ABSTRACT
The Five Phases 'Wu-xing 五行' theory (also known as Five
Elements theory) and the Yin and Yang 陰陽 theory is deep-rooted in Chinese
culture and Chinese medicine. Unlike the
Yin and Yang theory, the Five Phases theory has been a subject of criticism, notably
from the renown Chinese scholar Wang Chong 王充 (Note 1 and p. 25, Note 2). As the five phases are intimately associated with the five notes/tones
'五音Wu-yin'
(p. 11, Note 5), this study analyzes the Five Notes/Tones theory to give new
insight into the Five Phases theory. The
study makes clear the five pentatonic notes/tones cannot be connected in a
circle because of the Pythagorean Comma.
That the Yellow Bell 'Huang Zhong 黄鐘' cannot go back to itself declared
by Chinese musicologists also reveals the same truth. This truth makes meaningless the ‘Five Virtue
Cyclic Sequences of Ends and Beginning’ (known as the controlling sequence of
the Five Phases) proposed by Zou Yan (305-240 B.C.). Likewise, the generating sequence of the Five
Phases by Liu Xiang (77-6 BCE) and his son Liu Xin too is meaningless.
FIVE PHASES
o The earliest reference to the Five Phases appeared in the ‘Great Plan’ section of the ‘Book of Documents’ (Shu Jing, c. 4th century BC). It states:
‘Of the five phases, the first is WATER 水; the second FIRE 火; the third WOOD 木; the fourth METAL 金; and the fifth EARTH 土.’
This is known as the ‘Cosmogonic sequence’ (p. 13, Note 5).
o The Five Phases were also called 5 'Abilities', 'Talents' or 'Materials' ('cai' 材). One book in the Warring States period (476-221 BC) says,
‘Heaven sends the Five Abilities (Talents or Materials) and the people use them’.
o The number 5 in the Bible symbolizes God's grace, goodness and favor toward humans. In the Bible, creation also begins with water:
Genesis 1:2 ‘The earth was without form, and void; and darkness was on the face of the deep. And the Spirit of God was hovering over the face of the waters.’
o Book of Changes 易經 says 'Heaven one bears water'（天一生水）. Guodian Chu Slips 郭店楚簡 (300 BC) unearthed in 1993 says 'The Great One Generates Water' （太一生水）. Chinese classics Lao-tzu 老子 and Huai-nan Tsu 淮南子 also recorded Chinese creation story (note 3).
Genesis 1:2 ‘The earth was without form, and void; and darkness was on the face of the deep. And the Spirit of God was hovering over the face of the waters.’
o Book of Changes 易經 says 'Heaven one bears water'（天一生水）. Guodian Chu Slips 郭店楚簡 (300 BC) unearthed in 1993 says 'The Great One Generates Water' （太一生水）. Chinese classics Lao-tzu 老子 and Huai-nan Tsu 淮南子 also recorded Chinese creation story (note 3).
o The Five Phases theory was systemized by Zou Yan (305-240 B.C.) when he proposed a ‘Five Virtue Cyclic Sequences of Ends and Beginning’, known as the controlling sequence of the Five Phases:
Figure 2 The Generating Sequence of the Five Phases
o The controlling sequence of the Five Phases was criticized for its absurdness by a respectable Han dynasty scientist and scholar Wang Ch'ung 王充 (27-97 AD) (Note 1). There is also irregularity in the generating sequence of the Five Phases. Water generating Wood, Fire generating Earth and Earth generating Metal are all compliance with natural law. Wood, however, does not readily catch Fire. Wood needs to be drilled to generate fire or ignited by thunder. Metal will only melt into liquid under a high temperature and high pressure condition. More discussions of irregularity can be found in 'The Web That Has No Weaver' (Note 1).
o The controlling sequence of the Five Phases was criticized for its absurdness by a respectable Han dynasty scientist and scholar Wang Ch'ung 王充 (27-97 AD) (Note 1). There is also irregularity in the generating sequence of the Five Phases. Water generating Wood, Fire generating Earth and Earth generating Metal are all compliance with natural law. Wood, however, does not readily catch Fire. Wood needs to be drilled to generate fire or ignited by thunder. Metal will only melt into liquid under a high temperature and high pressure condition. More discussions of irregularity can be found in 'The Web That Has No Weaver' (Note 1).
FIVE PENTATONIC NOTES/TONES
The Five Pentatonic Notes/Tones that closely correspond to the Five Phases are:
Figure 3 The Earliest Five Phases with Corresponding Five Pentatonic Notes
· The order of the Five Phases - Water 1, Fire 2, Wood 3, Metal 4 and Earth 5, happens to agree with the order of frequencies of D# (La), C# (So), A# (Mi), G# (Re) and F# (Do). This is a movement down the pentatonic scale. It signifies creation descends from the highest frequency – that of Water to the lowest – that of Earth, like rain precipitating downward from heaven (p. 14, Note 5). The Five Pentatonic Notes is said to be the natural precursor of the Five Phases (p. 11, Note 5).
o The Yellow Emperor’s pentatonic scale consists of musical notes related by perfect fifths (the most harmonious of all musical intervals) which confers health and tranquility on all beings coming in contact with it (Note 5). When arranged in a circle of ascending fifths to, the Five Pentatonic Notes are as follows:
Figure 4 Five Pentatonic Notes in Ascending Perfect Fifths
Figure 4 Five Pentatonic Notes in Ascending Perfect Fifths
· The interval between F# and A# is an augmented fifth, a fifth plus half a step (one semitone).
· The following is also a circle of fifths where the ending E## (in green) is 12 perfect fifths above the beginning F#:
Figure 5 Circle of Fifths where the Ending E## is 12 Perfect Fifths above the Beginning F#
In Figure 5, E##, 12 perfect fifths above
the beginning F# (Yellow Bell), is slightly higher in pitch than the beginning F# raised up 7
octaves. The small
interval difference between twelve just
perfect fifths and seven octaves, ratio of (3/2)**12
over (2)**7 (= 1.01364), is the Pythagorean Comma. This is also the
small interval between three major thirds and one octave. Note: Pythagoras is the Greek philosopher and mathematician (c. 570 BC – c. 495 BC).
· Chinese Twelve Lu 律 (12 Notes/Tones), as recorded in 國語 (Warring States period, 476-221 BC), were derived from the Yellow Bell 黄鐘 using ‘san fen sun yi fa’ 三分損益法:
· The following is also a circle of fifths where the ending E## (in green) is 12 perfect fifths above the beginning F#:
Figure 5 Circle of Fifths where the Ending E## is 12 Perfect Fifths above the Beginning F#
Figure 6 Guan Zi 管子 地員篇 ‘san fen sun yi fa’ 三分損益法 ‘the Technique of Adding and Subtracting One Third’ (Note 5)
· Yellow Bell黄鐘∶eight cun ten fen one八寸十分一、81 fen分 ；
林鐘∶81 * 2/3 = 54；
太簇∶54 * 4/3 = 72；
南吕∶72 * 2/3 = 48；
姑洗∶48 * 4/3 = 64；
應鐘∶64 * 2/3 = 42.6667；
蕤賓∶42.6667 * 4/3 = 56.8889；
大吕∶56.8889 * 4/3 = 75.8519；
夷則∶75.8519 * 2/3 = 50.5679；
夾鐘∶50.5679 * 4/3 = 67.4239；
無射∶67.4239 * 2/3 = 44.9492；
仲吕∶44.9492 * 4/3 = 59.9323；
清黄鐘: 59.9323 * 2/3 = 39.9549
清黄鐘: 59.9323 * 2/3 = 39.9549
The Yellow Bell 黄鐘raised up one octave has
pipe length 40.5, half of Yellow Bell pipe length 81. The ratio of 40.5 over 39.9546 is 1.0136505,
which is the Pythagorean Comma. The Clean Yellow Bell清黄鐘 is slightly higher
in pitch than the Yellow Bell 黄鐘raised up one octave. Therefore, Chinese musicologists stated
that Yellow Bell cannot go back to itself.
· If the Yellow Bell 黄鐘is sung
as Do, 林鐘
(fifth above the Yellow Bell) will be Sol, 太簇 (fourth down from林鐘 Sol) will be Re, 南吕 (fifth above太簇Re) will
be Ra and 姑洗(fourth down from南吕Ra) will be Mi. It is
7# (Si/Ti Sharp) for the Clean Yellow Bell 清黄鐘. As shown above, the
Clean Yellow Bell清黄鐘 is slightly higher in pitch than the Yellow Bell 黄鐘raised
up one octave. The following is the sequence
of 12 Chinese Lu 律 (12 Notes/Tones) derived from the
Yellow Bell 黄鐘using ‘san fen sun yi fa’ 三分損益法 (Figure 6):
Figure 7 Chinese Twelve Lu 律 (12 Notes/Tones) Derived from the Yellow Bell 黄鐘 Using 'san fen sun yi fa’三分損益法
The Yellow Bell Account and the Pythagorean Comma Revelation
The Yellow Bell account (in the East) and Greek Pythagorean Comma (in the West) make clear that the five pentatonic notes cannot be connected in a circle. The five phases/elements too cannot be connected in a circle since the five phases correspond to the five notes. The five phases are intimately associated with the five notes/tones. There are musicians who think the five notes/tones are the natural precursor of the five phases (p. 11, Note 5). This leads one to conclude that the Five Phases controlling sequence and generating sequence is not scientifically sound.
· 1. The earliest Five Phases in the ‘Great Plan’ says Heaven sends the Five Abilities (Talents or Materials材) and the people use them. Five materials are a gift of heaven (God). The Five Phases theory proposed by Zou Yan, 305-240 B.C. and Liu Xiang, 77-6 BCE says one material (phase/element) generates another. Therefore, the earth becomes a self-sustaining and self-regulating system and there is no need for a giver. The title of Chinese medicine textbook 'The Web That Has No Weaver Weaver - Understanding Chinese Medicine' (by Ted J. Kaptchuk, Note 1) carries the same notion. That the human and the environment (heaven, human and earth 天人地) are a self-sustaining and self-regulating system is the fundamental theory of the Chinese medicine.
· 2. The generating sequence of the Five Phases of Liu Xiang (77-6 BCE) and his son Liu Xin are Earth (Do), Metal (Re), Water (La), Wood (Mi) and Fire (So) (Figure 2). The Five Pentatonic Notes generated from 'san fen sun yi fa' 三分損益法 are in the order of Earth (Do), Fire (So), Metal (Re), Water (La) and Wood (Mi) (Figure 6). According to Shen Gua of Song Dynasty, the Five Notes /Five Phases go in the order of Metal (Re), Fire (So), Wood (Mi), Water (La) and Earth (Do) (Note 6). So, inconsistency exists among the Five Phases/Five Notes theory developed at different times in Chinese history.
THE FIVE PHASES/ELEMENTS THEORY REAL WORLD APPLICATION
· 1. In order to fit four cardinal directions east, west, south and north into the Five Phases/Elements model, “center” is ‘generated’ which, however, does not have the property of direction. Similarly, “long summer” is ‘made-up’ to make four seasons spring, summer, autumn and winter fit in the Five Phases/Elements model.
· 2. Many Five Phases/Element correspondences (Table 1, p. 21, Note 2) do not make sense for the generating sequence and/or the controlling sequence. The four season correspondence for the generating sequence is meaningful because spring follows winter, summer follows spring, autumn follows summer and winter follows autumn. The Yellow Emperor's Classic of Internal Medicine (Note 7) says spring controls long summer, long summer controls winter, winter controls summer, summer controls autumn, and autumn controls spring. No one had ever attempted to explain this or could explain it well. It is difficult to understand how east generates south, south generates center, center generates west. Equally absurd it sounds that east controls center, south controls west, center controls north and so on. The visible light spectrum does not support that green generates red, red generates yellow, yellow generates white, white generates black and black generates green. Neither the spectrum explains green controls/balances yellow, yellow controls/balances black, and so on. Other correspondences having similar problems are, for example, climates, planets, animals, grains, emotions, etc.
· 3. Taste is one of few correspondences which somewhat satisfy the Five Phases control sequence: sourness counteracts (balances) sweetness, sweetness counteracts saltiness and pungency/hotness counteracts sourness. Again, it is difficult to explain sourness generates bitterness, bitterness generates sweetness, sweetness generates pungency/hotness, pungency generates saltiness and saltiness generates sourness.
· 4. The Five Phases controlling sequence has a small application in the herbal medicine with regard to wood (liver) and earth (spleen) and with regard to metal (lung) and wood (liver). Liver fire or liver Chi stagnation (namely, liver in excess) allows the liver to attack the spleen, resulting in loss of appetite, stomach acid reflux, indigestion and constipation or diarrhea (IBS syndrome). Herb formulas "Bambling Powder" (xiao yao san逍遙散) and "Important Formula for Diarrhea" (tong xie yao fan痛瀉要方) are designed to relieve the liver excess condition so that the liver and the spleen are in harmony or the liver does not attack the spleen (p. 147 and p. 149, Note 3). Metal (lung) controls wood (liver). Herb formula "Left Metal Pill" (zuo jin wan左金丸) relieves symptoms of hypochondrial pain, acid regurgitation and vomiting due to liver fire or liver heat (p. 98, Note 3). Fructus Evodiac Rutaecarpae (wu zhu yu吳茱萸) pairs with huang lian黃連 to clear stomach heat and sedate heart fire which will otherwise attack the lung as fire attacks metal. Wu zhu yu exhibits a pungent taste, enters the lung and the lung meridian and nourishes (tonifies) the lung to keep the liver in check (metal controls wood).
REAL WORLD HEALING WITH MUSIC
The Yellow Bell account (in the East) and Greek Pythagorean Comma (in the West) make clear that the five pentatonic notes cannot be connected in a circle. The five phases/elements too cannot be connected in a circle since the five phases correspond to the five notes. The five phases are intimately associated with the five notes/tones. There are musicians who think the five notes/tones are the natural precursor of the five phases (p. 11, Note 5). This leads one to conclude that the Five Phases controlling sequence and generating sequence is not scientifically sound.
DICUSSIONSONS
· 1. The earliest Five Phases in the ‘Great Plan’ says Heaven sends the Five Abilities (Talents or Materials材) and the people use them. Five materials are a gift of heaven (God). The Five Phases theory proposed by Zou Yan, 305-240 B.C. and Liu Xiang, 77-6 BCE says one material (phase/element) generates another. Therefore, the earth becomes a self-sustaining and self-regulating system and there is no need for a giver. The title of Chinese medicine textbook 'The Web That Has No Weaver Weaver - Understanding Chinese Medicine' (by Ted J. Kaptchuk, Note 1) carries the same notion. That the human and the environment (heaven, human and earth 天人地) are a self-sustaining and self-regulating system is the fundamental theory of the Chinese medicine.
· 2. The generating sequence of the Five Phases of Liu Xiang (77-6 BCE) and his son Liu Xin are Earth (Do), Metal (Re), Water (La), Wood (Mi) and Fire (So) (Figure 2). The Five Pentatonic Notes generated from 'san fen sun yi fa' 三分損益法 are in the order of Earth (Do), Fire (So), Metal (Re), Water (La) and Wood (Mi) (Figure 6). According to Shen Gua of Song Dynasty, the Five Notes /Five Phases go in the order of Metal (Re), Fire (So), Wood (Mi), Water (La) and Earth (Do) (Note 6). So, inconsistency exists among the Five Phases/Five Notes theory developed at different times in Chinese history.
THE FIVE PHASES/ELEMENTS THEORY REAL WORLD APPLICATION
· 1. In order to fit four cardinal directions east, west, south and north into the Five Phases/Elements model, “center” is ‘generated’ which, however, does not have the property of direction. Similarly, “long summer” is ‘made-up’ to make four seasons spring, summer, autumn and winter fit in the Five Phases/Elements model.
· 2. Many Five Phases/Element correspondences (Table 1, p. 21, Note 2) do not make sense for the generating sequence and/or the controlling sequence. The four season correspondence for the generating sequence is meaningful because spring follows winter, summer follows spring, autumn follows summer and winter follows autumn. The Yellow Emperor's Classic of Internal Medicine (Note 7) says spring controls long summer, long summer controls winter, winter controls summer, summer controls autumn, and autumn controls spring. No one had ever attempted to explain this or could explain it well. It is difficult to understand how east generates south, south generates center, center generates west. Equally absurd it sounds that east controls center, south controls west, center controls north and so on. The visible light spectrum does not support that green generates red, red generates yellow, yellow generates white, white generates black and black generates green. Neither the spectrum explains green controls/balances yellow, yellow controls/balances black, and so on. Other correspondences having similar problems are, for example, climates, planets, animals, grains, emotions, etc.
· 3. Taste is one of few correspondences which somewhat satisfy the Five Phases control sequence: sourness counteracts (balances) sweetness, sweetness counteracts saltiness and pungency/hotness counteracts sourness. Again, it is difficult to explain sourness generates bitterness, bitterness generates sweetness, sweetness generates pungency/hotness, pungency generates saltiness and saltiness generates sourness.
· 4. The Five Phases controlling sequence has a small application in the herbal medicine with regard to wood (liver) and earth (spleen) and with regard to metal (lung) and wood (liver). Liver fire or liver Chi stagnation (namely, liver in excess) allows the liver to attack the spleen, resulting in loss of appetite, stomach acid reflux, indigestion and constipation or diarrhea (IBS syndrome). Herb formulas "Bambling Powder" (xiao yao san逍遙散) and "Important Formula for Diarrhea" (tong xie yao fan痛瀉要方) are designed to relieve the liver excess condition so that the liver and the spleen are in harmony or the liver does not attack the spleen (p. 147 and p. 149, Note 3). Metal (lung) controls wood (liver). Herb formula "Left Metal Pill" (zuo jin wan左金丸) relieves symptoms of hypochondrial pain, acid regurgitation and vomiting due to liver fire or liver heat (p. 98, Note 3). Fructus Evodiac Rutaecarpae (wu zhu yu吳茱萸) pairs with huang lian黃連 to clear stomach heat and sedate heart fire which will otherwise attack the lung as fire attacks metal. Wu zhu yu exhibits a pungent taste, enters the lung and the lung meridian and nourishes (tonifies) the lung to keep the liver in check (metal controls wood).
REAL WORLD HEALING WITH MUSIC
· "Like one who takes away a garment on a
cold day, or like vinegar poured on a wound, is one who sings songs to a heavy
heart." (Bible Proverbs 箴言25:20) Yet the Five Phases theory controlling
sequence says joy (Fire) controls sadness (Metal) - it follows that singing songs
to a heavy heart is the way to go. A theory
needs to be re-examined if failing to apply in the real world. Coincidentally navel acupuncture (developed by Dr. Qi Yong in China based on Tibet doctors’ healing art) incorporates the Five Phases theory generating sequence but not the controlling sequence.
· Liila
Taruffi和Stefan
Koelsch at The Freie Universität Berlin (Free University of Berlin) conducted
a survey over 722 people of different races on the subject of blues,
sadness, grief and/or depression. The study found sad/melancholy music
actually helped people who were feeling blue, sad or depressed. The
positive outcome is a result of resonance. The fundamental idea of the
Five Phases correspondences is also resonance. For example, joy is corresponded with heart,
red color, fire, summer, etc. and sadness with lung, white color, metal,
autumn, etc. Resonance has an
application in Chinese herbal medicine.
To "channel heat back to its source 引火歸原",
a small amount of hot property herbs is incorporated in an herbal formula
consisting of primarily cold property herbs for clearing heat. This is so-called "Apply Heat for Heat
Cause 熱因熱用". A parallel practice is "Apply Cold for
Cold Cause寒因寒用". It is
documented that a Chinese emperor was into eating shredded ice and he got sick
from that. All court doctors failed to fix
his stomach issue. Then a reputable herbal
doctor from outside was summoned into the court. He simply had the same herbal formula
prescribed by court doctors boiled with ice.
The emperor drank it and he was healed.
This is an excellent example of "Apply Cold for Cold Cause寒因寒用".
CONCLUDING REMARKS
· The interplay of controlling and generating sequences, form of negative feedback control, can explain a stable equilibrium normally exhibiting in ecological systems. This is the ‘balance of nature’ concept. As a prosperous society or a wholesome physical condition of the human body also exhibits a balanced state, it is easily understood why the Five Phases/Elements theory prevails in Chinese culture as well as in Chinese medicine. However, there are many real world application issues with the Five Phases theory – it may not be sophisticated enough to describe the real world systems. As pointed out by the author of “The Web That Has No Weaver - Understanding Chinese Medicine", the Five Phases/Elements theory is a rigid model (p. 347, Note 1). He further stated, when applied to medicine, it is lack of consistency (p. 352, Note 1). The inconsistency and the Yellow Bell account and the Pythagorean Comma revelation should make one think hard with a discerning mind when applying the Five Phases/Elements theory.
· The interplay of controlling and generating sequences, form of negative feedback control, can explain a stable equilibrium normally exhibiting in ecological systems. This is the ‘balance of nature’ concept. As a prosperous society or a wholesome physical condition of the human body also exhibits a balanced state, it is easily understood why the Five Phases/Elements theory prevails in Chinese culture as well as in Chinese medicine. However, there are many real world application issues with the Five Phases theory – it may not be sophisticated enough to describe the real world systems. As pointed out by the author of “The Web That Has No Weaver - Understanding Chinese Medicine", the Five Phases/Elements theory is a rigid model (p. 347, Note 1). He further stated, when applied to medicine, it is lack of consistency (p. 352, Note 1). The inconsistency and the Yellow Bell account and the Pythagorean Comma revelation should make one think hard with a discerning mind when applying the Five Phases/Elements theory.
Note 1: Ted J. Kaptchuk, “The Web That Has No Weaver - Understanding Chinese Medicine" (1983), Criticism of Five Phases Theory, p. 351. Following two short excerpts are from 王充Wang Cong's work:
"The body of a man harbors the Qi of the Five Phases, and therefore (so it is said) he practices the Five virtues, which are the Tao (Way) of the Phases. So long as he has the five inner Organs within his body, the Qi of the five Phases are in order. Yet according to the theory, animals prey upon and destroy one another because they embody the several Qi of the five Phases; therefore the body of a man with the five inner Organs within it ought to be the scene of internecine strife, and the heart of a man living a righteous life be lacerated with discord. But where is there any proof that the Phases do fight and harm each other, or that animals overcome one another in accordance with this?" p. 352.
"The horse is connected with the sign wu (Fire), the rat with the sign zi (Water). If Water really controls Fire, (it would be more convincing if) rats normally attacked horses and drove them away." p. 352.
"The body of a man harbors the Qi of the Five Phases, and therefore (so it is said) he practices the Five virtues, which are the Tao (Way) of the Phases. So long as he has the five inner Organs within his body, the Qi of the five Phases are in order. Yet according to the theory, animals prey upon and destroy one another because they embody the several Qi of the five Phases; therefore the body of a man with the five inner Organs within it ought to be the scene of internecine strife, and the heart of a man living a righteous life be lacerated with discord. But where is there any proof that the Phases do fight and harm each other, or that animals overcome one another in accordance with this?" p. 352.
"The horse is connected with the sign wu (Fire), the rat with the sign zi (Water). If Water really controls Fire, (it would be more convincing if) rats normally attacked horses and drove them away." p. 352.
Note 2: Giovanni Maciocia, “The Foundations of Chinese Medicine” (1998)
Note 3. Dan Bensky and Randall Barolet, "Chinese Herbal Medicine Formulas and Strategies" (1990).
Note 4: Lao-tzu 老子 （Tao Te Ching 道德經，6th century BC） said, 'The Way (Truth) gave birth to unity, Unity gave birth to duality, Duality gave birth to trinity, Trinity gave birth to the myriad creatures. （道 生一 ， 一 生 二 ， 二 生 三 ， 三 生 萬 物。 ） Huai-nan Tsu 淮南子 （卷 三 天 文 訓，2nd century BC） states truth (way) named natural law begins in one. Since one cannot multiply, it splits into yin and yang. When yin and yang reach the state of harmony (can also be when yin marries with yang), all things are born. （道 曰 規 ， 始 於 一 ， 一 而 不 生 ， 故 分 而 為 陰 陽 ， 陰 陽 合 和 而 萬 物 生 ， 故 曰 「 一 生 二 ， 二 生 三 ， 三 生 萬 物 」 。）
Note 3. Dan Bensky and Randall Barolet, "Chinese Herbal Medicine Formulas and Strategies" (1990).
Note 4: Lao-tzu 老子 （Tao Te Ching 道德經，6th century BC） said, 'The Way (Truth) gave birth to unity, Unity gave birth to duality, Duality gave birth to trinity, Trinity gave birth to the myriad creatures. （道 生一 ， 一 生 二 ， 二 生 三 ， 三 生 萬 物。 ） Huai-nan Tsu 淮南子 （卷 三 天 文 訓，2nd century BC） states truth (way) named natural law begins in one. Since one cannot multiply, it splits into yin and yang. When yin and yang reach the state of harmony (can also be when yin marries with yang), all things are born. （道 曰 規 ， 始 於 一 ， 一 而 不 生 ， 故 分 而 為 陰 陽 ， 陰 陽 合 和 而 萬 物 生 ， 故 曰 「 一 生 二 ， 二 生 三 ， 三 生 萬 物 」 。）
Note 5: “Acutone, A New System of Healing Based on the Ancient Science of Sound”, Dean Lloyd, John Pirog, P. 6-11, Note 5: The ‘Book of Master Guan’ (Guan Zhi, c. 4th century B.C.) said that the Yellow Emperor’s pentatonic scale was created by a process called ‘generation by the fifth’ from the fundamental note ‘Gong’. The frequency of Gong is the Yellow Bell (Huang Zhong) pitch, the fundamental frequency of the earth, which comes from a pitch-pipe of 81 fen long and corresponds to F# to G# in the modern scale.
P. 11, Note 5: Because the Yellow Emperor's scale was generated from perfect fifths, the most harmonious of all music intervals, it was believed to confer health and harmony on all the beings that came in contact with it. The pentatonic scale, with its five perfectly related frequencies, was the therefore the natural precursor for what later became known as the five phases.
Note 6: Shen Gua of Song dynasty 宋 朝沈括 said, "One LU (music law) has five notes
Note 6: Shen Gua of Song dynasty 宋 朝沈括 said, "One LU (music law) has five notes
(tones), so twelve LUs contain 60 notes. Seasons begin with East(Wood) and proceed counterclockwise. Sound begins with West (Metal) and proceeds clockwise. Yin and Yang intertwine and changes occur. That Chi begins with East explains four seasons begin with Wood and Wood passes on to Fire, Fire to Earth, Earth to Metal, Metal to Water and so forth in a clockwise fashion. That sound begins with West explains Five Notes (Tones) begin with Metal and Metal passes on to Fire, Fire to Wood, Wood to Water, Water to Earth and so forth in a
counter clockwise fashion. （一律含五音，十二律纳六十音也、尾氣始于東方而左行。音起于西方而右行，阴阳根错而生变化、所谓气始于东方者。四時始于木，右行傳于火，火傳于土，土傳 于 金，金傳于水，所謂音始于西方者，五音始于金，左旋傳于火，火傳于木，木傳于水，水傳于土。" ）
Note 7: "The Yellow Emperor's Classic of Internal Medicine - Simple Questions 黃帝内經素問"- 金匮真言论篇第四
counter clockwise fashion. （一律含五音，十二律纳六十音也、尾氣始于東方而左行。音起于西方而右行，阴阳根错而生变化、所谓气始于东方者。四時始于木，右行傳于火，火傳于土，土傳 于 金，金傳于水，所謂音始于西方者，五音始于金，左旋傳于火，火傳于木，木傳于水，水傳于土。" ）
Note 7: "The Yellow Emperor's Classic of Internal Medicine - Simple Questions 黃帝内經素問"- 金匮真言论篇第四
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