The Inter-consuming-supporting and The Inter-transforming Relation of Yin and Yang – Part 2

Since the occurrence of a disease is the outcome of imbalance between yin and yang, all the methods of treatment should aim at reconciling the two and restoring them to a condition of relative balance. In acupuncture treatment, points on the right side may be selected to treat disorders of the left side and vice versa, while points on the lower portion of the body may be selected to treat disorders of the upper portion and vice versa. All these methods are based on the concept of regarding the body as an organic whole, and the aim of treatment is to readjust the relation of yin and yang and promote circulation of qi and blood.

The inter-transformation of yin and yang means that in certain circumstances and at a certain stage of development, each of the two aspects of yin and yang within a thing will transform itself into its opposite, i.e., yin transforms into yang and yang into yin. Whether the transformation actually takes place depends upon whether there exists the possibility of change in the thing itself. Given this possibility, the external conditions are also indispensable.

The development and change of a thing require a process and the external conditions for transformation maturing gradually. The inter-transformation between yin and yang follows this rule. According to Nei-jing: “There must be quiescence after excessive motion; extreme yang will become yin.” And, “The generation of a thing is due to transformation; the degeneration of a thing is due to transmutation.” This is precisely the meaning of the old saying: “Once a certain limit is reached, a change to the opposite direction is inevitable.” And the quantitative changes lead to qualitative change.

The Inter-transformation of yin and yang is the universal law governing the development and change of things. The alternation of the four seasons is an example. Spring with its warmth sets in when the cold winter has reached its height, and the cool autumn arrives when the hot summer has reached its climax. The change in the nature of a disease is another example. A patient with continued high fever in an acute febrile disease may have a lowering of body temperature, pallor and cold extremities with weak and thread pulse, indicating that the nature of the disease has changed from yang to yin, and then the method of treatment for this patient should be changed accordingly.

The above is a brief introduction to the theory of yin-yang, with some examples to illustrate its application in traditional Chinese medicine. In short, the relation of inter-opposing, inter-depending, inter-consuming-supporting and inter-transforming of yin and yang can be summarized as the law of the unity of opposites. Further, these four relationships between yin and yang are not isolated from one another but interconnected, one influencing the others and each being the cause or effect of the others.