five-elements

TheTheoryofFiveElementsYin-YangYinandYangaregeneraltermsfortwooppositeandinterrelatedaspectsorphenomenaintheworld.TCMtakesandassymbolsofYinandYang.UpperpartinteriorBackabdomenFu-organsZang-organswaterfireContentofYin-YangTheunityandoppositionbetweenYinandYangInterdependencebetweenYinandYangWaningandwaxingofYinandYangTransformationofYinandYangBasicConceptoftheTheoryofFiveElementsFiveelementsThefiveelementsrefertowood,fire,earth,metal,andwateraswellastheirmotions.TheFive-phasetheorycanbeusedtoexplaintheoccurrence,development,changeandinterrelationofeverythingintheuniverse.PropertiesofFiveelementsWoodWoodhasthenatureofgrowingfreelyandunfolding.So,anythingthatissimilartothecharacteristicsisattributedtothecategoryofwood.FireFirehasthenatureofflaringup.Therebythethingssimilartothenatureoffireareclassifiedintotheattributeoffire.EarthEarthhasthenatureofgivingbirthtoallthings.Thus,thosethatpossessthenatureofearthareattributedtoearth.MetalMetalhasthenatureofpurifying,stern(killing)anddescending.Hence,thosewiththenatureofmetalcanbeattributedtometalcategory.WaterWaterhasthenatureofmoisteningandflowingdownwards.Forthisreason,thethingsthathavemoistening,downwardmovementandcoldnesscorrespondtowater.east——woodwest——metalsouth——firenorth——watercentre——earthdirectionsandthefiveelementsSeasonsandthefiveelementsspring——woodsummer——fireLatersummer——earthautumn——metalwinter——waterfiveelementsfiveseasonsfiveclimatesfivedirectionsfivecolorsfivenotesfivetasteswoodspringwindeastcyanjuesourfiresummersummer-heatsouthredzhibitterearthlatesummerdampnessmiddleyellowgongsweetmetalautumndrynesswestwhiteshangpungentwaterwintercoldnorthblackyusaltyTheliverpreferstogrowfreelyanddislikedepression.Theheartpumpsbloodtowarmthebody.Therelationshipbetweenthefivezang-organsandfiveelementsThespleenisresponsiblefortransformingandtransportingcerealnutrientstoallpartsofthebody.Thelungismarkedbythefunctionsofpurificationanddescending.Thekidneyisinchargeofstoringessenceandgoverningwater.fiveelementsfivezangemotionssecretiongovernexternalmanifest-ationopenintowoodliverangertearstendonsfingernailseyesfireheartjoysweatvesselsfacetongueearthspleenanxietysalivamuscleslipsmouthmetallungsadnessnasalmucusskinhairnosewaterkidneyfearfrightspittlebonehairears,ure-thra,anusRelationshipBetweentheFiveElementsAmongthefive-elements,thereexisttherelationshipsofgeneration,restriction,subjugationandcounterrestriction,andmutualaffectionbetweenmother-organandchild-organ.GenerationGenerationimpliesthatonekindofthingcanpromote,aidorbringforthanother.woodgeneratesfirefiregeneratesearthearthgeneratesmetalmetalgenerateswaterwatergenerateswoodwoodfirewaterearthmetalgenerationEachofthefiveelementscontainsthedualnature-beinggeneratedandgenerating.Thisrelationshipofthefiveelementsiscalledthemother-childrelationship.Theelementthatgeneratesiscalledthemother,whiletheelementthatisgeneratediscalledthechild.RestrictionRestrictionmeansbringingundercontrolorrestraint.Theorderofrestrictiongoesasfollows:woodrestrictsearthearthdoeswaterwaterdoesfirefiredoesmetalMetaldoeswoodwoodfirewaterearthmetalRestrictionIntherestrictionofthefiveelements,eachelementpossessestwoaspectsofbeingrestrictedandrestricting.“Therestrictingelementisthedominator,andthepromotedelementisthesubordinate.27Withoutgeneration,therewouldbenogrowthanddevelopmentofthings;withoutinterrestrictiontherewouldbenobalanceandcoordinationduringdevelopmentandchange,andexcessivegrowthwouldbringaboutharm.SubjugationBysubjugationismeantthatoneofthefiveelementsoveractsuponanotheronewhenthelatterisweak.Therefore,itisalsocalleddoublerestriction.30woodfirewaterearthmetalusingone’sstrengthtobullyanotherone.Thisistheabnormalmanifestationofdisorderofinter-restrictionamongthings.CounterrestrictionCounter-restrictionmeansthatthestrongbulliestheweak.Itisalsoamorbidconditioninwhichoneelementfailstorestricttheotherintheregularorder,butinreverseorder.Itisclearthattheorderofcounter-restrictionisjusttheoppositetothatofinter-restriction.32woodfirewaterearthmetalcounter-restriction：oneofthefiveelementsbecomestooexcessive,thustheelementthatoriginallyrestrictsitcannotrestrictitanymore,andisrestrictedbyit.Mutualaffectionbetweenmother-organandchild-organThegeneratedelementisconsideredasthechild,andthegeneratingelementasthemother.Hereaffectingmeanshavingharmfulinfluence,includingboththediseasedmother-organaffectingthechild-organandthediseasedchild-organinvolvingthemother-organ.ApplicationoftheFive-phaseTheoryThegeneratingsequenceTheliveristhemotherofheart.Theheartisthemotherofspleen.Thespleenisthemotheroflung.Thelungisthemotherofkidney.Thekidneyisthemotherofliver.TheEssenceofKidneygeneratesLiver,theLiverstoresBloodtoaidHeart,theHeartwarmstheSpleen,theSpleenobtainsessencefromfoodtostrengthentheLung,theLungpurifiesanddescendstoaidKidney.43woodfirewaterearthmatelgenerationamotherdiseaseinvolvingthechild•achilddiseaseinvolvingthemotherReinforcetheMotherReducetheSonMother-songenerationrelationshipReplenishtheWatertonourishtheWood。滋水涵木Re