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In the science of TCM, the theory of five elements is used, in the main, to explain the physiology and pathology of the human body and to guide the clinical diagnosis and treatment.
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Explaining the Correlations between the Five Viscera |
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The generation of the five elements can be used to expound the inter depending relations between the fire viscera. For instance, the vital essence of the kidney (water) nourishes the liver (wood), which is known as water generating wood. The liver (wood) stores blood to nourish the heart afire), which is termed wood generating fire. The heat of the heart (fire) warms the spleen (earth), which is called fire generating earth. The spleen (earth) transforms and distributes food essence to replenish the lung (metal), which is referred to as earth generating metal. The lung (metal) dredges the water passages to help the kidney (water), which is taken as metal generating water.
The restriction of the fire elements can be used to explain the inter restraining relations between the five viscera. .for instance, the lung (metal) disperses and descends so as to restrain the exuberance of the liver (wood), which is known as metal restricting wood. The liver (wood) that functions well smoothes and regulates the stagnation of the Qi of the spleen (earth), which is called as wood restricting earth. the function of the spleen (earth) plays in transporting, distributing and transforming nutrients and promoting water metabolism and may prevent the overflow of the water of the kidney (water;, which is referred to as earth restricting water. The ascending of the kidney (water) can prevent the heart (fire) from hyperactivity, which is explained as water restricting fire.
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Expounding Pathological Influences between the Five Viscera |
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As is known, the theories of subjugation, reverse restriction, "illness of mother organ involving son organ", and "illness of son organ involving mother organ" concerning the five elements may be used to expound the pathological influences between the ,five viscera. Take lung trouble for example. If it results from heart trouble, that is regarded as "fire subjugating metal". If it is caused by liver (wood; trouble, that is referred to as "wood reversely restricting metal".
If it is led by spleen (earth) trouble, that is looked upon as "illness of mother-organ involving son organ". And if it is due to kidney (water ) trouble, that is taken as "illness of son organ involving mother-organ".
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If it is led by spleen (earth) trouble, that is looked upon as "illness of mother-organ involving son organ". And if it is due to kidney (water ) trouble, that is taken as "illness of son organ involving mother-organ'". |
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Diagnosing and Treating Diseases |
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Because, in accordance with the attribution of things to the five elements, the five viscera have specific connections with the five colors (blue, red, yellow, white and black,) the five voices (shouting, laughing, singing, crying and moaning;, the five kinds of flavors (sour, bitter, sweet, acrid and salty) as well as the relevant pulse conditions. So when we diagnose, we firstly synthesize the materials obtained through the four methods of diagnosis (,observation, listening and smelling, inquiring, pulse feeling and palpation), and then, deduce what the disease is according to the theory of five elements. For instance, a blue face, preference for food with sour flavor and bowstring pulse condition may indicate liver disease; a red face, bitter taste in the mouth and overflowing pulse condition may suggest the hyperactivity of heart fire; the patient whose Qi of the spleen is deficient looks blue because of "wood having subjugated earth'"; the patient who has heart trouble looks dark because of “water having restricted fire'', to mention but a few.
In the science of acupuncture the five kinds of points of the 12 channels distributed at the ends of the extremities, i.e., the Jing (well) Points, the Yang (spring) Points, the Shu (stream) Points, the Jing (river) Points and the He (sea) Points, are respectively included in the five elements -wood, fire, earth, metal and water. In clinical treatment, these points may be chosen according to the specific state of certain illness that is being treated and in accordance kith the law of generation, restriction, subjugation and reverse restriction of the five elements.
From above, it has been known that the theory of Yin and yang is used to state the two components of one thing, or the relations of opposition, interdependence, waxing and waning, and the transformation between two opposite things; while the theory of five elements is used mainly to explain the property and correlation among things according to the attribution of things to the five elements as well as the law of generation, restriction, subjugation and reverse restriction of the five elements. But do remember that both theories are often combined when used. |
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