Holistic Paraphrase
The Yellow Emperor asked: I have heard that people are divided into Yin and Yang types. How can one distinguish them by physical form? Bo Gao replied: Between heaven and earth, within the four directions and above and below, all things are inseparable from the Five Phases (Wood, Fire, Earth, Metal, Water), and human beings are no exception. Thus, there exists the classification of "five times five, twenty-five types of people," and those of purely Yin-Yang constitution are not included among these twenty-five. I already know that there are also five types whose physical forms do not conform to the norm. Now I wish to understand the physical characteristics of the twenty-five types, how Blood and Qi (the state of blood and qi circulation) are generated, and how to infer internal conditions through external manifestations.
Qi Bo said: How comprehensive is your question! This is knowledge secretly transmitted by previous masters, and even Bo Gao cannot fully comprehend it. The Yellow Emperor immediately rose from his seat, stepped back respectfully, and said: I have heard that receiving true transmission but not teaching it to suitable persons is called "double loss"; receiving it but leaking it carelessly incurs heaven's displeasure. I wish to understand this principle, store it in a golden cabinet, and dare not publicize it carelessly. Qi Bo said: First, establish the five basic forms—Wood, Fire, Earth, Metal, Water—distinguish the corresponding five colors, differentiate the five types of people, and thus the classification of the twenty-five types will be complete.
The Yellow Emperor said: Please explain it to me in detail. Qi Bo said: Be cautious! Allow me to speak.
The Wood-Form Person (originally written as "Water-Form," but according to context should be "Wood-Form"), modeled after the Upper Jue (one of the five tones, belonging to Wood, corresponding to the highest pitch), resembling the Green Emperor (the Eastern emperor of Wood virtue). Such people have greenish skin, small heads, long faces, broad shoulders and backs, straight bodies, small hands and feet, possess talent, are diligent in thought, somewhat weak in physical strength, and prone to worry and toil. They can adapt to the warmth of spring and summer but cannot tolerate the cold of autumn and winter; contracting external pathogens in autumn and winter easily leads to illness. They correspond to the Foot-Jueyin Liver Meridian, and their qi character is "lunlun ran" (gentle, refined, and orderly).
Wood form is further divided into five subtypes:
- Tai Jue people, corresponding to the upper part of the Left Foot-Shaoyang Meridian, with qi character "yiyi ran" (calm and unhurried).
- Shao Jue people (originally written as "Wu Jue," with annotation "one says Shao Jue"), corresponding to the lower part of the Right Foot-Shaoyang Meridian, with qi character "suisui ran" (pliant and amiable).
- You Jue people (originally written as "Fu Jue," with annotation "one says You Jue"), corresponding to the upper part of the Right Foot-Shaoyang Meridian, with qi character "tuitui ran" (vigorous and enterprising).
- Pan Jue people, corresponding to the lower part of the Left Foot-Shaoyang Meridian, with qi character "kuokuo ran" (upright and inflexible).
The Fire-Form Person, modeled after the Upper Zhi (one of the five tones, belonging to Fire), resembling the Red Emperor (the Southern emperor of Fire virtue). Such people have red skin, wide cheekbones, sharp features with small heads, well-developed shoulders, back, thighs, and abdomen, small hands and feet, steady gait, quick intelligence, slightly swaying posture when walking, and full shoulder and back muscles. They possess boldness, despise wealth, trust little but think much, perceive things clearly, have good appearance, are impatient in temperament—ancients believed many such people are not long-lived and are prone to sudden death (this view has historical limitations). They can adapt to spring and summer but cannot tolerate autumn and winter; contracting pathogens in autumn and winter leads to illness. They correspond to the Hand-Jueyin Heart Meridian, with qi character "hehe ran" (vigorous and solid).
Fire form is further divided into:
- Zhi Zhi people (annotation: "one says Zhi people"), corresponding to the upper part of the Left Hand-Taiyang Meridian, with qi character "jiji ran" (well-fleshed and full).
- Shao Zhi people, corresponding to the lower part of the Right Hand-Taiyang Meridian, with qi character "taotao ran" (cheerful and content).
- You Zhi people, corresponding to the upper part of the Right Hand-Taiyang Meridian, with qi character "jiaojiao ran" (annotation: "one says xiongxiong ran", brave and lively).
- Zhi Pan people (annotation: "one says Zhi Chuang people"), corresponding to the lower part of the Left Hand-Taiyang Meridian, with qi character "zhizhi yiyi ran" (leisurely and self-satisfied).
The Earth-Form Person, modeled after the Upper Gong (one of the five tones, belonging to Earth), resembling the ancient Yellow Emperor (the Central emperor of Earth virtue). Such people have yellow skin, round faces, large heads, full shoulders and backs, relatively large abdomens, thick thighs and calves, small hands and feet, abundant musculature, and a well-proportioned upper and lower body. Their walk is steady with low foot lifting, their minds are settled, they delight in helping others, do not covet power or position, and excel at affiliating with and uniting others. They can adapt to autumn and winter but cannot tolerate spring and summer; contracting pathogens in spring and summer leads to illness. They correspond to the Foot-Taiyin Spleen Meridian, with qi character "dun dun ran" (honest and sincere).
Earth form is further divided into:
- Tai Gong people, corresponding to the upper part of the Left Foot-Yangming Meridian, with qi character "wanwan ran" (gentle and soft).
- Jia Gong people (annotation: "one says Zhong people"), corresponding to the lower part of the Left Foot-Yangming Meridian, with qi character "kankan ran" (steady and substantial).
- Shao Gong people, corresponding to the upper part of the Right Foot-Yangming Meridian, with qi character "shushu ran" (alert and adaptable).
- Zuo Gong people (annotation: "one says Zhong people, one says Ming of"), corresponding to the lower part of the Right Foot-Yangming Meridian, with qi character "wuwu ran" (steadfast and independent).
The Metal-Form Person, modeled after the Upper Shang (one of the five tones, belonging to Metal), resembling the White Emperor (the Western emperor of Metal virtue). Such people have square faces, white skin, small heads, narrow shoulders and backs, small abdomens, small hands and feet, prominent bones, relatively light bones, a clean body, impatient but calm and decisive in temperament, suited to official positions. They can adapt to autumn and winter but cannot tolerate spring and summer; contracting pathogens in spring and summer leads to illness. They correspond to the Hand-Taiyin Lung Meridian, with qi character "dun dun ran" (solid and sturdy).
Metal form is further divided into:
- Tai Shang people (originally written as "Fu Shang"), corresponding to the upper part of the Left Hand-Yangming Meridian, with qi character "lianlian ran" (honest and upright).
- You Shang people, corresponding to the lower part of the Left Hand-Yangming Meridian, with qi character "tuotuo ran" (unrestrained and natural).
- You Shang people (another subtype), corresponding to the upper part of the Right Hand-Yangming Meridian, with qi character "jianjian ran" (perceptive and meticulous).
- Shao Shang people, corresponding to the lower part of the Right Hand-Yangming Meridian, with qi character "yanyan ran" (solemn and dignified).
The Water-Form Person, modeled after the Upper Yu (one of the five tones, belonging to Water), resembling the Black Emperor (the Northern emperor of Water virtue). Such people have black skin, uneven facial surfaces, large heads, thin cheeks, narrow shoulders, large abdomens, restless hands and feet, swaying gait when walking, long hips and lower back, and extended backs. Ancient texts describe their character as "showing no reverence, good at deceiving others, dying by execution" (a description carrying clear historical prejudice that should be viewed rationally). They can adapt to autumn and winter but cannot tolerate spring and summer; contracting pathogens in spring and summer leads to illness. They correspond to the Foot-Shaoyin Kidney Meridian, with qi character "hanhan ran" (moist and abundant).
Water form is further divided into:
- Da Yu people, corresponding to the upper part of the Right Foot-Taiyang Meridian, with qi character "jiajia ran" (dignified demeanor).
- Shao Yu people, corresponding to the lower part of the Left Foot-Taiyang Meridian, with qi character "yuyu ran" (reserved and introverted).
- Zhong zhi wei ren people (annotation: "one says Jia zhi"), corresponding to the lower part of the Right Foot-Taiyang Meridian, with qi character "jiejie ran" (pure and tidy).
- Zhi zhi wei ren people, corresponding to the upper part of the Left Foot-Taiyang Meridian, with qi character "anan ran" (serene and at ease).
The above constitutes the twenty-five variations of the five-form people. This is precisely why people's external appearances differ from one another and why they are easily mistaken for one another.
The Yellow Emperor asked: If a person possesses the physical characteristics of a certain form, but their facial color does not correspond to that form, what happens? Qi Bo replied: If the form overcomes the color (the physical attribute prevails over the facial color attribute) or the color overcomes the form (the facial color attribute prevails over the physical attribute), then when encountering the corresponding Nian Ji (specific age-related taboo seasons), combined with external contraction, illness easily occurs; if treatment opportunities are missed, troubles ensue. For those whose form and color correspond (physical and facial color attributes are consistent), the ancients believed they would enjoy wealth, honor, and peace.
The Yellow Emperor asked: When form and color contend with each other, can the age taboos be known? Qi Bo said: The great taboo ages for all people, starting from the age of seven, occur every nine years thereafter: sixteen, twenty-five, thirty-four, forty-three, fifty-two, sixty-one. These ages are great taboo years for people, during which one must take good care of oneself. Contracting pathogenic qi at these times leads to illness; missing treatment opportunities creates troubles. In these years, one should not engage in wicked activities—this is called the Nian Ji (age taboo).
The Yellow Emperor asked: Regarding the upper and lower meridians and the signs of blood and qi you have described, how are they used to understand the condition of the body and qi? Qi Bo said:
- Upper part of the Foot-Yangming Meridian: If blood and qi are abundant, the beard is beautiful and long; if blood is scant and qi abundant, the beard is short; if qi is scant and blood abundant, the beard is sparse; if both blood and qi are scant, there is no beard and multiple wrinkles at the corners of the mouth.
- Lower part of the Foot-Yangming Meridian: If blood and qi are abundant, the pubic hair is beautiful and long, reaching up to the chest; if blood is abundant and qi scant, the pubic hair is beautiful but short, reaching the navel, and walking is accompanied by a tendency to lift the feet high, the toes have little flesh, and the feet are prone to coldness; if blood is scant and qi abundant, susceptibility to frostbite may arise; if both blood and qi are scant, there is no pubic hair, or even if present it is sparse and dry, with easy occurrence of Wei Jue (limpness and coldness of limbs) and Zu Bi (foot paralysis).
- Upper part of the Foot-Shaoyang Meridian: If blood and qi are abundant, the side-whiskers are beautiful and long; if blood is abundant and qi scant, the side-whiskers are beautiful but short; if blood is scant and qi abundant, the whiskers are few; if both blood and qi are scant, there are no whiskers, and contraction of cold-dampness pathogens readily causes Bi syndromes (joint and muscle pain and numbness), bone pain, and dry nails.
- Lower part of the Foot-Shaoyang Meridian: If blood and qi are abundant, the calf hair is beautiful and long, and the lateral malleolus is thick; if blood is abundant and qi scant, the calf hair is beautiful but short, and the skin over the lateral malleolus is thick and hard; if blood is scant and qi abundant, the calf hair is sparse and the skin over the lateral malleolus is thin and soft; if both blood and qi are scant, there is no hair and the lateral malleolus is thin without flesh.
- Upper part of the Foot-Taiyang Meridian: If blood and qi are abundant, the eyebrows are handsome and contain long hairs within them; if blood is abundant and qi scant, the eyebrows are coarse and the face has many wrinkles; if blood is scant and qi abundant, the face has much flesh; if blood and qi are harmonious, the complexion is beautiful.
- Lower part of the Foot-Taiyang Meridian: If blood and qi are abundant, the heel flesh is full and firm; if qi is scant and blood abundant, the heel is thin with an empty Achilles tendon; if both blood and qi are scant, cramping easily occurs and pain arises under the heel.
- Upper part of the Hand-Yangming Meridian: If blood and qi are abundant, the upper lip beard is beautiful; if blood is scant and qi abundant, the beard is coarse and ugly; if both blood and qi are scant, there is no beard.
- Lower part of the Hand-Yangming Meridian: If blood and qi are abundant, the axillary hair is beautiful and the thenar eminence of the hand is moist and warm; if both blood and qi are scant, the hands are thin and cold.
- Upper part of the Hand-Shaoyang Meridian: If blood and qi are abundant, the eyebrows are beautiful and long with good ear coloration; if both blood and qi are scant, the ears are scorched and lack luster.
- Lower part of the Hand-Shaoyang Meridian: If blood and qi are abundant, the palm flesh is thick and moist; if both blood and qi are scant, the hands are cold and thin; if qi is scant and blood abundant, the hands are thin with prominent veins.
- Upper part of the Hand-Taiyang Meridian: If blood and qi are abundant, the beard is profuse and the facial muscles are full and well-proportioned; if both blood and qi are scant, the face is thin with poor complexion.
- Lower part of the Hand-Taiyang Meridian: If blood and qi are abundant, the palm flesh is filled; if both blood and qi are scant, the palms are thin and cold.
The Yellow Emperor asked: Is there a rule for acupuncture treatment of these twenty-five types of people? Qi Bo said: If the eyebrows are handsome, the Foot-Taiyang Meridian has abundant blood and qi; if the eyebrows are coarse, it indicates scant blood and qi; if the flesh is full and lustrous, it indicates excess of blood and qi;
Historical Limitations:
- The Five-Element classification system lacks rigorous scientific basis. Categorizing all people into five groups, with each group further divided into five subtypes, represents deductive reasoning within an ancient philosophical framework rather than empirical classification based on evidence. Modern medical constitution classification systems (such as body type classification, metabolic type classification, etc.) have more precise biological foundations.
- The personality descriptions carry notable era-based biases. For instance, describing Water-type individuals as "inclined to deceive others and meeting violent ends" links constitution with moral character and fate, which lacks scientific support and may perpetuate discrimination.
- The setting of annual taboos lacks modern evidence. Claims such as "age sixteen, twenty-five, thirty-four..." with a taboo every nine years fall within the scope of numerological divination and are not supported by reliable epidemiological data.
- Judgments such as "short-lived and prone to sudden death" are overly arbitrary. The assertion that Fire-type individuals are "short-lived and prone to sudden death" belongs to ancient empirical generalizations and cannot be compared with modern medical predictions of individual lifespan.
Health Insights ⚡
- Understand your constitutional tendencies. Based on characteristics such as body shape, complexion, personality, and whether you tend to feel cold or heat, you can preliminarily identify which constitution type you lean toward, and adjust your diet and daily routines accordingly. For example, those leaning toward the "Fire type" (ruddy complexion, impatient disposition, heat intolerance) should avoid excessively spicy, drying, and heating foods, and maintain emotional calm; those leaning toward the "Water type" (dark complexion, cold intolerance, cold hands and feet) should prioritize keeping warm and avoid prolonged exposure to cold and damp environments.
- Adjust daily routines in accordance with the seasons. This chapter suggests that different constitutions have varying capacities to adapt to seasonal changes. Those who feel cold should guard against cold and keep warm in autumn and winter, while those who feel hot should guard against heat and cool down in spring and summer—this aligns with modern health常识.
- Pay attention to the indicative significance of body surface signals. If you notice abnormal hair loss, changes in skin color, or persistently cold hands and feet, these can serve as cues to take your health status seriously and promptly adjust your lifestyle. Note, however, that this constitutes only general health guidance and does not replace medical examination.
📚 Related Knowledge
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Associated Concepts:
- Five Elements (Wu Xing): Wood, Fire, Earth, Metal, and Water—five fundamental attributes forming the philosophical foundation of Traditional Chinese Medicine, used to categorize natural phenomena, organ functions, medicinal properties, and body constitutions.
- Five Tones: Jue, Zhi, Gong, Shang, and Yu—terms from ancient music theory adopted by TCM to name constitutional subtypes, as the five tones correspond to the five elements.
- Nutritive Qi, Defensive Qi, Qi, and Blood: TCM holds that qi and blood are the fundamental substances sustaining life activities; qi propels blood circulation while blood nourishes the entire body, and surface characteristics are directly determined by the abundance or deficiency of qi and blood.
- Cunkou and Renying: Important sites for pulse diagnosis in TCM. Cunkou is located at the wrist and Renying at the neck; ancients often compared pulses at both sites to assess the excess or deficiency of yin and yang.
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Further Reading:
- Lingshu · Tongtian — Discusses the five yin-yang personality types, representing a different constitutional classification system from the five-element twenty-five types in this chapter; the two can be studied side by side.
- Lingshu · Shouyao Gangrou — Discusses the relationship between constitution and lifespan, as well as the firmness or softness of the body.
- Suwen · Yifang Fangyi Lun — Discusses the influence of geographical environment on constitution, complementing constitutional classification.
- Lingshu · Benzang — Discusses the correspondence between internal organs and surface tissues (skin, muscles, bones, etc.), aiding in understanding the diagnostic principle of "knowing the internal from the external."
This content is based on classical texts of Traditional Chinese Medicine and is provided solely for the study and research of traditional culture. It does not constitute any medical diagnosis, medication, or treatment advice. If you experience discomfort, please seek medical attention promptly.
