuxing)
Related ideas
- Yin and yang
- Chinese astrology
- Qi
- I Ching
- Chinese philosophy
- Wuxing (Chinese philosophy)
- Earthly Branches
- Wood (wuxing)
- Metal (wuxing)
- Heavenly Stems
Place in the tradition
Part of School of Naturalists.