| Question | Answer |
| When Yin is deficient. What happens to Yang. | Yang is in apparent excess. |
| Name four aspects of the nature of the five elements. | 5 basic processes of nature, 5 qualities of natural phenomena. 5 phases of a cycle. 5 inherent capabilities of change of phenomena. |
| How do Yin andyand relate to the four seasons. | Summer and spring pertain to Yang and winter and autumn pertain to Yin. |
| In the earliest references, in which order were the five elements enumerated and how does this relate to their numerology | Water (1,6). Fire (2,7). Wood (3,8). Metal (4,9). Earth (5,10) |
| Explain the relationship between liver blood and liver Qi in terms of Yin and Yang. | Liver blood and liver Qi are an example of the Yin-Yang opposition of structure-function. Liver blood is the ‘structure’ of the liver (Yin) and the free flow of liver Qi is its function (Yang). The two are interdependent. |
| Why does round pertain to Yang and square to Yin. | Heaven is above and is Yang’ it is imagined like a round vault. Earth is below and can be parcelled out in fields. |
| Name the 5 emotions corresponding to the five elements. | Wood = anger. Fire = joy Earth=pensiveness. Metal=sadness. Water=fear |
| Name three five element relationships within the generating sequence and explain how these relate to the functions of the internal organs. | Liver is the mom of heart (liv stores blood, ht blood houses the mind). Spleen is mom of lungs (SP provides Gu Qi to LU where it interacts with air to form Zhen (true) Qi). Lungs are mom of kidneys. Lung Qi descends to meet the kidneys, Kid ‘grasps’ Qi. |
| Relate excess of Yin/Yang and deficiency of Yin/Yang to heat and clod (full or empty) | Excess of Yang is full-heat. Excess of Yin is full-cold. Deficiency of Yang is empty-cold. Deficiency of Yin is empty-heat. |
| Name the five tastes corresponding to the 5 elements. | Wood = sour. Fire=bitter. Earth=sweet. Metal = pungent. Water= salty |
| Why do you think left pertains to Yang and right to Yin. | As we face south the sun rises (Yang movement) on our left and it sets (Yin movement) on our right. |
| You are by a lake on a very hot day and you observe the vapor rising from the surface of the water: how do you interpret this in terms of Yin-Yang | The water of the lake is Yin. The heat of the sun (Yang) transforms the Yin (water) into a more dispersed, subtle form (Yang). i.e. vapour |
| Mention at least five examples of the opposition of Yin Yang ain sympotmatogy. | Hot-cold, dry-wet, rapid-slow, restless-quiet, excitement-inhibition. |
| What is the cosmological sequence | water at the bottom. Fire at the top. Wood on the left. Metal on the right. Earth in the center. |
| Name 2 relationships within the overacting sequence in pathological interactions | Liv over-acts ofn ST/SP. Rebellious liver Qi invades the ST, causing Qi to go up , or SP , causing Qi to go down. SP over acts on Kid. SP does’t T&T fluids, these will accumulate and obstruct the kidneys |
| When Yang is preponderant what happens to Yin. | Yin decreases |
| What happens if we eat too much salt and how is this explained in the light of the five elements. | Eating too much salt leads to hardening of the arteries. Salt pertains to Kid. Excess consumption may over act on the heart. Heart controls blood vessels and these are affected by the excessive salt consumption. |
| What do the chinese characters for Yin and Yang represent? | Yin represents the shady side of a hill and Yang The sunny side |
| Name 3 five element relationships withing the controlling sequence and explain how these relate to the functions of the internal organs. | Liv controls the ST/SP (The free flow of liv Qi to the ST to ripen & rot food & SP T&T). The HT controls LU. (HT governs blood, LU govern Qi, Qi and Blood mutually assist & nourish each other). SP controls Kid (SP’s T&T helps Kid’s excretion of fluids). |
| Name the five sounds, corresponding to the 5 elements. | Wood=shouting. Fire=laughing. Earth=singing. Metal=crying. Water=groaning. |
| Name 3 clinical implications of the cosmological sequence of the five elements | WaterIs foundation. Kid store Essence&=source of all Yin&Yang energies of the body. Earth=center. ST/SP=origin of post natal Qi &occupy a central position in physiology. Vertical axis=HT&Kid, must communicate with fire going down and water going up. |
