The Concept of Wuxing

Introduction

In Huang Yuanyu’s theory, the movement of human yuanqi is cyclical. Yuanqi rises, reaches its peak, and then descends. The rising movement is designated as yang, and the falling movement is designated as yin.

After understanding yin and yang, it is time to study wuxing (five elements). Wuxing is a more detailed classification system than yin-yang. Ancient Chinese used the wuxing system to study yuanqi and applied its principles to maintain a balanced and healthy state, preventing illnesses.

Before delving into the study and application of wuxing theory, we must clear up some common misunderstandings. In English translations, wuxing is often referred to as the five elements: jin (gold), mu (wood), shui (water), huo (fire), and tu (earth). However, these elements are not physical substances like metal or wood. Misinterpreting them as such prevents a true understanding of wuxing in traditional herbal medicine.

Wuxing as a Classification Method

In Chinese, wuxing consists of two words: wu (five) and xing (movement). Thus, wuxing refers to five forms of movement, not five physical elements. The word xing denotes an activity that induces change. For example, when a person xing (walks), their position changes. When a boss xing shi quan li (exercises his power), work progresses from start to completion. Therefore, wuxing represents five types of activities that result in changes.

Consider the circulation of water as an example. Water exists in various forms in nature, and ancient Chinese explained these forms using wuxing and yin-yang theories. Water exists in four familiar states:

1. 
   Water on the ground and underground, indicating a state of falling to the bottom, referred to as shui.
2. 
   Water vapor in the air, indicating a state of rising, referred to as mu.
3. 
   Clouds in the sky, indicating a state of rising to the top, referred to as huo.
4. 
   Rain falling, indicating a state of falling, referred to as jin.

The fifth state is water in animal and plant life, referred to as tu. This water accounts for a significant portion of the water movement in nature. Ancient Chinese observed that all substances undergo these five changes, applying the wuxing classification to all matters.

Yin-yang and wuxing are classification methods used by ancient Chinese to study the universe. They discovered that water exhibits opposing movements in its circulation. Heat causes water to rise (yang), while cold causes it to fall (yin). In traditional herbal medicine, yin and yang describe the rise and fall of yuanqi in the human body. A practitioner might say a person is yang-deficient if their yuanqi does not rise, or yin-deficient if it does not fall.

Traditional Classification Methods

Here is a brief recap of traditional classification systems used by ancient Chinese:

1. 
   Yin-yang (also known as liangyi): Classifies matter into two categories.
2. 
   Sancai: Adds a middle state that is neither up nor down to yin-yang, classifying matter into three categories.
3. 
   Sixiang: Expands yin-yang to include rising, rising to the top, falling, and falling to the bottom, classifying matter into four categories.
4. 
   Wuxing: Adds a middle state that is neither up nor down to sixiang, classifying matter into five categories.

Further Applications

Ancient Chinese applied these classification methods to study yuanqi in the body and the qi between heaven and earth. In spring and summer, qi rises, reviving all things. Plants grow, and animals wake from hibernation to reproduce. As temperatures rise, people’s yuanqi increases, making them energetic and clear-minded.

In autumn and winter, qi declines, causing plants to wither and animals to hibernate. People also become sleepier and need more rest. The ancients observed that rising signifies life, while falling signifies death. When yuanqi rises, a person is full of vitality; when it falls, death follows.

This concept was also applied to regions in China. Northern China, with its colder weather, is in the state of shui (water), designated xuanwu. Eastern China, with comfortable weather, is in the state of mu (wood), designated qinglong. Southern China, with hot weather and abundant life, is in the state of huo (fire), designated zhuque. Western China, where qi begins to fall, is in the state of jin (gold), designated baihu. Central China, with stable weather, is in the state of tu (earth).

Application to People

In ancient times, homes consisted of several buildings. The main building, or master building, faced south. The chair in the main room faced the door, with the left side being east and the right side being west. Applying wuxing to this setup, the left is qinglong (green dragon) and the right is baihu (white tiger). This terminology adds a sophisticated and colorful touch.

In traditional herbal medicine, these terms are frequently used. For example, “This person has the qinglong’s failure to rise” means their yuanqi should rise but cannot, indicating yang-deficiency. “This person has the zhuque just flying away from the coop” means they are losing their mind, indicating dementia.

Yin-yang and wuxing are complex concepts, but understanding them is not necessary to use herbal medicine effectively. They are classification methods used by ancient Chinese to study the universe. The terms zhuque, xuanwu, qinglong, and baihu are codes that can be replaced by anything, such as numbers or letters.

Learning traditional herbal medicine is a step-by-step process. So, what will we learn next?

Looking ahead

For more herbal medical theories of Huang Yuanyu and his contributions to traditional herbal medicine, and how it helps in rejuvenating our health, stay tuned for the next episode.

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