Daniel Wei on the Five Elements of TCM: Is Metal the same as Air?

  In this flow, wood catches fire. Fire burns down to ashes which creates earth. Earth compresses into metal. Metal collects and carries water, then water returns to nourish wood again.

In our view, metal also relates to the lungs (metal=air) so it's almost like we're starting with a big, deep breath. True self-awareness shows humility, so we descend from metal to water....

If you recall, the essence, or quality, of metal is to turn inward on its self. This is why metal is so dense and durable - because it's so tightly compressed and compacted. Well, if we apply this property to air, we can say condensed air turns into a cloud, and a cloud generates water - which is basically the following progression in the nourishment cycle. In short, metal and air are interchangeable in their ability to generate, sustain, and contain water.

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