Don's Home Health Yin - Yang |
This Simbol(Yin-Yang) represents the ancient Chinese understanding of how things work. The outer circle represents "everything", while the black and white shapes within the circle represent the interaction of two energies, called "yin" (black) and "yang" (white), which cause everything to happen. They are not completely black or white, just as things in life are not completely black or white, and they cannot exist without each other. While "yin" would be dark, passive, downward, cold, contracting, and weak, "yang" would be bright, active, upward, hot, expanding, and strong. The shape of the yin and yang sections of the symbol, actually gives you a sense of the continual movement of these two energies, yin to yang and yang to yin, causing everything to happen: just as things expand and contract, and temperature changes from hot to cold.
from Patricia Ebrey, Chinese Civilization : A Sourcebook, 2d ed. (New York: Free Press, 1993), pp. 77-79
[Ebrey Introduction] The concepts of Yin and Yang and the Five Agents
provided the intellectual framework of much of Chinese scientific
thinking especially in fields like biology and medicine The organs of
the body were seen to be interrelated in the same sorts of ways as other
natural phenomena, and best understood by looking for correlations and
correspondences. Illness was seen as a disturbance in the balance of Yin
and Yang or the Five Agents caused by emotions, heat or cold, or other
influences. Therapy thus depended on accurate diagnosis of the source of
the imbalance.
In Traditional Chinese medicine a vital energy or life force called qi or chi circulates in the body through a system of pathways called meridians. Health is an ongoing process of maintaining balance and harmony in the circulation of qi.
The earliest surviving medical texts are fragments of manuscript from
early Han tombs. Besides general theory, these texts cover drugs,
gymnastics, minor surgery, and magic spells. The text which was to
become the main source of medical theory also apparently dates from the
Han. It is the Yellow Emperor's Classic of Medicine, supposed to have
been written during the third millennium BCE by the mythical Yellow
Emperor. A small portion of it is given below.
"Heaven was created by the concentration of Yang, the force of light,
earth was created by the concentration of Yin, the forces of darkness.
Yang stands for peace and serenity; Yin stands for confusion and
turmoil. Yang stands for destruction; Yin stands for conservation. Yang
brings about disintegration; Yin gives shape to things....
The pure and lucid element of light is manifested in the upper artifices
and the turbid element of darkness is manifested in the lower orifices.
Yang, the element of light, originates in the pores. Yin, the element of
darkness, moves within the five viscera. Yang the lucid force of light
truly is represented by the four extremities- and Yin the
turbid force of darkness stores the power of the six treasures of
nature. Water is an embodiment of Yin as fire is an embodiment of Yang.
Yang creates the air, while Yin creates the senses, which belong to the
physical body When the physical body dies, the spirit is restored to the
air, its natural environment. The spirit receives its nourishment
through the air, and the body receives its nourishment through the
senses
"If Yang is overly powerful, then Yin may be too weak. If Yin is
particularly strong, then Yang is apt to be defective If the male force
is overwhelming, then there will be excessive heat. If the female force
is overwhelming, then there will be excessive cold. Exposure to repeated
and severe heat will induce chills. Cold injures the body while heat
injures the spirit When the spirit is hurt, severe pain will ensue. When
the body is hurt, there will be swelling. Thus, when severe pain occurs
first and swelling comes on later, one may infer that a disharmony in
the spirit has done harm to the body. Likewise, when swelling appears
first and severe pain is felt later on, one can say that a dysfunction
in the body has injured the spirit....
"Nature has four seasons and five elements. To grant long life, these
seasons and elements must store up the power of creation in cold, heat,
dryness, moisture, and wind. Man has five viscera in which these five
climates are transformed into joy, anger, sympathy, grief. and fear. The
emotions of joy and anger are injurious to the spirit just as cold and
heat are injurious to the body. Violent anger depletes Yin; violent joy
depletes Yang. When rebellious emotions rise to Heaven the pulse expires
and leaves the body When joy and anger are without moderation, then cold
and heat exceed all measure, and life is no longer secure. Yin and Yang
should be respected to an equal extent.
The Yellow Emperor asked, "Is there any alternative to the law of Yin
and Yang?"
Qi Bo answered: "When Yang is the stronger, the body is hot, the pores
are closed, and people begin to pant; they become boisterous and coarse
and do not perspire. They become feverish, their mouths are dry and
sore, their stomachs feel tight, and they die of constipation. When Yang
is the stronger, people can endure winter but not summer. When Yin is
the stronger, the body is cold and covered with perspiration. People
realize they are ill; they tremble and feel chilly. When they feel
chilled, their spirits become rebellious. Their stomachs can no long
digest food and they die. When Yin is stronger, people can endure summer
but not winter. Thus Yin and Yang alternate. Their ebbs and surges vary,
and so does the character of the diseases."
The Yellow Emperor asked, "Can anything be done to harmonize and adjust
these two principles of nature?"
Qi Bo answered: "If one has the ability to know the seven injuries and
the eight advantages, one can bring the two principles into harmony. If
one does not know how to use this knowledge, his life will be doomed to
early decay. By the age of forty the Yin force in the body has been
reduced to one-half of its natural vigor and an individual's youthful
prowess has deteriorated. By the age of fifty the body has grown heavy.
The ears no longer hear well. The eyes no longer see clearly By the age
of sixty the life producing power of Yin has declined to a very low
level. Impotence sets in The nine orifices no longer benefit each
other....
Those who seek wisdom beyond the natural limits will retain good hearing
and clear vision. Their bodies will remain light and strong. Although
they grow old in years, they will stay able-bodied and vigorous and be
capable of governing to great advantage. For this reason the ancient
sages did not rush into the affairs of the world. In their pleasures and
joys they were dignified and tranquil. They did what they thought best
and did not bend their will or ambition to the achievement of empty ends
Thus their allotted span of life was without limit, like that of Heaven
and earth. This is the way the ancient sages controlled and conducted
themselves.
"By observing myself I learn about others, and their diseases become
apparent to me. By observing the external symptoms, I gather knowledge
about the internal diseases One should watch for things out of the
ordinary One should observe minute and trifling things and treat them as
if the were big and important. When they are treated the danger they
pose will be dissipated. Experts in examining patients judge their
general appearance; they feel their pulse and determine whether it is
Yin or Yang that causes the disease.... To determine whether Yin or Yang
predominates, one must be able to distinguish a light pulse of low
tension from a hard. pounding one With a disease of Yang, Yin
predominates With a disease of Yin, Yang predominates When one is filled
with vigor and strength, Yin and Yang are in proper harmony.
Translated by Mark Coyle
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