Yin and Yang/Phoenix and Dragon
The Yang Dragon rules and tops the universal hierarchy. Noticed a vast, golden, roaring Flying Dragon (the rising Sun) in the East dominating the sky lately? Its Yin equivalent, the Crimson Phoenix/Red Bird is the Sun at its mid-day height, in the South.
In Chinese Culture the Dragon is Male (chases away the darkness) and the Phoenix is Female (bright and full of warmth). The pair reappear in 5 Elements-based Feng Shui (it’s helpful for Kung Fu students to understand issues of this nature, quite apart from any beneficial Feng Shui influences on their environment). giant eagle hr connection
5 Elements Wuxing
‘Wuxing’ means 5 Animals (as in 5 Animals External Kung Fu) and 5 Elements (as in 5 Elements Internal Kung Fu and Qigong) although different Chinese Characters represent each term.
Number 5 ‘Wu’ (as in ‘Wu Shu’) is the Dragon’s number, top of the 5 Animals rankings. Number 5 in the 12-Year Animal Cycle, Dragon Year is a high point. At the bottom is humble (no legs) Snake in Year 6, representing two evolutionary journeys, both ending, with Lung’s appearance.
The Chinese believe long-ago a giant meteor struck the Earth, fracturing its crust into today’s tectonic plates, starting the continental drift, ending ‘Dinosaur Day’ and bringing dramatic changes eventually leading to human evolution. The ancient Snake (no legs) appeared the immediate aftermath of this cataclysm, whilst Humans (upright on two legs like ‘Lung’ the Dragon) represent the ultimate evolutionary outcome. Other Animals, in between the two, are represented by the remainder of the Chinese Zodiac.
Humans discovering Metal, fashioned utensils (early ‘woks’) and could cook vegetables at length. The resulting intake of nutrients caused dramatic increases in brain size, prompting the ultimate appearance of Homo-Sapiens. This illustrates aptly how understanding the interaction of the 5 Elements: Earth, Metal, Water, Wood (the veg) and Fire can help individuals and groups.
5 Animals Wuxing 
The ‘Wuxing’ 5 Animals in ascending order are: Snake, Crane, Leopard, Tiger, Dragon. Sometimes the Praying Mantis or Eagle replace the Leopard at no.3, but the middle ‘bridging’ Animal (Snake and Crane are ‘Lower’ Animals, Tiger and Dragon ‘Higher’) must demonstrate high power-to-weight ratio to justify its correspondence to Metal in 5 Elements Wuxing. The Leopard (1) is ideal for this position being stronger pound-for-pound than even the Tiger but not big enough to defeat his striped superior. Lung, however, tops and rules all.
5 Element/Animals equivalents are: Earth (Snake), Water (Crane), Metal (Leopard-occasionally Praying Mantis or Eagle), Fire (Tiger) and Wood (Dragon). Wood the only ‘living’ Element of the 5, corresponds to the Dragon in this system, and both symbolise ‘Spirit'(1).
The Snake
The Shaolin Kung Fu Maxim: ‘Do not despise the humble Snake, one-day he may become a strong and mighty Dragon!’ also deserves further explanation.
In Shaolin Kung Fu, beginners may be considered ‘Snakes’ and required to undertake Snake-related training to learn key skills. Lacking limbs, Snakes depend entirely in Internal Energies for motion and are thus potent symbols of Qi and Qi-training, which begins at this stage. After many years dedicated practice, rising through the ranks, one-day the same individual might hold one of the top ‘Dragon’ Grades, as some Shaolin styles term their Advanced Black Sashes-an evolutionary journey in itself!
