The five internal organs of human beings include lung, liver, kidney, heart and spleen, which correspond to gold, wood, water, fire and earth in the five elements of traditional Chinese medicine, and the liver corresponds to wood. Wood can be bent and stretched, and has the characteristics of spreading branches and leaves outward. All things or phenomena with ascending, growing and stretching properties belong to wood. Traditional Chinese medicine believes that the physical properties of wood are consistent with human liver and both correspond to spring. In spring, the wood is full of vitality, and the activity of the liver is also relatively strong.

The five elements refer to the five mechanisms of wood, fire, earth, gold and water. It is an abstract concept used to explain the relationship between things, which has a wide meaning, not just five specific substances themselves. The theory of five elements generalizes the attributes of things or phenomena by the functional attributes of five mechanisms, and discusses and deduces the mutual relationship and movement change law between things or phenomena by mutual gestation and mutual restriction.

Five elements knowledge of traditional Chinese medicine

The theory of five elements explains the relationship between things with the relationship between the five elements, and holds that nothing is isolated and static, but maintains a harmonious balance in the constant movement of the elements. The application of this theory in traditional Chinese medicine is mainly to analyze and study the viscera, meridians and physiological functions of the human body according to the characteristics of the five elements, and explain their mutual influence under pathological conditions.

Therefore, the theory of five elements is not only a theoretical explanation in traditional Chinese medicine, but also has practical significance in guiding clinical practice. Since ancient times, China sages have skillfully applied the theory of five elements to the medical field, understood and explained physiological phenomena with the dialectical relationship between the five elements, tried their best to conform to the inherent natural laws for health preservation, and tried their best to master the operating mechanism of the human body to prevent and treat diseases, and achieved unparalleled experience and achievements.

The above contents refer to Baidu Encyclopedia-Five Elements.