Five Element Theory
Yin and Yang are two Chinese words to explain the duality of the universe. Yin, meaning moon, soft, dark, yielding, etc. Yang, meaning sun, hard, light, overpowering, etc. Some say that yin and yang or opposites but they cannot exist without each other.
They are both interdependent, and conflicting. The relationships between yin and yang are used in traditional Chinese medicine to explain the physiology and pathology of the human body. Yin and yang are also used as a guide in diagnosis and treatment of patients.
The Five Element Theory teaches that the material world is made up of 5 basic elements which are, wood, fire, earth, metal, and water. We can adapt to the environment, but we’re also dependent on it. The Five Element Theory has a generation cycle and a destruction cycle. Wood generates fire, fire generates earth, earth generates metal, metal generates water, and water generates wood.
Each of the five elements has a relationship the internal organs. (The pericardium is the membrane that surrounds the heart and is not considered an organ in western medicine. The triple heater or san jiao is also not an organ, but a function.
Wood
Yin organ – liver Yang organ – gall bladder Season – Spring Weather – wind Color – green Direction – east Emotion – anger Sound – shout Flavor – sour Sense organ – eyes | Sense commanded – sight Controls – muscles, nerves, tendons, ligaments,brain Expands into – nails Liquid emitted – tears Smell – rancid Developement – birth Grain – wheat Meat – fowl Martial art movement – retreat Weapon – staff |
Earth
Yin organ – spleen Yang organ – stomach Season – late summer Weather – humid Color – yellow Direction – center Emotion – saddness Sound – sing Flavor – sweet Sense organ – mouth | Sense commanded – taste Controls – fat and flesh Expands into – lips Liquid – saliva/spinal fluid Smell – fragrant Development – transformation Grain – rye Meat – ox/beef Martial arts movement – center, balance Weapon – hand |
Water
Yin organ – kidney Yang organ – Urinary bladder Season – winter Weather- cold Color – black Direction – north Emotion – fear Sound – groaning Flavor – salty Sense organ – ears | Sense commanded – hearing Controls – bones Expands into – head hair Liqud emitted – urine Smell – putrid Development – storing Grain – bean Meat – pork Martial arts movement – gaze left Weapon – sword |
Fire
Yin organ – heart/small intestine Yang organ – pericardium/triple heater Season – summer Weather – heat Color – red Direction – south Emotion – joy Sound – laughter Flavor – bitter Sense organ – tongue | Sense commanded – speech Controls – blood vessels/vascular system Expands into – complexion Liquid emmitted – sweat Smell – scorched Development – growth Grain – millet Meat – lamb Martial arts movement – gaze right Weapon – spear |
Metal
Yin organ – lung Yang organ – colon Season – fall Weather – dryness Color – white Direction – west Emotion – grief Sound – weep Flavor – pungent Sense organ – nose | Sense commanded – smell Controls – skin and hair Expands into – body hair Liquid emitted – mucous Smell – rank Development – harvest Grain – rice Meat – horse Martial arts movement – advance Weapon – knife |