- "Yin and yang is a Chinese philosophical concept that describes opposite but interconnected forces."
The dualistic concept of balance and opposition in the universe, represented by the contrasting symbols of black and white, feminine and masculine, dark and light, etc.
Tao: The concept of the Tao is the foundation of Yin and Yang. It is the natural order of the universe, and the way or path that everything follows. Taoism teaches that living in accordance with the Tao is the key to harmony and balance.
Yin and Yang: Yin and Yang are two complementary forces that make up everything in the universe. Yin is associated with darkness, female energy, and passive qualities, while Yang is associated with lightness, male energy, and active qualities.
Wu Wei: Wu Wei is the art of effortless action. It refers to acting in such a way that one achieves their goals without force or struggle. It is the opposite of striving or forcing things to happen.
Qi: Qi is the vital energy that flows through all living things. It is often compared to the breath and is believed to be an essential element of health and well-being.
Five Elements: The five elements are wood, fire, earth, metal, and water. They are believed to represent different phases in the cycle of nature and are associated with different qualities and characteristics.
Tao Te Ching: The Tao Te Ching is a foundational text of Taoism. It is a collection of aphorisms and parables that provide guidance on living in harmony with the Tao.
Feng Shui: Feng Shui is an ancient Chinese art that is concerned with arranging one's surroundings in a way that promotes balance and harmony. It is based on the principles of Yin and Yang and the five elements.
Meditation: Meditation is a practice that involves calming the mind and focusing on the present moment. It is an essential element of Taoism and is believed to help cultivate inner peace and wisdom.
Tai Chi: Tai Chi is a Chinese martial art that involves slow, flowing movements. It is often practiced for its health benefits and is believed to be a way of cultivating Qi and promoting overall well-being.
Acupuncture: Acupuncture is an ancient Chinese medical practice that involves inserting thin needles into the skin at specific points. It is believed to stimulate the flow of Qi and promote healing and balance in the body.
Heavenly Yin and Earthly Yang: This refers to the basic polarity of the universe, where Yin represents the earth, darkness, and passivity, while Yang represents the sky, light, and activity.
Feminine Yin and Masculine Yang: Representing the duality of gender, Yin is associated with the feminine, passive, and nurturing qualities, while Yang is associated with the masculine, active, and dominating qualities.
Interior Yin and Exterior Yang: This refers to the polarity of internal and external forces, where Yin is associated with the depths of the body, mind, and spirit, while Yang is associated with the external manifestations and movements.
Cold Yin and Hot Yang: This polarity refers to the temperature differences in the environment and the body, where Yin represents coldness, stillness, and contraction, while Yang represents heat, movement, and expansion.
Solid Yin and Hollow Yang: This polarity refers to the material qualities of objects, where Yin is associated with solid, dense, and heavy materials, while Yang is associated with light, airy, and hollow materials.
Dark Yin and Bright Yang: This polarity refers to the contrast between light and dark, where Yin is associated with the night, shadows, and mystery, while Yang is associated with the day, brightness and clarity.
Soft Yin and Hard Yang: This polarity refers to the hardness and softness of objects, where Yin is associated with soft, yielding, and flexible materials, while Yang is associated with hard, rigid, and resistant materials.
- "The universe creates itself out of a primary chaos of material energy, organized into the cycles of yin and yang and formed into objects and lives."
- "Yin is the receptive and yang the active principle, seen in all forms of change and difference."
- "such as the annual cycle (winter and summer), the landscape (north-facing shade and south-facing brightness), sex (female and male), the formation of both men and women as characters, and sociopolitical history (disorder and order)."
- "a Chinese cosmological term for the 'Supreme Ultimate' state of undifferentiated absolute and infinite potential, the oneness before duality, from which yin and yang originate."
- "It is believed that the organization of qi in this cosmology of yin and yang has formed many things."
- "Many natural dualities (such as light and dark, fire and water, expanding and contracting) are thought of as physical manifestations of the duality symbolized by yin and yang."
- "This duality lies at the origins of many branches of classical Chinese science and philosophy."
- "a primary guideline of traditional Chinese medicine."
- "a central principle of different forms of Chinese martial arts and exercise, such as baguazhang, taijiquan (tʻai chi chʻüan) and qigong (chʻi kung)."
- "The term 'dualistic-monism' or dialectical monism has been coined in an attempt to express this fruitful paradox of simultaneous unity and duality."
- "Yin and yang can be thought of as complementary (rather than opposing) forces that interact to form a dynamic system in which the whole is greater than the assembled parts."
- "The yin and yang symbol (or taijitu) shows a balance between two opposites with a portion of the opposite element in each section."
- "distinctions between good and bad, along with other dichotomous moral judgments, are perceptual, not real."
- "In the ethics of Confucianism on the other hand, most notably in the philosophy of Dong Zhongshu (c. 2nd century BC), a moral dimension is attached to the idea of yin and yang."