陰陽 · Yin Yang

Yin & Yang Attributes 陰陽屬性 (A.1)

Yin and Yang are the two complementary and interdependent primal forces in Chinese cosmology. Nothing is purely one or the other — all phenomena exist on a spectrum and transform continuously.

陽 Yang

天 Heaven→Sky, expansive, ascending

日 Sun→Bright, active, masculine

火 Fire→Heat, light, transformation

動 Movement→Action, extroversion, speed

奇 Odd numbers→1, 3, 5, 7, 9

剛 Hard→Rigid, strong, outer

陰 Yin

地 Earth→Ground, receptive, descending

月 Moon→Dark, passive, feminine

水 Water→Cold, flowing, receptive

靜 Stillness→Rest, introversion, slow

偶 Even numbers→2, 4, 6, 8, 10

柔 Soft→Flexible, yielding, inner

Four Principles of Yin & Yang (A.2)

1 · OPPOSITION 對立

Yin and Yang are opposite in nature — hot/cold, light/dark, active/passive — yet they define each other. Neither can exist without the other.

2 · INTERDEPENDENCE 依存

Yin and Yang are mutually rooted. Yang contains the seed of Yin and Yin contains the seed of Yang. Day holds the potential of night.

3 · CONSUMING & SUPPORTING 消長

When one increases the other decreases. The seasons demonstrate this — Yang grows in spring, peaks at summer solstice, then gives way to Yin in autumn.

4 · TRANSFORMATION 轉化

Extreme Yin transforms into Yang and vice versa. At the peak of summer (extreme Yang) the transition toward Yin begins. Opposites convert into each other.

Yin / Yang Classification of Heavenly Stems (A.3)

Yang Stems 陽干	Yin Stems 陰干
甲 Jiǎ · 丙 Bǐng · 戊 Wù · 庚 Gēng · 壬 Rén	乙 Yǐ · 丁 Dīng · 己 Jǐ · 辛 Xīn · 癸 Guǐ
Odd positions (1,3,5,7,9)	Even positions (2,4,6,8,10)

Yin / Yang Classification of Earthly Branches (A.4)

Yang Branches 陽支	Yin Branches 陰支
子 · 寅 · 辰 · 午 · 申 · 戌 Rat · Tiger · Dragon · Horse · Monkey · Dog	丑 · 卯 · 巳 · 未 · 酉 · 亥 Ox · Rabbit · Snake · Goat · Rooster · Pig