The Six Relatives

Not just in WWG, “六親” (Liu-qin, literally the 6 Relatives) are commonly used in most Chinese metaphysics to describe the relationships among Wu-xing. However, it is better known as the 6 Relationships. With Vitalizing (“生”) and De-vitalizing (“剋”) natures among Wu-xing (“五行”), we have relationships like Water vitalizes Wood, Wood vitalizes Fire, Fire vitalizes Earth, Earth vitalizes Metal, and Metal in turn vitalizes Water. The relationships of which form a close loop. Similarly, we have Water de-vitalizes Fire, Fire devitalizes Metal, etc. Again, a close loop. The following diagram shows these relationships with which solid lines as Vitalizing and broken lines as De-vitalizing.

Well, but how does it related to Relatives?

For instance, Water vitalizes Wood, then Water can be regarded as Parent to Wood (Self, and Sibling). Similarly Wood vitalizes Fire, then Fire can be regarded as Child to Wood. Now that we have Self, “兄弟” Xiong-di or Sibling (S), “父母” Fu-mu or Parent (P), and “子孫” Zi-sun or Child (C), what about the other two Relatives?

The other two are not quite easily understood as Relatives. They would be better known as Relationships. They are “妻財” Qi-cai or Asset (A) and “官鬼” Guan-gui or Officer (O).
In ancient male-dominating society, wife is considered as the Asset of husband and husband owns and takes full command of all the valuables within his premises including wife, servants, husbandry and poultry. Therefore, Asset is also a relationship with reference to the Self, or so to speak, Self or Sibling devitalizes Asset. Officer can be interpreted as government or police officer whose job is to maintain social order. The Officer would have restricting effect on how we behave in the community and hence Officer de-vitalizes Self or Sibling. If we try to put the relationship of P, S, C, A, and O in a chart, we will have similar chart as that of the Wu-xing.

Since Self and Sibling are Children of Parent, some people refer the 6 Relationships as “五鄉” Wu-xiang, literally means 5 Villages or better 5 Domains.