Theory of Yin -Yang

Yin and Yang is one of the most fundamental concepts in Traditional Chinese Medicine, as it is the foundation of diagnosis and treatment.

The earliest reference to Yin and Yang is in the I Ching (Book of Changes) in approximately 700 BC.

In this work, all phenomena are said to be reduced to Yin-Yang.

The Basic Meaning Yin-Yang

The theory of Yin-yang is introduced into medical field as a methodology and forms a doctrine of medicine.

It classifies the things that have the characters of moving, exciting and warming into yang and the things that have the characters of moistening and restraining into yin.

The Basic Meaning of Yin-Yang

The Yin and Yang Philosophy

Masculine/ManFeminine/Woman

ActivePassive

Night/Dark

Day/Bright

Moving, Ascending,Progressing,Hyperactive

Stillness, Descending, Degeneration, Hypoactive

Fire/HotWater/Cold

Yin Yang

Yin and yang are the summarization of the attributes of two opposite aspects of correlative things or phenomena in nature.

The original meanings of yin and yang mainly referring to facing towards the sun belongs to yang and facing away from the sun belongs to yin.

Then the meaning extended to mean warmth and cold of the weather; upper and lower, up and down, upper and lower, right and left, inner and outer in orientation, activeness and stillness in moving state.

The Basic Meaning of Yin-Yang

Through long term of observation of living practice, the ancient people gradually found there generally exist two opposite aspects of yin-yang in things.

They further recognized the mutual action of the two promotes the formation, development and change of things.

Consequently yin and yang are used to explain all kinds of phenomenon in nature, and lay the foundation for development of yin-yang theory.

The Basic Meaning of Yin-Yang

The Yin and Yang Substances (static things) are seen as

more yin while functions (activities) are more yang.

Organs, blood, and body fluids tend to be yin, while the functions – transporting and transforming things, as with breathing and digestion – are seen as more yang.

The exterior (outside) of the body is regarded as more yang, while the interior (inside) is more yang.

The exterior (outside) of the body is regarded as more yang, while the interior (inside ) is more yin.

The head (upward like fire) is yang. The feet (downward like water) are yin. Acupuncture meridians on the outer sides of

the arms, legs, and black are yang, while those on the inner sides of the arms and legs, and across the abdomen, are yin.

The Yin and Yang

The various organs of the body are classified as solid (Zang 脏 ), which are more yin, or hollow (Fu 腑 ), which are more yang in character – but they still contain both aspects.

The Heart ( a Zang organ) is predominantly yin, but it is in the upper half of the body, so it is rather more yang in character than the Liver ( also Zang and yin), which is in the lower abdomen.

The Yin and Yang

Relationships and Restraint In a healthy body, the relationship between yin and yang is constantly changing: we exercise and become more yang, or rest indoors and become more yin.

These two energy forces also adapt and blend to our changing needs in what the Chinese refer to as “mutual restraint” – each controlling the other.

Relationships and Restraint In disease and illness, this mutual restraint collapses and yin or yang get out of hand:

Overactive yin damaging yang; Overactive yang damaging yin; Excess yang resulting from a deficiency of yin;

Excess yin resulting from a deficiency of yang.

Relationships and Restraint A disease characterized by fever and

inflammation, might be seen in terms of excessive yang. But the yang excess could be due to overactive yang, or to excess yang because yin is weak.

Treatment aimed at reducing or controlling yang might be appropriate if it is overactive, but if the problem is really yin deficiency.

But if the problem is really yin deficiency, then restraining yang may simply serve to weaken the patient by reducing damaged energy levels still further.

The opposition of yin and yang means there exist contrary attributes of two opposite aspects in all kings of things and phenomena in nature, such as heaven and earth, day and night, cold and heat, active and static, internal and external, ascending and descending, entering and exiting, etc.

Opposition and Interdependence of Yin and Yang

Interdependence of yin and yang indicates that yin or yang must take existence of its counterpart as the prerequisite for the existence of its own, and no one can exist solitarily without its counterpart.

For example, heat belongs to yang and cold to yin, without heat there would be no cold.

Opposition and Interdependence of Yin and Yang

Nothing is totally Yin or totally Yang. Just as a state of total Yin is reached, Yang

begins to grow. Yin contains seed of Yang and vise versa. They constantly transform into each other.

For Example: no energy without matter, no day without night.The classics state: "Yin creates Yang and Yang activates Yin".

Interdependent: Cannot exist without each other

Restriction of yin and yang indicates that two opposite side of yin and yang present with relationship of mutual restriction and control.

For example, in spring, summer, autumn, winter, there are warm, hot, cool, and cold changes in climate.

The warmth-hotness in spring and summer are due to rising yang qi restricts the cold-cool qi of autumn and winter.

That is the consequence that yang qi and yin qi restrict ether in nature.

Restriction and Reciprocity of Yin and Yang

Reciprocity of yin and yang means the interdependent yin and yang often express the relationship of mutual nurturing and promotion.

For example, water can be rising to form cloud and mist as a result of rising earth qi; while the cloud and mist in the sky can fall onto the earh in form of rain by the descending of heaven qi.

“Yin cannot generate without yang and yang cannot develop without yin.” 无阳则阴无以生，无阴则阳无以化

Restriction and Reciprocity of Yin and Yang

Wane means decrease and wax means increase.

one wanes while the other waxes. For example, from winter to spring and summer, the weather turns warm gradually and this is called “yin wanes and yang waxes.”

One waxes and the other wanes. For example, the yang qi in spring and summer grows and gets to the prime; thus things on earth also germinate and get to the prime.

Wane-wax and Transformation of Yin-Yang

Transformation of yin –yang. This means one side of yin-yang under certain conditions can transform itself into the other, or yin may change into yang and yang into yin.

Generally this occurs during “the extreme phase” in change of things.

For example, yin-cold in winter develops to the extreme, it will gain the condition for transformation, then the yin-cold weather will change into yang-heat weather.

Wane-wax and Transformation of Yin-Yang

Balance of yin-yang means that a harmoniously balanced state is maintained by an appropriate change in strength during the motion of yin-yang.

It maintains a dynamic balance through motion of yin-yang kept in a certain range.

Balance of Yin-Yang

Imbalance of yin-yang means that the change in strength of yin or yang gets too much or too little, beyond the range and leading a state of occurrence of various calamities.

To sum up, yin and yang are the summary of relative attributes of things and phenomenon, so there is a divide infinite.

It is not isolated and still, but mutual relative, affective and casual.

Imbalance of Yin-Yang

The Application of Yin-Yang Theory to the Field of

Chinese Medicine

1. To attribute tissue structure2. To explain physiological

function3. To explain pathological

changes4. To guide clinical diagnosis5. To guide treatment of disease

Application of Yin-Yang Theory

The theory of yin and yang is used extensively in traditional Chinese medicine to explain the histological structure, physiological function, and pathological changes of the human body, and to serve as guide for diagnosis of treatment.

To attribute tissue structure

The Yin-yang Theory holds that the body’s tissues and organs can be signified by yin and yang.

The upper part of the body pertains to yang while the lower part to yin; the body surface belongs to yang while the interior of the body to yin.

The five Zang-viscera pertain to yin because they store essential essence, but do not transport and transform foodstuffs.

To Attribute Tissue Structure

0The six Fu-viscera pertain to yang because they transport and transform foodstuffs.

The heart and lung are located in the upper (thorax), so they pertain to yang; while the liver, spleen and kidney are located in the lower (abdomen), so they pertain to yin.

In brief, among every part of tissue structure of the human body, internal-externally, interior-exteriorly and anterior may all be attributed to yin and yang.

To Attribute Tissue Structure

The Yin-yang Theory holds that human life activity is the outcome of keeping coordination by the two sides of yin-yang.

In terms of nutrients and functional activities, nutrients pertain to yin and the functional activities to yang.

Hence, if the spleen and stomach dysfunction, the nutrients will be difficult to be digested and absorbed.

To Explain Physiological Function

Viewing the correlations between qi and blood, qi pertains to yang and blood to yin.

Qi can produce, circulate, and control blood; qi helps blood to produce and circulate.

The relation between the physiological functions of human body and the viscera and tissues is also the relationship that yin and yang are independent upon and serve each other.

If yin and yang cannot maintain relative balance and interaction, they will separate from each other ending the life that depends upon them.

To Explain Physiological Function

The imbalance between yin and yang in TCM considered as the basic reason of the occurrence, development and change of disease.

It is a summary for various diseases and pathological mechanisms.

The imbalance between yin and yang mainly expresses the superiority and inferiority of one side, and affection or implication of one side by the other.

This can collectively called “discordance between yin and yang”.

To Explain Pathological Changes

The vital qi can be divided into yang qi and yin fluid, while the pathogenic qi can also be classified into two kinds of yin and yang.

For example, in the six climatic pathogens, summer heat, dryness and fire (heat) belong to yang, but cold and dampness belong to yin.

To Explain Pathological Changes

The process of the occurrence, development and change of disease is a process of conflict between the vital and the pathogen with victory or defeat.

The conditions reflected by the interaction and mutual conflict between the vital qi and the pathogenic qi can be briefly explained by superiority or inferiority of yin or yang, namely imbalance on wane-wax of yin and yang:

To Explain Pathological Changes

1. Superiority of yin or yang: this means the pathological changes resulting from that any side of yin and yang is too predominant so as to damage the other side.the changes can be manifested as follows:

1.1 Superiority of yang results in heat1.2 Superiority of yin results in cold

To Explain Pathological Changes

2. Inferiority of yin or yang: this means the pathological changes resulting from that any side of yin or yang declines below the normal level. The following situations can be occurred:

2.1 Deficiency of yang leads to cold2.2 Deficiency of yin leads to heat

To Explain Pathological Changes

3. Mutual involvement of yin and yang- yang deficiency affects yin and yin deficiency affects yang.

In the case of dual deficiency of yin and yang due to involvement of yin by yang deficiency, yang deficiency prevails;

And in the case of dual deficiency of yin and yang due to involvement of yang by yin deficiency, yin deficiency prevails.

To Explain Pathological Changes

4. Transformation of yin-yang:- Yin or yang syndrome, under certain

conditions, may transform itself into its opposite direction, or a yang syndrome may transform itself into yin syndrome;

- And a yin syndrome may transform itself into yang syndrome.

To Explain Pathological Changes

No matter how changeable or intricate their clinical manifestations may be, one must first distinguish yin from yang in a correct diagnosis.

The color and luster of the skin can be used to differentiate yin and yang attributes of the conditions. A bright color pertains to yang while a dark and gloomy color to yin.

A case of sonorous voice with a high tone and restlessness pertains to yang, while a low and feeble voice, reticence and rest to yin.

To Guide Clinical Diagnosis

As for the rate of pulse, rapid pulse belongs to yang slow to yin.

Superficial, surging and large, slippery pulse pertains to yang, while deep, thready, small and choppy pulse belongs to yin.

Distinguishing between yin and yang is the chief work in the four diagnostic process.

To Guide Clinical Diagnosis

1. To determine the therapeutic principle: the therapeutic principle for superiority of yin or yang may be generalized as “reducing the surplus”.1.1 The therapeutic principle for inferiority of yin or yang may be generalized as “reinforcing the deficient”.1.2 Purging the heat is used for yang exuberance;1.3 dispelling the cold is used for yin exuberance.

To Guide Treatment of Disease

2. To summarize property of medicinal. The property and acting tendency of a medicinal herb can be summarized by the theory of yin-yang to be the basis of guiding clinic medication.Generally speaking, properties of drugs mainly concern the natures, flavors and acting tendencies:

To Guide Treatment of Disease

2.1 The natures: these refer to cold, hot, warm and cool natures of medicinals called the “four natures”.

Cool and cold belong to yin while hot and warm pertain to yang.

Generally the medicinals that can reduce or eliminate the heat syndromes pertain mostly to cold-cool nature.

Conversely the medicinals that can reduce or eliminate cold syndromes pertain to warm-hot nature.

To Guide Treatment of Disease

2.2 The Five Flavors: these refer to acrid, sweet, sour bitter and salty.

The sour, bitter and salty flavors pertain to yin.

Acrid flavor can disperse, sweet flavor can nourish, so the acrid and sweet pertain to yang.

There are some medicinals with no distinct flavor, they are known as bland.

To Guide Treatment of Disease

Ascending, descending, floating and sinking. Herbs with actions of elevating yang, relieving the

exterior expelling wind and cold , emesis, and opening orifice are mostly of ascending and outward going properties.

They are characterized by ascending and floating actions so they belong to yang.

While herbs with actions of purgation, clearing away heat, tranquilizing the mind with heavy quality, subduing yang to quench wind, promoting digestion and removing food retention, lowering the rebellious qi, and astringency are mostly of descending and inward going properties; they are characterized by sinking and descending, so they belong to yin.

To Guide Treatment of Disease

CHARACTERISTICS OF TCM DIAGNOSTICSBy restoring the body’s internal imbalances, it will naturally be healed of diseases, and return to normal health

THE FIVE ELEMENTS

In Chinese, “Wu 五” refers to five categories of things in the natural world, namely wood, fire, earth, metal and water;

“Xing 行” means movement and change. So “Wu Xing”, or the five elements refer to

the movement and change of the five elements of world, namely wood, fire, earth, metal and water.

Fundamental Meaning of Five Elements

The Five ElementsThe five elements emerged from an observation of the various groups of dynamic processes, functions and characteristics observed in the natural world. The aspects involved in each of the five elements are follows:

The Five Elements theory posits wood, fire, earth, metal, and water as the basic elements of the material world.

These elements are in constant movement and change.

was an ancient philosophical concept used to explain the composition and phenomena of the physical universe.

The Five Elements

In traditional Chinese medicine, the visceral organs, as well as other organs and tissues, have similar properties to the five elements;

they interact physiologically and pathologically as the five elements do. Through similarity comparison, different phenomena are attributed to the categories of the five elements.

The Five Elements

Based on the characteristics, forms, and functions of different phenomena, the complex links between physiology and pathology as well as the interconnection between the human body and the natural world are explained

The Five Elements

The five elements emerged from an observation of the various groups of dynamic processes, functions and characteristics observed in the natural world. The aspects involved in each of the five elements are follows:

The Five Elements

Fire: draught, heat, flaring, ascendance, movement, etc.

Wood: germination, extension, softness, harmony, flexibility, etc.

Metal: strength, firmness, killing, cutting, cleaning up, etc.

Earth: growing, changing, nourishing, producing, etc.

Water: moisture, cold, descending, flowing, etc.

The Five Elements

The Five Elements The Five Elements theory posits wood, fire, earth, metal, and water as the basic elements of the material world. These elements are in constant

movement and change. was an ancient philosophical

concept used to explain the composition and phenomena of the physical universe.

53

The Five Elements relates to the Human Body

Heart

Liver

SpleenKidney

Lung

Five Elements Theory Water promotes or give rise to Wood, which

promotes Fire, which gives rise to Earth, which promotes Metal, which leads back to Water. TCM sees this as a “mother-son” relationship.

The elements also have a controlling function: Water controls Fire, Fire controls Metal, Metal chops Wood, which dominates the Earth beneath its roots, while Earth will soak up rain or divert rivers and to is Water’s controlling elements.

Five Elements Theory

These cycles of promotion and control are essential to maintain balance and harmony;

If any element becomes too strong and dominates the cycle, imbalance may follow.

The model ensures that this imbalance will eventually return to harmonious normality.

Five Elements Theory If Fire’s control over Metal is excessive, then Metal

is weakened and becomes incapable of controlling Wood.

Wood then grows too exuberant and starts to over-control Earth

Earth fails to check Water, which is over-strengthened and so exerts increased control on the over-strong Fire, which started the problem.

If one element fails to fulfill its controlling/restraining duties, then the imbalance can become more severe and damaging.

The Five Elements Theory, taking the knowledge of the five materials as the basis, to extract and deduct the attributes of the five materials so as to explain the motion and changes of inter-promotion and inter-restriction among all things and phenomena in nature.

Fundamental Meaning of Five Elements

“Wood bends and strengthens”, which means the stem and branches can bend, strengthen, grow upward and outward.

It is extended that anything that has the function or property of growing, devleping and flourishing is attributed to wood.

The characteristics of wood

“Fire burns and flares up”, which means that the fire has the characters of warmth, heat, and ascending.

It is extended anything that has the function or property of warmth, heat, and ascending is attributed to fire.

The characteristics of fire

“Earth provides for sowing and reaping”, which means that the earth can be used for sowing and reaping.

It is extended that anything that has the function or property of generating, holding and receiving is attributed to earth.

The characteristics of earth

“Metal works for change”, which means the metal can follow mean’s mind to change its shape.

It is extended that anything that has the function or property of clearing, descending and astringing is attributed to metal.

The characteristics of metal

“Water moistens and flows downward”, which means that the water has the characters of moistening and downward going.

It is extended that anything that has the function or property of cold and coolness, moistening, downward going to attributed to water.

The characteristics of water

Just as the basic five elements interact with each other, so do their various characteristics.

In the basic vision, Water promotes or gives rise to Wood, which promotes Fire, which gives rise to Earth, which promotes Metal, which leads back to Water.

Water, the mother, gives birth to Wood, the son- and so on.

Checks and Controls

The elements have a controlling function. This is again derived from observations: Water controls Fire, Fire controls Metal,

Metal chops Wood, which dominates the Earth beneath its roots, while Earth will soak up rain or divert rivers and so is Water’s controlling element.

Checks and Controls

In the reverse direction, these promoting and controlling tendencies act to restrain or weaken the same elements.

These cycles of promotion and control are essential to maintain balance and harmony: if any element becomes too strong and dominates the cycle, imbalance may follow, but the model ensures that this imbalance will eventually return to harmonious normality.

Checks and Controls

If Fire’s control over Metal is excessive, for example, then Metal is weakened and becomes incapable of controlling Wood.

Wood then grows too exuberant and starts to over-control Earth.

Earth fails to check Water, which is over-strengthened and so exerts increased control on the over-strong Fire, which started the problem.

Inevitably, if one element fails to fulfill its controlling/restraining duties, then the imbalance can become more severe and damaging.

Checks and Controls

Element Wood Fire Earth Metal Water

Direction East South Center West North

Color Green Red Yellow White Black

Season Spring Summer Late Summer (traditionally frp, July 7 for a month)

Autumn Winter

Climate Wind Hot Dampness Dryness Cold

Five-Phase Associations

Element Wood Fire Earth Metal Water

Zang Liver Heart Spleen Lung Kidney

Fu Gall Bladder

Small intestine

Stomach Large intestine

Bladder

Sense organs/openings

Eyes/ Sight

Tongue/Speech

Mouth/Taste

Nose/Smell

Ears/Hearing

Emotion Anger Excess Joy Worry Grief Fear

Five-Phase Associations

Element Wood Fire Earth Metal Water

Taste Sour Bitter Sweet pungent./Acrid

Salty

Tissues Tendon/ Nails

Blood vessels/Complexion

Muscles/Lips

Skin/Body hair

Bone

Sound Shouting Laughing Singing Weeping Groaning

Smell Rancid Burned Fragrant Rotten Putried

Five-Phase Associations

Element Wood Fire Earth Metal Water

Body Fluid

Tears Sweat Saliva Mucus Urine

Meat Chicken Mutton Beef Horse Pork

Cereal Wheat Glutinous millet

Millet Rice Beans

Five-Phase Associations

Summary

Application of the Five Elements Theory

in TCM

Wood is characterized by growing and flourishing, and the liver prefers free flow of qi; so the liver pertains to wood.

Fire is hot and tends to flame up, and heart-yang has a warm action; so the heart pertains to fire.

Earth is characterized by generating myriad of things, and the spleen is the source for production qi and blood; so the spleen pertains to earth.

To explain physiological functions & their relationships

Metal has the properties of purifying and astringing, and lung-qi is in charge of purification and descent; so the lung pertains to metal.

Water has the properties of moistening and storage, and the kidney stores essence and governs water metabolism; so the kidney pertains to water.

Through indirect deduction, those things that have relationships with the five Zang, five constituents, five emotions, five orifices are all attributed to the five elements along with the corresponding Zang.

To explain physiological functions & their relationships

If a liver disease affects the spleen, this wood subjugates earth;

If a spleen disease involves the liver, this is earth violates wood;

If the liver and the spleen get disordered at the same time, and mutually influence, that is either wood stagnation leads to earth deficiency or earth stagnation leads to wood stagnation;

To explain pathological change and their inter-influence

A liver disease may also affect the heart, this a child disease involves its mother;

If it affects the lung, this wood violates metal;

If it affects the kidney, this is a child’s disease involves its mother.

Diseases of the other zang can all be explained similarly.

To explain pathological change and their inter-influence

Abnormal changes in functional activities of the viscera and their relationships can all be reflected in the external appearances.

The five Zang-viscera have a certain relations in the attribution to the five elements to the changes of five colors, five flavors and pulse conditions.

A patient whose complexion is greenish with a preference for sour food and a wiry pulse may be diagnosed as having a liver disease.

To guide clinical diagnosis

A patient with a reddish complexion, bitter taste in the mouth, and a surging pulse may be diagnosed as having a heart disease.

A patient with spleen deficiency accompanied with a greenish complexion implies that wood (liver) subjugates earth (spleen) .

A patient with dark complexion suggests that water (kidney) subjugates fire ( heart) .

To guide clinical diagnosis

1. Tonifying the mother: it is a therapeutic principle to treat a deficiency pattern in disorders of mother-child relationship.

- For example, if kidney yin gets deficient and fails to nourish the liver-wood, it may lead to deficiency of liver yin with hyperactive liver yang.

- Since the kidney is the mother of the liver, kidney –water can promote liver-wood.

- The treatment is therefore to nourish kidney yin.

To guide treatment of disease

A deficient lung qi may affect the transformation and transportation of the spleen and leads to weakening the spleen.

As the spleen-earth is the mother of lung-metal, earth can promote metal.

Hence, tonify the mother for a deficiency syndrome.

To guide treatment of disease

2.Reducing the child: it is a therapeutic principle to treat an excess pattern.- When the liver fire gets too hyperactive and

liver qi over ascending, reducing heart fire will help to reduce liver fire.

- It is because the liver-wood is mother and the heart-fire is the child.

- So reducing the child for an excess syndrome.

To guide treatment of disease

3. Replenishing water to nourish wood:It is also called “replenishing the kidney to nourish the liver.”-it is mainly suitable for deficiency 0f liver yin.-Its clinical manifestations may be dizziness and vertigo, dry eyes, tinitus and flushed face and hot sensation of the heart area, soles and palms, weakness of the waist and knees, spermatorrhea in male, irregular menstration in females.

To guide treatment of diseaseTo guide treatment of disease

4. Mutual promotion of water and metal: it meant to nourish the deficient yin of both the lung and kidney.It can also be used when the deficient lung qi fails to nourish the kidney.

To guide treatment of disease

5. Reinforcing earth to strengthen metal: it is a method to replenish lung qi by replenishing spleen qi.It is especially appropriate when both the spleen and lung are suffering from qi deficiency.

To guide treatment of disease

6. Supporting fire and strengthening earth: it is a method to support spleen yang by warming and strengthening kidney yang.

It is suitable for a syndrome of both spleen and kidney are suffering from yang deficiency.

Since the introduction of “Life Gate Theory”, the meaning of fire is referring to life gate fire or kidney fire and not heart fire.

To guide treatment of disease

7. Checking the strong: this is a therapeutic principle to restrict the hyperactive element in order to help the recovery of the violated element.If the liver qi gets disordered and affect the stomach or spleen, generating disharmony between the liver and stomach.Soothing or pacifying the liver would be able to regulate the stomach disorder.

To guide treatment of disease

8. Strengthening the weak: this is a therapeutic principle to support the subjugated element to coordinate of strengths of both elements.- It is suitable for a case in which the power of

restriction becomes insufficient, or subjugation due to deficiency.

- If the liver is depressed, it would affect the spleen and stomach resulting in the disorder of receiving and transforming functions.

- The treatment should be nourishing or harmonizing the liver, strengthening the spleen and normalizing the stomach.

To guide treatment of disease

9. Inhibiting wood to assist earth: it is also called smoothing the liver and strengthening the spleen.

This is a method to treat the deficient spleen due to hyperactive liver.

The treatment is to sooth the liver and strengthen the spleen.

To guide treatment of disease

10. Banking up earth to treat water:It is called “strengthening the spleen, warming the kidney for diauresis.It is suitable for the water-dampness caused by failure of insufficient spleen or yang deficiency of the spleen and kidney.

To guide treatment of disease

11. Assisting metal to subdue wood: it is also called subduing the liver and clearing the lung.It is a method to inhibit the hyperactive liver fire by clearing and purifying lung qi.

To guide treatment of disease

12. Reducing the south and tonify the north. It is called reducing fire and replenish water.It is also a method to reduce heart-fire and nourish kidney-water.

To guide treatment of disease

Sorrow is the emotion of the lung, belonging to metal; anger is the emotion of liver, belonging to wood. Metal restricts wood, so sorrow can check anger.

Fear is the emotion of kidney, belonging to water; and joy is the emotion of heart, belong to fire. Water restricts fire, so fear can check joy.

Anger is the emotion of liver, belonging to the wood; and thinking is the emotion of spleen, belong to earth. Wood restricts earth, so anger can check thinking.

To guide therapies for mental disease

Joy is the emotion of the heart, belonging to fire; and worry is the emotion of lung, belonging to metal. Fire restricts metal, so joy can check worry.

Thinking is the emotion of the spleen, belonging to earth; and fear is the emotion of the kidney, belonging to water. Earth restricts water, so thinking can check fear.

To guide therapies for mental disease

EMOTIONS AND ORGANS

Anger impairs the liver Excess joy impairs the heartGrief impairs the lungFear impairs the kidneyAnxiety impairs the spleen

TCM Notion of human life cycle

Every cycle is 10 years. Male’s cycle is 8 years, based on the body’s key

organs’ prosperity and the descending and decline of qi and blood.

Female’s cycle is 7 years, based on the prosperity and decline rate of the kidney ‘s qi and tian kui , 天癸 a unique substance responsible for maintaining the sexual functions.

Man’s key organs fully grown at the age of 10. Qi and blood flow actively and manifested in preference to move and run.

“ 人生十岁，五脏始定，血气已通，其气在下，故好走。”

TCM Notion of human life cycle

At 20 years old, muscle and tendons fully grown and manifested in sheer vitality. “ 二十岁，血气始盛，肌肉方长，故好趋。

At 30 years, the human body’s physical growth reached its peak and are swift in movement. “ 三十岁，五脏大定，肌肉坚固，血脉盛满，故好步。”

At 40, the human body’s growth optimized and is a watershed period. Aging soon started and hence tend to dislike moving excessively. “ 四十岁，五脏六腑，十二经脉，皆大盛以平定，腠理始疏，荣华颓落，发颇斑白，平盛不摇，故好坐。”

TCM Notion of human life cycle

At 50, the liver energy started to decline and so the gall bladder’s secretion. Vision also began to blur. “ 五十岁，肝气始衰，肝叶始薄，胆汁始灭，目始不明。”

At 60, the heart energy started to turn weak and man tended to worry more. Flow of qi and blood slowed and hence preferred to rest the body by lying down. “ 六十岁，心气始衰，苦忧悲，血气懈惰，故好卧。”

At 70, spleen energy became deficient and dry skin manifested. “ 七十岁，脾气虚，皮肤枯。”

TCM Notion of human life cycle

At 80, lung energy weakened and unable to express eloquently. “ 八十岁，肺气衰，魄离，故言善误。”

At 90, kidney’s energy burnout and visible weakening and emptiness of spleen, liver, lung and heart. “ 九十岁，肾气焦，四脏经脉空虚”

At 100, all organs ‘ energy became deficient and only the skeleton remained. “ 百岁，五脏皆虚，神气皆去，形骸独居而终矣。”