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Five elements
( 5
elements, i.e. wood,
fire, water, metal &
earth : used in the
Chinese natural medicine
to explain various
physiological and
pathological phenomena)
Foreigners are always
puzzled when they first
heard about the
5-element theory. They
find it too abstract and
hard to understand. It
is , in fact, quite
plain and universally
accepted as a series of
natural laws in this
country. Now we try to
explain in an easy way
by showing you some
examples:
And
the interactions among 5
elements:
-
Fire evolved from
wood, because wood
can catch fire;
-
Earth evolved from
fire, as anything on
fire becomes ashes
afterwards;
-
Metal evolved from
earth, because
metals are from the
earth;
-
Water evolved from
metal, as all metals
can melt into liquid;
-
Wood evolved from
water, because water
is indispensable for
plants.
-
Wood prevails over
earth, because trees
grow out of the
earth;
-
Earth prevails over
water, as earth
stops the flood;
-
Water prevails over
fire, because it
extinguishes fire;
-
Fire prevails over
metal, as heat melts
metals;
-
Metal prevails over
wood, because wood
can be cut or sawn
by metals.
The above-mentioned,
if understood, becomes
first step towards a
better understanding of
this 5 -element theory
which sounds mythical
and profound. In face,
with the development of
this 5-element theory,
they have been endowed
with more meanings.
The
followings are the
analogy drawn by the
Chinese scholars
majoring in preserving
health by comparing the
nature of these elements:
-
Liver associates
with wood;
-
Heart associates
with fire;
-
Spleen associates
with earth;
-
Lung associates with
metal;
-
Kidney associates
with water.
-
Circulation of
Assimilation: liver-heart-spleen-lung-kidney;
-
Circulation of
Depression: liver-spleen-kidney-heart-lung.
These
interactions have been
tested and approved by
human clinical
experiments. For example,
spleen turns food and
water into nutrition and
vigour to nourish lung,
A bad functioned lung
will impair the function
of spleen. |
