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Yin	Yang
Deficiency	Excess
Hypo-activity	Hyperactivity
Chronic disease/gradual onset	Acute disease/rapid onset
Slowly changing symptoms	Rapid pathological changes
Quiet, lethargy, sleepiness	Restlessness, insomnia
Wants to be covered	Throws off bedclothes
Lies curled up	Lies stretched out
Cold limbs and body	Hot limbs and body
Pale face	Red face
Weak voice, no desire to talk	Loud voice, talkative
Shallow, weak breathing	Coarse breathing
No thirst/wants warm drinks	Thirst esp. for cold drinks
Copious, clear urine	Scanty, dark urine
Loose stools (fluids not transformed)	Constipation (damage to fluids by heat)
Clear, copious secretions	Thick, sticky white/yellow secretions
Excessive moisture	Excessive dryness (throat, skin, eyes etc.)
Degenerative disease	Inflammatory disease
Pale tongue, white coat	Red tongue, yellow coat
Empty pulse	Full pulse

 

In Practice:

 

Although Yin-Yang essential foundation for understanding symptoms and signs, the above list of signs is too general. We need to distinguish further to get exact diagnosis. i.e., which Organ is involved, which pathogen involved, which channel involved.

Structure and Function
Without structure, function could not occur. Without function, structure would be meaningless.

Mutual Consumption of Yin and Yang
Balance of Yin & Yang is constantly changing. Yin & Yang mutually consume each other.

Four different situations:

 

1) Excess of Yin	2) Excess of Yang
3) Deficiency of Yin	4) Deficiency of Yang

 

Excess of Yin: i.e., when excess Cold in the body consumes the Yang (heat). This is an Excess Cold (Full Cold) condition.

 

Excess of Yang: i.e., when excess Heat (from Exterior or Interior of body) consumes Body Fluids, leading to Dryness or even Heat. This is an Excess Heat (Full Heat) condition.

 

Deficiency of Yin (Consumption of Yin): i.e., when the body's Yin energy is depleted, an apparent excess of Yang results, leading to feelings of "empty heat" (mild but very specific heat symptoms, i.e., flushed cheeks, afternoon fever, sweating at night, heat in extremities. This is Deficiency Heat (Empty Heat) condition (i.e., a condition of deficiency and heat), also called "False Fire".

 

Deficiency of Yang (Consumption of Yang). When body's Yang energy is spontaneously deficient - an apparent excess of Yin results, leading to various symptoms involving cold and hypo-activity

 

Deficiency of Yang can also occur after an Excess Cold condition has damaged Yang. This is an Deficiency Cold (Empty Cold) condition (i.e., a condition of deficiency and cold).

Excess of Yin (Full Cold)	Excess of Yang (Full Heat)
Excess of Yin is primary aspect	Excess of Yang is primary aspect
Yin is in true excess	Can eventually cause deficiency of Yin
Can eventually cause deficiency of Yang
Deficiency of Yang (Consumption of Yang)	Deficiency of Yin (Consumption of Yin)
(Empty Cold)	(Empty Heat of "False Fire")
Decrease of Yang energy is primary aspect	Deficiency of Yin is primary aspect
Yin only apparently in excess	Yang only apparently in excess

 

Inter-transformation of Yin and Yang in Medicine

 

In medicine also, Yin and Yang transform into one another, but only when conditions are right. The right moment determined by internal qualities of the given situation or phenomenon.
In clinical practice, the above principle is important.

 

Disease is prevented by achievement of BALANCE in lifestyle i.e., excessive work (Yang) without rest leads to deficiency (Yin) of energy i.e., excessive consumption of cold food (Yin) leads to deficiency of body's Yang energy i.e., smoking (= putting heat (Yang) into Lungs) leads to deficiency of Yin of Lungs (and eventually Kidneys)

 

The principle is observable in pathological changes seen in disease i.e., Exterior cold (cold weather) can invade body and can change to heat (sore throat). i.e., Deficiency of Yang of Excess Interior Dampness (Yin).

 

 

The Five Elements  (see the 5 elements pentagram)

 

Metal	Water	Wood	Fire	Earth

Five Element Relationships

 

It was observed over the years that the Five Elements relate to each other in different ways.

 

Sheng Cycle (Generating Sequence)

Ko Cycle (Controlling Sequence)

Destructive Cycle (Overacting Sequence)

Anti Ko Cycle (Insulting Sequence)

 

Sheng Cycle

 

The Generating Sequence or Mother-Child Relationship

As in the cycle of the seasons, each element generates another, i.e., one element is the "mother" of the next.

 

Wood (Liver) creates Fire (Heart)	Wood is the Mother of Fire	Liver is the Mother of the Heart
Fire (Heart) creates Earth (Spleen)	Fire is the Mother of Earth
Earth (Spleen) creates Metal (Lungs)	Earth is the Mother of Metal
Metal creates Water	Metal is the Mother of Water
Water creates Wood.	Water is the Mother of Wood

Naturally, therefore, each element is generated by another: Fire is the child of Wood, Earth is the child of Fire, etc. In nature, we see this in the seasonal changes: Winter transforms into Spring, Spring changes into Summer.

 

Ko Cycle

 

Controlling Sequence or Father-Child relationship Each element is said to control, check, or regulate another.

 

Wood controls Earth

Fire controls Metal

Earth controls Water

Metal controls Wood

Water controls Fire

 

Each element is of course then controlled by another.

 

Earth is controlled by Wood

Wood is controlled by Metal, etc.

 

This cycle ensures that a balance is maintained between elements.

 

The "father- child" symbolism relates to traditional family roles, where the father was the patriarchal head of the household. The mother, by comparison, is seen as the creative and nurturing force.

 

Destructive Cycle

 

Overacting Sequence

This is the same as the Ko cycle, but in this sequence, one Element is said to "over-control" or "destroy" another, causing the controlled element to become Deficient. This happens when balance breaks down so that one element becomes excessive in relationship to another.

E.g. An excess of Wood energy will over-control Earth, causing Earth to become Deficient.

 

Anti-Ko Cycle

 

Insulting Sequence

This cycle is the reverse of the Ko cycle or controlling sequence. In the Insulting Sequence, the element that should BE controlled becomes imbalanced and excessive, and controls the element that normally controls it.

 

Example: Instead of Metal controlling Wood, if Wood becomes excessive, it can "insult" Metal, causing it to become imbalanced. This is akin to the child rebelling and insulting or trying to discipline its father.

 

Four Possible Pathologies

 

Element in Excess overacts on another (Overacting sequence)

 

Element in Deficiency insulted by another (Insulting sequence)

 

Element in Excess drains from Mother (pathological Sheng cycle)

 

Element in Deficiency fails to nourish Child (pathological Sheng cycle)

 

What is Qi? (Chi)

 

It has been translated as "vital energy", "life force", or "Breath" but no single English word will suffice.

This is because of the nature of Qi. It can have different manifestations in different situations.

 

Qi can even be material and is said to "condense" into matter. This is what occurs according to TCM, when a child is conceived and a human being develops. Qi condenses to form a material being. In pathology, when Qi flow slows down and stagnates, masses, lumps or tumors can appear.

 

The concept of Qi representing a continuum between immaterial and material is not so far from the concepts of matter and energy in modern physics. Matter is not "solid", but its particles are vibrating at various speeds; the faster they vibrate, the more rarefied the matter becomes. In the same way, the manifestations of Qi cover the continuum of matter-energy.

 

Characters for Qi mean "vapor" or "steam" and "uncooked rice".

 

This illustrates that Qi can appear in different states ranging from more immaterial like steam to dense and material like rice.

 

It also illustrates a CENTRAL IDEA in TCM, that the major source of Qi is transformed from the FOOD that we put into our bodies.

 

Overview of Qi in Traditional Chinese Medicine (TCM)

 

Ancient philosophers saw human Qi as the result of the interaction between the Qi of Heaven (Yang) and Earth (Yin). They stressed the interaction between a human being's Qi and the forces of nature.

 

TCM, following these ancient philosophies, stresses the relationship between human beings and natural forces, both cosmic and local (the environment).

 

1. We are under the influence of natural rhythms and cycles, (lunar, circadian and solar cycles) with which we should strive to stay in balance in order to maintain health.

 

1. We are susceptible to pathological conditions resulting from attack by pathological climatological energies (wind, cold, damp, heat, summer heat and dryness).

· Qi manifests both on the physical an spiritual/psychological level.

· Qi is in a constant state of flux and its immaterial/material state constantly varies. When Qi condenses, it accumulates to form physical shape.
Example: Poor circulation of Qi in the body can result in condensation of Qi to form lumps, masses or tumors.

· Although there are many types of Qi in human beings, all these types are ultimately one Qi, manifesting in different forms.

· Qi changes form according to its locality and function.

 

TWO MAJOR USES OF THE WORD QI IN TCM

 

1. Qi is a refined substance produced by the internal Organs, to nourish the body, mind and spirit (its form varies according to its location and function).

 

2.              The word Qi is also used to mean the complex of functional activities of a given internal organ.

 

Example: When we say Spleen Qi, we mean the complex of the functional activities of the Spleen.

 

Example: Defensive Qi circulates primarily in the Exterior to protect the body. Nutritive Qi circulates in the Interior, to nourish the Organs. These two are different manifestations of Qi. When either is unable to perform its functions, specific pathological symptoms will result.

The various forms of Qi are discussed below. However, it is first important to understand another vital substance: JING.

 

The Causes of Illness

 

The Six Evils (External Causes)

 

Wind, Cold, Damp, Heat, Summer Heat, Dryness

 

The Seven Emotions (Internal Causes)

 

Anger, Fear, Fright, Grief, Joy, Worry and Pensiveness.

 

Other Causes of Illness

 

Weak Constitution, Over Exertion, Excessive Sexual Activity, Diet and Nutrition, Physical Trauma, Parasites and Poisons, Incorrect Treatment.

 

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