The Studies Of Yin Yang And The Five Elements In Pre-qin Document

The ideology of Yin—Yang (the two opposing principles in nature, the former feminine and negative, the latter masculine and positive) and the Five elements (metal, wood, water, fire and earth) is one of the most important parts of Chinese traditional culture.As a large concept system, the thoughts of Yin—Yang and the Five elements has experienced a long slow history from the generation, development to mature. In the documents of Pre—Qin Dynasty, some words that on the thoughts of Yin—Yang and the Five elements has been reserved intermittently, specifically, they experienced the progress that from existence to integrate.During Shang and Zhou period, the meaning of "Yin" and "Yang" was simple, and still did not have the profound philosophical connotation of metaphysics. Up to now, "Five elements" could still not be found in the oracle inscriptions and on bronze of Shang and Zhou Dynasty, but the elements of the concept of "Five elements" was implied in the azimuth concept of oracle inscriptions of the Shang Dynasty. In the ending of West Zhou dynasty, the thought of Yin—Yang was further developed, Yin and Yang were connected with "Qi", which had the material. Guowengong took advantage of their ebb and flow to explain some natural phenomenon, such as, the soil thaw, the wind blowing and the spring-thunder roaring. Boyangfu used them to explain the reason why the earthquake happened, and he also recognized that the two kinds of material were according to certain sequence. In addition, Taishibo Zhou proposed the ideas that the Ancestors utilized the earth mixing with metal, wood, water and fire to constitute all things of the world, and the topic of the five elements mingled, and he also put forward the proposition that the similarities and differences between the harmony and the same.During the Spring and Autumn period, with the developing of social production and the progress of science and technology, and various academic thought was activated, the people learned to use the doctrine of Yin—Yang to explain the phenomenon of nature and society widely. With the promoting of the recognition to the relationship between Yin and Yang, people proposed the theory of balance (generation) and inhibition between Yin and Yang. And Yi He, a doctor who came from Qin, applied the concept of Yin Yang for the medical field; after accumulating, the doctrine of the five elements was extended and expanded constantly, and turned towards the higher level of philosophy.Huang Di Si Jing, the unearthed document, was written in the middle period of the Warring States, is considered as one of the largest collection of Yin—Yang. Yet, the Yin—Yang and the five elements was in their relative independent development stage respectively. They did not fusion into a kind of theory until the advent of GuanZi. Jixia Xuegong, lied in the country of Qi, was the center of "A hundred schools of thought contending", which provided the forceful support for the realization of ideological system of yin-yang and five elements in the politics, economic , academic and other aspects. Zouyan, the scholar of Jixia, established the yin-yang and the five elements school. The school was formed by absorbing Confucianism and the quintessence of various school theories, that is, the Yin—Yang School. His thought brought about profound and lasting influence, and it was absorbed in politics, academics and other aspects of the later ages. In some sense, Zouyan made the breakthrough contribution for our unique traditional culture.