In the hill interpretation of the (symbolic) characters of Yin and Yang, the hill is the analogy of the earlier world. The question now is, as has been suggested in the previous section, to what extent a hill can be regarded as the earlier world of the entire world as we humans know it?

Even though it doesn't seem very likely, TCM clearly indicates that the hill only involves natural units: Physical and biological units. The hill is thus actually symbolic for the earlier world of solar systems, living beings, trees, plants and so on. In this way the hill indirectly symbolizes the earlier world of all that exists in the later world, but in a different way from Western physics. After all, this means that natural units are all based on the Sheng & Po cycle.

In TCM, the Sheng & Po cycle is regarded as the blueprint of the cybernetic mechanism of humans and animals. The Sheng&Po cycle is productive (= Sheng, ) in the order of the green arrows in the circle, and destructive (= Po from Pōhuài xìng 破坏性) following the red arrows in the pentagram. In this way the Sheng & Po cycle in TCM is responsible for a sustainable existence of humans and animals: The art of living is to ensure that Sheng and Po remain in balance with each other.

 

To ensure sustainable existence, humans, animals and all other natural units therefore consist of five energy or change phases, which enable them to maintain balance. It will become clear later, how this actually works in TCM.          

Note that the Elements in the Sheng&Po Cycle are not to be understood as the most elementary substances from which the perceived world is built, an ancient Greek conception.
On the contrary: The names of the Elements are chosen as a mnemonic for the logical sequence of the five phases of the circle in both sequences - Sheng and Po.

  • According to the circle: "............ Wood feeds Fire, Fire (Ash) forms Earth, Earth forms Metal, Metal (bucket) moves Water and Water feeds Wood and Wood ... .............. "
  • According to the pentagram: ".......... Wood (Trees) covers Earth, Earth stems Water, Water extinguishes Fire, Fire melts Metal, Metal cuts Wood and Wood ...... ...... "

 

This way the Sheng&Po Cycle is very easy to use in TCM for both diagnostics and therapies.
 

Continue to: 4.3. Sustainable existence

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