Mutual generation and overcoming are abnormal phenomena arising from the interactions of the Five Elements under certain influencing factors. “Generation” refers to the invasion of the weak by the strong. “Overcoming” refers to the excessive overcoming that surpasses the normal restraining forces, leading to a loss of normal coordination within the Five Elements system. This abnormal phenomenon generally occurs under two circumstances: first, when the element being overcome is insufficient, allowing the overcoming element to exploit its weakness; second, when the overcoming element is excessively strong and not restrained by its corresponding element, thus attacking the element it should overcome.
It should be noted that “overcoming” and “generation” are distinct concepts. Overcoming is a normal restraining relationship, while generation is an excessive overcoming that occurs after the normal restraining relationship has been disrupted, representing a pathological state in the body.
Mutual invasion, which is the reverse of overcoming, is also known as reverse overcoming. It is another manifestation of the loss of normal coordination within the Five Elements system. Similarly, there are two situations: first, when the element being overcome is excessively strong and not restrained, it may bully the overcoming element. For example, if Metal should overcome Wood, but Wood is excessively strong and not restrained by Metal, it bullies Metal, which is termed Wood (excess) bullying Metal. Second, when the overcoming element is weak, the element being overcome may retaliate due to its weakness. For instance, if Metal is supposed to overcome Wood, but Metal is weak, then Wood may bully Metal due to its weakness, termed Wood bullying Metal (weak).
Thus, it is said: “When Qi is excessive, it restrains what it can overcome and bullies what it cannot; when it is insufficient, it is bullied by what it cannot overcome and is invaded by what it can overcome.” This means that if one element’s Qi is excessive, it will excessively restrain the element it can overcome (I overcome) and bully the element it cannot overcome (I am overcome). Conversely, if one element’s Qi is insufficient, the element that can overcome it will excessively restrain it and invade it. The element that I can overcome will retaliate due to my insufficiency.
For example, in clinical observations of bronchiectasis, the disease is located in the lungs, often due to liver Qi stagnation, causing Qi to rise and transform into fire, leading to hemoptysis, which is Wood Fire harming Metal (i.e., Wood is strong and bullies Metal); liver Qi stagnation affects the spleen and stomach’s digestion and absorption, which is Wood stagnation invading Earth. Hypertension of the damp-heat type often arises from damp-heat obstructing the spleen, leading to liver Qi failing to disperse, with liver Yang rising, which is Earth bullying Wood. As for Metal invading Wood (deficiency), this condition is rarely seen clinically.
There exists a relationship of mutual generation and overcoming among the Five Elements. Mutual generation refers to the idea of mutual support, promotion, and enhancement; mutual overcoming refers to mutual restraint, overcoming, and suppression. The concepts of generation and overcoming are fundamental viewpoints in the Five Elements theory used to summarize and explain the connections and changes of things.
The law of mutual generation among the Five Elements is: Wood generates Fire, Fire generates Earth, Earth generates Metal, Metal generates Water, and Water generates Wood; the law of mutual overcoming is: Wood overcomes Earth, Earth overcomes Water, Water overcomes Fire, Fire overcomes Metal, and Metal overcomes Wood. The relationships are illustrated in the diagram below:
In the mutual generation relationship, each element has both “generating me” and “I generate” aspects; the generating element is the mother, and the generated element is the child. Therefore, the mutual generation relationship is also referred to as the “mother-child relationship.”
In the mutual overcoming relationship, each element has both “overcoming me” and “I overcome” aspects; the overcoming element is “what I can overcome,” and the element being overcome is “what I cannot overcome.” Therefore, the mutual overcoming relationship is also referred to as the “victor” and “defeated” relationship.
The relationships of mutual generation and overcoming among the five aspects of the internal system structure of things constitute the normal cyclical movement of things, which is constantly in motion and development, thus remaining unbalanced. However, from the perspective of the overall Five Elements, mutual generation and overcoming both exhibit a relative dynamic balance.
Each element within the Five Elements, due to both generating and being generated by other elements, as well as overcoming and being overcome by other elements, thus presents a dynamic equilibrium overall. It can be seen that the balance achieved by the Five Elements is not an absolute stillness, but a dynamic balance established on the foundation of movement.
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