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The ancient philosophical theories of China are the summary of the ancients' observations and inductions of the nature of all things in the natural world and the laws of their development and change. The yin-yang theory in medicine is the product of the combination of ancient dialectical thinking methods and medical experience. That is, the opposition and unity, growth and decline, and transformation of yin and yang are used to explain the relationship between humans and the natural world, and to summarize a series of issues in the medical field.

  1. In terms of anatomy: summarizing the attributes of the human body's zang-fu organs and tissues, such as in Lingshu-Shou'ao Gangrou: "Therefore, there is yin-yang inside, and there is also yin-yang outside; inside, the five zang-organs are yin, and the six fu-organs are yang; outside, the tendons and bones are yin, and the skin is yang."
  2. In terms of physiology: analyzing the physiological functions of the human body. For example, in Suwen-Shengqi Tongtian Lun: "Yin stores essence and gives rise to the ultimate; yang protects the exterior and makes it firm." This explains that yin represents the storage of substances and is the source of yang qi energy; yang represents functional activities and plays the role of protecting the exterior and securing yin essence.
  3. In terms of pathology: elucidating the basic laws of pathological changes. For example, in Suwen-Yinyang Yingxiang Da Lun: "Predominant yin makes yang disorder, predominant yang makes yin disorder; when yang is excessive, there is heat, when yin is excessive, there is cold." Also, in Suwen-Tiaojing Lun: "Yang deficiency leads to external cold, yin deficiency leads to internal heat; yang exuberance leads to external heat, yin exuberance leads to internal cold." And so on.
  4. In terms of diagnosis: the general outline for classifying the attributes of diseases, using yang pattern and yin pattern as the main distinguishing points. For example, in Suwen-Yinyang Yingxiang Da Lun: "A good diagnostician observes the complexion and feels the pulse, first distinguishing yin and yang."
  5. In terms of treatment: determining the principles of reducing excess and supplementing deficiency, and regulating the relative balance of yin and yang. For example, in Suwen-Zhizhenyao Da Lun: "Treating cold with heat, treating heat with cold." Also, in Suwen-Yinyang Yingxiang Da Lun: "Yang disease treated through yin, yin disease treated through yang." And so on.
In addition, the properties of drugs and the techniques of acupuncture also have corresponding yin-yang attributes. Clinically, it is necessary to pay attention to the relationship between the yin-yang of the pattern and the yin-yang of the treatment. In summary, yin-yang is not only an important part of the basic theory but also a tool for summarizing clinical experience. However, this theory can only provide a rough explanation of the internal relationships of things based on some intuitive experiences.

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