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Better to light a candle than to curse the darkness. — Chinese proverb
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• Yin/Yang & Five Elements Theory • Zang-Fu • Qi • Blood
Theoretical system of TCM The theoretical system of TCM is based on the concepts of the yin and yang, the five elements, Zang-fu organs, meridians, pathogenesis analysis (pathology of Qi, Blood, Bodily Fluids, Zang-Fu, Meridians), and diagnostic techniques. It is a theoretical system much influenced by ancient materialism and dialectics, with the doctrine of the yin and yang and the concept of holistic integration as its guiding principle. Yin/Yang & Five Elements Theory The theories of the Yin/Yang and the Five Elements originated in ancient China, and form the perspectives and methodologies applied to understand nature. Yin/Yang and the Five Element Theory constitute an ancient Chinese cosmology to explain nature. These two theories have exerted a great deal of influence on the development of various kinds of science in ancient China, such as astronomy, meteorology, calendar, agronomy, biology, chemistry, medicine, and so on. Medical experts in ancient China applied the two theories mainly to explain the entire relationship between a human body and nature, the organization, physiological functions and pathological changes in the body, and to guide diagnosis and treatment. Zang-Fu (Internal) Organs It is important to understand that the interpretation of internal
organs in TCM is different from the understanding of the organs
in Western Medicine. The term “internal organ” in TCM
refers to the functional property of the organ, rather than the
physical description of the structure. Therefore, pathology in
TCM describes functional disharmonies of the organs. Qi Qi
(pronounced as “Chi”) is the vital, principle ethereal
substance, energy, that continuously moves in the body. When classified
according to their respective properties into Yin and Yang, Qi
has promoting and warming actions, pertaining to Yang, while blood
and body fluids are liquid, nourishing and moistening, and pertain
to Yin. Functions of Qi are:
Blood Blood
is one of the fundamental substances that constitute the body.
By circulating within the vessels, blood brings nutrition to the
cells. Blood is chiefly composed of Nutritional Qi and body fluids.
Since the Nutritional Qi and body fluids originate from the refined
matter from food that has been digested and absorbed by the Spleen
and Stomach, the Spleen and Stomach are the source of Qi and blood. Blood nourishes and moistens the entire body. It circulates in
the vessels and reaches the viscera and skin, muscles, tendons
and bones and continuously nourishes and moistens the viscera,
tissues, and organs to keep physiological activities at a normal
level. Bodily Fluids Bodily fluids include fluids within the various viscera, tissues and organs, and normal secretions (e.g., gastric fluid, intestinal fluid, nasal discharge, tears). Bodily fluids are fundamental to life. Jin (clear and thin fluid) and ye (turbid and thick fluid) are the two main body fluids originating from diet and dependent upon the transporting and digesting functions of the spleen and stomach. Bodily fluids are moistening and nourishing. Those distributed over the body surface moisten the hair and muscles; those pouring into the sense organs moisten and protect the eyes, nose, mouth, and other organs; those permeating blood have the action of nourishing and smoothing blood; those pouring into tissues and organs nourish and moisten the tissues and organs of various viscera; those exuding into bones nourish and moisten the marrow, spinal cord and the brain. The Meridians
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