Yin and Yang

The theory of Yin and Yang is the most fundamental concept of Traditional Chinese Medicine (TCM). One of the major beliefs of TCM is that all things in the universe are either yin or yang. However, there are no absolutes: nothing is ever all Yin or all Yang, but a balance between the two forces. For example, when day changes into night, it is an example of a Yang object changing into a Yin object; when winter turns into spring; it is considered a changing from Yin to Yang.

These forces are and complementary complementary, and share an interdependent relationship. There would be no Yang without Yin. Likewise, Yin would not exist without Yang.

Yin is generally associated with items or concepts that are bright, warm, and in motion. Yin is generally associated with objects or ideas that are dark, still and cold. Any given frame of reference can be divided into opposite factors, i.e. a Yin side And a Yang side. For instance, a human body can be divided into exterior and interior sections; the body temperature can be divided into hot or cold; time can be divided into day or night; and, And so on.

The Yin-Yang Symbol: The yin-yang symbol is a representation of the philosophy of TCM. The symbol consists of a circle, divided by a curved line into a black (Yin) and white (Yang) side. The curve symbolizes the constant change of balance between Yin and Yang. Each side contains a small circle of the opposite color. This demonstrates the belief that nothing is never really all Yin or all Yang; there is some of Yang in Yin, and vice-versa.

Five Elements

In light of the theory of five elements, TCM has made a comprehensive comparison and study of all kinds of things and phenomena in nature as well as in the viscera, bowels, tissues, functions and forms, thus expounding the physiology, pathology of the human body and the correlation between man and his natural surroundings. The following is a table showing the classification of things according to the theory of the five elements.

The Classification of Things According to the Theory of the Five Elements
	Five Elements	Wood (木)	Fire (火)	Earth (土)	Metal (金)	Water (水)
Human Body	Viscera	Liver	Heart	Spleen	Lung	Kidney
	Bowels	Gall Bladder	Small Intestine	Stomach	Large Intestine	Urinary Bladder
	5 Sense Organs	Eye	Tongue	Mouth	Nose	Ear
	Five Tissues	Tendon	Vessel	Muscle	Skin & Hair	Bone
	Emotional Activity	Anger	Joy	Overthinking	Grief	Fear

Natural	Season	Spring	Summer	Late Summer	Autumn	Winter
	Environment	Wind	Heat	Dampness	Dryness	Cold
	Growth	Germination	Growth	Transformation	Reaping	Storing
	Color	Blue	Red	Yellow	White	Black
	Taste	Sour	Bitter	Sweet	Pungent	Salty
	Orientation	East	South	Middle	West	North

The Application of the Theory of Five Elements in TCM

In the science of TCM, the theory of five elements is used, in the main, to explain the physiology and pathology of the human body and to guide the clinical diagnosis and treatment.

Explaining the Correlations between the Five Viscera:

The generation of the five elements can be used to expound the interdepending relations between the five viscera. For instance, the vital essence of the kidney (water) nourishes the liver (wood), which is known as water generating wood. The liver (wood) stores blood to nourish the heart (fire), which is termed wood generating fire. The heat of the heart (fire) warms the spleen (earth), which is called fire generating earth. The spleen (earth) transforms and distributes feed essence to replenish the lung (metal), which is referred to as earth generating metal. The lung (metal) dredges the water passages to help the kidney (water), which is taken as metal generating water.

The restriction of the five elements can be used to explain the inter-restraining relations between the five viscera. For instance, the lung (metal) disperses and descends so as to restrain the exuberance of the liver (wood), which is known as metal restricting wood. The liver (wood) that functions well smooths and regulates the stagnation of the qi of the spleen (earth), which is called as wood restricting earth. The function of the spleen (earth) plays in transporting, distributing and transforming nutrients and promoting water metabolism and may prevent the overflow of the water of the kidney (water), which is referred to as earth restricting water. The ascending of the kidney (water) can prevent the heart (fire) from hyperactivity, which is explained as water restricting fire.

Diagnosing and Treating Diseases
Because, in accordance with the attribution of things to the five elements, the five viscera have specific connections with the five colors, five kinds of flavors, as well as the relevant pulse conditions, one, when diagnosing, should do like this first, synthesize the materials obtained through the four methods of diagnosis (observation, listening and smelling, inquiring, pulse feeling and palpation), and then, deduce what the disease is according to the theory of five elements. For instance, a blue face, preference for food with sour flavor and bowstring pulse condition may indicate liver disease; a red face, bitter taste in the mouth and overflowing pulse condition may suggest the hyperactivity of heart fire.

In treatment, the theory of five elements, on the one hand, is used to prevent the transmission of diseases. For instance, if hypofunction is found in the son-organ, the mother-organ should be tonified; if hyperfunction is found in the mother-organ, the son-organ should be treated with purgation". In the science of acupuncture, the five kinds of points of the 12 channels distributed at the ends of the extremities, i.e.,the Jing (well) Points, the Ying (spring) Points, the Shu (stream) Points, the Jing (river) Points and the He (sea) Points, are - respectively included in the five elements. In clinical treatment, these points may be chosen according to the specific state of certain that is being treated and in accordance with the law of generation, restriction, subjugation and reverse restriction of the five elements.

From above, it has been known that the theory of Yin and Yang is used to state the two components of one thing, or the relations of opposition, interdependence, and the transformation between two opposite things; while the theory of five elements is used mainly to explain the property and correlation among things according to the attribution of things to the five elements as well as the law of generation, restriction, subjugation and reverse restriction of the five elements. In practice, both theories are often combined when used.

When I have been in the early stages of a cold, Regina has treated me and collapsed the cold to be short and mild. It is a great relief to know the misery of a cold, that used to seem inevitable, can -- with Regina's special acupuncture treatments -- be derailed and I can get back to an active life.                          - S. Howard