Work out your five-element constitution

In the chapter "LingShu. By comparing the respective attributes of Yin and Yang and the five elements, Twenty-five Men of Yin and Yang in Huangdi's Internal Classic divides human body characteristics into five categories: wood, fire, earth, gold and water.

Text/Sheng Zhu Ling

"Director Chen, that old Chinese doctor is really amazing. I didn't talk about it until I entered the clinic. Before I mentioned the pain, he knew that I had a bad spleen and stomach and had frequent diarrhea recently? Xiao Hua, the teaching assistant, saw the supervisor early in the morning and thanked him for introducing a good doctor.

"Ha ha, he is observing your appearance and distinguishing your physique; After that, did you ask for advice and feel your pulse? There should be no problem with diagnosis and treatment? " The director said.

"Yes, the old doctor of traditional Chinese medicine is accurate, but he looked at the doctor carefully. Finally, he not only prescribed a prescription, but also reminded me that I am a' soil-type' physique, so I should pay more attention to sleep and diet. Xiaohua is very interested and satisfied with this visit.

How can seeing a doctor be like fortune telling? In fact, similar scenes are not uncommon in the field of Chinese medicine. Some old Chinese medicine practitioners who have been practicing medicine for 30 to 40 years can analyze the patient's characteristics and possible potential diseases from the patient's walking posture, speaking tone and facial expression when they enter the clinic, and then ask about the medical history and feel the pulse, so as to accurately judge the cause and how to treat it.

Everything has five elements.

Zhuo Zibin, a Chinese medicine doctor, said that China's culture is profound, and everything can be divided into five types: wood, fire, earth, gold and water. The physique of human body is influenced by congenital and acquired factors, and there are also five elements of physique, each of which has its own characteristics and weaknesses. If it can be maintained in accordance with the Constitution, it can often get twice the result with half the effort.

The so-called "five elements" do not just refer to five physical objects that we can see with the naked eye, such as wood, flame, earth, gold nuggets or water. They represent concrete attributes and are the important foundation of all things, that is, any visible concrete substances, including people, plants, animals, fruits and vegetables, and invisible abstract things, such as seasons, directions and smells.

The characteristics of the five elements are as follows:

Wood: the growth mode of trees is straight branches, which have the characteristics of growth, sturdiness, rising and reaching.

Flammability: Fire is a symbol of light. When burning, it will release light and heat, which has the characteristics of upward transpiration.

Soil quality: Soil has the characteristics of cultivation and inclusiveness. Agricultural activities such as planting and harvesting cereals are rooted in soil, which not only carries and biochemically transforms everything, but also is the mother and destination of everything.

Gold: It can be forged into tools or weapons, clean and brilliant, but it also has the spirit of killing and changing.

Water-based: water will flow downwards, which can moisten everything and has the characteristics of hiding (hiding) cold.