# Questions about the 5 elements in traditional Chinese medicine:

**URL:** <https://boards.straightdope.com/t/questions-about-the-5-elements-in-traditional-chinese-medicine/145221>\
**Category:** Factual Questions\
**Created:** [December 27, 2002, 7:54pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/questions-about-the-5-elements-in-traditional-chinese-medicine/145221 "2002-12-27T19:54:43Z")\
**Posts on this page:** 4\
**Page:** 1

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**Author:** ![Binarydrone](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/3da27b/32.png) [@Binarydrone](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Binarydrone)\
**Post date:** [December 27, 2002, 7:54pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/questions-about-the-5-elements-in-traditional-chinese-medicine/145221/1 "2002-12-27T19:54:43Z")

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As I understand it, in traditional Chinese medicine, there are 5 elements recognized (rather than the 4 that the westerners name). I also understand that each element has a color and an animal or symbol associated with it (among other things). What I am looking for is the missing animal/symbol for Earth. This is what I have found so far:  
[ul]  
[li]Metal, White, White Tiger.[/li][li]Water, Black, Black Tortus.[/li][li]Wood, Green, Green Dragon.[/li][li]Fire, Red, Red Pheonex.[/li][li]Earth, Yellow, **Fill in the blank.** [/li][/ul]

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**Author:** ![Cleric](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/c57346/32.png) [@Cleric](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Cleric)\
**Post date:** [December 27, 2002, 7:59pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/questions-about-the-5-elements-in-traditional-chinese-medicine/145221/2 "2002-12-27T19:59:13Z")

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snow…:smack:

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**Author:** ![Podkayne](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/p/edb3f5/32.png) [@Podkayne](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Podkayne)\
**Post date:** [December 27, 2002, 8:03pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/questions-about-the-5-elements-in-traditional-chinese-medicine/145221/3 "2002-12-27T20:03:46Z")

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According to [this page](http://www.gened.arizona.edu/harrison/confucianasia/readings/5agents.htm), Yellow Dragon.

And I think “Tortus” should be spelled “Tortoise.”

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**Author:** ![Binarydrone](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/3da27b/32.png) [@Binarydrone](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Binarydrone)\
**Post date:** [December 27, 2002, 8:12pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/questions-about-the-5-elements-in-traditional-chinese-medicine/145221/4 "2002-12-27T20:12:10Z")

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> [@](#):
>
> \*Originally posted by Podkayne \*  
> \*\*According to [this page](http://www.gened.arizona.edu/harrison/confucianasia/readings/5agents.htm), Yellow Dragon.
> 
> And I think “Tortus” should be spelled “Tortoise.” \*\*

Thanks, I usually spell check before sending but must have been trigger-happy.