4. Yinyang (阴阳 )

The simplest but the most meaningful dividing approach of a Xiang is YinYang. We are confronting an ultimate question about what is Yin and what is Yang exactly? Generally, what is brighter, faster, warmer, stronger, more progressive, more masculine, more function aspect, is regarded as Yang; Contrarily, what is darker, slower, colder, weaker, more enduring, more feminine, more substance aspect is regarded as Yin. All of these descriptions are RIGHT.  However, these descriptions are not capable of providing clues for complex clinical diagnosis.

Owing a big debt of gratitude to our Chinese originator, Xuanyuan Emperor, who led the creation of《Inner Canon of Yellow Emperor》, in which they shed light on that we need to differentiate between static Taiji and dynamic Taiji firstly. When a Taiji is assumed static, YinYang refers to their relative position, what is inside is Yin, and what is outside is Yang. As to dynamic state, YinYang refers to their motion treads, what is inside (Yin) always trends to move towards Yang, aiming to disperse itself as Qi; and what is outside (Yang) always trends to move towards Yin, aiming to liquefy into fluid.

Yin zhe, yang hua qi ye; Yang zhe, yin cheng xing ye,

阴   者， 阳    化  气 也；阳   者，  阴    成    形   也

Another keynote《Inner Canon of Yellow Emperor》permeating everywhere is the function of Yin and Yang, which clarifies that

Yin zhe， Cang jing er Qi ji ye; Yang zhe, Wei wai er Wei gu ye.

阴   者，    藏   精  而 起极也；  阳    者，卫   外  而 为 固   也。

精Jing, if widely defined, includes  what can be detected by the modern medical instruments, such as the blood, clear and thin fluid, heavy and thick fluid and what is too refined to be detected by machine, such as Qi  and essence in the body. If narrowly defined, Jing only refers to the very refined essence that can not be detected by modern machine.

Both Yin and Yang serve two functions. Yin’s Cangjing function means containing and storing the essence/Jing in the body, and Qiji means dispersing them as needed.  Yang’s Weiwai function means safeguarding the Jing in the body, and Weigu means solidifying what’s inside of the body.

 

For Yang part, the guarding function is responsible for safeguarding against intruding factors, such as wind, rain, snow, fire, bugbite, injures etc, in nature and other external stimulus, and while the solidifying function is responsible for strengthening and consolidating what’s inside, distinguishing itself from other Taiji. As for Yin part, its dispersing function is in charge of ensuring METABOLIZE as needed, while the containing function is in charge of containing the metabolic rate to ensure it doesn’t go excessively. Yin’s two functions could be regarded as the balance between attractive force and repulsive force in the body.

If Yang’s function is impaired to some extent, one consequence can be failing to consolidate its substance (deficient solidifying), hence some people will suffering from obese organs, such as obese adenoid, prostrate, heart, tongue, even obese body too. If deficient consolidation occurs at epidermis and pore, the body trends to sweat easily with just a bit movement and exercises. The reasons why Yang’s function is weakened include, but not only limited to, cold food, cold fluid (especial with ice in it as many western people like to) in diet recipes for long term, staying in air condition rooms with low room temperature for long time in summer, taking antibiotics improperly, as well as taking cold and cool herb medicine improperly and so on… These complicated reasons will be analyzed and discussed more in future chapters.

As to Yin part, just imagine human body as a spirit lamp. If the lamp does not combust enough, it only lights up and warms a very limited area (deficient dispersing and excessive containing).   The lamp can be provoked to burn brighter and warmer as desired. However, alcohol is not inexhaustible. When the lamp burns brighter and quicker, it wanes quicker too (excessive dispersing and deficient containing).  The longevity of a spirit lamp is decided by the quantity of the alcohol and its combustion velocity. So does the longevity of our lives.

Our bodies’ metabolic rate is effected by complicated factors. Take air temperature for an example, modern physiology studying shows that human body metabolizes most properly and comfortably when the air temperature is 22-23 ℃ , and the metabolic rate will accelerate when the temperature getting higher or lower. Therefore, if we don’t wear enough to make ourselves feel warm, we will keep a quicker metabolic rate consistently. Unfortunately, modern fashion leads people, especial young women, to wear lesser and lesser than what the body needs. This is one of many such examples where we consume ourselves too much.

When one person catches cold, whether his body has enough Jing and stores Jing very well or not are crucial symptoms for TCM doctor to prescribe for him. Usually, 麻黄汤Mahuang Tang (Ephedra decoction) will be prescribed for person who stores Jing very well, and桂枝汤 Guizhi Tang (cinnamon twig decoction)series will be prescribed for person who fails to store Jing very well, according to the伤寒论Shanghai Lun .  TCM doctors have noticed that as we are experiencing an excessive consummation  of our of body’s Jing, generally, person who needs Mahuang Tang when him get cold is one in a million.

Indeed, if we examine and introspect our habits thoroughly, the conclusion would be extremely stunning and disturbing, as many of them run counter to the right regiment principles.  Now this is the time for eastern and western cultures to turn around our view of health and well-being. All of our illnesses and diseases root from the improper details of our lives, even including human being’s damage to the natural environment, which will react to ourselves finally. Illnesses and diseased never occur for no reason, and we are responsible for them. Nevertheless, we are capable of changing our daily routines and lifestyles in order to make a real fitness and prevent from getting illnesses and diseases.

Cangjing （藏精） and Qiji（起极）： Cangjing refers to containing and storing the essence/Jing in the body, and Qiji refers to dispersing them as body need. Weiwai （卫外）and Weigu（为固）: Weiwai means safeguarding the body against intruding factors , and Weigu means solidifying what’s inside the body. As readers getting more familiar with these words, the phonetic transcription might be used directly in future chapters to ensure we strictly abide by the original meanings, meanwhile to express our gratitude and respects to the original works.