One of the core philosophical foundations of Traditional Chinese Medicine (TCM) is the concept of materialism (唯物観 / wù wù guān).

In the context of TCM, materialism refers to a worldview that sees both the universe and human beings as interlinked through the continuous movement of energy.

However, the interpretation of this concept varies across classical texts, making it difficult to grasp clearly.
Even for practitioners, understanding materialism in depth is a challenge.
Here, I will share my current interpretation and how I’ve come to understand it.

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Why Start with the Universe When Talking About Life?

TCM presents the following fundamental view of existence:

“The universe is composed of matter. Life emerges from the interaction of yin and yang.
Heaven and Earth are the generative source of life. Heaven represents yang; Earth represents yin.”

At first glance, this may sound like mythology.
But when we recall the TCM concept of yin-yang, this becomes clearer. Yin and yang describe a dynamic model of energy flowing between two opposite states or substances.

Heaven and Earth symbolize this:

• Heaven (yang): Light, dynamic, expansive energy that moves outward

• Earth (yin): Dense, stable, and inward-moving energy

From the interplay of these two forces, all living beings emerge.
Life, then, is seen as the product of universal energy flow between yin and yang.
This cosmological perspective forms the root of TCM’s view on life and health.

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The Six Qi and the Origins of Disease: Understanding the Six Excesses (Liu Yin)

In TCM, one group of disease causes is attributed to environmental factors.
These are known as the Six Qi (六気): wind, cold, dampness, heat, summer heat, and dryness.

When these environmental conditions become excessive or unbalanced, they transform into what TCM calls the Six Excesses (六淫): wind evil, cold evil, damp evil, heat evil, summer heat evil, and dryness evil.

For example:

• Exposure to wind may lead to symptoms such as dizziness or convulsions.

• High humidity can result in swelling or heaviness in the body.

This understanding—that environmental elements can cause disease—aligns with the public health perspective in modern medicine.

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The Theory of Correspondence Between Nature and Human: Tian Ren He Yi

Each of the Six Qi carries distinct energetic properties.
In TCM, it is believed that when these energies affect the body, the body manifests symptoms with similar energetic qualities.

This forms the basis of the Tian Ren He Yi theory, often translated as “the unity of man and nature.”
It means that humans and nature are energetically inseparable.

For instance:

• Wind Qi is associated with movement → symptoms like vertigo or twitching

• Damp Qi is heavy and stagnant → symptoms like bloating or sluggishness

Understanding how external energy flows influence the human body is essential in applying TCM principles for diagnosis and treatment.

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What’s Next: Exploring the Human Body Through the Lens of Materialism

This article focused on the cosmological model of energy flow in Traditional Chinese Medicine.
In future posts, we’ll look more closely at how TCM interprets the human body using the same materialist lens—exploring concepts such as jing (essence), qi (vital energy), xing (form), and shen (spirit).

Thank you for reading to the end.

 

 

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