Y

yin-yang The Chinese symbol, also called the t’ai
ch’i symbol, for universal opposite forces, or mutu-
ally interdependent polar forces, such as light/dark,
and male/female, within a circular form, used in
Chinese medicine to illustrate the ideal goal of bal-
ance and harmony.
Yinmeans “the shady side of the mountain” and
yangmeans “the sunny side of the mountain” in
Chinese medicine. Yin, the symbol or manifesta-
tion of darkness, coldness, quietness, inertia, and
death, includes reference to the tissues, blood, flu-
ids, and internal secretions of the body. Yin organs
(also known as zang) are the liver, heart, spleen,
lungs, and kidneys and are considered the solid
organs that contain what Chinese medicine calls
the essences—tears, sweat, saliva, mucus, and sex-
ual secretions. Yin phenomena refer to cold, wet,
quiescent, deteriorating, chronic, slow, empty, and
contracted, and lack of yin generates heat and dry-
ness. When yin decreases, yang dominates.
Yang, which includes bodily functioning and the
generation of metabolic heat, decreases when yin
dominates. Yang organs (also known as fu) are the
gallbladder, small and large intestines, stomach,
and bladder and are considered the hollow organs
that transform and transport matter throughout
the body as well as carry it out of the body when it
becomes waste. Yang manifests as birth, warmth,
activity, noise, form, and light. Among the yang
phenomena are heat, dryness, growth, fullness,
suddenness, and acuteness. Lack of yang generates
cold and dampness.
In Traditional Chinese Medicine (TCM), yin-
yang constitutes one set of four diagnostic sets of
polar categories known as the Eight Guiding Prin-
ciples. These principles—Cold-Hot, Deficient-
Excess, Internal-External, and Yin-Yang—help

practitioners identify patterns of distress and locate

disease processes. A yin syndrome is characterized

as cold, deficient, and internal; a yang syndrome is

hot, excess, and external. Combinations of yin and

yang syndromes are most frequently diagnosed.

Yin-yang also serve as general categories that sum

up the interaction of all the others. Acupuncturists

aim to balance the disturbed energy or the imbal-

ance of yin and yang that causes illness.

Macrobiotics, based on the Chinese concept of

yin and yang, is a branch of alternative medicine

involving nutrition that balances yin and yang

characteristics. Macrobiotic therapists believe that

excessive yin qualities (essentially calm and

peacefulness) may result in depression, fatigue

syndromes, and sleep disorders, and excessive

yang (essentially energy and activity) qualities

may lead to tension, insomnia, hyperactivity, and

irritability. Yin and yang characteristics are also

recognized in foods. Fruits, leafy green vegetables,

nuts and seeds, tofu, and some other foods are

considered to be yin. Whole grains, root vegeta-

bles, seafood, legumes, salt, and cottage cheese are

considered yang.

Yin-yang also symbolizes sexuality and the mas-

culine/feminine, anima/animus, passive/aggressive

aspects of energy. Traditional Oriental wisdom pro-

claims that within every yin there is an element of

yang, and within every yang an element of yin. This

refers to the ability of each force to take on charac-

teristics of the other or of both to dip into each other

to create harmony in functioning. A popular exam-

ple of this concept is found in mainstream psychol-

ogy that touts men who summon their “feminine

(yin) side” and women their “masculine (yang)

side” when appropriate and/or necessary.

See also MACROBIOTICS.

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