Detailed Concept
"Earth means Sowing and Reaping" (Tu Yue Jia Se). "Jia" means planting crops, and "Se" means harvesting. It refers to the characteristics of earth involving sowing, harvesting, bearing, and accepting. It implies that things with functions of generating, transforming, bearing, and receiving belong to Earth. Hence the sayings "Earth carries the four elements" and "All things are born from Earth". The characteristics of Earth are bearing, generating, and receiving. Earth governs Faithfulness (Xin); its nature is heavy, its emotion is deep, its taste is sweet, and its color is yellow.
Natural Correspondences
- Direction: Center (and Four Corners)
- Season: Seasonal Transitions (Late Summer)
- Time: Chen, Xu, Chou, Wei hours
- Climate: Dampness
- Heavenly Stems: Wu, Ji
- Earthly Branches: Chen, Xu, Chou, Wei
- Numbers: 5, 10
- Colors: Yellow, Brown
Five Elements Cycle
- Generating: Fire generates Earth (Ash becomes Earth), Earth generates Metal (Metal is born from Earth)
- Controlling: Wood controls Earth (Roots penetrate Earth), Earth controls Water (Earth dams Water)
TCM Correspondence
- Zang Organ: Spleen
- Fu Organ: Stomach
- Sense Organ: Mouth
- Body Tissue: Muscles/Flesh
- Emotion: Pensiveness
- Sound: Singing
- Taste: Sweet
Qi Men Dun Jia Application
In Qi Men Dun Jia divination, Earth represents bearing, real estate, intermediaries, tolerance, tombs, and spleen/stomach diseases.
- Represented Figures: Farmers, Real Estate Agents, Middlemen, Honest People.
- Represented Forms: Square, Thick, Short and Stout.
- Auspicious/Inauspicious: When timely, it indicates honesty and faithfulness; when untimely, it implies stupidity, stubbornness, or closed-mindedness.