Why do practitioners suggest weakening the Five Yellow with metal items?
Before I can answer that question we need to know something about the Five Elements. In Chinese metaphysics, “qi” or energy is classified into five types namely gold (or metal), wood, water, fire and earth.
For example, a wooden chair or a tree is classified as wood element while a clay pot or stone is classified as earth element.
The five elements have a productive and controlling relationship or cycle. In the productive cycle, earth produces metal which produces water which produces wood which produces fire. Fire in turn produce earth and the cycle repeats.
The Five Yellow is a members of the Nine Stars. Others in the group include One White, Two Black etc. Many believe the Nine Stars is a representation of the influence of the energy of the sun, moon and surrounding planets on planet earth (and hence us).
The Five Yellow is an earth-based energy that is associated with losses, illness and even death. It influences a different sector of a property each year and it is the most inauspicious of all the stars.
In the productive cycle, earth qi produces metal qi. In the process of producing metal, earth energy is weakened. Therefore if we have metal qi (for example in the form of metal items), then the inauspicious earth energy of the five yellow in that area is weaken. Its ability to do serious damage is thus reduced.
During any year you should avoid construction works such as digging and demolition in the area afflicted by Five Yellow as doing it will most likely activate Five Yellow.
I will ask my clients if they can avoid using the area afflicted by the Five Yellow star. It is better not to be negatively influence at all!
However if it is not possible, then placing metal items such as a copper vase or a decorative metal ornament, is the next best option.
The table below shows the sectors that Five Yellow afflicts in the coming years.
| Year | Five Yellow | Year | Five Yellow |
| 2014 | NW | 2015 | W |
| 2016 | NE | 2015 | S |
| 2017 | N | 2015 | SW |
| 2018 | E | 2019 | SE |
| 2020 | Center | 2021 | NW |
* The Chinese Solar year starts on or around the 4th Feb each year.
