When normal mutual promotion and restriction between the five elements are disrupted, subjugation and reverse restriction occurs.
Subjugation is a type of excessive restriction and can be likened to the launching of a strong attack. This usually occurs in two ways
First, when one of the five elements overacts upon another one and weakens it, an abnormal process of mutual promotion and restriction results. For example, wood may be too excessive to be restricted by metal and unleashes an uninhibited attack against earth, which, in its turn, becomes weak. This is known as "earth being subjugated by wood."
Second, when one of the five elements is weak, the element that acts upon it becomes relatively stronger and the former appears even weaker. For example, if wood is not unduly strong, and the force of its action is within normal range, the earth itself is weak, and the force of wood will become relatively stronger, causing earth to suffer. This is known as "wood subjugating weak earth."
Reverse restriction is another manifestation of discord between the five elements. This also occurs in two ways. For example, wood is normally controlled by metal, If, however, it is too strong to be restrained, it will restrict metal in reverse. This is known as "wood counter restricting metal."
On the other hand, metal normally controls wood. If metal itself is weak, it is unable to control wood. The result is known as "wood restricting deficient metal in reverse."
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