Yin and Yang

Approximately three thousand years ago terms Yin and Yang was used for describing hillsides – Yin for the shady hillside and Yang for the sunny hillside. In several centuries in the Eastern Zhou dynasty (770-256 b.c.e.) Yin and Yang become symbolize two types of Qi. Yin was classified as nature’s passive principle where general characteristics are passivity and weakness. Yang was classified as nature’s active principle where general characteristics are activity and power.

Yin and Yang concept is related to Chinese philosophy, science and medicine.

We can’t imagine right side of something without its left side, or hot without cold. If you hasn't cold you can’t compare it with heat and therefore you can’t know that something is too hot. Opposites in such pairs compliment each others. Where there’s a day there’s a night. There’s movement and rest. There’s a sunny day and a breezy (cool) night. When yin obtain its maximum it becomes yang. A day will turn a night. Death and decay give rise to new life.

No one thing can be wholly yin or yang. Look at the picture. The white dot in the dark part symbolize potential for changing. Yin contain some yang and yang contains some yin.

Yin – stable earth. Yin compacts and condenses.

Some examples of Yin:
Earth, woman, black, winter, night, moon, water, intuitive, creative, soft, stillness, meditation, sadness, depression, philosophy, religion.

There are some neutral concepts and at the same time some positive and negative concepts. Does it mean that a woman must be associated with night, depression and sadness? Of course, no. These are not characteristics of something, these are just yin in nature where Yin is one of two global nature’s forces.

Yang – heaven force. Yang expands.

Some examples of Yang:
Heaven, man, white, summer, day, sun, analytical, motion, active, logical, firm, play, aggression, abundance, science.