Chinese Astrology Signs & Compatibility

When Westerners hear the Chinese terms ‘yin’ and ‘yang’ they tend to immediately think of yin as the female force and yang as male universal energy, but the Chinese conception is much more subtle and complex. The concept of yin and yang embodies the idea of the unity of opposites, meaning that in any given system, qualities that oppose each other also complement each other. Yin and yang are at the same time opposites and partners, they always comprise two parts of any whole. While some of the characteristics of yin do correlate with stereotypically female qualities, and some of yang with male qualities, many times the associated qualities seem obscure and gender-neutral. In Chinese philosophy, yin and yang are neither forces nor substances, but they can be said to always follow four basic laws: 1) Yin and yang are opposing, 2) Yin and yang are mutually rooted, 3) Yin and yang mutually transform, and 4) Yin and yang wax and wane. To make this system even more incomprehensible to Westerners, it is also possible to divide yin and yang into four basic combinations: 1) the yin of the yin, 2) the yin of the yang, 3) the yang of the yin, and 4) the yang of the yang. While it may seem confusing at first to dissect life in this abstract way, by getting a sense of how it works and the movements of the yin/yang philosophy, Westerners can come to a much truer appreciation of Chinese astrology, feng shui, and Chinese traditions medicine.

The Chinese element of Earth is a balance of both yin and yang, energies which are commonly understood in the West as female and male respectively, but which actually embody subtle qualities of being that can be associated with neither gender or both genders. Earth energy moves inward and is centering (yin), and its nature is conserving and stabilizing (yang). Earth energy is associated with all four directions and lies at the center of the Chinese compass. The element of Earth is therefore at the center of the Chinese science of feng shui or direction. The planet Saturn is associated with Earth energy, and also the quality of dampness. The element of Earth governs the spleen, mouth, stomach and muscles. Positive Earth energy creates empathy. Negative Earth energy creates anxiety. The Earth element is associated with practicality, stability, hard work, patience and thoughtfulness. The element of Earth draws all other elements towards itself in a nurturing way. Earth element attributes also include ambition, responsibility, and long term plans. When negative, the element of Earth can create selfishness and self-centered actions. The element of Earth can influence any Chinese animal sign depending on the year of birth, but is especially associated with the Dragon, Dog, and Sheep.

In Chinese astrology and philosophy the element of Metal is considered to be ‘yin’ or female, though ‘yin’ in Chinese refers more to a specific state of being and direction of change than it does to gender. Some yin characteristics are typically female but some are not. The energy of Metal is contracting and its direction of change is inward. Metal is associated with the west and the season of autumn. Metal is also associated with old age, the planet Venus, and the color white. Archetypal Metals are silver and gold, and the primal animal associated with Metal is the White Tiger. The personal qualities associated with metal are an unyielding nature, rigidity, and stubbornness. Metal people are controlling and very strong and ambitious. They tend to change the people around them before they themselves are changed. Metal governs the lungs, nose, and skin. Positive Metal energy creates courage. Negative Metal energy create grief. Metal is most similar to the qualities associated with the Western astrological planet Saturn, although in China it is associated with Venus because of the white color of the planet Venus as it rises in the west as the ‘evening star’. Depending on the birth year, Metal can influence any Chinese animal sign, but it is especially strong in the Monkey, Rooster, Sheep, and Dog.