40. The Principles of TCM. 6. Analogism

In the I Ching (易經), there is a concept called ‘Rigi Sangsu (理氣象数, 以象爲本)’. In Eastern philosophy, all things in the universe exist as a combination of Li and Qi. Li is the rules and basic laws of Mother Nature, and Qi refers to the actions performed according to those laws. However, both Li and Qi are metaphysical concepts, meaning that they look at and study the forms of all things that appear.

If interpreted literally, it means taking shapes (conceptual systems of time and space) and classifying them. In other words, in order to investigate the phenomenon in which the natural world and humans are connected and interact with each other, it refers to classifying them according to similar shapes and movement properties and identifying interactions. Classes belonging to the same phase have properties that allow animals, plants, and even minerals to interact with each other. In addition, I believe that humans are also subject to the principles of Mother Nature. For example, symptoms such as dizziness and falling, cramps in the hands and feet, or tremors all have one thing in common: shaking. So, since its shape is like the wind, it is classified and defined as wind fever, and it is diagnosed and treated taking into account the properties of the wind.

Also, when linking color and internal organs, “If there is heat in the lungs, they turn white and the hair becomes damaged. If there is heat in the heart, it will be red and the meridians will be uneven. If there is heat in the liver, it will turn blue and the nails will crack. If there is heat in the spleen, it will turn yellow and the flesh will feel throbbing. “If the kidneys have heat, they will turn black and cause problems with the teeth.” Oriental medicine expands the way of thinking about drunkenness in this way and suggests many diagnosis and treatment methods.

The three major philosophical views of Oriental medicine are the view of identity (整体观), the view of dialectics (辨证观), and the third is the view of superiors (相似观) or view of divisions (分形view), which is based on the principles of chwisangbiryu. In this way, based on shape, natural phenomena and all things are analyzed under the concept of time and space, and applied to human affairs, yin and yang, the five elements, meridian theory, and superior theory finally emerge.

Dr. Jin-man Kim, director of Peace Oriental Clinic