The Great Meaning of the Five Elements “is a heavyweight ancient book on feng shui and geomancy written by Xiao Ji in the Sui Dynasty. It is also the only monograph in ancient China that systematically organizes and studies the thoughts of the Five Elements. The book consists of five volumes and is divided into twenty-four themes (some say it is divided into forty articles), covering multiple aspects of the Five Elements theory. The following is a detailed introduction to its main content:

1、 Basic concepts and theories of the Five Elements
Explanation of Names: Detailed explanation of the naming of the five elements, namely wood, fire, earth, metal, and water, their origins and meanings.
Dialectical nature: It elaborates on the physical nature of the five elements, namely their essential attributes and characteristics.
On Numbers: Discussed numbers related to the Five Elements, including the Great Derivative Number, Five Element Generative Number, Branch Stem Number, Nascent Number, Nine Palaces Number, etc.
On the relationship between the five elements, namely the cycle of wood making fire, fire making soil, soil making metal, metal making water, and water making wood, is discussed in detail.
On the mutual restraint relationship between the five elements: wood restrains soil, soil restrains water, water restrains fire, fire restrains metal, and metal restrains wood.
On the Heterogeneity of Elements: This paper discusses the heterogeneous relationship between the five elements, namely their mutual fusion and variation under different conditions.
2、 The coordination between the Five Elements and the Heavenly Stems and Earthly Branches
On the Coordination of Branches and Branches: Detailed explanation of the coordination relationship between the Five Elements and the Heavenly Stems and Earthly Branches, as well as their applications in divination, feng shui, and other fields.
3、 The nature and attributes of the Five Elements
On Virtue: Discussed the virtues and qualities represented by the Five Elements.
On harmony and support: further elaborating on the interaction and coordination between the five elements.
4、 The Application of the Five Elements in Daily Life
On Miscellaneous Matching: Discussed the application of the Five Elements in daily life, such as color matching, sound matching, odor matching, Tibetan Mansion matching, and Five Constants matching.
5、 The relationship between the Five Elements and time and space
On Rhythm and Rhythm: Discussed the relationship between the Five Elements and music, especially the coordination with Rhythm and Rhythm (music theory in ancient times).
On the Seven Policies: Explained the relationship between the Five Elements and astronomical phenomena, especially the laws of the movement of the sun, moon, and stars.
On the Eight Trigrams and Eight Winds: This article discusses the relationship between the Five Elements, Eight Trigrams, and Eight Winds (i.e. the winds of the eight directions), as well as their application in Feng Shui.
6、 The Relationship between the Five Elements and the Human Body
(Note: This section may not be explicitly listed as a separate article in some introductions, but it can be summarized based on the application of the Five Elements theory.)

The theory of the Five Elements holds an important position in traditional Chinese medicine, used to explain physiological, pathological, and therapeutic issues of the human body. The Five Elements are closely related to the five organs, six viscera, meridians, qi and blood of the human body.

7、 The application of the Five Elements in other fields
On Governance: Discussed the application of the Five Elements in the political field, such as using the theory of the Five Elements to guide national governance and policy-making.
On the Gods, the Five Emperors, and the Officials: These sections may involve the relationship between the Five Elements and religion, mythology, political systems, and other aspects.
On humans, on birds and insects: discussed the relationship between the Five Elements and human personality, destiny, as well as animals, insects, and other living organisms.
In addition, the “Great Meaning of the Five Elements” also preserves a large number of important ancient books and documents before the Sui Dynasty. Its theoretical framework, logical thinking, and extensive knowledge foundation are a milestone in the history of Chinese Five Elements theory. After being lost in China for more than 400 years, the book was transmitted back from Japan and quickly demonstrated its unique literary value and influence, receiving extreme attention from scholars.

The Great Meaning of the Five Elements “is an important ancient book that covers various aspects of the theory of the Five Elements, and has significant reference value for learning and applying the theory of the Five Elements.