You'll see adherence to the five elements theory in many facets of Chinese life. Martial arts, for example: many schools have a series of basic movements, each designed to keep the body in harmony with one the elements. And the five elements theory plays a large role in Feng Shui, the latest trend in both landscaping and interior decorating. Literally meaning "wind and water," Feng Shui is all about aligning energies in your home or work environment in a way that is most conducive with your own personal energy.
As for diet, Chinese herbalists believe that, to properly treat a patient, you must know the state of the five elements in their body. A deficiency or an excess of an element can lead to illness. In The Chinese Kitchen: Recipes, Techniques, Ingredients, History, and Memories from America's Leading Authority on Chinese Cooking, Eileen Yin Fei-Lo provides some wonderful examples of how her grandmother used the principles of the five elements theory to cure common illnesses. Treating a cough with winter melon tea and fresh water chestnuts is just one example.
A detailed look at the use of five elements theory in diagnosing and treating illnesses is beyond the scope of this article. Suffice to say that practitioners of traditional Chinese medicine rely on it to explain the relationships between the body organs and tissues, as well as between the body and the outside environment. The table below outlines the relationship between the five elements and body parts, feelings, colors, and taste.
