The Theory of Yin & Yang

Yin and Yang are the two interrelated forces which together with the concept of Qi form the foundation of Chinese medicine. Yin and Yang are mutually exclusive but together form a whole which in balance constitutes a state of harmony and health, and when out of balance causes illness. From a medical perspective, the relationship between Yin and Yang forms the general basis for all diagnoses and treatment protocols.

Taoism is the philosophical origin of Chinese medicine which bases its principles on the observance of the natural world and the manner in which it operates. In Chinese medicine the human body is viewed in relation to the observations of nature and is fully articulated in the theory of Yin and Yang and the theory of the Five Elements.

What is Yin and What is Yang?

In Chinese philosophy yin and yang are used to represent a wide range of opposite properties in the universe: hot and cold, fast and slow, masculine and feminine, etc. In general, anything that is moving, ascending, bright, progressing, hyperactive, including functional disease of the body, relates to yang. The characteristics of stillness, descending, darkness, degeneration, hypo activity, including organic disease, relate to yin.

Balance and Inbalance

The function of yin and yang is guided by the law of unity of the opposites. In other words, yin and yang are in conflict but at the same time are mutually dependent. The nature of yin and yang is relative with neither being able to exist in isolation. Without hot there would be no cold; without fast there would be no slow; without dark, there would be no light. The most illustrative example of yin-yang interdependence is the interrelationship between substance and function. Only with ample substance can the human body function in a healthy way; and only when the functional processes are in good condition, can the essential substances be appropriately refreshed.

Traditional Chinese medicine looks at human life as a physiological process in constant motion and change. Under normal conditions, the constant change of yin and yang are kept within certain bounds, reflecting a dynamic equilibrium of the physiological processes. When the balance is broken, disease occurs. Typical cases of disease-related imbalance include excess yin, excess yang, deficiency of yin, and deficiency of yang.