Prevailing element

[carhu]

Dear Cecil:
I have two bamboo hexagonal sidetables with a glass cover, I place upon them yellow cloths.My question is:Do these tables belong to the wood element( bamboo), to the metal element ( glass)or to the Earth element(Yellow cloths)?.What is finally the ruling element:Shape?,Material?, Colour?
Thanks a lot for your answer

[Cecil Lee]

Dear Carlos,
Sometimes indeed we may have a hard time figuring out an element of an object.
But, it does not necessarily mean that an object should only have one element.
In your case, please see below:-

Quote

On 7/31/2002 5:38:00 PM, Anonymous wrote:
Dear Cecil:
I have two bamboo hexagonal
sidetables with a glass cover,
bamboo heagonal sidetables, if they are in the original material and colour e.g. brown would be considered as a `Wood element'.

Hexagonal shape is often regarded as `Earth element'.
While the glass cover, because of its density (e.g. tempered glass) can be considered as `Metal' element.

Quote

I place upon them yellow
cloths.My question is:Do these
tables belong to the wood
element( bamboo), to the metal
element ( glass)or to the
Earth element(Yellow
cloths)?.What is finally the
ruling
element:Shape?,Material?,
Colour?

Yellow cloth can be consdered as the `Earth' element.
Following, what was mentioned in the earlier responses, rather than be specific with just one material, one can have a combination of these to make up the Five elemets concept.
To answer your question, since your table has quite a lot of elements, and if it is your desire to change it to an element, then, usually one should:-
1. look at what gives the highest volume. In this instance, if you do away with the cloth, then, visually, if one paints the entire wood bamboo side tables red, then, it has a high content of fire element.
2. Alternatively, following the ruleset, if one cannot see it, it no longer is dominant. Thus, if one covers both side tables that was painted in red with e.g. a yellow table cloth each, then, the distinct element would be the Earth element (because of yellow).
3. Majority of time, colour is important component. As it can cover quite a large area.
Warmest Regards,
Cecil