What Does Yin Yang Mean

Yin and Yang is a Chinese philosophy. Yin and Yang connects to Taoism, because it symbolizes balance between opposing sides. It is made of two principles. Yin, the predominately black side,

In Chinese culture, health and illness concentrates on the balance between body, mind, and spirit, expressed as Yin Yang. It symbolizes the idea that for every action, there is an equal and opposite reaction. There is a belief in part of the Chinese culture, that a physical illness is caused by an imbalance of Yin Yang.

Yin and yang are not opposing forces (dualities), but complementary forces, unseen (hidden, feminine) and seen (manifest, masculine), that interact to form a greater whole, as part of a dynamic system. Everything has both yin and yang aspects as light could not be understood if darkness didn't exist, and shadow cannot exist without light.

As stated by the Shen-nong website, “Ancient people were greatly interested in the relationships and patterns that occurred in nature. Instead of studying isolated things, the viewed the world as a harmonious and holistic entity” ("Yin yang," 2005, p. 1). Yin and yang

Yin and Yang is an ancient Chinese philosophy that shows the perfect balance between two things. The yin and yang sign is considered an energy which keeps the concept flowing. It is two

life sciences and medicine drawn from the Taoist traditions of the Yin-Yang and Five Elements

Each aspect of yin yang has a special meaning. The outer circle of the symbol represents everything in the universe and the universe itself. In the circle, there are two fish-like features. The shaded portion depicts yin, characterized as feminine, receptive, yielding, negative, and dark. While the unshaded portion, yang, is masculine, creative, assertive, positive, and light. Together, the black and white represent the interaction of the energies found in all existence. The small circles locating in the areas of their opposite colors show that nothing is absolute. One could not exist without the other, for each is rooted in one another. In all yin, there is yang and in all yang, there is yin. This holds true for everything in the universe, as nothing in life is pure yin or pure yang. The round shape of the yin yang symbol serves as a reminder of continual movement between the two fishes, as yang can turn into yin and yin can turn into yang. (Painter) With the correct balance of yin-yang in the things we do, it creates harmony and oneness. As Taoists, people seek to keep the principle of dualities in harmony and balance. Temple rituals can be used to balance the flow of yin and yang. Followers of Taoism also used talismans of the yin yang symbol to exercise

. The ancients used these concepts for magic and divination although they are thought to represent different strands of these practices. In the warring states and early Han period they are used to develop a sophisticated cosmology. Tung Chung-Shu talks of earth as controlling nothing in particular but being the central authority of the four seasons. He writes "The Earth is the controller of the five elements and without the ch'i of the soil nothing can be accomplished". Yin Character Associations: Introvert,Joyful,MotherlyYin and Yang,Cold,Soft,Sad,Passive. Yang Character Associations:

As explained in World Religions Today, in contemporary culture, the discoveries made through science are usually articulated in the structure of mathematical equations. These mathematical equations serve as proofs of the fundamental truths that the particular science reveals. Analogous to this idea is the symbolism in the Yi-Jing system of East Asian Religions. The symbolization of the Yi-Jing system enriches the conceptualization of the universe as incessantly changing. Within the Yi-Jing system, the yin-yang symbol exemplifies the most familiar representation of these uncovered fundamental truths (Esposito 502-3). In this essay, I intend to explain the meaning of the terms yin and yang and discuss the role they play in Chinese religions generally. Further, I will explain the way in which the symbolism of yin and yang contribute to the Chinese conception of the universe and the way that role is played out in religious practices.

The Yin Yang is one of the primary principles of Taoist teachings. The concept of two forces present everywhere, completely opposite to each other yet balancing and enhancing each other. They cannot be separated because they exist together in comparison, and splitting one apart will only create the other anew. Although one force can take prevalence over the other for a short time, anything that is in a state of imbalance for long will cease to exist. The universe is composed of and held together by the tension of these two forces, and this concept is in Taoist writings on Abstraction. (A2)

According to information gathered from the online source, Taoism or the Tao Religion (Our Ultimate Reality), the Yin and Yang represents two breaths or the chi life force. This Yin life force is the feminine principle of darkness, coolness, and dampness, while the white, the Yang, is the masculine principle of brightness, warmth, and dryness. They are not opposites, not all good, or bad, but both needed to maintain universe stability. Defined through opposition, Taoists believe in the virtues of balance and understanding.

Yin – yang is a Chinese philosophical way of embracing human thought which considers two dimensions including humanity, character, and situations in life. This philosophy emphasizes that two complementary forces exists in the universe that are mutually opposed to one another but still remain in unity. According to “Hegelian, Yi-Jing, and Buddhist Transformational Models for Comparative Philosophy”, it is believed that the two forces are dependent on another and are well balanced (Robert 6). This paper intends to explore the major aspects of yin-yang way of thinking, how it affects the Confucius and Lao Zi ways of viewing happenings in the universe and the application of this kind of thought to the contemporary society

Some of the most recognized symbols are Ying-Yang (Taijitu), Wuji, and The Eight Trigrams.Ying-Yang represents forces that are dependent on each other. Black and white are complementary instead of opposing, like night and day, light and darkness, or life and death. The Wuji is a hollow circle that represents a void that existed in the beginning of the universe. The Eight Trigrams are symbols made out of a series of strokes that represent something different such as Earth, water, fire, wind,

Yin and Yang is the most universally recognizable symbol for Taoism. The symbol is a circle with one half black and the other half white. Both halves have a spot with the opposite color which represents being part of the other. Yin and Yang are two complementary, interdependent principles or phases alternating in space and time; they are emblems envoking the harmonious interplay of all pairs of opposites in the universe. (Taoism, 2007) Taoist believe yin and yang exist in all aspects of life. Some believe the white represents good and the black represents evil. If there is good there is bad, if there is wealth there is poverty and if there is woman there is man. In other words there is an opposite to everything. The universe flows in harmony without ever stopping. In chapter 42 of the Tao-Te-Ching there is a reference about yin and yang. The Tao is one, from the one come yin and yang, from these two creative energy (chi), from energy, ten thousand things, the forms of all creations, all life embodies yin and embraces yang, through their union achieving harmony. (Tao-Te-Ching, Ch. 51)

Mai Mai Sze presents a logical methodology breaking down the often-misunderstood complexity of Daoism. Sze describes tao “in the simplest sense…path” (The Way of Chinese Painting, 17). Continued, “Step-by-step progress requires care and deliberation and, by extension, careful and deliberate conduct or behavior from an inner motivation.” This journey was not something one could accomplish overnight; instead it is understood as a way of living out ones life to the fullest. This journey was not only into one’s own mind, but also into what surrounds them. Including tools, control of the medium was a necessity, just as restrain over the sensitivity of the brush was needed when writing Chinese characters. A minor error in a character could change the entire meaning of the symbol. Symbols are often associated with Chinese culture. From the calendar year to writing, Chinese symbolism is utilized significantly. One symbol often recognized by the Western world is the Yin Yang; however the meaning is often misunderstood. The theory of the Yin Yang is presented as a balance between Male Principle (sun, right) and Female Principle (moon, left). As the two converge inward, they also radiate outward reflecting the ideology of Tao itself. This development of proportion and attention to fine detail required