What Are the 5 Traditional Elements?

Many philosophies and traditions around the world believe in similar elements. They tend to focus on about five specific ones. Here is a look at the five elements in Chinese, Japanese, Buddhist, Greek, Babylonian, and European alchemy.

The number of traditional elements in medieval alchemy varies from 4, 5, or 8. The first four are always found. The fifth, aether, is important in some traditions. Sulfur, mercury, and salt are classical elements.

Akasha is the equivalent to Aristotle's aether, in the Greek tradition. While Hinduism traditionally recognizes five elements, Buddhism typically only the first four "great" or "gross" elements. Although the names are different, the first four elements roughly translate as being air, fire, water, and earth.