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The meaning of Ying Yang
This Symbol (Ying 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 "ying" (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 "ying" would be dark, passive, downward, cold, contracting, and
weak, "yang" would be bright, active, upward, hot, expanding, and strong.
The shape of the ying and yang sections of the symbol, actually gives
you a sense of the continual movement of these two energies, ying to
yang and yang to ying, causing everything to happen: just as things
expand and contract, and temperature changes from hot
to cold.
Ying and Yang
In
Medical Theory
From Patricia Ebrey,
Chinese Civilization : A Sourcebook, 2d ed.
(New York: Free Press, 1993), pp. 77-79
[Ebrey Introduction] The concepts of Ying 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 Ying 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.
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.
The Yellow Emperor said ''The principle of Ying and Yang is the foundation
of the entire universe. It underlies everything in creation. It brings
about the development of parenthood; it is the root and source of life
and death it is found with the temples of the gods In order to treat
and cure diseases one must search for their origins.
"Heaven was created by the concentration of Yang, the force of light,
earth was created by the concentration of Ying, the forces of darkness.
Yang stands for peace and serenity; Ying stands for confusion and turmoil.
Yang stands for destruction; Ying stands for conservation. Yang brings
about disintegration; Ying 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. Ying, the element
of darkness, moves within the five viscera. Yang the lucid force of
light truly is represented by the four extremities- and Ying the turbid
force of darkness stores the power of the six treasures of nature. Water
is an embodiment of Ying as fire is an embodiment of Yang. Yang creates
the air, while Ying 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 Ying may be too weak. If Ying 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 Ying; 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.
Ying and Yang should be respected to an equal extent.
The Yellow Emperor asked, "Is there any alternative to the law of Ying
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
Ying 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 Ying is stronger, people can endure
summer but not winter. Thus Ying 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 Ying
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
Ying 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 Ying or Yang that
causes the disease.... To determine whether Ying 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, Ying predominates With a
disease of Ying, Yang predominates When one is filled with vigor and
strength, Ying and Yang are in proper harmony.
Translated by Mark Coyle
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