CH 2.2: Five Element Theory Flashcards
What does the term ‘Wu Xing | 五行’ mean in Chinese?
‘Wu | 五’ refers to five categories of natural elements: wood, fire, earth, metal, and water. ‘Xing | 行’ means movement and change. Together, ‘Wu Xing’ describes the dynamic interactions and transformations of these five elements.
Why were the five elements originally called ‘five materials’ (五材)?
The five elements—wood, fire, earth, metal, and water—were recognized as essential materials in human life during ancient Chinese practices.
How does the Five Elements Theory explain the movement and change of all things in nature?
It abstracts the attributes of the five materials to explain their inter-promotion and inter-restriction, describing the dynamic balance of material movement in nature.
How are Qi, Yin-Yang, and the Five Elements connected?
Qi is the material basis of all things and divides into Yin and Yang through its movement. The interaction of Yin and Yang produces the Five Elements, which constitute all substances in the universe.
What are the primary characteristics of wood?
- Wood can bend and straighten (木能曲直).
- Represents growth, flexibility, and upward and outward movement.
- Symbolizes reproduction and vitality.
What are examples of things classified as wood?
Wind, spring, the liver, gallbladder, tendons, and the eyes.
What are the primary characteristics of fire?
- Fire burns and flares up (火更炎上).
- Represents warmth, heat, and upward movement.
- Signifies yang energy and flourishing activity.
What are examples of things classified as fire?
Heat, summer, the heart, small intestine, vessels, and the tongue.
What are the primary characteristics of earth?
- Earth provides for sowing and reaping (土予稼禳).
- Represents stability, nourishment, and transformation.
- Functions as a foundation for all elements, carrying and generating life.
What are examples of things classified as earth?
Dampness, late summer, the spleen, stomach, flesh, and the mouth.
What are the primary characteristics of metal?
- Metal works for change (金说从革).
- Represents hardness, transformation, and purification.
- Symbolizes clarity, descending, and contracting properties.
What are examples of things classified as metal?
Dryness, autumn, the lungs, large intestine, skin, and the nose.
What are the primary characteristics of water?
- Water moistens and flows downward (水能润下).
- Represents cold, moistening, and storage.
- Signifies yin energy and downward movement.
What are examples of things classified as water?
Cold, winter, the kidneys, urinary bladder, bones, and the ears.
What is the order of promotion among the five elements?
Wood promotes fire, fire promotes earth, earth promotes metal, metal promotes water, and water promotes wood.
What is the ‘mother-child’ relationship in the Five Elements Theory?
The element promoting another is the ‘mother.’ The element being promoted is the ‘child.’
How does ‘mother-child’ influence manifest in the human body?
For example, kidney-water (mother) nourishes liver-wood (child), supporting its growth and vitality.
What is the order of restriction among the five elements?
Wood restricts earth, earth restricts water, water restricts fire, fire restricts metal, and metal restricts wood.
Why are promotion and restriction both necessary?
- Promotion ensures the growth and development of things.
- Restriction prevents over-exuberance and maintains harmony.
How do promotion and restriction balance each other?
They ensure dynamic equilibrium in nature and the human body by facilitating growth while controlling excess.
What are the two types of abnormal promotion?
- Involvement of the child by its mother (母病及子): A disorder in the mother element affects the child element (e.g., kidney-water deficiency leading to liver-wood deficiency).
- Involvement of the mother by its child (子病及母): A disorder in the child element affects the mother element (e.g., liver-wood excess causing kidney-water depletion).
What are the two types of abnormal restriction?
- Over-acting (相乘): An element excessively restricts its target (e.g., wood over-controls earth).
- Insulting (相侮): An element reversely restrains the one that originally restricts it (e.g., earth insulting wood).
How are over-acting and insulting related?
When over-acting occurs, insulting often follows. For example, if wood excessively restricts earth, earth may insult wood.
How does abnormal promotion or restriction impact health?
It leads to pathological changes, disrupting the harmony among the five Zang organs and causing diseases.
How does the Five Elements Theory classify the human body?
- Five Zang-organs: Liver (wood), Heart (fire), Spleen (earth), Lung (metal), Kidney (water).
- Five Fu-organs: Gallbladder (wood), Small Intestine (fire), Stomach (earth), Large Intestine (metal), Urinary Bladder (water).
- Five Emotions: Anger (wood), Joy (fire), Thinking (earth), Sorrow (metal), Fear (water).
- Five Sense Organs: Eyes (wood), Tongue (fire), Mouth (earth), Nose (metal), Ears (water).
How does the Five Elements Theory explain physiological relationships?
The liver (wood) stores blood to support the heart (fire). The heart (fire) warms the spleen (earth). The spleen (earth) nourishes the lung (metal). The lung (metal) descends to assist the kidney (water). The kidney (water) nourishes the liver (wood).
How does the Five Elements Theory guide TCM treatments?
- Control disease transmission: Treat the root and related organs.
- Determine treatment principles: Tonify the mother or reduce the child based on excess or deficiency.
- Choose acupoints and herbs: Use corresponding elements to balance the patient’s condition.
Give an example of ‘tonifying the mother.’
If kidney-water is deficient and fails to nourish liver-wood, tonifying kidney-water can help restore liver-wood.
Give an example of ‘reducing the child.’
If liver-wood is excessive and causes overactivity, reducing heart-fire (its child) can help regulate the liver.
What is the role of the five emotions in diagnosing diseases?
Imbalances in emotions can indicate disharmony in their corresponding Zang organ, such as anger affecting the liver or fear impacting the kidneys.
How does the Five Elements Theory relate to seasons?
Spring corresponds to wood (liver). Summer corresponds to fire (heart). Late summer corresponds to earth (spleen). Autumn corresponds to metal (lung). Winter corresponds to water (kidney).
In the Five Elements, which element is the mother of Fire?
Wood
Which element is generated by Fire in the Five Elements system?
Earth
What is the mother of Metal in the Generating Cycle?
Earth
According to the Generating Cycle, which element does Metal nourish?
Water
In the Five Elements, which element is the child of Water?
Wood
What is the relationship between Wood and Fire in the Generating Cycle?
Wood is the mother of Fire, and Fire is the child of Wood.
Which element supports and nourishes Earth in the Generating Cycle?
Fire
In the Generating Cycle, what does Water generate?
Wood
How does Metal relate to Water in the Generating Cycle?
Metal is the Mother of Water.
What is the role of Earth in the Five Elements Generating Cycle?
Earth generates Metal and is the child of Fire.
