It is not easy to explain what is Yin and Yang in Chinese philosophy. There is an old saying Tao is composed by Yin and Yang. In other word, Yin and Yang composed everything in the world.
Let’s break it down into Yin and Yang.
What is Yin? It is a negative/female/shade principle in nature. Like moon is considered as Yin.
What is Yang? It is a positive/male/light principle in nature. Like sun represents Yang.
Yin and Yang can be applied on everything. Water is calm and cold, it is considered Yin. Fire generates heat and light, is considered Yang. While we extend this to human, angry is Yang, calm is balanced, sad is Yin.
The whole philosophy of Tao is balance of Yin and Yang.
In tradition Chinese medicine, Yin and Yang are in consideration as well. What does that mean? A person is very easy to get angry (too much Yang, or called “heated”) then the person should lower Yang in the body to get balanced within the body to become healthy. Have you ever been feeling very weak, that you caught on every cold or flu, feeling low in energy and did not want to do anything? Limbs were freezing cold? Yin could be playing a role in it, raising Yang is a way to let yourself be healthy in Chinese medicine.
This is very subtle principle. Here is an example.
Consider we put an object under the sunlight. After a while, the object is heated because of the sunlight, or Yang. While for the same object, if we place it in a shaded area for a while, it will get cold, because there is no sunlight, or it is Yin. If the object is replaced by your body, do you understand why sometimes you feel irritated all the time, while sometimes you feel weak or lazy?
Sunlight is one of the example for Yang. Yang can be a heated environment， food or drinks intake can make change of Yin and Yang in the body. Like when you eat spicy food, or you work in a heated environment, Yang is up. You may feel heated, grumpy. When you drink a cold drink, or didn’t wear enough clothes, Yin is up. You may get a cold. And you just realized what you eat affects your mood and, ultimately, affects your body.
Many are scared of Chinese medicines because someone says one thing is good for your health but while you eat it, your problem get worse. How did that happen? True enough, it all depends on your body.
For example, seaweed is very good for your health. It cleanses toxins out of your body. At the same time, seaweed is consider “cold” (Yin) food, as it is grown underneath cold water. If your body is more Yin (or cold based) and you have intaken too much seaweed, it will do more bad than good to your body, because your body isn’t in balance. It has fallen all the way in Yin side.
Another example, if you are a grumpy person in general (heat based), you intake more deep fried food (deep fried and crispy is considered “heated” [Yang]). It is more likely you get angry easier, and/or you will have sore throat as well. Because you are heated!
Knowing your body condition is critical before you intake anything. Balanced Yin and Yang is what Chinese medicine is looking for.