Yin Yang in Classical Texts

Elisabeth Rochat de la Valle continues her study of the Chinese classical texts with an exploration of the concept of yin yang. Guiding us through the early writings of the Spring and Autumn Annals, the Daoist classics of Laozi, Zhuangzi and Huainanzi, and the medical texts of the Yellow Emperor, the Neijing Suwen, she explains the development of these ancient ideas which provide the basis for Chinese philosophy and medicine.

Along with the concept of qi, an understanding of yin yang helps us to penetrate the Chinese mind and to understand the world view which lies behind classical Chinese thinking. It is a world view quite different from that of the modern West. It speaks of relationship, mutual resonance, constant change and transformation. And yin yang is that which underpins this inter-relationship and co-dependence, giving the fundamental rules for life and the possibility of living in harmony with nature.

Yin Yang from the Classical Texts is an edited transcript of two seminars given in 2005 in London. Chinese characters are included throughout the text to clarify the meaning of key terms. Where appropriate, the ideograms are explained in detail.