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Chapter Two
The Theory of Five Elements

The theory of five elements is a theory which takes five kinds of substance wood,fire,earth, metal and water as source material and explains the relations among the different things according to the abstract characteristics of these five kinds of substance and the interrelation among them. The theory of five elements believes that the five kinds of substance wood , fire , earth , metal and water produce and promote mutually , confine and restrain mutually , and move and change continuously . The theory of five elements is an argumentative tool , and this theory can be generally used . In Sinomedicine , the theory of five elements is used to explain the questions on nature and human body .

1.Basic Concepts of the Theory of Five Elements

The basic concepts of the theory of five elements include the contents of classification of five elements , generation and restriction of five elements , and subjugation and reverse restriction of five elements .

[1].The Classification of Five elements System

In the theory of five elements , the things and phenomena are classified into a corresponding element among wood , fire , earth , metal and water , on the basis of their attribute , function and manifestation , by using the method of classification according to similarity of characteristics , so that we can find out the common points and the developmental laws from the more complicated things , thus inferring and judging the tendency of development of things . The classification of five elements related to Sinomedicine includes the classification of things of nature and the classification of organs and tissues of human body , as well as emotional activities ( Table 3-1 ) .

(1).The Classification of Five elements System for Nature

The change of all things in the universe has certain order and law . Spring , summer , late summer,autumn and winter are the seasons of a year ; east , west , south , north and center are the five directions of the heaven ; cold , summer-heat , dryness , wetness and wind are the five weathers of the heaven ; green , red , yellow , white and black are the five colors of all things on earth ; sour , bitter , sweet , acrid and salty are the five tastes of all things on earth ; germination , growth , transformation , harvest and storage are the producing and changing processes of all things on earth . All of these can be explained by classification of five elements .

Table 3-1 The Classification of Five-element System

Five Elements Wood Fire Earth Metal Water
Direction East South Center West North
Seasons Spring Summer Late Summer Autumn Winter
Five Weathers Wind Summer-heat Wetness Dryness Cold
Five Colors Green Red Yellow White Black
Five Tastes Sour Bitter Sweet Acrid Salty
Processes of Genesis and Change Germination Growth Transformation Harvest Storage
Five Zang-organs Liver Heart Spleen Lung Kidney
Six Fu- organs Gallbladder Small Intestine Stomach Large Intestine Urinary Bladder
Five Tissues Tendon Blood Vessel Muscle Skin and Hair Bone
Five Sense Organs Eye Tongue Mouth Nose Ear
Five Emotional Activities Anger Overjoy Overthinking Sorrow Fear

(2).The Classification of Five Elements System for Human Body

Human is one of the living things in nature . The tissues and organs , as well as physiological and pathological changes of human body must match with the laws of movement and change of nature . In Sinomedicine , on the basis of the viewpoint that human , as a microcosm , is connected with the macrocosm , the five zang-organs and other organs and tissues of human body are classifies into the five elements system according to their attributes of five elements , to explain the mutual chain relation among them , the five elements system for human body matching with that for nature .

The classification of five elements system takes the five zang-organs as the center . The matching of five elements with five zang-organs is a classification that the five zang-organs are classified according to their functional characteristics, and they are induced according to the similarities of their characteristics to that of five elements , this matching having been proven by medical practice repeatedly.The relation of five elements and five zang-organs underwent an evolutional process which was found in " Lu's Spring and Autumn " of last stage of the Warring States firstly,and in " Great Mystery " of last stage of the Western Han Dynasty secondly , and fallen into a pattern in " Canon of Medicine " finally . In " Lu's Spring and Autumn " , the four zang-organs matched with the four elements , i. e. , the kidney matched with water , the lung with fire , the spleen with wood and the liver with metal . In the book " Great Mystery " , the five zang-organs matched with the five elements , i. e. , the kidney matched with water , the lung with fire , the spleen with wood , the liver with metal , and the heart with earth , that being different from the classification in " Canon of Medicine " later on . In " Canon of Medicine " , the relation of five elements and five zang-organs was further revised to make it reflect the objective law of the relation of five zang-organs in human body more really . This law was proven by the medical practice later on , therefore , the relation of five elements and five zang-organs determined in " Canon of Medicine " became the criterion directing medical practice .

In the theory of five elements , the factors of nature and human body are classified to explain the concept of entirety in which human , as a microcosm , is connected with the macrocosm . It becomes the directing principle of the theory of Sinomedicine .

[2].Normal Interactions among Five Elements

Normal interactions among five elements are generation and restriction among the five elements . Restriction means restraining , so as to prevent its excessive development , and generation means supporting , so as to sustain its insufficient development . The two relations connect closely and interact each other .

(1).Generation

Generation stands for assisting production and development , i.e. , the function of developmental promotion . The mutual promotion among the five elements forms a cycle , i. e. , wood generates fire , fire generates earth , earth generates metal , metal generates water , and water generates wood . This relation of generation is also called " mother-son relation " . For the relation that earth generates metal , earth is the mother of metal , and metal is the son of earth . The others are on the analogy of this . Any element among the five elements has two aspects ---- " generating me " and " being generated by me " .

(2).Restriction

Restriction stands for surmounting and inhibiting , i.e. , the function of developmental confinement . The mutual confinement among the five elements also forms a cycle , i.e. , fire restricts metal , metal restricts wood , wood restricts earth , earth restricts water , water restricts fire . For the element fire , fire is restricted by water , but fire restricts metal . Therefore , any element among the five elements has two aspects ---- " restricting me " and " being restricted by me ".

The normal interactions among five elements include generation and restriction two aspects , and these two aspects connect closely . Therefore , the five elements promote mutually , and they confine mutually as well . For all things , generation must accompany restriction , and restriction must accompany generation , so that the things can move endlessly.

(3).Abnormal Interactions among Five Elements

The abnormal interactions among five elements are subjugation and reverse restriction among five elements . Subjugation means attacking other by taking advantage of its weakness , and reverse restriction means overriding . In other words , excessive restriction is called subjugation . For example , when wood energy is excess and metal can not restrict wood normally , the excessive wood will subjugate earth and cause earth weaker . Confinement in opposite direction is called reverse restriction . For example , metal restricts wood in normal situation , but , when metal energy is insufficient or wood energy is excess , wood will restrict metal reversedly .

2.Uses of the Theory of Five Elements

The main uses of the theory of five elements in Sinomedicine are matching five zang-organs with five elements to establish a classification in which five zang-organs are taken as the dominant factors and these organs are linked with the relative organs and tissues , and the laws of generation,restriction, subjugation and reverse restriction are taken to explain the questions in physiology,pathology,therapeutics and others.

[1].In Physiology

In Sinomedicine , the five zang-organs are classified into the five elements system , the physiological activities of five zang-organs are explained by the relations among five elements . The relation of generation among five elements can be used to explain mutual promotion among the five zang-organs . On the contrary , the relation of restriction among five elements can be used to explain the mutual confinement among the five zang-organs .

[2].In Pathology

Pathological changes in an organ can be caused by itself,and these can also be transmitted by other organs . Pathological changes in a certain organ can transmit to other organs as well . Transmission of pathological changes can be explained by the laws of generation , restriction , subjugation and reverse restriction among five elements .

[3].In Therapeutics

Genesis and development of disease sometimes relate to abnormality of generation and restriction among zang-organs or fu-organs . In treatment , besides treating the diseased organ , the other related organs must be considered , and the transmission of pathological changes must be controlled by regulating the relations among the organs so as to cure the disease .

The principles of treatment in common use , such as stacking earth to generate metal ( strengthening the spleen to benefit the lung ) , nourishing water to maintain wood ( strengthening the kidney to benefit the liver ) , stacking earth to inhibit wood ( strengthening the spleen to inhibit the liver ) , strengthening water to restrict fire ( strengthening the kidney to inhibit the heart ) , reinforce fire to generate earth ( strengthening the heart to benefit the spleen ) , and stacking earth to restrict water ( strengthening the spleen to inhibit the kidney ) are worked out according to the relations of generation , restriction , subjugation and reverse restriction among five elements .

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