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THE APPLICATION OF THE YIN-YANG THEORY | |
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陰陽學(xué)說的應(yīng)用 | |
| The yin-yang theory permeates all aspects of the theoretical system of TCM. The theory is used to explain the organic structure, physiological function and pathological changes of the human body. It also serves as a principle to guide clinical diagnosis | 陰陽理論滲透于中醫(yī)理論系統(tǒng)的各個方面。該理論可用于解釋人體的組織結(jié)構(gòu)、生理功能和病理改變，也是指導(dǎo)臨床診斷的原則之一。 |
| l . Explaining the Tissues and Structure of the Human Body | 1.解釋人體組織結(jié)構(gòu) |
| The human body is an integrated whole. All its tissues and structures are organically connected and may be classified as two opposite aspects-yin and yang. That is why Su wen states,"Man, having a form, can not deviate from yin and yang." In terms of the anatomical locations, the upper part of the body is yang and the lower part is yin; the exterior is yang and the interior, yin; the back is yang and the abdomen, yin; the lateral aspects of the extremities are yang and the medical aspects, yin. Concerning the zang-fu organs, the zang-organs store but not discharge essence-qi and, therefore, they are yin; while the fu-organs transmit and transform food into essence-qi but not store it, and, for this reason, they are yang. Furthermore, each of the zang- or fu-organs can be redivided into yin and yang. For example, heart-yin and heart-yang, kidney-yin and kidney-yang, stomach-yin and stomach-yang, etc. As concerns yin and yang of the meridian-collateral system, there are two categories: yin meridians and yang meridians; yin collaterals and yang collaterals. All of them are opposite pairs. Thus, in line with the yin-yang theory, the unity of opposites between yin and yang exist in the upper and lower, internal and external, front and back parts of the human body, and within all the internal organs as well. | 人體是一個完整的整體。所有的組織結(jié)構(gòu)都存在著有機聯(lián)系，并可被分為陰陽相反的兩類。這就是為什么《素問》說：人生有形，不離陰陽。就解剖位置而言，人體上部為陽，下部為陰；外為陽，內(nèi)為陰；背為陽，腹為陰；四肢末端為陽，軀干為陰。就臟腑組織而言，臟藏而不泄，故為陰；而腑泄而不藏，故為陽。再者，臟腑的每一部分又可分陰陽。例如，心陰和心陽，腎陰和腎陽,胃陰和胃陽等等。就經(jīng)絡(luò)系統(tǒng)之陰陽而言，可分為兩類：陰經(jīng)和陽經(jīng)，陰絡(luò)和陽絡(luò)。以上都屬于陰陽的對立兩面。以此而知，陰陽理論貫穿存在于人體的上下、內(nèi)外、前后部分和內(nèi)部組織之間。 |
| 2. Explaining the Physiological Functions of the Human Body | 2.解釋人體的生理功能 |
| The yin-yang theory believes that the normal life activities of the human body result from the harmonious relation of the unity of opposites between yin and yang. Take the relationship between function and matter for example, function pertains to yang while matter, to yin. Physiological activities of the body are based on matter. Without matter, there would be no sustentation for function activities. And functional activities are the motive power for producing matter. In other words, without functional activities, the metabolism of matter would not be performed. In this way, yin and yang within the human body depend on each other for existence. If yin and yang can't complement each other and become separated from each other, life will come to an end. So Su Wen says:"The equilibrium of yin and yang makes the vitality well-conserved; the divorce of yin and yang essence-qi exhausted." | 陰陽理論認(rèn)為人體的正常生命活動來自于陰陽對立統(tǒng)一關(guān)系的協(xié)調(diào)。以功能和物質(zhì)的關(guān)系為例，功能屬陽，物質(zhì)屬陰。人體的生理活動以物質(zhì)為基礎(chǔ)。沒有物質(zhì)，功能活動就無法維持。功能活動是物質(zhì)形成的動力。換言之，沒有功能活動，物質(zhì)形態(tài)就無法形成。因此，人體陰陽是相互依存的。如果陰陽不能相互補充而是相互分離，生命就將告終。故《素問》曰：陰平陽秘，精神乃治；陰陽離決，精氣乃絕。 |
| 3. Explaining the Pathological Changes | 3.解釋病理改變 |
| TCM considers that the imbalance between yin and yang is one of the basic pathogenesis of a disease. The occurrence and development of a disease are related to both the vital-qi and pathogenic factors. Although the pathologlical changes which occur in diseases are complicated and changeable, they can still be summarized as excess or deficiency of yin or yang. To be more concrete, "yang excess leads to heat syndrome while yin excess causes cold syndrome"; "yang deficiency results in cold syndrome while yin deficiency causes heat syndromes"; "yang deficiency affects yin while yin deficiency affects yang." | 中醫(yī)認(rèn)為陰陽不調(diào)是疾病的基本病理改變之一。疾病的發(fā)生和發(fā)展與正邪兩方面因素有關(guān)。盡管疾病的病理改變變幻復(fù)雜，但始終能歸結(jié)為陰陽的虛實。更具體的說就是“陽盛則熱，陰盛則寒；陽虛則寒，陰虛則熱；陽損及陰，陰損及陽”。 |
| 4. Serving as the Guide to Diagnosis and Treatment | 4.指導(dǎo)診斷與治療 |
| As the imbalance between yin and yang is the root cause for the occurrence and development of a disease, all clinical manifestations, no matter how complicated and changeable they are, can be explained with the aid of yin-yang theory. So TCM holds, "A skilled diagnostician, first of all, differentiates between yin and yang when observing the complexion and feeling the pulse." In differentiating syndromes, although there are the eight principal syndromes, namely, yin, yang, interior, exterior, cold, heat, deficiency and excess. Yin and yang are regarded as the general principles among the eight ones. According to the yin-yang theory, exterior, heat and excess pertain to yang; while interior, cold and deficiency pertain to yin. When treating a disease, TCM first determines the therapeutic principles, and then preponderance of yang belongs to excess-heat syndrome. It should be treated with cold-natured drugs in order to inhibit excessive yang, i.e, to cool the heat. Cold syndrome caused by preponderance of yin belongs to cold-excess syndrome. It should be treated with hot-natured drugs so as to restrain excessive yin, i.e., to heat the cold. As both syndromes above are excess syndromes, this therapeutic principle is called "treating excess syndromes with the purgation". Deficiency-cold syndrome caused by yang deficiency, should be treated with the drugs warm and tonic in nature to relieve excessive yin. This is said in TCM, "restraining predominant yin by reinforcing yang," also known as "treating yang for yin diseases." The interior heat syndrome resulting from yin deficiency belongs to Deficiency-heat syndrome, which should be treated with the drugs of nourishing yin and replenishing fluids so as to restrict excessive yang, this is what is known in TCM, "restraining predominant yang by strengthening (renal腎) yin," also called "treating yin for yang diseases." | 由于陰陽不調(diào)是疾病發(fā)生和發(fā)展的根源，所有的臨床癥狀，無論其有多么變幻復(fù)雜,都能用陰陽理論加以解釋。所以中醫(yī)認(rèn)為“善醫(yī)者，必先察色按脈，以別陰陽”。在辨證中，雖然有八綱即陰陽、表里、寒熱、虛實，但總以陰陽為總綱。根據(jù)陰陽理論，表、熱、實屬于陽，里、寒、虛屬于陰。中醫(yī)治療疾病時首先確定治療原則。陽盛則產(chǎn)生實熱證，應(yīng)投以寒性藥以抑亢陽，如熱者寒之。陰盛導(dǎo)致的寒證屬于實寒證，應(yīng)投以熱性藥，以化實陰，如寒者熱之。以上的證候?qū)儆趯嵶C，治療原則為“實者泄之”。陽虛導(dǎo)致的虛寒證應(yīng)投以溫補之藥以化實陰。這在中醫(yī)稱為“益火之源，以消陰翳”，亦為“陰病治陽”。陰虛引起的內(nèi)熱證屬于虛熱證，應(yīng)投以滋補陰液之藥以抑亢陽，這就是中醫(yī)所說的“壯水之主，以制陽光”，亦稱為“陽病治陰”。 |
| Zhang Jingyue thought that, in treating deficiency of yin or yang, drugs tonifying both yin and yang should be used, because yin and yang are interdependent. Therefore, reducing the excessive and replenish the deficient can adjust excess or deficiency between yin or yang and restore the balance between them. | 張景岳認(rèn)為，治療陰虛或陽虛應(yīng)該同時應(yīng)用滋陰和扶陽的藥物，因為陰陽是相互依存的。因此，補虛瀉實適用于陰虛或陽虛之證，從而使陰陽重新建立平衡。 |
| The yin-yang theory is used in not only determining diagnostic principles but summarizing the nature, flavor and action of medicinal herbs. Thus providing a theoretical basis for the clinical application of herbs. | 陰陽理論不僅可用于診斷原則的確立，并可用于對藥物的性質(zhì)、氣味和功效進行總結(jié)，從而為臨床用藥提供理論基礎(chǔ)。 |
| In terms of the medicinal nature, herbs with cold nature belong to yin and those with warm and hot nature pertain to yang. As concerns the flavors, herbs that are sour, bitter and salty belong to yin and those that are acrid, sweet and bland pertain to yang. In terms of actions, herbs with astringent, descending and sinking actions belong to yin, while those with dispersing, ascending and floating actions pertain to yang. | 就藥物的性質(zhì)而言，寒性藥屬于陰，溫?zé)崴帉儆陉枴＞蜌馕抖�，酸、苦、咸味藥屬于陰，辛辣、甜、淡味藥屬于陽。就藥物的功效而言，具有收斂、沉降功效的藥物屬陰，具有發(fā)散、升浮功效的藥物屬陽。 |
| To sum up, the principle of treatment should be established in the light of the excess or deficiency of yin or yang, and then relevant（相關(guān)的) herbs should be selected according to the attribution（歸因) of yin or yang and their functions. So and so only can imbalance of yin and yang be put right, and eventually, the aim of curing diseases is attained. |
總而言之，治療原則的確立必須以陰陽虛實為根據(jù)，相應(yīng)藥物的選擇也必須依其陰陽歸屬及功效而定。所以，只有明確陰陽不調(diào)，才能最終達到治愈疾病的目的。 |
| Special phrases | 特殊詞組 |
| treating...with... | “治法＋證名”＝“……者……之” |
| treating excess syndrome with purgation purging excess | 實者泄之 |
| treating deficiency syndrome with invigoration， （or invigorating deficiency) | 虛者補之 |
| treating cold syndrome with hot-natured drugs，（ or heating the cold ) | 寒者熱之 |
| treating heat syndrome with cold-natured drugs，（ or cooling the heat ) | 熱者寒之 |
