Yin-Yang 5 Elements 陰陽五行
The most fundamental basis of ancient Chinese Science lies in Yin-Yang Qi interactions《陰陽氣》
Yin-Yang is not two separate issues. The following pairings are the OPPOSITE pairings.
- male and female;
- active and passive;
- bright and dark;
- day and night; or;
- front and back.
The art of balancing the Yin-Yang within one body is the FIRST DIMENSION in Chinese Metaphysics.
Yin-Yang can be described as a tripartite relationship.《三才》
- Each of the three parts can also be further subdivided into its own Yin-Yang component, with its own tripartite of Heaven, Earth and Man.
- The number of subdivisions can be endless, and can be envisioned as a pyramid.
Five Elements 五行
In Chinese Metaphysics, we have the concept known as the Five Arts: They are Mountains [山]; Medicine [医]; Divination [扑]; Destiny [命] and Physiognomy [相].
Each of these Arts comprises of the Five Elements: Water, Wood, Fire, Earth and Metal. Note that these are not physical objects, but energies (or Qi) that permeate any part of the world at all times.
Each Element is also associated with its own primary essence: Water – Mental [水-元精], Wood – Nature [木-元性], Fire – Spirit [火-元神], Earth – Vitality [土-元氣] and Metal – Sentiments [金-元情]。
Similar to the trinity existent in Yin-Yang, each Element can also be subdivided into Five parts, each associated with one of the Five Elements.
For example: The Water element includes Tears 淚 (representing an inner component of Wood), sweat 汗 (representing Fire); mucus 涕 (representing Metal); saliva 涎 (representing Earth) and fluid 唾 (representing Water)。