The Characteristics of Chinese Philosophical Categories

Abstract

The outward and extensionary application and expansion of the wuxing (Five Elements) idea generated many correspondent systems that have the Five Elements as their fundamental criterion, such as the systems (or ideas) of wuse (Five Colors), wuqi (Five Breaths), wuyin (Five Tones), wushi (Five Segments of Time), wufang (Five Directions), and wuwei (Five Tastes). Later this further developed beyond the realm of general natural phenomena and entered into the human physical or physiological realm, as in the case of including and involving physical organs and psychological states, such as the theories about wuzhang (Five Internal Organs), wuti (Five Extremities or Limbs), wuqiao (Five Orifices), wurong (Five Effervescent Manifestations), and wuzhi (Five Wills). These became the foundation categories of Chinese physiology and medicine. What is noteworthy is that these systems, insofar as they are correspondent and relative, are based on the fundamental criterion of the characteristics of the original Five Eleme...