Fascinating Facts About The Yin Yang symbol That You Should Know

Another name for the yin yang symbol is the 'Tai Chi' symbol which comprises a circle that uses a curved line to divide it into two halves.

One half is black in color, signifying the yin side, and the other is white, representing the yang side. A dot in the center is situated on both sides.

Chinese mythology says that yin and yang were a byproduct of the chaos from when the universe was born and have been coexisting since then in harmony at the center of the Earth. Their balance is also believed to have allowed for the birth of the first human, called Pangu in Chinese culture.

The three king-gods or demigods of ancient Chinese origin, known as Shennong, Nuwa, and Fuxi, were also believed to be born from yin and yang.

Another part of Chinese culture is called feng shui, where the yin yang symbol is representative of the art and science of placement. Feng shui literally translates to wind-water, where water represents yin and wind represents yang.

Continue reading this article to engulf yourself with more interesting facts about the yin yang. Discover its true meaning, many symbolic references, Chinese mythological facts, history dating back to as old as the third century, and many popular modern-day references to the yin yang symbol.

True Meaning

Chinese philosophy highly regards the concept of yin and yang and is found as a dominant concept in different schools in China. Similar to several Chinese philosophies, yin and yang are fairly relevant everywhere, but their meaning is quite hard to derive. Let us learn about the meaning of yin and yang symbol.

The concept of yin and yang, these equal and complementary forces, has been around since the third century BCE or maybe even before that!

This is why yin and yang is an important concept in Chinese philosophy, culture, and Chinese medicine too. Yin-yang, or yin and yang, is quite a complex concept in Chinese culture that denotes the significance of complementary relations and has developed over thousands of years.

Yin and yang convey that our universe is ruled by a cosmic duality or set of two compliments and opposing principles or energies that are illustrated by nature.

The symbol of yin and yang has a core element of the other side in each of its sides, which is represented by a small dot.

This means that no side is better than the other, and in fact, the inclusion of the other side in the form of a dot only brings in a correct balance between the two poles.

The symbol does not say that balance can be found in the middle line, which implies that changes can always happen and that that change is not something to be afraid of. Therefore, deeply, it signifies that a person should not worry about things going right or wrong in life and to stop hoping for wining just good things.

Good and bad are only relative and they counterbalance each other, thus balance will be found somewhere.

Balance is when the person is okay with accepting the bad and good, and this is where he/she will also find peace.

The true meaning of yin and yang lines in the dynamic balance of the interconnected and opposite forces known as chi. In short, the presence of duality in all aspects of the world will lead to an effective balance.

Symbolism Of The Sign

The yin yang symbol has many variations, but the symbol that's popular is the circular one that has two interlocking black and white swirls, which have a dot of the other color in it. Let's explore the symbolism of this sign.

The ying and yang symbol defines spirituality and harmony. It is representative of the evident interconnectedness present in the world, specifically the natural world. It simply states that there can be no open without close, no light without darkness, and no positive without negative. It is symbolic of interrelatedness.

Yin symbolizes the moon, passivity, absorption, earth, calmness, quite and feminine nature. It exists in valleys, streams, the color orange, and any broken line. Yang, on the other hand symbolizes the sun, large, boldness, light, activity and masculine nature.

The two halves of the symbol have a spiral-like curve that separates both of them into two semicircle-like structures. The white dot in the black region of the symbol and the black dot in the white region denote coexistence and unity that are required to form a whole.

The separation line is curvy as there can never be any absolute separation between the two interconnected yet opposite forces. This implies that the yin yang symbol embodies change, unity in diversity, duality, and paradox.

A Brief History Of The Yin Yang

The concept and ideas surrounding the yin and yang have been around for a very long time, and Chinese inscriptions have depicted them for a considerable amount of time. One of the first sightings of the yin-yang concept was in a poem collection by Confucius, which dates back to the sixth century BCE.

Let's discover some more interesting historical highlights of yin yang below.

The two terms yin and yang were found as one of the earliest references to the symbol on oracle bones, and the symbol referred to different parts of nature. 'Yinyang school' also existed some two thousand years back and was known to teach balance and patterns to students.

The first Chinese dictionary in 100 AD defined yin and yang and their different meanings in the dictionary.

During 700-400 BCE, Zou Yan was one of the prominent members of the yin yang school, which focused on five basic elements comprising life (fire, earth, metal, wood, and water) and how these, along with different aspects of the cosmos, were ruled by the forces of yin and yang.

The school said that yin was feminine and represented coolness, passivity, moon, and earth as opposed to yang, which represented the masculine aspects of life.

The Chinese believe yin-yang to be linked to five phases of life (fire, earth, metal, wood, and water), and this is, in turn, a part of a cyclical theory of interdependence between human and natural elements of the world. The ideas of yin and yang formed the foundation of a completer school of cosmology in the third century BCE.

Modern Usage Of Yin Yang In Daily Life

Today's symbol of yin and yang is more than just a white and black figure; it is indicative of a person's inner transformation. Yin and yang is still very prevalent in Chinese medicine and feng shui. Let's see more real-life usage of this symbol.

Seasons are one example of modern yin and yang, as are yoga practices. Even martial arts are symbolic of yin and yang as both defense and attack. When a person defends himself, he assesses the situation and becomes more receptive, which is like yin, and while attacking, a person becomes more active and aggressive like yang.

The moon and sun, day and night, cold and hot, passive and active, and female and male are all subtle signs of the many cosmic yin and yang elements. The world is a combination of endless opposing forces that are coexisting together, and the true nature of yin-yang is in the interplay of these forces.

FAQs

Is the yin yang symbol good or bad?

The yin yang symbol is associated with both good and bad as it represents both aspects.

What does the yang symbol mean?

Yang represents masculinity, light, and heaves.

Does yin yang mean balance?

Yes, yin yang represents a balance of two complementary forces.

What is a yin yang relationship?

Yin yang relationship represents a dynamic and complementary relationship between two forces that balance each other.

What Zodiac is yin and yang?

If a person belongs to Aquarius, Gemini, Libra, Sagittarius, Leo, and Aries, then they are yang and Taurus, Cancer, Capricorn, Pisces, Scorpio, and Virgo represent yin.

What is the story of yin and yang?

According to the Chinese, the yin and yang are situated at Earth's center after being created from chaos when the universe was first born.

Who invented yin-yang?

It is said that philosopher Zhou Dunyi first used this symbol.

Is yin masculine or feminine?

Yin is feminine.