Taoist Concepts from One to Ten
one: one Qi （一气）
YI 一, means one. The ONE Qi refers to the original, unseparated, entangled energy that creates everything in the universe.
In modern physics, at the state of n=0, the energy is in a sphericle shape. In ancient Chinese, it is referred as TaiChi.
There are also many terms to refer this one Qi, such as Yuan Qi (the source energy), Tai Chi Yuan Qi (太极元气), TaiChi, or Tai Yi 太乙, the source, the light that creates and connects to everything. TaiChi, this term also widely being used to refer to any complete individual being, spices, object, or subjects, and so on.
two: Two polarities （两极）
LIANG 两, a pair, two unseparated things. JI 极, the extreme polar.
Within Tai Chi there are two opposite components, named as Yin and Yang energies. Yin is still, Yang is active; Yang initiates, Yin follows. Heaven is the Yang, earth is the Yin; in human, male is the Yang, female is the Yin. In cosmo, sun is the Yang, moon is the Yin. In atomic structure, the electrons are the Yang, the nucleus of proton and neutron are the Yin. There are these two aspects in everything. In modern physics, at the state of n=1, the energy its in rod shape, indicates the polarity formed.
As nowadays knowledge, Yin Yang elements are equivalent to the two quantum bits, and follows the same principles and nature but in different languages.
Three: Three Yuan（三元）
SAN 三, three, three kinds, three types, three equally the same objects. YUAN 元, the origin, the beginning, the origin of the creation, the source.
“Tao generates one, one generates two, two generates three. Three generates everything in the world.” -Tao Te Ching
Between heaven and earth, Yang (heaven) energy and Yin (earth) energy are harmonized, there is a third energy created, Taoist names it as ZhongHe Qi ( 中和气).
ZHONG 中, means middle, here refers to the space in-between heaven and earth; HE 和, means harmony, harmonies the different energies to transform into one new energy; QI 气, the floating substance between heaven and earth; it includes the air and many other substances.
Taoist defines this “ZhongHeQi (Middle-Harmony-Energy)” is the creation of everything above the earth and below the heaven. Human is considered as the head in ZhongHeQi, controls ZhongHeQi. Thus, within the space between heaven and earth, things are created by Heaven, Earth, and Human, who are considered as three origins (三元), the three sources of creations. Also, call them as three building materials, SAN CAI 三才.
Other concepts related to three: In cosmo, three lights are: sun, moon, stars as three treasures; In human body, three treasures are: Jing, Qi, Shen.
Four: four directions （四象）
SI 四, means number four; 象, means energy pattern.
Originally, this concept is derived from the observation of the nature, such as the four seasons. When Yin energy is divided into two, it must be Yin Yin (greater Yin), and Yin Yang (lesser Yin) combination. When Yang is divided into two, it much be Yang Yang (greater Yang) and Yang Yin (lesser Yang). There are four energy patterns, and can be two pairs, Greater Yin corresponding to greater Yang, then lesser Yin corresponding to lesser Yang. In nature, these energy patterns can be reflected from the seasons: summer opposites to winter, spring opposites to autumn.
Using there two pairs Yin Yang energies indicates four directions, the lesser Yang is East, the greater Yang is south, the lesser Yin is West, the greater Yin this is the North. Like to cross over two lines, it gives a cross shape with four directions.
As we can see a stabilized structure or thing have two pairs of Yin Yang elements, for example, our daily used tables have four legs, autos have four wheels.
Five: Five Elements （五行）
WU 五, means number 5, XING 行, means opened directions to go.
Wu Xing, indicates the five directions of this Yin-Yang pair energy flows in the space between heaven and earth. In modern word, it is the three dimensional space where human lives. Everything within this space follows these Yin Yang Wu-Xing principles, including: attraction, distraction, interactions, generation and suppression.
In modern physics, in the state of n=2, (two pairs of Yin Yang energies), the energy shape forms a four paddles with a center pattern. Thus, it gives five directions to flow.
Yin Yang energy movement at Heaven realm, it is called as Shen; at the human realm, it is as Qi; at the earth realm, it is as the elements.
So this term “five elements” reflect the nature of the energy on the earth realm, an in-depth of understanding this Yin Yang Wu-Xing principle. So it is a proper way to use in the West cultures.
six: Six toxins （六毒）
LIU 六, means number six. DU 毒, means toxin, poisons, things are harmful to human body, mind and spirit.
The human body has six sensors that can detect external senses, they are: eyes can see the lights, color or shapes; ears can hear the sounds or noises; noses can smell the fragrant or scents; tongues can tastes the flavors of food and drinks; body through skin can feel any textures and touches; and desires are from one’s heart to have all of these good feelings, desire for eating, and desire for having sexual contacts.
Taoist believes that due to human body has these six roots, six sensors, six dusts, six thieves, thus they exhaust the six spirits. Each sensor has its spirit. These six toxins are exhausting energies, so the Yuan Shen, the true spirit, cannot be expanded or grow or ascension.
Six reincanation realms (六道，Liu Dao)
LIU 六, means number six. DAO 道, means path, here refers to the reincarnation realms.
In Taoist culture, people believes that each person can have many past lives because one’s soul (Yuan Shen) never dies. After death, human’s Yuan Shen will enter to different spiritual worlds depending on your karmic accumulation. How one’s present life time looks like is determined by the karma of the past life, and how the future life will look like will be determined by the karma of the present life.
People spirit from different realm carries with different characters. Here are some brief summarization, but not quiet completed, will add more information later:
Buddhist realm: people are generally kind, and compassionated.
Taoist Xian realm: people are generally delightful, free spirit, does not like be restricted or controlled by rules or others. loving and enjoy being around nature.
Asura (XiuLou) realm: it is similar to the heaven realm, but these people are generally arrogant, and like to be jealousy, fight and get to anger easily. The good part of them, they can take responsibility and benefit to the humanity.
Human realm: these people like to be harmonious, enjoy human life, they normally speak very properly and touch to human hearts.
Ghost realm: these people are generally selfish, and self centered, they like to use tricks to get the way to reach their purpose, they can sneak to obtain their own benefits
Animal realm: greedy is the most obvious nature for these type of people.
People will reincarnate to any of these realms depending on what kind of nature people cultivating in current life.
Seven: Seven Emotions （七情）
QI 七, numerical number 7. QING 情, emotional energy, heart feelings.
Taoist concludes human body has seven emotional energies. They are: joy, anger, sadness, fear, love, hate and desires that can affect spiritual wellbeing. These emotional energy result to harm internal organs and spirits:
over joy harms heart
over anger harms liver
over sadness harms lungs
over fear harms gall bladder
over love harms spirit energy
over hate harms heart feelings
over desires harms spleen
eight: Eight Gua (八卦)
BA 八, means numerical number eight. GUA 卦, six hectograph, refers to a pattern.
BaGuan is used to depict the energy changes inside the ZhongHeQi. Within the space of heaven and earth, energy’s movement, direction, and amount will be defined. Three lines, represents heaven, human and earth from upper to down direction. Heaven is the number 1, use three solid lines, as Qian乾, represents the fullest Yang energy of the nature. Then Yang Qi grduately is loosing, Yin energy starts to grow, until there is no more Yang energy left, then it is the state of pure Yin energy, this refers as earth as the number 8. ； 兑离震巽坎艮坤From simply indication of eight directions, YinYang
Nine: nine orifices (九窍)
JIU 九, means numeral number nine. QIAO 窍, an small opening hole, orifice.
Human body has nine orifices that help to exchange energies between internal organs with external cosmic energies.
in Taoist culture, everything is connected through Qi (energy), it is flowing substance, and move in and our through openings and gates, exchange or expel energy ands substance. So these openings and orifics are the most important components of the body:
Two eyes, are the openings of the liver. The sensor Shen (Hun) stays in the eyes during the day and returns to liver at night. Eyes receiving the lights from external world.
Two ears, are the openings of the kidney. receiving sounds from external world.
Two nostrils, are the openings of the lungs, receiving airs, smells, scents from the external world.
One mouth, is the opening of the heart and spleen, lips reflects the wellbeing of the spleen; tongue reflects the wellbeing of the heart. It receive food and drink from external world. It speaks and expresses feelings of hearts.
One urethral opening: that transmits urine from bladder to the exterior of the body, expel the liquid waste to outside of the body.
One anus: that transits the solid waste, stool from large intestine to the exterior of the body.
ten: ten exhaustions, ten harms (十损)
SHI 十, means numerical number ten. SUN 损, means, damages, harm, exhaustion, causing loss, reduce.
Ten ways of causing internal damages;
Walking too much harms tendons;
Standing too much harms bones;
Sitting too much harms blood;
Sleeping too much harms vessels;
Listening too much harms kidney essence;
Watching too much harms spirit;
Speaking too much harms Qi;
Eating too full harms the heart;9
Thinking too much harms spleen;
Having sex too much harms life (live short).