Metal
Metal is the fourth element of Wu Xing. Years ending in 0 and 1: 1970, 1971, 1980, 1981, 1990, 1991, 2000, 2001, 2010, 2011, 2020, 2021.
Personality of the Element
Metal stands for form, boundaries and selection. A Metal person values order, clarity and fairness, knows how to say “no” and how to separate the essential from the superfluous.
Strengths: discipline, strong principles, the ability to bring form to perfection and not waste themselves on trifles.
Weak spot: rigidity and a black-and-white outlook. Metal demands of others what it demands of itself and handles compromise poorly.
The Monkey and the Rooster belong to Metal: the signs of resourcefulness and precision, respectively.
Colors, Directions, Time
Colors: white, silver, gold, gray. Direction: west and northwest. Season: autumn; time of day: evening. Planet: Venus. Organ in Chinese medicine: the lungs.
In feng shui metal governs the west sector of children and creativity and the northwest sector of helpful people: they are strengthened with metal objects and round shapes, while fire there is undesirable.
Relationships with Other Elements
Produces Water (moisture condenses on cold metal). Is produced by Earth.
Controls Wood (cuts it). Is controlled by Fire (melts).
Practical conclusion: Earth years are good for a Metal person, while Fire years force a rebuild; tradition sees such periods as times of unavoidable change.