Enhancing, Controlling and Weakening cycles.

Five phases of Qi – fire, earth, metal, water and wood – interact with each other in three different ways. There are the following relationships: the enhancing cycle, the controlling cycle and the weakening cycle.

The Enhancing cycle – one element enhances the other, giving power to it.
The Controlling cycle – one element suppresses the other, preventing it from establishing its power.
The Weakening cycle – one element is weakened due to giving its power to enother element.

The Enhancing Cycle

Sometimes this type of relationship is called productive cycle. This is not exactly so. Actually one type of Qi doesn’t produce another type. Water feeds grain but it doesn’t produce it. Water gives it the power to grow. So this cycle is classified as the enhancing cycle.
Water enhances wood, Wood enhances Fire, Fire enhances Earth, Earth enhances Metal and Metal enhances Water.

Go to:
Controlling cycle
 Weakening cycle