![]() Transformation refers to the cycle of rest and action, life and death. Interdependence means one can not exist without the other. The Four Aspects are interdependence, transformation, contradictions/paradoxes, and continuous change. The Four AspectsĪlong with the binary concept of light and dark, yin-yang philosophy also incorporates relationships called The Four Aspects that lead to balance and harmony. Odd numbers, wood, air, and fire are aligned with yang, which is also associated with male energy and the left side of the body. Its elements are the opposite of the yin, including the directions east and south, as well as sunlight, daytime, spring, and summer. Yang is represented by the white half of the symbol. Yin is believed to be a feminine energy associated with the right side of the body. Even numbers are believed to be aligned with yin, as are metals, the Earth, and water. The directions of west and north are related to yin, as are the natural conditions rainfall, night, the autumn and winter. There are a number of elements associated with the yin side of chi. The yin is represented by the dark half of the symbol. This represents the notion that too much of anything is unhealthy and a counterbalance is needed to bring harmony. Within each large end is a small dot of the opposite color. Consisting of a large end and a smaller tail-like end, the halves appear to be swirling into one another. One half, the yin, is black while the other half, the yang, is white. ![]() Within are two halves shaped like tadpoles or teardrops. ![]() The outline of the symbol is a circle, representing eternity and the continuous cycle of life in Chinese tradition. Yin-yang also exists within our interactions with each other such as giving and receiving or talking and listening. The same can be observed in the change of seasons as well as high and low tides. For example, when the sun rises the moon fades, but just as the sun reaches its height, it begins to descend again and the moon rises. Too much of either one can be destructive, and finding their balance is essential for happiness and health.Īccording to Chinese cosmology, the constant alternation between darkness and light equates to the cycle of life. These opposing forces interconnect to create chi or the binding energy force in the cosmos. The yin-yang concept represents balance and harmony and suggests that everything in nature is composed of opposite but complementary elements. The earliest reference to yin-yang, which translates to dark-bright in both the Cantonese and Mandarin Chinese languages, was written in 700 BCE is found in the I Ching, or Book of Changes. Many versions use opposite colors on the spectrum to demonstrate contrast.Īlthough today the yin-yang sign is found everywhere from jewelry to tattoos, the ubiquitous symbol has its origins in ancient Taoism, a Chinese philosophy.
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