Ask someone in the Western world about the Four Elements, and they might talk to you about Air, Water, Fire and Earth. Ask someone familiar with a Chinese cosmology and Wu Xing, and they would protest that there are five: adding Wood and Metal, and discounting Air. Sofia asks us to look at the five Chinese elements for her Lens-Artists Challenge. This is a big ask. I’ve seen wonderful posts from those who’ve contributed already, as well as Sofia’s own post illustrating elements as seen in the natural world. I’ve decided to focus on those elements as pressed into the service of man.
Let’s start with Air: through which fly aeroplanes (Metal) over the Earth beneath.
And where would our washing lines be without air coursing through our clothes hanging out to dry?
Or flags, flapping in the breeze?
Water next. Essential in every branch of life, here’s a (Metal) ship ploughing through it.
Fire. Trickier, this one. Here’s a blacksmith doing his Metalwork at Tees Valley Pumping Station. This Pumping Station is now consigned to history and the odd Open Day. But in the Victorian era, it existed to provide clean drinking Water to the people of Darlington.
And here is a collection of Metal artefacts and objects we saw when we visited.
Earth next. Without which … no forests, no crops, no bricks no … normal life at all.
Then there’s wood. One of our oldest building materials. Still the material of choice for window frames, for furniture. Even sometimes for cutlery!
And there we have it. A whistle top tour of the Elements, Western or Chinese style. I think my header photo, by the way, shows a bit of everything. Except perhaps fire. Do visit Sofia’s post, which will lead you in turn to other terrific responses to this challenge.
From Pyrenees to Pennines 
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