在古老的傳說中，臺灣的山區住著五頭獅子，分別是：金、木、水、火、土, 這五頭獅子都非常的凶猛，也各有各的個性。
According to ancient legends, five lions lived in Taiwan’s mountains: metal, wood, water, fire, and soil.  The five lions were ferocious, and each had a personality of its own.
The five lions balanced each other’s personality:
五行相生：Generating interaction; 五行相剋：Overcoming interaction;
金獅子專門找木獅子的麻煩，金剋木，（刀子砍木頭）。
The Metal Lion did not get along with the Wood Lion, metal overcomes wood, (metal sword cuts wood).
木獅子專門找土獅子的麻煩，木剋土，（樹木長在土地上，土壤就不流失了！）
The Wood Lion looks to trouble the Earth Lion, wood overcomes soil, (wooden trees living upon the earth prevent the soil from eroding!)
土獅子專門找水獅子的麻煩，土剋水，(沙土可以堵洪水）
The Earth Lion looks to trouble the Water Lion, soil overcomes water, (soil can block floodwaters)
水獅子專門找火獅子的麻煩，水剋火，(水可以滅火）
The Water Lion looks to trouble the Fire Lion, water overcomes fire, (water can extinguish the fire)
火獅子專門找金獅子的麻煩，火剋金（火可以煉金）
The Fire Lion looks to trouble the Metal Lion, fire overcomes metal (fire can melt metal)
The Five Lions balanced each other’s personality:
金獅子喜歡跟水獅子作朋友，金生水，(金融化成液體， 幷且金挖地生水）
The Metal Lion befriended the Water Lion, (when metal melts it becomes liquid, and metals can be used to dig for water)
水獅子喜歡跟木獅子作朋友，水生木，（水提供木要的養分）
The Water Lion befriended the Wood Lion.  Water provides nutrients for the wood.
木獅子喜歡跟火獅子作朋友，木生火，（木材可以生火）
Wood Lion befriended the Fire Lion.  (Wood can make fire)
火獅子喜歡跟土獅子作朋友，火生土，（火燒成灰即土）
Fire Lion befriended the Soil Lion.  (The burning of fire creates soil)
土獅子喜歡跟金獅子作朋友，土生金。（土裏總會埋藏著寶藏）
Soil Lion befriended the Metal Lion.  (The soil makes metal)