Yin-Yang Review Flashcards
What is another name for the Yin-Yang School?
The Naturalist School
In which period did the Yin-Yang school of thought originate?
Warring States period (476-221 BC)
What do the characters for Yin and Yang represent?
- Yin: image of a hill with a dark side/cloud (darkness, shady)
- Yang: the sunny side of a hill (bright, light)
Of Left and Right, which is Yin and which is Yang?
Left, (symbol for work) = Yang
Right, (symbol for mouth) = Yin
Which directions relate to Yin vs Yang?
Yang = South, East (sunrise) Yin = North, West (sunset)
Of Time and Space, which is Yin and which is Yang?
Time = Yang Space = Yin
Square; Round
Square = Yin (like fields) Round = Yang (like round vault of Heaven)
Explain the seasons in terms of yin and yang
Spring = yang within yin/ growth of yang Summer = maximum yang Fall = yin within yang/ growth of yin Winter = maximum yin
Heaven is an accumulation of __, Earth is an accumulation of __.
Yang; Yin
What is the Yin-Yang symbol called?
Tai Ji (Supreme Ultimate)
What are the four aspects of a Yin-Yang relationship?
1) Opposition
2) Mutual Dependence
3) Mutual Consumption
4) Inter-Transformation
Describe Opposition of Yin and Yang.
- everything exists only in relation to some opposite thing (ex, light and dark)
- yin/yang quality is not intrinsic then, but relative
- everything is a dynamic balance of opposing forces
Describe Interdependence of Yin and Yang.
- one cannot exist without the other
- there cannot be activity without rest, energy without matter, contraction without expansion
Describe the Mutual Consumption aspect of Yin and Yang.
- in a constant state of dynamic balance, changing their proportion to achieve new balance (homeostasis)
- when one increases, the other is consumed to maintain balance
Describe the Intertransformation of Yin and Yang, and the conditions necessary.
- not static, transform into each other
- two conditions for transformation: things can only change by internal causes primarily, external causes secondarily (chick in egg); time factor (when conditions are ripe)
What are the 4 possible states of imbalance of Yin and Yang?
- Preponderance of Yin (Full Cold)
- Preponderance of Yang (Full Heat)
- Weakness of Yin (Empty Heat)
- Weakness of Yang (Empty Cold)
What are the 4 treatment strategies of yin/yang imbalance?
- Tonify Yin
- Tonify Yang
- Eliminate excess Yin
- Eliminate excess Yang
List the body directions and their relation to Yin/Yang.
Yang: superior, exterior, posterior-lateral, back
Yin: inferior, interior, anterior-medial, front
Which aspects of an organ are yin/yang?
Function = Yang Structure = Yin
Where do all the Yang channels either begin or end?
Head
What does Yang tend to do, in excess?
Rise to head (red face, red eyes)
What are Yang pathogenic factors, what aprt of body is most easily affect by them?
- Wind, Summer-Heat
- Head
What are Yin pathogenic factors, what part of body is most easily affected by them?
- Dampness, Cold
- chest, body, limbs
What do yin/yang organs do?
- Yang organs transform, excrete
- Yin organs store
