[ENG][Part 1] The I Ching and Oriental Medicine

 CALee Acupuncture

🌿 [Part 1] The I Ching and Oriental Medicine: Rooted in the Same Principle of Yin and Yang

– The I Ching speaks of Heaven, Oriental Medicine speaks of the Human. But the principle they speak of is one.
– From Taiji → Yin & Yang → Four Symbols → Five Phases / Eight Trigrams
– Nature and the human body: different subjects, same logic

---

■ Introduction

As mentioned in the introductory post of this series,
today I’d like to begin with Part 1 of the journey—
a reflection on the shared root of Yin and Yang in the I Ching and Oriental Medicine.

The I Ching (周易) and Oriental Medicine
may seem like two very different worlds.
One speaks in symbols, philosophy, and the movement of the cosmos.
The other speaks of needles, herbs, and the healing of human illness.

But when we look deeper,
we find that both are rooted in the same philosophical soil: Yin and Yang (陰陽).
Their subjects differ, but the structure and logic they follow are remarkably aligned.

This series aims to explore that connection—
the bridge between cosmology and medicine, between Heaven and the body.
Shall we take the first step together? 🌱

■ The Principle of Yin and Yang Begins with Taiji

The foundation of East Asian thought begins with Taiji (太極):
the undivided, undifferentiated state of unity before Heaven and Earth came into being.

From this Taiji, movement (Yang) arises.
This movement gives birth to stillness (Yin).
Yin and Yang do not oppose each other—they interact, balance, and transform into one another.

This basic rhythm expands into a larger structure:

[Taiji (太極)]  
   ↓  
[Yin (陰) ↔ Yang (陽)] – Interaction and Balance  
   ↓  
[Four Symbols (四象)] – Greater Yang, Lesser Yang, Greater Yin, Lesser Yin  
   ↓  
[Eight Trigrams (八卦)] – Qian, Kun, Zhen, Xun, Kan, Li, Gen, Dui  

---

■ Two Subjects, One Framework

The I Ching interprets Nature.
Traditional Medicine interprets the Human Body.

Though the subjects differ, the framework of understanding is nearly identical.

Category	I Ching	Traditional Medicine
Object of Study	Heaven & Earth, Nature, Society	The human body, physiology, pathology
Core Principle	Yin & Yang, Four Symbols, Eight Trigrams	Yin & Yang, Five Phases, Organ Systems
Method of Analysis	Change through symbolic Trigrams (卦)	Balance of internal systems and energy flow
Final Purpose	Understanding and harmonizing with cosmic change	Diagnosing, treating, and preventing illness

Like two sides of a mirror,

they reflect different images through the same lens.

---

■ Shared Principles in Practice

In the I Ching,
Qian (乾) symbolizes Heaven and creation (Yang),
Kun (坤) symbolizes Earth and receptivity (Yin).
Their interaction brings about seasons, time, and the cycles of life.

In Traditional Medicine,
the Kidney is Yin (Water), the Heart is Yang (Fire).
The harmony between them is called Water-Fire Balance (水火旣濟)—
a concept that echoes directly from the I Ching.

The language and symbolism may differ,
but the underlying blueprint is the same.

---

■ Diagram: A Shared Philosophical Framework

     [Taiji]
       ↓
   [Yin ↔ Yang]
       ↓
 [Four Symbols]
       ↓
 ┌─────────────────────────────┬───────────────────┐
 │ I Ching: Interpreting Natural Change │ Medicine: Interpreting Bodily Change │
 │ - Time and space through Trigrams     │ - Diagnosis through Organ/Energy Flow │
 └─────────────────────────────┴───────────────────┘

It’s like applying the same mathematical formula
to two completely different types of problems: cosmos and body.

---

■ In Closing

People often say:
“It's fascinating how the I Ching and Traditional Medicine resemble each other.”

But this is no coincidence.
They were born from the same thought system,
spoken in the same philosophical language,
and shaped by the same way of seeing the world.

The I Ching explains Heaven and Earth.
Traditional Medicine shows how Heaven and Earth function within the human body.

The understanding is shared—only the field of application changes.

---

📌 Coming Next: The Symbols of Harmony

In the next post,
we’ll explore Hetu (河圖) and Luoshu (洛書)—the visual expressions of Yin-Yang structure—
and how these ancient diagrams relate to the Five Movements and Organ Theory in medicine.

Let’s continue the journey, one step at a time. 🌿