[推荐]THE FIVE ELEMENTS

岐黄术

     这篇文章同样来自国外的网站，文章主要论述了五行理论。并通过取类比象的方法，介绍了与五行相应的五色，五味，五体，气候，天气等。文章还举例说明其在诊断中之运用。同时还论述了五行之间的生克关系。
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THE FIVE ELEMENTS
Another powerful tool of analysis and organization in Oriental Medicine is called the Five Phases or Elements Theory or The Medicine of Correspondences. Being in harmony with the universe was very important to the Taoists. The fundamental processes of the universe were thus also considered a good basis for understanding the world. Five Element Theory is an attempt to classify existence according to these processes.
Through both observation and theorizing, numerous correspondences were discovered. Things as diverse as compass directions, taste, human organs, sounds, grains, emotions, animals, and stages of growth were found to have something in common. They were associated in discernible patterns; The Five Phases. Being naturalist philosophers the Taoists took the names of the categories of correspondence from nature. The Five Elements are Water, Wood, Fire, Earth, and Metal.
     Abbreviated Table of Correspondences

WATER
WOOD
FIRE
EARTH
METAL

Season
Winter
Spring
Summer
Late Summer
Autumn

Climatic Qi
Cold
Wind
Heat
Damp
Dryness

Yang Organ
Bladder
Gallbladder
Sm. Intestine
Stomach
Lg. Intestine

Yin Organ
Kidney
Liver
Heart
Spleen
Lung

Sense Organ
Ears
Eyes
Tongue
Mouth
Nose

Body Tissue
Bone
Sinews
Blood Vessel
Muscles
Skin

Emotion
Fear
Anger
Joy/Shock
Worry
Sadness

Color
Black
Green
Red
Yellow
White

Taste
Salty
Sour
Bitter
Sweet
Spicy

It's a short jump from the principle of the inter-connectedness of all things that all things contain a microcosm of the universe. Being a part of the universe man contains a microcosm of it.  Man therefore  embodies the fundamental processes of the universe; AKA The Five Phases or Elements. This being the case man can be analyzed according to the Five Elemensts.
Let’s examine a simplified case. A 32 year old man had a fight with his wife during breakfast. He became very 1) angry and forgot about finishing his meal. He presented at the clinic with 2) strong cramping pain around the lower right front ribs, 3) nausea, 4) greenish facial complexion, 5)and a frontal headache which seemed to affect his eyes.
1) Anger is the emotion of Wood
2) Possible gallbladder pain. - Wood Yang organ
3) Nausea - Earth Yang Organ -Stomach
4) Green is the color of wood
5) Eyes are the sense organs of Wood
Diagnosis: The gentleman’s Wood element is out of balance and
is affecting his Earth element.
Relationships Among the Elements
               The Shen or Nourishing Cycle
The clockwise sequence on the circle represents the Shen cycle. The Shen cycle is often called the nourishing cycle or the mother-son cycle. Each element is mother to the next element. Water nourishes Wood, Wood fuels Fire, Fire makes Earth (ashes), Earth yields Metal, Metal produces Water (e.g. condensation).
                    The Ko or Regulating Cycle
The clockwise sequence within  the pentagon (see diagram below) represents the Ko cycle and is called the regulating cycle or grandmother-son cycle.
It has been said that Confucian social theory considered this to be the natural order of things though a few moments thought about real families suggests that the Ko cycle is probably an ideal and not a reflection of reality. Water extinguishes Fire, Fire melts or tempers Metal, Metal cuts and shapes Wood, Wood can contain Earth, Earth absorbs Water.   When balanced these are the healthy relationships of the Five Elements.