The relationship between the five elements, wood, fire, water, metal and earth are a fundamental part of Chinese philosophy. Each element is in control of another element and is dependent upon another element, thus fostering an environment where each element is of equal strength.

Metal holds Water;
Water grows plants, thus creating wood;
Wood is burned, thus creating Fire;
Fire reduces to ash, thus settling into the Earth;
Earth is where from where metal is extracted.

This five year cyclical pattern is followed by the assignment of an element to a year, thus producing sixty possible sign combinations with a finer level of granularity to the analysis.

Through the Four Pillar analysis of our personalities, we discover that we are composed of a combination of 12 elements. It is this combination, coupled with our four signs that provide us the level of detail needed to fully understand ourselves.

Wood
Wood years are solid years characterized by self confidence, goodwill, and high moral standards. People born in these years make good leaders as they can envision projects on a grand scale. Being fair and honest, they are able to make sound decisions as they manage the work of others. These decisions are accepted warmly by their employees as they are able to win the trust of those around them. The downfall of the wood years is that their self-confidence and willingness to take on work can cause them to take on too much, thus spreading themselves too thin and burning out early.

Fire
The Fire years can be brilliant, dynamic, and inspirational and moves one towards the far spectrum of their sign. Like fire, people born in this year are warm and appealing. These people possess the qualities of great leaders, aggressive, motivated, and emotional. They have the ability to motivate others through their flair. Through their motivational speeches, they are able to get things done. This strong desire they possess can cause them to be impatient, selfish, and even violent when their wishes are not fulfilled. As in the element itself, these people can become dangerous if they fail to control their energy and focus it in a positive direction.

Earth
The good Earth brings about the practical side of one's sign. People born in Earth years tend to be more responsible and thus are very reliable. Being the engineering type, they are able to deduce logical solutions to a variety of problem types. Their reliable nature makes them a good candidate for tasks that require coordination, adherence to procedure or administration. Earth can lead to a lack of creativity and imagination as these people often find themselves overly grounded in practicality

Metal
Metal years bring out the ambition, intensity, and rigidity within the sign. As metal is the coldest of the elements, people born in the metal years tend to be more self reliant as they rarely look to others to solve their problems. In fact, they usually resent interference or unsolicited advice. The element metal is often referred to as gold in Chinese philosophy, thus indicating that metal years are indicative of wealth and business. This coupled with their ambition and taste for the finer things in life, makes them difficult to deter, once their goals have been decided upon. This can often be their downfall though as they are unnecessarily stubborn and opinionated. Relationships can be difficult and sometimes end because others do not wish to follow their demands.

Water
Water years are characterized by flexibility and fluidity. People born in these years often make good communicators and possess the ability to influence the thoughts of others. As they are highly skilled in this area, they are often able to sway others without coming across as nagging or pushy. Unlike the metal types, they are able to utilize others effectively to accomplish their goals.