Qian Heaven and Kun Earth
Introduction
In Chinese Medicine we tend to look at the transformational aspect of the myriad beings. Transformation represents the changes in things and beings in time. And with good reason, because this is how we treat disease. Yet, it is the functionality that brings Chinese Medicine diagnostic methods together and connects it to the past.
The concepts of Qian Heaven and Kun Earth represent the functionality of Qi. Qi can be defined as having two different aspects, namely Yang and Yin. Both Yang and Yin have two distinct aspects. One aspect is how it functions and the other is how it transforms and changes into living beings and things.
This is reflected in chapter 5 from the Yellow Emperor’s Classic, Hence, the accumulation of Yang that is Heaven, the accumulation of Yin, that is Earth. Yin is tranquility, Yang is agitation. Yang gives life, Yin stimulates growth. Yang declines, Yin stores. Yang transforms Qi, Yin completes physical appearance.
The first part of the text, the accumulation of Yang that is Heaven, the accumulation of Yin, that is Earth, is referring to Heaven and Earth as function, and its aspects are tranquility and agitation.
The second part of the text, Yang gives life, Yin stimulates growth. Yang declines, Yin stores. Yang transforms Qi, Yin completes physical appearance, is referring to how Yang and Yin interact and become the fundamental principles governing the myriad beings.
In Chinese Medicine we work with the concepts of Fire and Water. This emphasizes the importance of form. Form is the way Fire and Water manifest in our body. Yet, we must never forget the importance of function. Function is best represented by the concepts of Qian Heaven and Kun Earth.
Fire and Water each have a direction that it associates with. Fire corresponds with the South, and Water with the North. Both Qian Heaven and Kun Earth have no location of their own. Which means that they are constantly present in all of the theoretical models concerning Yin and Yang. In fact understanding Qian Heaven and Kun Earth will unify and connect the concepts of the Five Agents and the Six Conformations.
Have you ever wondered why there are Five Agents of Transformation, which are also known as the Five Elements, and not six. If Yin and Yang give birth to the Five Elements, then why are there five and not an even number? This question has troubled me since I was a student. It always seemed unlikely that the two Yin and Yang images could make five subdivisions. Why are there two sorts of Yang called Heat and Fire in the Six qi? Why does the name of the Shao yang Ministerial Fire Conformation have no location? Tai yang Cold Water of the North has a location, the North. All these questions can be answered by Qian Heaven and Kun Earth having no location of their own.
The concepts of Qian Heaven and Kun Earth form the base of Chinese Medicine. Together they give birth to Chinese Medicine.
They are the functional aspects of Yin and Yang qi. The interaction of Qian Heaven and Kun Earth creates the concepts of Li Fire and Kan Water. Fire and Water are how Qian Heaven and Kun Earth take form in all beings.
The words Qian, Kun, Li, and Kan come from the I Ching naming of the accompanying trigrams.
It is the concepts of Qian Heaven and Kun Earth that connect us to the eternal Dao.
Chinese Medicine, the I Ching, and Daoism form a trilogy. One part can be better understood by learning another part. We should learn them together.
We tend to think of the Five Agents or Elements and the Six Conformations as two separate theories. They are in fact just one concept and understanding Qian Heaven and Kun Earth makes this clear.
We can say that Qian Heaven and Kun Earth are omnipresent in all of Chinese Medicine. Omnipresent means present in all places at all times. We should never forget their presence and role in the transforming and growing of the myriad things.
Images
In the classic book I Ching the concepts of Yin and Yang are representated by lines. The title of the I Ching can be translated as the Book of Changes. The title is referring to how things and beings change and transform in time.
The first image of Yang is one solid line. The first image of Yin is one broken line.
An image is a symbolic way of representating the Yin and Yang qualities of something. In order to create more images of Yin and Yang another line is added. So the two images become four and adding another line makes eight images. These eight images or eight trigrams represent all the natural phenomena in the world.
This does not explain how there are Five Agents or Elements. Yet, Yin and Yang do give birth to the Five Agents of Transformation. Not all phenomena can be described with the qualities of Utmost Yang or Utmost Yin. There must be subdivisions. The Five Agents and the Six Conformations are these subdivisions.
This is where the four images of Yin and Yang are useful. These are, Utmost Yang, Yin within Yang, Utmost Yin, and Yang within Yin.
Yellow Emperor's Classic chapter 3, It generates five and its qi are three.
This has been interpreted by Fu Weikang this way, Yin and Yang generate the Five Agents and subdivide into the three Yin and three Yang qi.
Shen Zumian further explains, Spring-Wood-Liver, summer-Fire-Heart, autumn-Metal-Lung, and winter-Water-Kidneys, they are all generated by the fifth agent in the center. They come to life through the fifth agent center-Spleen-Soil (Earth).
The two images of Yin and Yang become four images when a line is added. These four images represent the directions, seasons, and Elements. These four images represent the spring, summer, autumn, and winter. The four seasons plus Earth make the Five Elements. Yin and Yang create the four seasons and Elements and the omnipresence of Earth make Five Agents. Yin and yang create the Five Elements and it is Earth that gives them life. Obviously Earth is necessary for the birth of the other Agents but how does this occur? I found the answer in the relationship with the eternal Dao. Neither the Ruler Fire nor the Earth have a position of their own. The expression of having, no position of their own, refers to the eternal Dao. The eternal Dao represents how nature manifests and the Dao gives birth to the Heavens and Earth.
The Yellow Emperor’s Classic, Understanding the Dao requires knowledge of the pattern of Heavens above, and Earth below, and the affairs of humanity in between. This way it will last forever.
We are going to take a look at the concepts of Heaven and Earth and how they relate to each other and to Fire and Water.
The Gathering of Qi
The Yellow Emperor’s Classic, Qi gathers together and then form comes into being.
The lighter elements in Heaven are called Yang, and the heavier elements on Earth are called yin.
Lie Zi writes, The purer and lighter elements tending upwards made the Heavens, and grosser and heavier, tending downwards made the Earth.
The first division of Yang and Yin occurs when the lighter elements rise up to Heaven and the denser elements sink to Earth. The gathering of Qi and the form of things come into being and are divided into lighter Yang and heavier Yin aspects.
This is expressed by the saying, The one is two, and the two are one.
Qi is the one, and Yin and Yang are the two. Meaning that all phenomena has two qualities.
The Chinese character for Qi has two parts. The first part represents vapor, steam, or gas. The second part represents a grain of rice. The Chinese symbol for Qi is represented by steam and uncooked rice suggesting the release of energy and potential for energy and the material all in one.
Qi Vapor Rice
氣 气 来
Vapor corresponds with the Heavens and rice corresponds with the Earth.
All phenomena in the universe contains Qi, and Qi must be a part of the Dao. Dao is the way of Heaven and Earth. All Dao has movement so then Qi must have movement. The movement of the Dao starts with the great Water and moves away from Water towards Fire, Wood and Metal, only to finally return. This movement describes the transformation from non-being or unity, to being, and back again.
Huai Nan Zi says this about the Dao, Dao originated from emptiness and emptiness produced the Dao, that which was clear and light drifted up to become Heaven, and that which was heavy and turbid solidified to form Earth.
Dao originated from emptiness in the Great Void and contains a Yang and Yin aspect. The lighter forms of Qi drift upwards to become Heaven, and the heavier forms of Qi gather to from Earth.
Zhang Zai says this about the Great Void, The Great Void consists of Qi. Qi condenses to become the myriad things. Things of necessity disintegrate and return to the Great Void. If Qi condenses, its visibility becomes effective and physical form appears.
Qi contains the generating and birthing quality and the collecting and storing quality. Qi contains the Yang and Yin of all phenomena. It is clear that Yang generates and declines, while Yin grows and stores. We can then make a similiar statement about Qi.
Yang generates, yin grows, yang declines, yin stores.
Qi generates and grows, it declines and stores.
Qi is connected to the Dao, it forms the Heaven and Earth. It is the way of Heaven and Earth, the father and mother of change and transformation, the fundamental principal governing the myriad things, the basis and beginning of generating and declining, it is the palace of spirit brilliance.
Humans are born out of the Dao. So when humans use words and describe the Dao, they are the Dao explaining itself. The process of humans speaking about the nature of existence is the Dao judging itself, because of this the Dao then loses its chaotic and spontaneous nature.
Because we judge the Dao, we will never fully understand its eternal nature. Which is why Huai Nan Zi says the Dao originated from emptiness, and Zhang Zai says that Qi comes from the Great Void. Emptiness and the Great Void represent the inability to fully understand the eternal Dao.
This reflects that we will never fully understand the Dao, but know must exist. To give anything a personal name is to give it a destiny and life. By naming the myriad things they become illuminated and thus drawn out of the void of chaos. The act of naming changes Pre-Heaven to Post-Heaven which changes the Dao from eternal to short lived.
The eternal Dao is unchanging, yet it does have an understandable movement. This is reflected in the statement from the Dao De Jing.
I do not know its proper name but will call it Dao. If forced to give it a name I shall call it great. Great means moving away, moving away means far away, and far away means ultimately to return.
The movement of the Dao is described by Laozi as ziran, which means self-becoming. At every moment the Dao spontaneously becomes itself, forever leaving from and then returning to its original nature. In the Dao’s primordial journey, the fourth stage is always a returning to itself. Primordial means first created or developed, existing in or persisting from the beginning, or earliest formed in the growth of an individual or organ.
The basic numbering of the universe is described in Chapter 42 of the Dao De Jing in four stages. It is moving from the unity of non-being Dao to being the myriad things.
The fifth stage is the axis around which the Dao’s movement occurs. The movements of the Dao are the cosmological basis for the Five Agents.
1 is Water which is great
2 is Fire which is moving away
3 is Wood which is far away
4 is Metal which is the return
5 is Earth which is the axis
The first stage of Dao corresponds to Water which represents the potential basis for all manifestations in life.
The generation of Fire from Water corresponds to moving away from its original nature.
These two poles generate a third stage which corresponds to Wood. The function of Wood is to blend Water and Fire back into one by harmonizing.
The fourth stage signifies a return from the duality of Fire and Water back into the original nature of Dao as unity.
The fifth stage is the axis around which they revolve and is called Earth.
This cycle is the cycle we see in the seasons and a day. It is broken down into Twelve Earthly Branches.
Every day and every year the Dao moves away, and returns to itself.
The Daoist sage Laozi is often shown riding on an ox or in an ox cart as he prepares to leave China by way of a pass to the West. The West symbolizes the returning to the Source. The Source is referring to a return to the eternal Dao and unity.
The Supreme Ultimate Taiji
The Chinese character tai means supreme, extremely, or excessive. But also seniority, respect, and grandness. The Chinese character ji is described as a ridgepole of a house, the highest point of the roof. It can be thought of as, higher than the highest point.
太 極
In China, the ancients clearly defined the cycle of coming into being, remaining, decaying, and fading back into nothingness as one that lasted 31,920 years and was called the ji Ultimate.
The ji Ultimate ensures that there is a transition from one cycle to the next. After completion of the cosmological cycles, it is the Supreme Ultimate that allows for the cycle of life and renewal of becoming, being, decay, and oblivion. All cycles begin and start again, it is the taiji that ensures the cycles continue.
The Supreme Ultimate is usually painted with a brush to better represent the spontaneous nature of the Dao. The Supreme Ultimate is like a ring that has no end.
Classic of Changes, That which gives birth to creation is called change. Change contains the Supreme Ultimate, which is what produces the two polarities. These two polarities produce the four images. And the four images produce the eight trigrams.
Dao gives birth to one, one gives birth to two, two gives birth to three, which gives birth to the myriad things.
Change gives birth to creation and it contains the Supreme Ultimate. The Supreme Ultimate produces the two polarities. These two polarities produce the four images, and the four images produces the eight trigrams.
Change is the material thing, but also the principal that produces life. Change and the Supreme Ultimate are synonymous.
Utmost Yin and Yang
This first division of Yin and yang is best illustrated by the trigrams. The trigrams for the first division are named Qian and Kun. Qian represents the Utmost Yang and Kun represents the Utmost Yin.
Utmost Yang
Utmost Yin
Qian Utmost Yang represents Heaven and consists of three solid yang lines. Yang is the principle of light and the heavenly, so it has to be represented in abundance in the trigram of Heaven. It is often referred to as the Original Qi or Yuan Qi. It causes transformation.
Qian is the Ultimate Yang and represents Heaven.
Kun Utmost Yin represents Earth and consists of three broken yin lines. Yin stands for earth, dark, and cold. The trigram represents the receptive, since that is traditionally seen as the role of Earth in relation to Heaven. It also represents the field on which is grown what we need to survive. It grows due to the transformation of Yang and gives birth to the myriad beings.
Kun is the Ultimate Yin and represents Earth.
Trigram of Heaven
Trigram 1 is Heaven (qián or ch'ien), consisting of three solid Yang lines. Yang stands for heaven, light, and warmth. The trigram represents creativity, since Heaven is in ancient Chinese thought regarded as the origin of the world and the mightiest force in it. It also denotes the dry warming of the sun, and it suggests the male principle.
The Chinese character for this trigram, shown below, represents the drying light and warmth of the sun.
Trigram of Earth
Trigram 8 is Earth (kun or k'un), consisting of three broken Yin lines. It's the symbol of the female principle in ancient Chinese tradition. The trigram for Earth, then, is all about Yin. The trigram represents the receptive, since that is traditionally seen as the role of Earth in relation to heaven. It also represents the field on which is grown what we need to survive.
The Chinese character for this trigram, shown below, represents Earth and female.
Natural Phenomena
There are eight different natural phenomena which are represented by the eight trigrams. They are organized in two different ways, the Pre-Heaven model and the Post-Heaven model.
前天
The Pre-Heaven is the unconditioned, celestial state, distinguished by unity and oneness with the true consciousness, when the original spirit is present. I consider this comparable to a perfect world where just pure function resides. This represents the functionally of Yin and Yang. The original spirit is present and perfect.
后天
The Post-Heaven is after the interaction and transformation of Heaven and Earth. This represents the form of Yang and Yin known ad Fire and Water. The Post-Heaven is the conditioned, human state, distinguished by discriminating consciousness, when the original spirit is hidden behind human activity.
Post-Heaven is after the interaction and transformation of Heaven and Earth has occurred. This represents the form of Yang and Yin. I consider this comparable to a chaotic world that manifests from the interaction of Heaven and Earth. The original spirit is still present but harder to see.
In the Post-Heaven the original sprit or consciousness is hidden behind, acquired conditioning, compulsive habits, wandering thoughts, and the seven emotions. When the Heavenly celestial Yang is overcome by the Earthly mundane Yin, reality is obscured. The reality is that Heaven and Earth are always present.
In the Pre-Heaven Qian Heaven represents how the Yang causes change.
In the Pre-Heaven Kun Earth represents how the Yin grows, stores, and changes.
In the Post-Heaven Qian Heaven becomes Fire but its function never changes. Fire arises due to the interaction of Qian Heaven and Kun Earth.
In the Post-Heaven Kun Earth becomes Water but its function never changes. Water arises due to the interaction of Qian Heaven and Kun Earth.
The Compass
The compass is divided into four orthodox directions and four angles.
In the Pre-Heaven configuration Qian Heaven is placed in the South and Kun Earth in the North, and Kan Water in the West and Li Fire in the East.
In the Post-Heaven configuration Qian and Kun move to an oblique corner, but Kan and Li vault from East and West to North and South.
In the Pre-Heaven pattern, Kan and Li occupy the latitudinal poles, and in the Post-Heaven pattern, Kan and Li occupy the longitudinal poles. This illustrates how important Li Fire and Kan Water are. The two trigrams that are the most prominent in the Classic of Changes are Kan Water and Li Fire.
In the Post-Heaven configuration, once we have transitioned from form to function, where do Qian and Kun move? They move to the oblique corners. The oblique corners, Northwest and Southeast, are a step down from the cardinal directions. The six children, the myriad of things all emerge from them. As soon as the six children of Qian Heaven and Kun Earth are born, as soon as Water and Fire take over, they retire from their positions.
Remember the South is the most important direction and therefore is placed at the top. The South is where the rays of the Tai yang sun are the strongest. This is the home of Yang.
The South
The Directions of the Compass
The Great Commentary of the Classic of Changes, The directions of the compass gather things of their ilk, creatures are thereby gathered together and separated out.
That ilk is synonymous with same, and persists chiefly in Scotland where it's used in the phrase "of that ilk," meaning "of the same place, territorial designation, or name."
This is the birth of the Five Agents and the three Yang and three Yin. All things can be placed in one of the different compass directions. Each of the directions gathers a particular quality of time.
East
The East assembles the periods related to the third, fourth, and fifth Earthly Branches, yin, mao, and chen, and the three months of spring.
The East gathers Yin within Yang, or Shao yang, spring and Wood.
South
The South assembles the periods related to the sixth, seventh, and eighth Earthly Branches, si, wu, and wei, and the three months of summer.
The South gathers Utmost Yang, or Tai yang, summer and Fire.
West
The West assembles the periods related to the ninth, tenth, and eleventh Earthly Branches, shen, you, and xi, and the three months of autumn.
The West gathers Yang within Yin, or Shao yin, autumn and metal.
North
The North assembles the periods related to the twelfth, first, and second Earthly Branches, hai, zi, and chou, and the three months of winter.
The North gathers Utmost Yin, or Tai yin, winter and Water.
Center
The Center assembles the periods related to the last month of a season, chen, wei, xi, and chou, which enables the transition from one season to the next.
This is the foundation of the Five Agents and Six Conformations. Earth is considered the Center and it has no season of its own.
It is implied that the first division of Yang Heaven and Yin Earth are constantly present in all transformations and change. Without Earth there would be no birth of the myriad beings.
The Birth of the Eight Trigrams
Qian Heaven and Kun Earth give birth to three yang children and three yin children. Through their interaction six children are born. There are three male children and three female children.
The three Yang male children
Zhen Thunder
Kan Water
Gen Mountain
The three Yin female children
Sun Wind
Li Fire
Dui Lake
The eight trigrams are born from Heaven and Earth. They represent all natural phenomena. When the eight trigrams are placed in their positions according to the directions of the compass you may notice that they are in pairs of opposites.
Richard Wilhelm, The I Ching on Early Heaven Xian Tian Heaven and Earth determine the directions. The forces of mountain and lake are united. Thunder and wind arouse each other. Water and fire do not combat each other. Thus are the eight trigrams intermingled.
Qian Heaven Creativity is paired with Kun Earth Receptive
Zhen Thunder Arousing is paired with Gen Mountain Stillness
Li Fire Consuming is paired with Kan Water Abysmal
Dui Lake Open is paired with Xun Wind Gentle
We can also organize the trigrams according to their Yin and Yang qualities.
These four are paired, Zhen and Gen have two Yin lines combined with one Yang line, Dui and Sun have two Yang lines combined with one Yin line.
Zhen Thunder
Gen Mountain
Dui Lake
Sun Wind
These four are paired, Utmost Yin and Utmost Yang are paired with mixed Yin and Yang. Li Fire has Yin in Yang, and Kan Water has Yang in Yin.
Qian Heaven
Kun Earth
Li Fire
Kan Water
Tong Ren and Shi Hexagrams
In the Pre-Heaven Qian is placed in the South and in the Post-Heaven Fire is placed in the South. Qian Heaven and Li Fire both reside in the South. This is represented by the hexagram Tong ren.
In the Pre-Heaven Kun Earth is placed in the North and in the Post-Heaven Kan Water is placed in the North. Kun Earth and Kan Water both reside in the North. This is represented by the hexagram Shi.
Qian Heaven and Li Fire both occupy the Southern direction.
Kun Earth and Kan Water both occupy the Northern direction.
Tong Ren
Tong ren is, Qian Heaven and Li Fire residing together, they act like the sun, they are called Tong ren.
It consits of Heaven above and Fire below.
Shi
Shi is, Kun Earth and Kan Water residing together, they abide with the moon, they are called Shi.
It consists of Earth above and Water below.
This should make it clear about the importance and presence of Qian Heaven and Kun Earth in further subdivisions of Yin and Yang like the Five Agents. Together they symbolize the union of Heaven and Fire, and Earth and Water.
Kun Earth and Kan Water dwell together, as Water and Earth are united. Earth without Water does not support life.
The virtue of Kun Earth is its storing ability, and this is also the virtue of Kan Water. What does it store?
The Yang is being stored. The Yang in Kan comes from Heaven, it is the True Yang. It is also called, the Prenatal Yang, Life Gate Fire, and Dragon Fire, the Original Fire, the Minister Fire, the Life or Destiny Fire.
Both Kun and Kan can store the Yang Fire. Yang Fire must be controlled by Earth and Water, because when Yang is weak this controlling fails and pathology occurs.
As long as the True Yang exists, there is life. It the True Yang is not stored away, or if the True Yang is used to perform some other function, then the life-giving Yin is not warmed and nourished. If it is not contained, and True Yang floats upward and outward, then disease begins.
Essential Nature of Fire and Water
I wonder if you noticed that Water is one of the three male children. Shouldn't it be female? And what about Fire? It is one of the three female children.
Kan is Water, it is Yin, yet it is labeled male as one of the six children of Heaven and Earth. Li is Fire, it is Yang, but it is labeled female.
The true nature of Fire is Yin and female because without Yin there would be no Fire. Fire needs something to burn. The true nature of Water is Yang and male because without Yang there would be no living, moving, and circulating Water.
Fire and Water are born from the interaction of Qian Heaven and Kun Earth.
Qian Heaven mixing with Kun Earth
The Yang in the middle of Qian heaven ☰ enters the palace of Kun Earth ☷, so that the trigram of Kun Earth is filled in and becomes Kan Water ☵.
Kun Earth mixing with Qian Heaven
The Yin in the middle of Kun Earth ☷ goes into the palace of Qian Heaven ☰, so the trigram of Qian Heaven is emptied and becomes Li fire ☲.
The movement of Dao is illustrated by the image of the Fire and Water moving and interacting.
Classic of Changes, The relations of that which is rooted in Heaven has relations with above and that which is rooted in Earth has relations below.
Yellow Emperor’s Classic, The Earth Qi rises and becomes the clouds.
Yellow Emperor’s Classic, The Celestial Qi descending as rain.
This allows that which is above to descend and that which is below to rise.
In the body, it is this exchange of Qi that allows, entering, exiting, rising, and falling. Entering, exiting, rising, and falling, describes all the normal processes in the body.
Water
Trigram 6 is Water (kan or k'an), which is one of the Five Agents or Elements. The trigram represents the abysmal, the gorge, since that's where the Water naturally travels. The nature of Water is to flow to the lowest place.
The difference between what this trigram represents and the second one, the Lake, is subtle. Shouldn't the Lake, with its depth, be more abysmal than Water? But the lake is usually experienced by its surface, not its depth, whereas Water always insists on flowing downwards, seemingly forever. Water is heading for the abyss.
The lines of the hexagram also imply this characteristic of Water. A Heavenly Yang line surrounded by Earthly Yin lines. Water is earthbound, but moves of its own will, in spite of this captivity. It strives to go underground, but still it is stopped by ground.
The Chinese character for the trigram, shown below, means pit, hole or trap, expressions of the downward movement of Water.
The meaning of water
Laozi says this, Humans take the Earth as model.
Laozi suggests that we are the same as Earth, which is the union of Soil and Water. Most of the Earth is covered with Water and humans reflect this. In other words, we need Water to be healthy. Water is essential to life, so it is important to look at the trigram of Water from the Classic of Changes. This trigram illustrates the storing aspect of Yin. The solid Yang line is being stored by two broken Yin lines.
Water is the most Yin thing there is, so why is there a Yang line between the Yin lines. This reveals the true nature of Water. As long as it possesses this Yang element, then it is truly living.
There is something that transports water up to the sky, and it is Yang, it is Tai yang, the sun.
Yellow Emperor’s Classic, The Earth qi rises and becomes the clouds.
If water is to ascend upward and become clouds and living water, then it must have the Yang qi of the sun’s light and heat. Water must become living Water and rise up to the Heavens and become clouds. It must have the assistance of the sun’s heat. Water stores Yang and Yang brings life to water.
Fire
Trigram 3 is Fire (lí or li), the consuming energy, which is also one of the Five Agents or Elements. The trigram represents the clinging and radiance. It also stands for breaking free and departing.
The lines of the hexagram show the Earthly Yin surrounded by the Heavenly Yang. That brings a boost of potency to the Earthly, enough to make it burst into flames. Earth is consumed by the Heavenly forces surrounding it, therefore the trigram stands for breaking free, leaving to another state of being.
The Chinese character of this trigram, shown below, uses the symbol of birds flying away, for its meaning of departure and separation.
The meaning of Fire
Li Fire is exactly opposite in form to Kan Water, and the Li Fire trigram assumes the body of Qian Heaven.
If the center line of Kun is transmitted to Qian, we have the Li Fire. The Li Fire trigram assumes the body of Qian Heaven.
The trigram of Li Fire illustrates that it is Yin that supports the burning flame. Without the Yin there would be no fuel for the flame to burn and create heat.
No Position of their Own
Qian Heaven
In the Yellow Emperor’s Classic it states that Fire and Earth have no position of their own. This is referring to the concepts of Qian Heaven and Kun Earth. Qian Heaven and Kun Earth represent the functionally of Yang and Yin and how it relates to the movements of Dao. It is Qian Heaven and Kun Earth that connect us to the Dao.
Qian Heaven is also known as the Ruler Fire, or the Original Fire, and it must be honored because of its relation to the Dao. The Dao is the cause of transformation and change. This is the source of entering and exiting, rising and falling. We must honor the Dao because living in harmony with the Dao keeps us healthy.
In chapter 66 of the Yellow Emperor’s Classic it states, The Ruler Fire relies on being honored, the Minister Fire relies on its position.
In chapter 74 of the Yellow Emperor’s Classic Wang Bing has this to say about the ruler fire. The Ruler Fire does not rule a period.
And Lin Yi says, The Ruler Fire exists by name, the Minister Fire exists by position. That is to say the Ruler Fire does not rule a period.
According to Lin Yi the Ruler Fire exists by name and has no position and represents the connection with the Heavenly Qian Yang Qi that causes transformation. The Minister Fire exists by position and represents the physical form of the Heart.
The Ruler Fire is also known as the Emperor Fire. The Emperor Fire is associated with the Heart. Yet, the Heart is the only organ without the flesh radical in its Chinese character, all the other organs have one, suggesting that the Heart is something without form.
心
The Heart character
The Heart has two different aspects, one of no form and one of form. The aspect of form, or physical Heart, has the function of storing. It stores Jing Essence or the Ruler Fire. The other aspect is the Ruler Fire that exists only by name.
So the Heart has form and no form at the same time. The Ruler Fire connects us to the changes of the Five Elements or Five Agents and to the three Yin and three Yang. Without this connection there would be no transformation and change.
This Ruler Fire is an aspect of Yang Qi called Spirit brightness and its location is the Great Void.
Yellow Emperor's Classic, Now, the Five periods and Yin and Yang, they are the way of Heaven and Earth, the fundamental principles governing the myriad things, father and mother to change and transformation, basis and beginning of generating and killing, they are the palace of Spirit brilliance.
The palace of Spirit brilliance is the starting place of change and transformation. The Five periods and Yin and Yang, dwell in the palace of Spirit brightness. It is the Dao.
Wang Bing, That union and dispersion of Qi are immeasurable, that generation and transformation of the myriad beings is inexhaustible, all this is possible only because of the movement of the Spirit brightness.
The Spirit brightness makes it possible that the myriad beings exist.
Now, as for the operation of change and transformation, in Heaven it is darkness, the darkness generates the Spirit.
Wang Bing, Darkness is distance, is hidden and deep, hence it generates the Spirit. The Great Void spreads the true magic power of Qi. The myriad beings depend on the Great Void to come into existence.
Wang Bing, The True Qi of the Great Void reaches everywhere. The True Qi supports generation and existence. Hence anything that depends on Qi and contains magic power embraces True Qi to be alive.
The Great Void is to say, the region of emptiness and darkness, that which is filled by the True Qi, the palace of Spirit brightness. The True Qi is infinitesimal, nothing is to far for it to reach.
Cold, dryness, fire, dampness, heat, and wind, these are the Yin and Yang of Heaven. The three Yang and three Yin act on their behalf.
Kun Earth
Earth also has no position of its own, which is why there are different formations of the Five Agents diagram. Sometimes Earth is in the middle, sometimes Earth is between Fire and Metal, sometimes Earth is placed between each of the elements. Each if these is correct in its own way. These different formations are an attempt to include Kun Earth in a way that represents its constant presence.
Yellow Emperor's Classic, The central region produces dampness, dampness creates Earth, Earth creates sweetness, sweetness creates the Spleen, the Spleen creates flesh, the flesh gives rise to the Lungs. In the Heavens it is dampness, on Earth it is the soil, in the body it is the flesh, among Qi it is the Qi that fills, and among the viscera it is the Spleen.
The above text should illustrate how important Kun Earth is. Kun Earth is born from the Center. The Center is that which functions as form and the axis around which all the other Elements revolve.
Yellow Emperor's Classic, The Spleen, does not have a season that it gover
Yellow Emperor's Classic, The Spleen is Earth, it rules the Central region, it holds fast to the four seasons, and extends to the four viscera. Eighteen days from each season are entrusted to it, but it does not have a season all its own.
Dong Zhongshu called the Spleen, The lord of the Five Elements. It is the Ruler because all the other elements cannot come into being without earth.
These texts describe the role of Earth in giving birth to the myriad of beings. Kun Earth does not have a season of its own, the last eighteen days are entrusted to it, it is the lord of the Five Elements, and without Kun Earth there would be no life.
Heaven and Earth represent how Yang and Yin function, its theoretical aspect.
Fire and Water represent how Yang and Yin take form in living beings, its transformational aspects.
Earth and Heaven are constantly present and now we can see how they play a role in the Five Agents and Six Conformations.
Yang Heaven represents Utmost Yang. This quality is one of birthing, and emitting.
Yin Earth represents Utmost Yin. This quality is one of growing and storing.
Together they give rise to transformation. Transforming gives rise to change. Change contains the Dao. Yang and Yin are the aspects of Dao that is change.
Jing Essence
Essence is a form of Qi. It is something to be arrived at by a process of refinement or distillation. There are three types; Pre-Heaven, Post-Heaven and the Kidney Essence.
Heiner Fruehauf has this to say about Jing Essence, Jing is the Chinese designation for the essential fluid of our physical body. The archaic Chinese character for jing denoted the most refined Essence obtained from rice. The basic Yin from which all Yang springs is jing. In classical Chinese medical texts, jing is sometimes referred to as the body's "original water" with Water representing the Ultimate Yin and Original Fire being the Ultimate Yang.
Other dense fluid Essences such as saliva, vaginal fluids, breast milk, or blood are all regarded to be different transformations of one and the same jing; these are refined Essences.
Water is considered the source of all Yin and Yang. In the I Ching Water is described as the great. It is the Source of things. In our body the concept of jing Essence is comparable to the concept of Qian Heaven and Li Fire being stored by Kun Earth and Kan Water. Jing Essence is Yang Qi in stored form.
Harmonizing and Earth
Harmonizing is an aspect of Earth that ensures the transition from one state or season to the next. Just as in each season the last eighteen days belongs to Earth, which makes the transition from one season to the next possible. In the body it is the aspect of Earth that allows the entering, exciting, rising, and falling possible. In an herbal formula it is the Earth aspect that prevents excessive damage from strong Yang herbs. This is often the job of the herb zhi gan cao. This is referred to as moderation or harmonizing.
The Five Movements and Six Qi
Yunqi is an abbreviation of wuyun liuqi, and is means the Five Agents and Six Qi.
The Five Movements is also known as the Five Elements, or the Five Earthly Energies, or Five Elemental Phases of Wood, Fire, Earth, Metal and Water. The Six Qi is referring to the Six Climatic Influences, Six Conformations, and the three Yin and three Yang.
Yunqi
The meaning of Tai yang in yunqi, Tai yang is cold in Heaven and Water on Earth.
The meaning of Yang ming in yunqi, Yang ming is dryness in the Heavens and Metal on Earth.
The meaning of Tai yin in yunqi, The Tai yin is dampness in Heaven and Earth on Earth.
The meaning of Shao yin in yunqi, Shao yin is heat in Heaven and Fire on Earth.
The meaning of Jue yin in yunqi, Jue yin is the wind in the Heavens and Wood on Earth.
Shao yang has a dual meaning.
The meaning of Shao yang in yunqi, Shao yang is Ministerial Fire in Heaven and Fire and Wood on Earth.
Shao yang means the Yang that is not yet big. It is Yin in Yang and belongs to the Eastern direction. Shao yang is associated with the East, and the three months of spring, and the Twelve Branches of yin, mao, and chen. If Shao yang is related to the East, and to emerging Yang, and to the Yang not yet big, then it is associated with the Wood Element.
But in terms of the Five Movements and the Six Qi Shao yang is associated with the Ministerial Fire. In the Classics Shao yang has a dual nature and is related to both Wood and Fire. This dual nature actually reflects the difference between the form and function of Fire.
In the Pre-Heaven trigrams Li Fire is oriented in the East, in the Wood direction. This is related to the form of Fire, its origin. Fire comes from Wood.
In the Post-Heaven trigrams Li Fire is orientated in the South. The South is related to Fire, and this orientation reflects the functional aspect of Fire.
When the ancients spoke of Shao yang Fire they called it the Fire of the Thunder Dragon, this was related to the source of Fire. The Dragon Thunder Fire, the Wood Fire, the Fire within Wood, Fire emerging from within Wood. These ideas explain the dual nature of Shao yang.
The Imperial Fire is associated with the Spirit brightness and represents the non-being and unity, the Ministerial Fire is associated with the Post-Heaven Yang Fire and represents the being.
This text describes how important Mingmen is to our health. He calls it a type of Pre-natal Fire. He is then describing Qian heaven, and how it manifests in us.
From Chen Shiduo, A Secret Manual from the Stone Chamber (Shishi Milu), ca. 1690:
As has already laid out in detail in the Nanjing, mingmen is the master of the twelve channel networks. But even though many texts have since been written about this subject, the quintessence (most typical example) of mingmen still remains in the dark. Therefore I chose to bring up this topic one more time.
It is always said that mingmen is the master of the twelve channel networks. Now, what kind of master is it exactly and what does it master?
Let me put it this way: if there is no fire inside us, we cannot exist. This fire must be there first so that the twelve channel networks can be imbued with the igniting spark of transformation. mingmen, therefore, is a type of pre-natal fire.
Mingmen fire, is yang fire-a yang that is embedded within two yin. In the microcosmic context of the human body, mingmen is generated first, and only then the heart. Does this fact not illuminate the importance of mingmen? When the heart procures the power of mingmen, consciousness is in command, and we can relate to the outside world. When the liver procures the power of mingmen, it can plan. When the gallbladder procures the power of mingmen, it can make decisions. When the stomach procures the power of mingmen, it can absorb food. When the spleen procures the power of mingmen, it can transport. When the lung procures the power of mingmen, it can fulfill its administrating and regulating functions. When the large intestine procures the power of mingmen, it can pass on the waste. When the small intestine procures the power of mingmen, it can disseminate. When the kidney procures the power of mingmen, it can bring about physical vigor. When the triple burner procures the power of mingmen, it can keep the body's water pathways unobstructed. When the bladder procures the power of mingmen, it can store. In other words, there is not a single one among the organ networks that does not rely on the mingmen fire for warmth and nourishment.
This type of fire should be tonified rather than purged. This is done by tonifying fire within water, and especially by tonifying water within fire. In this fashion, fire can be fueled by water and at the same time be stored within water. If we just use cold or cool herbs to attack the mingmen fire, it will become weak, and how could it then nourish the twelve channel networks? This is what is really meant by the Neijing statement 'when the master is dim, the twelve officials are all in a state of crisis.' Doesn't that strongly emphasize the importance of mingmen?
Mingmen is synonymous with the mandate of each organ. This is illustrated in Chapter 8 of the Yellow Emperor’s Classic.
The Heart holds the office of the Sovereign and Ruler.
The Lungs hold the office of chancellor and mentor.
The Liver holds the office of general.
The Gall bladder holds the office of centered righteousness.
The Pericardium holds the office of minister and envoy.
The Spleen and Stomach holds the office of the granaries.
The Large intestine holds the office of transmitting along the way.
The Small intestine holds the office of receiving sacrifices.
The Kidneys holds the office of making strong.
The San jiao holds the office of clearing the canals.
The Urinary bladder holds the office of regional rectifier.
Mingmen is the Pre-Heaven Yang, the Post-Heaven Fire, the Yang Spirit brightness, the Spirit of each individual organ. Mingmen is all the Yang Qi in the body. It is the Heart Fire and Kidney Water interacting that produce the rising and falling, entering and exiting of the body’s transformation of Qi.
The difference between the Imperial Fire and the Ministerial Fire is the difference between the metaphysical and the physical. Since the Imperial Fire conforms to the metaphysical level, occupies the position of the Ruler and Sovereign, and does not possess physical form, how can its activities be integrated with those of the other solid organs. It has no choice but to delegate these activities to the Ministerial Fire.
From the metaphysical and physical perspectives, the Imperial Fire belongs to the metaphysical realm, and the Ministerial Fire to the physical realm. Because it is metaphysical, the Imperial Fire is bright, because it is physical, the Ministerial Fire has an actual position, in the body it is everywhere.
The Heart Fire governs the Spirit brightness, and so Fire is closely related to the intellect. Fire is related to the mind, and the mind is ruled by Fire.
Shao yin refers to the Ruler or Sovereign. If the Ruler is not bright, then the entire organism is imperiled.
In order for the Sovereign Ruler to be bright, it is crucial that the Yang Fire be sufficient.
The Heart belongs to Fire and rules the Spirit, the Imperial Fire provides brightness.
Conclusion
Zhang Jingyue’s arguments for a yang qi based approach to treatment were formulated as follows: The influences that flow through the body form the yang component, while the structure of the body itself constitutes the yin component. Yin-Yang dualism requires that the yin component cannot exist without a yang component and vice versa. Applied to man, this signifies that bodily structure requires yang influences to come into existence and that the yang influences, in turn, requires this structure as their supporting mechanism. All living beings are therefore brought into existence by yang influences and given a physical structure by yin influences. This process of genesis proceeds indefinitely, ensuring the continuation of existence. An imbalance of yin and yang influences leads eventually to death. In this connection, Zhang Jingyue cited the following two statements in the Huangdi Neijing: “When yin and yang influences work together, it is of great importance that the yang influences remain tightly sealed. In this way, strength can be maintained” and “Yang influences possess for man the same significance as does the sun for the heavens.”
Subhuti Dharmananda, Ph.D., Director, Institute for Traditional Medicine, Portland, Oregon
