Yin And Yang Facts: Learn What This Ancient Symbol Really Means
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If you are a fan of cartoons, then do you remember the 'Beyblade' series?
One of the most loving characters in 'Beyblade' was Ray, right? His character was unique, and so was his attire, and in his headband, there was a unique symbol of ancient Chinese culture, the yin yang symbol!
But do you know that before this symbol was represented in cartoons and anime like Naruto, the principle of yin and yang had an ancient history in the Chinese culture? The principle of yin and yang came to the forefront when a cosmologist named Zou Yan put forward his theory.
He believed that our life undergoes five different phases, which he termed as Wuxing. According to him, these phases were earth, metal, water, fire, and wood.
He also believed that these elements interchanged continuously! Fascinating right?
Yin and yang are represented with a special symbol, a circle that is segregated into two identical halves with the help of a curved line. Today you can see yin and yang represented in various art forms. From cartoons, anime, and even astrology and tattoos!
Yin and Yang's tattoos are pretty popular, and many a time, a particular fish is associated with it. Do you know which fish is that?
It is a koi fish! And did you know that air and fire-dominated zodiac signs, like Aries, Leo, and Aquarius, are considered to be Yang type, while water and earth signs like Capricorn or Virgo are Yin type!
If your interest lies in exploring symbolisms of animals and other elements, you can also read about swan symbolism and star symbolism.
Ancient China Yin And Yang
The yin yang symbol hails from philosophical books of china, which explains that opposite forces can actually be interdependent on each other.
The yin yang principle has its roots in Chinese culture and its rich history. The philosophy of China speaks of three essential ideas of life, which have shaped their history.
These ideas are Buddhism, Taoism, and Confucianism. The yin yang principle of the Chinese culture comes from Taoism, which puts its faith in the oneness of people and nature.
This concept speaks of dualities in nature, for instance, the sun and moon. These two are entirely opposite forces but are complementary to each other at the same time. This majestic philosophy is ancient, 3,500 years at the least!
This principle of the yin yang school of Chinese history can be traced back to the reign of the Han dynasty when it was first used. This concept of yin and yang was popularised by the Western Zhou dynasty as well.
This dynasty believed in the concept of qi. The Zhou dynasty believed that qi (vital energy) is intricately linked with yin and yang!
Yin Yang concept has its place in Chinese mythology as well. The Chinese believed that both yin and yang were created from the chaos of the universe's creation.
They lived peacefully and in harmony with each other on the earth. Do you know that the ancient Chinese also believed that the first gods, namely Shennong, Fuxi, and Nuwa, were also born from Yang and Yin?
Yin Yang Symbol
The yin yang symbol is a circle split via a curved line into two symmetrical halves.
The yin yang symbol represents a cosmic duality. It speaks of the universe being formed by competing yet complementary forces, like the sun and moon or the light and dark.
It is represented by a circle. This circle is split into two similar halves by a curved line.
While one circle is white, which is the yang, the other half is black, the yin. These two halves are intertwined with each other, which depicts that the opposites are dependent on each other. Within these halves, there is also a dot on each side of the opposite color.
These dots at the center is a mark that denotes that either side is the seed bearer of its other half. Each dot can also represent harmony and co-existence with its counterpart.
These opposites of the yin yang symbol can represent many things. It can represent the duality of dark with the light, or the sun and moon, even the contradiction and harmony of the masculine and feminine energies. Yin, which is the black color, depicts feminine energy.
It is also a symbol of the dark, earth, water, even numbers, the tiger. It is also a symbol of the color orange.
Yang is a symbol of just the opposites. Yang symbolizes masculine energy, light, heaven, fire, odd numbers, the dragon. Yang is also a representation of the azure color.
Modernizing The Yin Yang Meaning
The yin yang symbol is modernized to date in the form of martial arts, feng shui, Chinese medicine, and so on.
In modern times, yin and yang are represented in many forms that we see around us. In Tai chi (which is a form of martial arts), for instance, the symbol which is used looks identical to the yin yang symbol.
Tai chi practice means to have a balanced lifestyle, which is the core tenet of yin yang philosophy. Have you decorated your home according to the feng shui methods?
Well, feng shui is much more than simple home decor, where yin is synonymous with water and yang is synonymous with the wind. For a balanced environment, the balance between these two elements is quite vital. Such a balance promotes longevity of life and prospering health.
Even Chinese healing art is also based on yin yang philosophy. The Chinese believe that some diseases are more frequent in specific seasons.
The Chinese believe that this results from yin yang imbalances in our bodies! Do you know that the Chinese also believe that all the organs in our body also depict yin yang energy?
Similarities Between Eastern & Western Philosophy
Yin and yang have influenced both the western and eastern cultures, where both philosophies believe in finding the true meaning of life and leading it with balance.
The philosophy of yin and yang has captured the western world, much like it has done with the eastern cultures. They represent balance, harmony, and co existence. Both the western and eastern philosophies have the same notations.
The source of yin yang philosophy lies in Taoism, and the misreadings of tao te ching have gained popularity in both American as well as European cultures. Today you can see mandala art inspired by yin and yang. Throughout western culture, even yin-yang-themed pieces of jewelry are quite popular!
The Influence Of Yin And Yang
The influence of yin and yang can be seen in everyday life, from our own bodies to Chinese gastronomy and medicine.
The origin of yin and yang is in Taoism, which propagates the higher power residing in the universe. Yin and yang are two opposite energy sources, which reach their heights of influence on winter solstice and summer solstice, respectively. Their balance is extremely crucial for living a happy life, as seen from numerous examples across the universe.
Yin and yang never indicate that something is entirely bad or something is absolutely good. But it is of the notion that everything is a mixture of both.
The Chinese believe that both yin and yang are present in our bodies, irrespective of gender. The Chinese history, food, medicine, are all influenced by yin yang philosophy. For the Chinese, yang depicts warmth.
So, sweet or the spicy foods are yang foods according to them. They also consider the orange and red foods to be yang foods.
Similarly, the Chinese consider salty and bitter food to be yin foods, as well as those which are of cool hues. Can you remember any example? Tofu!
Here at Kidadl, we have carefully created lots of interesting family-friendly facts for everyone to enjoy! If you liked our suggestions for yin and yang facts then why not take a look at spider symbolism, or Hawaiian symbols?
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Bachelor of Science specializing in Human Anatomy
Joan AgieBachelor of Science specializing in Human Anatomy
With 3+ years of research and content writing experience across several niches, especially on education, technology, and business topics. Joan holds a Bachelor’s degree in Human Anatomy from the Federal University of Technology, Akure, Nigeria, and has worked as a researcher and writer for organizations across Nigeria, the US, the UK, and Germany. Joan enjoys meditation, watching movies, and learning new languages in her free time.
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