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Capítulo 72 de 81
黄帝内经·灵枢
Overall Paraphrase
The Yellow Emperor asked the Young Master: "I have often heard that people are divided into Yin and Yang. What exactly is meant by a Yin person and a Yang person?" The Young Master replied: "Between heaven and earth, within the four directions and above and below, all things are inseparable from the number 'five' — and human beings are no exception. It is not merely a matter of simple Yin-Yang dichotomy. This principle is profound and cannot be fully explained in just a few words." The Yellow Emperor said: "Please give a general account of the deep meaning within this, so that sages and worthies who hear it may understand it clearly in their minds and put it into practice in their bodies."
The Young Master then said: "There are five types of human beings: the Great Yin type, the Lesser Yin type, the Great Yang type, the Lesser Yang type, and the Yin-Yang Balanced type. These five types each have different physical constitutions and temperaments, and their sinews and bones vary in strength and weakness, and their qi and blood vary in abundance and deficiency."
The Yellow Emperor asked: "What exactly are these differences?" The Young Master replied:
The Great Yin type: Greedy and insatiable, without regard for virtue or benevolence; outwardly humble and deferential, yet inwardly harboring deep schemes; fond of taking but unwilling to give; keeping their thoughts deeply hidden without easily revealing them; not seizing opportunities, always acting behind others. This is the Great Yin type.
The Lesser Yin type: Covetous of petty gains, secretly harboring malicious intent; when others suffer loss, they are pleased as if they had gained something themselves; fond of harming and injuring others; when others receive honor, they become resentful and angry; envious and narrow-minded. This is the Lesser Yin type.
The Great Yang type: Generally carefree and ostentatious, always displaying self-satisfaction; fond of grand boasting; without real ability yet talking endlessly; setting goals on an extravagantly large and distant scale; acting without regard for right or wrong; opinionated and always believing themselves correct; never regretting even when things fail. This is the Great Yang type.
The Lesser Yang type: Meticulous in their affairs, elevating themselves highly; upon gaining even the slightest official position, they become self-important and inflated; fond of socializing and networking externally, yet unwilling to engage in solid practical work and not attending to inner cultivation. This is the Lesser Yang type.
The Yin-Yang Balanced type: Dwells in comfort and tranquility of mind; not given to baseless fear nor excessive elation; adapts to external circumstances with ease and composure; does not strive to outdo others in interpersonal relations; follows the changing times; the higher their position, the more humble they become; transforming others through virtue rather than through forceful governance. This is the highest state of excellence, called "perfect governance." In ancient times, those skilled in acupuncture would first discern the physical constitutions and temperaments of these five types of people before administering treatment — those with excessive pathogenic qi were treated with draining methods, and those with deficient vital qi were treated with supplementation.
The Yellow Emperor asked again: "How specifically should treatment be regulated for these five types of people?" The Young Master said:
The Great Yin type has excess Yin and deficient Yang. The Yin blood is turbid, the Wei qi (defensive qi circulating beneath the skin surface that protects the body) moves sluggishly, Yin and Yang are not harmonized, the sinews and vessels are slack, and the skin is thick. If the turbid pathogenic factors are not rapidly drained using reducing techniques, it will be difficult to change the pathological condition.
The Lesser Yin type has excess Yin and deficient Yang. The stomach is small while the intestines are large, the six fu organs are not coordinated, the qi of the stomach meridian of Foot-Yangming is diminished, while the qi of the small intestine meridian of Hand-Taiyang is enlarged. One must carefully examine and regulate the treatment, because in such people blood is easily lost and qi easily depleted.
The Great Yang type has excess Yang and deficient Yin. Treatment must be cautious — one must not deplete the already insufficient Yin, and should only drain the excessive Yang qi. If Yang qi is excessively lost, mania may easily result; if both Yin and Yang are lost, sudden collapse and unconsciousness may occur.
The Lesser Yang type has excess Yang and deficient Yin. The meridians are small while the collateral vessels are large; the blood is stored internally while the qi floats externally. For treatment, one should supplement the Yin and drain the Yang. If one only indiscriminately drains the collateral vessels, qi will rapidly be lost; if qi depletion becomes severe, then the middle qi will be insufficient, and the illness will be difficult to resolve.
The Yin-Yang Balanced type: Yin and Yang qi are harmonized, and the blood vessels are free-flowing. In treatment, one only needs to carefully examine the abundance or deficiency of Yin and Yang, the insufficiency or excess of pathogenic and vital qi, observe whether the patient's bearing and demeanor are tranquil and harmonious, and carefully consider whether qi and blood are in surplus or deficit. If pathogenic qi is excessive, draining is used; if vital qi is deficient, supplementation is used; if neither excess nor deficiency prevails, one simply selects points along the meridians for regulation.
The Yellow Emperor asked: "If these five types of people are not familiar with one another, and one encounters them for the first time without knowing their behavioral patterns, how can one distinguish which type they belong to?"
The Young Master replied: "The general populace does not all conform precisely to these five archetypes. According to the five-element classification, seventy-five physical constitution types can be derived from the interaction of the five elements, and these 'five demeanor types' are among the most extreme and least conforming to the general populace."
The Yellow Emperor asked: "Then how specifically does one distinguish these five types of people?" The Young Master said:
The Great Yin type: Their complexion is dark and gloomy, their manner outwardly docile but inwardly deep; their build may be large, yet they habitually stoop and bend their knees, feigning humility. Such are the outward physical characteristics of the Great Yin type.
The Lesser Yin type: Their bearing is cold and aloof, their movements sly and secretive; they are deeply calculating and harbor concealed viciousness; when standing, they are restless and agitated, and when walking, they appear as if crouching and hunched forward. Such is the Lesser Yin type.
The Great Yang type: Their manner is imposing and imposing, their spirits have high bearing; they puff out their chests and protrude their bellies, leaning backward as if displaying their own grandeur. Such is the Great Yang type.
The Lesser Yang type: When standing, they tend to tilt their heads back; when walking, they tend to sway and rock; their arms and elbows tend to swing backward and rest behind their bodies, appearing quite self-satisfied. Such is the Lesser Yang type.
The Yin-Yang Balanced type: Their outward appearance is harmonious and composed, their bearing refined and courteous; their expression is dignified and cheerful, their gaze gentle and warm; in interacting with others they are naturally proper and fitting, praised by all as a person of virtue. Such is the Yin-Yang Balanced type.
This chapter presents the foundational framework of TCM constitution theory — the Five Demeanor Types. The core principles are:
Yin and Yang are not a binary but a fivefold division: The TCM view of Yin and Yang is not a simple "two-term opposition" but classifies human constitutions according to the amount and proportion of Yin and Yang qi. Great Yin = most Yin and least Yang; Lesser Yin = more Yin and less Yang; Great Yang = most Yang and least Yin; Lesser Yang = more Yang and less Yin; Yin-Yang Balanced = equal proportions of Yin and Yang. This "quantitative difference" reflects the thought of "change and transformation" from the I Ching as applied to constitutional theory.
Body and Spirit are one: The five demeanor types each possess both dispositional orientation (psychological level, e.g., the Great Yin type's "greedy and unkind"), physical characteristics (physiological level, e.g., the Great Yin type's "slack sinews and thick skin"), and qi-blood characteristics (pathophysiological level, e.g., the Great Yin type's "turbid Yin blood and sluggish defensive qi"). These three aspects correspond one-to-one, forming a tripartite holistic understanding of "constitution-temperature-physiology."
Constitution determines therapeutic principles: Ancient practitioners first "examined the five demeanor types before treating," choosing supplementing and draining strategies based on constitutional type — embodying individuated "person-specific" and "constitution-specific" treatment. This is also the theoretical origin of later "constitutional differentiation" (体质辨证) in TCM.
The value and limitations of this chapter are both quite clear.
Valuable aspects:
Limitations that should be honestly acknowledged:
Leaving aside clinical/medical applications, this chapter offers several reference points for daily self-cultivation and wellness:
This content is based on ancient Chinese medical classics and is provided solely for traditional cultural study and research purposes. It does not constitute any medical diagnosis, prescription medication, or treatment advice. Please consult a qualified healthcare provider if you experience any discomfort.