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YIN AND YANG-THE LAW OF NATURE | |
| Yin and yang, which come from ancient Chinese philosophy, are a general term for two opposites of interrelated things or phenomena in the natural world. At first, their connotations were quite simple, referring to the two opposite sides of an object. The side facing the sun is yang and the reverse side is yin in the course of long practice and observation, the ancient Chinese people came to understand that the opposition and wax-wane of yin and yang are inherent in all things. Yi Zhuan says, "Yin and yang are what is called Dao", (Dao means the basic law of the unity of opposites in the universe). In other words, "Everything in the universe contains yin and yang." And they further believed that yin and yang can not only represent two opposite objects but also be used to analyze two opposite aspects existing in a single entity. Generally speaking, things or phenomena which are dynamic, bright, hot, functional, etc..., pertain to the category of yang, while those that are static, dark, cold, substantial, etc. , pertain to that of yin. The yin-yang theory holds that the development and changes of everything in the universe result from the unity of opposites be tween yin and yang. Su Wen says: "yin and yang are the law of heaven and earth, the principles of all things, the parents of all changes, the origin of life and death... " The yin-yang theory is an important constituent of the theoretical system of TCM and runs through every aspect of the system. It is used to explain physiology and pathology of the body and to guide clinical diagnosis and treatment. The basic content of yin-yang theory can be summarized as follows. | 陰陽來自古代中國哲學，是自然界中相聯(lián)系的事物和現(xiàn)象中相互對立面的總稱。最初，它們的內(nèi)涵很簡單，指的是事物的對立兩方。向陽為陽，背陽則為陰。在長期的觀察實踐中，古代中國人民開始認識到陰陽的對立和消長存在于一切事物中。《易傳》曰：一陽一陰謂之道（道代表宇宙中對立統(tǒng)一的基本規(guī)律)。換言之，“宇宙中的每個事物都包含陰陽兩方面”。并且他們進一步認為陰陽不僅代表兩個對立的事物而且可用于分析一個單獨實體中存在的兩個對立面�？傊�，動態(tài)的、明亮的、熱的、功能的事物或現(xiàn)象屬于陽；反之靜止的、黑暗的、冷的、實質(zhì)的事物和現(xiàn)象屬于陰。陰陽理論認為宇宙中一切事物的變化發(fā)展來自于陰陽的對立統(tǒng)一�！端貑枴吩唬宏庩栒�，天地之道也，萬物之綱紀，變化之父母，生殺之本始。陰陽理論是中醫(yī)理論系統(tǒng)的重要組成部分并貫穿于該系統(tǒng)的各個方面。它用于解釋人體的生理和病理現(xiàn)象并指導臨床的診治。陰陽理論的基本內(nèi)容可總結(jié)為以下幾方面。 |
| l. The Unity of Opposition Between Yin and Yang | 1.陰陽的對立統(tǒng)一 |
| By the opposition between yin and yang is meant that all things or phenomena in nature have two opposite aspects-yin and yang, such as heaven and earth, motion and quiescence, ascending and descending, exiting and entering, day and night, heat and coldness and so on. The former being yang and the latter yin（P29) in every pair above. The unity is the outcome of mutual opposition and restriction between yin and yang. Without opposition, there would be no unity; Without mutual opposition, there would be no mutual complement. It is only through this kind of opposition and restriction that the dynamic equilibrium can be established. For instance, in the nature world, the motions of celestial bodies, the variations of the four seasons, the alternations of days and nights, as well as sprouting in spring, growing in summer, reaping in autunm and storing in winter, are all the concrete manifestations of the unity of opposites between yin and yang. | 陰陽對立指的是自然界中所有的事物和現(xiàn)象都存在對立兩面—陰陽，如天地、動靜、升降、進出、日月、寒熱等等。以上的每對現(xiàn)象中前者為陽，后者為陰。統(tǒng)一是陰陽對立制約的結(jié)果。沒有對立就沒有統(tǒng)一，沒有相互對立就沒有相互補充。正是這種對立統(tǒng)一，陰陽才能達到動態(tài)平衡。例如，天體運動、四季變遷、晝夜交替、以及春生、夏長、秋收、冬藏的變化，皆為陰陽對立統(tǒng)一的具體表現(xiàn)。 |
| TCM believes that the normal physiological functions of the human body result from the opposite and unified relationship between yin and yang. Both of them are always in a state of dynamic balance. Even under normal physiological conditions of the human body, yin and yang can not be in a state of absolute balance, but in a state of relative balance. If, for any reason, the relative balance is destroyed, there is bound to be excess or deficiency of yin or yang, and then a disease will arise. As is stated in Su Wen , "Yin in excess causing yang disease, while yang in excess leading to yin disease." It is precisely due to the unity of opposites between yin and yang that all things can develop and change ceaselessly and the natural world is perpetually full of life.醫(yī) 學 全在線bhskgw.cn | 中醫(yī)認為人體的正常生理功能是陰陽對立統(tǒng)一的結(jié)果。陰陽總是處在動態(tài)平衡的狀態(tài)。甚至在人體正常的生理條件下，陰陽也不可能達到絕對平衡，而是處于相對平衡的狀態(tài)。一旦陰陽的相對平衡被打破就一定會導致陰陽的偏實偏虛，疾病也就隨之產(chǎn)生了。正如《素問》所指出的“陰勝則陽病，陽勝則陰病”。也正是由于陰陽的對立統(tǒng)一萬物才得以發(fā)展變化，自然界才得以永生。 |
| 2. Interdependence between yin and yang | 2.陰陽相互依存 |
| Yin and yang are opposed to and yet, at the same time, depend on each other. Neither can exist in isolation without its Opponent's existence. In other words, without yin there would be no yang, and it's the same the other way round. So either yin or yang is the prerequisite for the other's existence. And this kind of coexistent relationship is stated in TCM, "solitary yin or yang failing to live." This interdependence is also reflected in the relationship between substances and functions. The substance corresponds to yin and the function, to yang. The function is the result of material motion, and nothing in the world is not in a state of motion. Thereby, there is not any substance which can't produce its function and there is also not any function which doesn't originate from the motion of its substance. Therefore, Neijing says: "Yin in the interior is the basis for yang; while yang in the exterior is the activity for yin." "Yin" refers to the material，basis of functional activity of yang and "yang" refers to functional activity. The substance and function are interdependent and inseparable. Here is just an imaginable and vivid figure of speech. However, when the interdependent relationships between substances, between functions as well as between substances and functions are abnormal, life activities will be broken, thus bringing about dissociation of yin and yang, depletion of essence-qi. and even an end of one's life. | 陰陽是對立的但同時又是相互依存的。缺了對立方，任何一方都不能獨立存在。換言之，無陰則陽無以生，反之亦然。所以無論陰或陽都是其對立方存在的先決條件。這種共存關系中醫(yī)稱為“獨陽則陰無以化，獨陰則陽無以生”。這種相互依存也可在物質(zhì)于功能的關系上被反映。物質(zhì)對應陰，功能對應陽。功能是運動的結(jié)果，世上的萬物都處于運動之中。從而，沒有不能產(chǎn)生功能的物質(zhì)，也沒有不從物質(zhì)產(chǎn)生的功能。因此，《內(nèi)經(jīng)》曰：陰在內(nèi)，陽之守也；陽在外，陰之使也�！瓣帯敝傅氖俏镔|(zhì)，是陽功能活動的基礎；“陽”指的是功能活動。物質(zhì)和功能之間是相互依存、不可分離的。這僅僅是一種可以想象的、逼真的言語表述。然而，當物質(zhì)之間、動能之間或物質(zhì)和功能之間相互依存的關系異常時，正常的生命活動就會被破壞，從而導致陰陽離絕、元氣損耗，甚至生命的終結(jié)。 |
| 3. Waning and waxing of yin and yang | 3.陰陽消長 |
| Yin and yang always coexist in a dynamic eqilibrium in which one waxes while the other wanes. In other words, waning of yin will lead to（因果關系的詞：causing，inducing，leading to，bring on， give rise to， produce，make，generating) waxing of yang and vice versa. Take the seasonal and climatic variations for example, it gets warm from winter to spring, and hot from spring to sumner. This is the process of "yang waxing and yin waning," Conversely, it gets cool from summer to autumn, and cold from autumn to winter-the process known as "yin waxing and yang waning". Under normnl conditions, the waning-waxing relation of yin and yang is in a state of relative balance.If this relation goes beyond normal limits, the relativc balance of yin and yang will not be maintained, thus resulting in either excess or deficiency of yin or yang and the occurrence of diseasc, so far as to endanger one's life. |
陰陽總是共存于此消彼長的動態(tài)平衡中。換言之，陰消會導致陽長，反之亦然。以四季和天氣的變化為例，冬去春暖、春去夏熱是陽盛陰衰的過程。相反，夏去秋涼、秋去冬寒是陰盛陽衰的過程。在正常的條件下，陰陽的消長處于動態(tài)平衡的狀態(tài)中。如果這種關系超出了正常范圍，陰陽的相對平衡就無法維持，結(jié)果就會導致陰或陽的偏盛偏衰和疾病的發(fā)生，更甚者致危及生命。 |
| 4. Transformation of yin and yang | 4.陰陽轉(zhuǎn)化 |
| In given conditions, either yin or yang may transform into its opposite, i. e. yin may be transformed into yang and yang into yin. If the waning-waxing of yin and yang is said to be a process of quantitative change, then that of their inter-transformation pertains to a qualitative change based on the quantitative chang. Such a process is mostly a gradual one from quantitative to qualitative change. Su Wen states: "Extreme yin gives rise to yang, while extreme yang gives rise to yin." "Extreme cold brings on heat, while extreme heat brings on cold". This is termed"Things will develop in the opposite direction when they become extreme." Pathologically, the yin syndromes can be transformmed into yang syndromes, and vice versa. It must be pointed out that the decisive factor of the mutual transformation is the conditions, including internal and external conditions, without which such transformation will be by no means likely to occur. | 在特定條件下，陰或陽都可以向其對立方轉(zhuǎn)化。如陰可以轉(zhuǎn)化成陽，陽也可以轉(zhuǎn)化成陰。如果說陰陽消長是個量變的過程，那么陰陽的相互轉(zhuǎn)化便屬于基于量變上的質(zhì)變。這種過程大多是由量變漸致質(zhì)變的過程。《素問》曰：重陰必陽，重陽必陰。寒極生熱，熱極生寒。這就是物極必反。在病理上，陰證可以轉(zhuǎn)化成陽證，反之亦然。必須指出的是陰陽相互轉(zhuǎn)化的決定性因素是條件，包括內(nèi)部和外部條件，不然，轉(zhuǎn)化便不可能發(fā)生。 |
| The above statement is the basic content of yin-yang theory, which is also illustrated by "Taijitu" (Yin-Yang Diagram) below. In the diagram the white part indicates yang, and the black part yin. The relationships between the two are both opposite and complementary to each other. The white spot within yin shows the yang within yin, while the black spot does yin within yang. Meanwhile, they contain the potential for Intertransformation and inter-wane-wax between yin and yang. | 以上所述為陰陽理論的基本內(nèi)容，它也可以用以下的太極圖來說明。在圖中，白色部分代表陽 ，黑色代表陰。他們之間存在相互對立、相互補充的關系。陰中的白點表示陰中之陽，黑點表示陽中之陰。同時，他們還包含了陰陽相互轉(zhuǎn)化、此消彼長的意義。 |
| From the above, we can see that the content of yin-yang theory is composed of four aspects, among which the opposition and waxing-waning contain the opposite of contradiction; the interdependence and transformation contain the unity of contradiction; waxing-waning and transformation contain quantitative change and qualitative change. The former is the precondition for the latter, the latter is the outcome of the former. | 從以上我們可以知道陰陽理論的內(nèi)容由四部分組成。其中陰陽對立和消長代表矛盾對立面，陰陽的相互依存和轉(zhuǎn)化代表矛盾的統(tǒng)一面。消長和轉(zhuǎn)化代表量變和質(zhì)變。前者為后者的前提，后者為前者的結(jié)果。 |
