The Chinese Philosophy developed in a different direction than the European one.  Nobody in China thought of studying Nature in an independent, methodical way, they approached it with a sacred awe for the mysteries of Universe, and built an amazing system of beliefs based on ancient mystic formulas.  This system was deeply rooted in the minds of people and interwoven into their way of life.

For Chinese, Nature is a living organism and its breath lives in everything producing different conditions of heaven and earth - Yang and Yin.  The heavens, Yang, give light, warmth and life; while Yin or Terrestrial Breath, brings death and darkness.  These two energies alternate, birth is followed by death and night by day, joy does not exist without sorrow nor health without sickness.  Everybody on Earth live under the influences of Yin and Yang.  Every single rock or land or water hide within it the mixture of these two properties and their proportions should be right for Life to manifest in its full potential.  If there is too much heat or too much cold the earth will not be fertile and diseases will prevail and people will not live in harmony.  Nature is built of five elements ? water, fire, wood, metal and earth and these, need to work in perfect balance.  They are produced, like everything else by Yin and Yang and they can be beneficial or inauspicious upon the living. 

The five elements support or impair each other and Heaven and Earth act through them.