“Yin corresponds to motionless and its energy symbolizes the earth, Yang corresponds to motion and its energy Symbolizes the heaven, so, Yin and Yang are the ways of heaven and earth.” (The Yellow Emperor’s Canon of Internal Medicine, Wang, 2002)

The Yellow Emperor’s Canon of Internal Medicine is an ancient Chinese medical text that has been treated as the fundamental doctrinal source for Chinese medicine for more than two millennia.   This ancient Chinese Medical textbook is written in a question and answer style, with the Yellow emperor asking his physician, Qibo, questions about the body and the universe around him.  Qibo is a wise physician and urges us to always consider Yin and Yang when treating diseases of the body. So what then, are Yin and Yang?

Tai Chi - Yin and Yang - Heaven and Earth

TCM views the body as a whole. Therefore,  “no single part can be understood except in relation to the whole” (Kaptchuk, 1983).  The primary structure underlying the process of understanding things in relationship is the concept of Yin and Yang. Yin and Yang as terms are used to describe the natures of forces or things. The Chinese have classical analogies that depict the relationship of Yin and Yang. The sun is Yang, while the moon is Yin. Fire is Yang while water is Yin. The south side of a mountain (the sunny side) is Yang, while the north side is Yin.

Yang Side of the Mountain

Furthermore, Yin and Yang cannot exist without each other, they define each other. Using the example of the mountain, the north side is considered Yin. This definition, however, is defined only in relationship to the south side. If we compared the north side of the mountain to a deep, we cave under the mountain; we would describe the north side of the mountain as Yang. Yin and Yang are always relative.

Yin and Yang are also “infinitely divisible.” “Yin-Yang means that every object can be infinitely divided into two.” (Zhiya, 2002) This means that the cave in our example would be considered Yin when compared to the north side of the mountain, and the north side would be considered Yin compared to the south side. In terms of Yin and Yang in TCM, we would describe the deep cave as being Yin within Yin, implying the nature of the Yin cave within the Yin side of the mountain. In our mountain/cave example, each of the three aspects we have defined can be related in this same way. In describing the north side, we can say that it is Yang within Yin, meaning that it is considerably more Yang (sunny, warm, dry etc.) than the cave, yet it is still north side of the mountain, though it is less sunny, warm, dry, and such than the south side.

“When the theory of Yin-Yang is applied to drugs, any substance or activity that results in stimulation, warming, or excitation of the human body is classified as Yang; any that results in condensation, moistening, and inhibition is classified as Yin.” (Zhiya, 2002) It is not difficult to begin to apply the basic concept of Yin and Yang to Western pharmaceuticals or bio-medically defined hormones, especially if we use obvious examples such as testosterone as Yang when compared to estrogen. This concept of Yin and Yang is utterly indispensable within the Chinese Medical system. The key point to understand is that Yin-Yang always depends on relationships between elements in a given system, and TCM aims to balance these fundamental elements. “The Yin and Yang within a human body must always be kept in balance.” (Wang, 2002)

“Thus, when treating a disease, one must base on Yin and Yang, that is to seek the orientation and devotement of the disease from the variation of Yin and Yang to determine the guiding principle of treating.”

What is your experience with Yin and Yang and how it manifests in your health, your outlook and your life?  Share with us in the comments!