Korean medicine has traditionally accepted the Yin-Yang and Five Elements of Myungrihak to categorize bodily constitutions according to the Yin-Yang and Five Elements of individuals in order to identify vulnerabilities of specific bodily parts to dise...
Korean medicine has traditionally accepted the Yin-Yang and Five Elements of Myungrihak to categorize bodily constitutions according to the Yin-Yang and Five Elements of individuals in order to identify vulnerabilities of specific bodily parts to diseases. Without balance of Yin-Yang and Five Elements caused by a lack or excessiveness, the bodily balance is destroyed, in turn making people more susceptible to certain diseases. A lack or excessiveness of Wood(木) causes vulnerabilities to the nervous system, including the liver and gall bladder, a lack or excessiveness of Fire (火) causes vulnerabilities to the circulatory system, including the heart and small intestines, a lack or excessiveness of Earth (土) causes vulnerabilities to the digestive system, including the spleen and stomach, a lack or excessiveness of Metal (金) causes vulnerabilities to the respiratory system, including the lungs and large intestines, and a lack or excessiveness of Water (水) causes vulnerabilities to the reproductive system, including the kidney and urinary bladder.
In order to positively analyze the correlation between Korean Medicine and the Yin-Yang and Five Elements, the researcher of this study visited 375 subjects over seven years to conduct a statistical verification process. The results of this study are as follows.
First, in the case of lacking Wood, the gall bladder disease rate was high, but the difference was not statistically significant. When excessive, the gall bladder disease rate was high and statistically significant.
Second, in the case of lacking or excessive Fire, the small intestine disease rate was high and statistically significant.
Third, in the case of lacking or excessive Earth, the spleen and stomach disease rates were high and statistically significant.
Fourth, in the case of lacking Metal, a statistically significant disease rate was shown for the lungs and large intestine. When excessive, however, a statistically significant difference was shown for the disease rates of the liver and gall bladder rather than the lungs and large intestine.
Fifth, in the case of lacking Water, a high urinary bladder and kidney disease rate was shown, but this was not statistically significant. When excessive, a high statistically significant difference was shown for the kidney, urinary bladder, heart and small intestine, while a low statistically significant difference was shown for the lungs and large intestines.
The results of this study scientifically verifies the significant correlation between human diseases and the Yin-Yang and Five Elements of Myungrihak. Some results were not consistent with the Yin-Yang and Five Elements as described in Korean medicine, yet this may be due to the fact that human diseases are not only determined by fate, but also influenced by environments and lifestyles as well as the possibilities of exposure to diseases in other bodily areas when one bodily area becomes vulnerable to diseases and results in weakened bodily balance.