The Yin-Yang Thinking and Five Elements in Daily Life

The Yin-Yang thinking and Five Elements theory are the most widespread concepts shared by different schools of philosophies in Chinese history. Yin-Yang, literal meaning as dark and bright in Chinese, describes how contrary forces are interconnecting and interdependent on each other. It is not correct to refer anything specific to be Yin or Yang because in this theory, the characteristic of everything is always in a changing way. Yin can become Yang and Yang can become Yin. The interaction of Yin-Yang is a process of harmonization, a dynamic balance of all things in the world. As mentioned in Dao De Jing “The Dao produced One; One produced Two; Two produced Three; Three produced All things. All things leave behind them the Obscurity (out of which they have come), and go forward to embrace the Brightness (into which they have emerged), while they are harmonized by the Breath of Vacancy” (Dao De Jing, 42). The world comes out of Yin-Yang, and the Five Elements theory is a general system theory derived from Yin-Yang thinking. Five Elements of theory regards that the universe of all things are made by Wood, Fire, Earth, Metal, Water or any combination of the five kinds of substance elements. The development and change of all kinds of things and phenomena in nature are the results of the movement and interaction of these five things. The laws and regulations of the changing universe are under the guidance and governance of the rules of the Five Elements. According to the Five Elements theory, the origins of all things in the world can be integrated. The Five Elements are generating and overcoming each other in a constant rule: Wood feeds Fire but parts Earth; Fire creates Earth but melts Metal; Earth bears Metal but dams Water; Metal enriches Water but chops Wood; Water nourishes Wood but extinguishes Fire. The effects among the Five Element interwine together and make a complicated variety of the world. The Yin-Yang thinking and Five Elements theory have been applied to many areas including political, military, meteorology and agriculture in ancient China. Seemingly out-dated and obscure, nevertheless, the Yin-Yang thinking and Five Elements theory are influencing our daily life and can be well adapted to modern circumstances.

The theory of Yin-Yang and Five Elements form the basis of traditional Chinese medicine. As Yin-Yang creates and maintains nature and human is part of the nature, human body is also observed as a harmonized organic system of Yin-Yang. “In Chinese medicine, the metaphoric views of the human body based on observations of nature are fully articulated in the theory of "Yin-Yang" and the system of Five Elements” (Traditional Chinese Medicine Information Page). The Five Elements theory explains the physiological functions of the zang- organs fu-organs, as well as the interrelations among these organs, in a way to make clinical diagnosis and treatment. For example, Wood is characterized by growing freely and peripherally so anything which has the characteristics of developing freely is attributed to the category of Wood. The liver needs to grow so it belongs to the category of Wood and it does not like Fire or depression. In Chinese, Fire implies the emotion of anger so the one who is easily angry or depressed wouldn’t have a good liver. Because liver can grow, it is possible to transplant part of the liver and the person who donates part of the liver can still alive. Fire is characterized by flaming up. Therefore the heart belongs to the category of Fire as it pumps blood and warm the body; it has the function of warming and rising. In Chinese the warm-hearted is always better than cold-hearted. People in love would say the love in heart is lighted up. And there is a “burning heart”. Earth is characterized by cultivation and reaping. Anything with the function of generation, transforming and supporting is attributed to the category of Earth. So the organ of Spleen-organ belongs to the category of Earth as it transforms and transports the nutrients to all parts of the body. Metal is characterized by making changes. So the function of purifying, cleaning up, killing or cutting is attributed to the category of Metal. So the lung-organ belongs to the category of Metal as it purifies the air and gets rid of rubbish in the air. Water is related with moisture, cold, flowing or descending. So the kidney-organ belongs to the category of Water. “Traditional Chinese medicine holds that human life is a physiological process in constant motion and change. Under normal conditions, the waxing and waning of yin and yang are kept within certain bounds, reflecting a dynamic equilibrium of the physiological processes. When the balance is broken, disease occurs” (Traditional Chinese Medicine Information Page).

The theory of Yin-Yang and Five Elements can also be applied in field of psychological consultancy treatment as a complementary guideline for clinical psychology. As the psychological healthy state is depending on the well control and balance of feelings and emotions, it is regarded that a balance condition of the Yin-Yang in spirit is a measurement of mental health. The spirit of Yang is compared to the willingness to love and dedicated to others, which is something positive, optimistic, energetic and outgoing. The spirit of Yin refers to something pessimistic, sensitive, cautious and introverted. So in the psychological diagnosis, the psychologists can judge the type of the emotions and spirit of the patients and offer diagnostic. According to a Chinese psychologist, “Earth is a symbol of being generous, Metal symbolizes fortitude, Water symbolizes the easy going character, Fire is a symbol of being warm and enthusiastic, Wood means being frank and confident” (Zhang Wanshui). By this way, the characters of people can be defined and classified into five groups and most times the illness occurs when one quality is too excessive to be accepted by others. Therefore, the psychological therapy can be made according to the shortage or excess of the Five Elements.

As psychology can be applied in every aspect of life, with general understanding and adoption of Yin-Yang theory, people will have a modest heart and partners, especially married couples would have a more pleasant and successful long-term relationship. The saying that Yin-Yang is constantly changing to each other and reaching a harmonized state may be too abstract to comprehend, but the explanation in Dao De Jing is vivid and concrete. It says “the partial becomes complete; the crooked, straight; the empty, full; the worn out, new. He whose (desires) are few gets them; he whose (desires) are many goes astray. Therefore the sage holds in his embrace the one thing (of humility), and manifests it to all the world. He is free from self- display, and therefore he shines; from self-assertion, and therefore he is distinguished; from self-boasting, and therefore his merit is acknowledged; from self-complacency, and therefore he acquires superiority. It is because he is thus free from striving that therefore no one in the world is able to strive with him. That saying of the ancients that 'the partial becomes complete' was not vainly spoken: - all real completion is comprehended under it” (Dao De Jing, 22). So a person should not do too much, or try to get many than others because going too much is as bad as or even worse than too little. A good family is a harmonized environment for the husband and wife. If the husband is aggressive and enterprising, who likes to spend much time on career or business, it is better that the wife should be homemaker to have enough time to take care of the family matters, and vise versa. Otherwise, the family may not be a stable place for the children to grow up. Everybody knows that it needs at least two people to make a quarrel, but only one can stop it by just shutting up. It is recommended that when the one of the partners are furious as if the Yang is rising up, the other should be calm like Yin in order to reach an agreement. The Five Elements theory is very useful when in communication with different people. For example, when facing someone whose character is Fire, who is energetic, positive but also irritable, impatient, self-assertive, the application of Water in communication is quite helpful. The Yin-Yang and Five Elements theory not only applies for intercommunication between different people, but also helps in the self-management of emotions for individuals, because all kinds of feelings can be found in one individual. Although human beings are diversified in characters, some may be a typical Fire-person or the other may be a typical Water-person, it is well recognized that a well-managed psychological health is a system which can process self-cultivation and self-adjusting, which means, if someone only shows singular character, it could that this person is pretending something or this person is psychologically ill. It has been proved that many extrovert people need time to be introvert to have a good balance of their emotions. There are many true accidents that those surprising violent murderers are people who appear to be so introvert or timid all the time. Those murderers are psychologically ill because they cannot manage the negative emotions in their lives, the anger or fear can’t go out and transformed to other emotions. Same explanation can be made as the situation of those people who commit suicide.

The Yin-Yang and Five Elements theory also have applications in other areas including career development, choice of profession, modern packaging design and even landscape arrangement. “The Chinese Zodiac studies suggest that certain line of work or lifestyle can complement your strength and weakness, and therefore will make you more successful and happier” (Career Choices By Five Elements). The analysis is based on the individual result of the designed zodiac report. For example, the career characteristic of the type of Water is work that depends on water or other fluids. So such work always involves people or goods which come and go symbolizing the water flow or ocean waves. According to this theory, people with the Water type may have good career development in jobs including water and other beverages, transportation, human resources, professional consulting ect. In regard with the application in modern package design, it is well recognized that Chinese folk art has created a series of harmonious presentation skills, such as sparse and dense, visionary and real, active and still, which is affected by the philosophy idea of Yin-Yang Five Elements concept. Chinese folk artists can develop artistic images according to the property of material and the principle of promotion and restriction among the five colors, with strong symbolic and decorative beauty. “Enlightened by this, modern packaging design made full use of different space and panar forms of organization, design the visual effects of void-solid and infinite variety; the pretext of Yin-Yang Five Elements, showed a heavy sense of massiveness history in the unique shape, conveyed the simplicity as well as rich cultural connotation and human charm” (WL Liu). In ancient China, people studies about feng shui and designed the structure and furnishing of the house according to feng shui. In modern times, feng shui may be regarded or explained as a theory about how to make constructions in a harmonious condition in the natural environment. It has the similar significance as sustainable development in architect and man-made constructions. A good architect can always takes advantage of the natural environment itself and make the constructions or decorations in a way which is comfortable for people to stay and see around. In such environment, people are not any outsider, but a part of it. The essential idea is that everything is interconnected. The Yin-Yang can change and mingle together. There is no isolated object or system. The window is not just a window; the plant is not just a plant. They are together to be considered in a picture with beauty. The surrounding environment, the change of season, or climate change need all to be incorporated into the design.

Five elements theory can also be applied in corporate management. As per this theory, the world is a system; human being is a system, so as the company. The departments in the corporation are like the five internal organs of the body, including the personnel department, finance department, marketing department, administration department, operation or service department. Although some companies have more than five departments, the five departments are the basic structure. There are interrelations between different departments. It is not right to say which is more important than the other; or which is more dependable on the other. Because all departments are functioning part of the work and the target can only be fulfilled with the mutual corporation as a team.

As already being widely used in traditional Chinese medicine, the Yin-Yang and Five Elements theory have found applications in many other achievements and aspects. With the growing understanding about Chinese and China, the charm of the ancient Chinese philosophy has gained many popularities among other nations. It is beyond any doubt that as more and more people get familiar with the Chinese and Chinese culture, the theory of Yin-Yang and Five Elements will attract more fans and even followers. Let me end the paper by the remark from Dao De Jing. “Who knows his manhood's strength, Yet still his female feebleness maintains; As to one channel flow the many drains, All come to him, yea, all beneath the sky. Thus, he the constant excellence retains; The simple child again, free from all stains” (Dao De Jing). It is said that returning to simplicity may help us to understand better the world. Simplicity doesn’t mean easy, but the Yin-Yang and Five Elements theory indeed offer us an interesting and profound understanding of the nature, the world and ourselves.