The earth has five directions, humans have five elements, and food has five flavors. The changes in nature can be summarized by the five elements. The organs, tissues, and emotions of the human body can also apply the theory of the five elements. Since the natural world maintains a dynamic balance, the relationships of the … Read more
As a concept in ancient Chinese philosophy, the wǔxíng (Five Elements) theory encompasses all aspects of daily life, from worldview and cosmology to values. The wǔxíng theory posits that the world is composed of five elements: jīn (Metal), mù (Wood), shuǐ (Water), huǒ (Fire), and tǔ (Earth). These five elements influence and depend on each … Read more
The Five Elements, in fact, refer to five categories of substances, which classify the myriad materials in the universe according to their properties. These are: Wood, Fire, Earth, Metal, and Water. Wood represents plants, Fire represents heat energy, Earth represents land, Metal represents metals, and Water represents liquids. There exists a relationship of mutual generation … Read more
Using medicine to treat illness is akin to employing troops in battle; the tasks differ, and so do the types and numbers of troops. Therefore, in Chinese medicine, while some conditions can be treated with a single herb, more often, a combination of multiple herbs is required to achieve therapeutic effects. The more complex and … Read more
Question 1. What are the concepts of mutual generation and mutual restraint? Answer: Mutual generation (相生, xiāng shēng) is a term from the theory of the Five Elements, referring to the relationships of generation and restraint among metal, wood, water, fire, and earth. Ancient Chinese believed that these five substances have a mutually nurturing and … Read more