Traditional versus modern Acupuncture

4. FIVE PHASE THEORY

 
As well as a binary classification (Yin-Yang), the Chinese classified natural phenomena into five archetypes, translated as the Five Phases, once called the Five Elements. The word "Phase" is more appropriate, as it signifies that the five classifications are relative and it infers the idea of change between the phases. The Five Phases are Fire type, Earth type, Metal type, Water type and Wood type. The Five Phases stand together as a mutually nourishing (anabolic) and controlling (catabolic) whole, as in the diagram (below):

The outer clockwise circle ( ---> ) is the Sheng, creative or nourishing cycle. Things of a Fire nature nourish ( --> ) things of an Earth nature in the Sheng Cycle: Fire --> Earth --> Metal --> Water --> Wood --> Fire. In the Sheng Cycle, Fire is the Mother on Earth; Metal is the Son of Earth.

THE SHENG AND KO CYCLE OF THE FIVE PHASES

The inner clockwise star ( > ) is the Ko, controlling cycle. Things of a Fire nature control or weaken ( X ) things of a Metal nature in the Ko Cycle: Fire X Metal X Wood X Earth X Water X Fire.

Each Phase also contains Yin and Yang attributes or correspondences (see paper on the Five Phases). Each Phase also relates to a specific Yin-Yang pair of COSs and Fire relates to 4 COSs (HT, SI, PC, TH). For instance Wood Yin relates to Liver and Wood Yang relates to Gallbladder function, as in the diagram (below).

The Yin-Yang pairs in each Phase are called Husband-Wife pairs. For instance ST (Yang) is the Husband of SP (Yin). Each Channel has a special AP point (the Luo (Passage) point). The Luo points are used to shunt Qi between Husband and Wife.

Each Phase also has relationships to a specific season, food, emotion, sound, body tissue, secretion etc. (See details in the paper on the Five Phases). Any imbalance of Qi in the Five Phase system can affect the balance in the whole system. For instance, Deficient KI (Water) Qi can cause Deficient LV Qi (the Mother can not feed the Son in the Sheng Cycle), or it can cause Excess HT (Fire) Qi (via the Ko Cycle, Deficient Water allows Excess Fire). Excess KI Qi would have the opposite effect.

Five Phase Theory has very practical use in TAP therapy. For instance, if there is a Qi Deficiency in one Channel and an Excess in another, the Qi can be balanced very easily by needling special points (selected from the Five Phase Points and/or the Luo (Passage) points). Each Channel has a special point which relates to each Phase (5 x 12 points = Sixty Phase Points). These points are used to shunt Qi between the Phases.

One stimulates the appropriate TAP point on the Deficient Channel (always the Deficient Channel!) to draw the Excess Qi directly into it (or indirectly via other Channels), thereby balancing the whole system.

In the Five Phase relationships (below), the Yang organs (SI, TH, ST, LI, BL, GB) are those on the outside of the diagram and the Yin organs (HT, PC, SP, LU, KI, LV) on the inside.