理解“五行”Understanding the Five Elements

五行學說是中國古人根據事物的不同形態、性質和作用所進行的分類，將其歸屬為木、火、土、金、水“五行”之中，用以解釋人體生理、病理、病因的理論，構成了中醫的學術基礎。

The Five Elements are a classification by the ancient Chinese who categorized the world’s substances into wood， fire， earth， metal and water based on their types， nature and functions， laying the theoretical foundation of Traditional Chinese Medicine （TCM） to explain human physiology， pathology and etiology.

五行學說在中醫學的應用，主要體現在以五行的特性來分析歸納人體臟腑、經絡、形體、官竅等組織器官和精神情志等各種功能活動，構建以五臟為中心的生理病理系統，進而與自然環境相聯系，建立天人一體的五臟系統。同時，以五行的生克制化規律來分析五臟之間的生理聯系及其相互影響，從而指導疾病的診斷、治療及預防。1

The application of the Five Elements in TCM is mainly reflected in analyses of various functional activities of organs， meridians， body shapes， organ-viscera and emotions， formulating a physiological and pathological system centered on the five viscera. Correlating with the natural environment， a more comprehensive five viscera system was founded. Based on their mutual physiological functions and influences of wu xing （Five Elements） they guided TCM’s medical diagnosis， treatment and prevention.

以五行配五臟的內容是：肝木，心火，脾土，肺金，腎水。其主要功能是在五臟為中心的基礎上，通過經絡以聯系全身，說明人體的整體性，并通過自然現象的觀察與醫學實踐聯系到五方、四時等，說明人與自然界的統一性2。

The combinations of the Five Elements and five viscera are liver-wood， heart-fire， spleen-earth， lung-metal and kidney-water. Based on the theory of the five viscera， by combining the meridian system and five orientations and four seasons in medical practice， and clarifying the body’s holism， the unity of man and nature is perfected.

五行相生的次序是：木生火，火生土，土生金，金生水，水生木。在五行相生關系中，任何一行都具有“生我”和“我生”兩個方面，即“生我”者為母，“我生”者為子，因此五行相生關系又稱為母子關系。如木生火，火生土，故木為火之“母”，火為木之“子”，火為土之“母”，土為火之“子”——木和火是母子關系，火和土也是母子關系；就火而言，“生我”者為木，“我生”者為土。

The Five Elements generate one another in the order of wood， fire， earth， metal， water and wood again. Each has dual identities： mother and child， meaning they are in a mother-child relationship. For example， wood gives birth to fire， fire gives birth to earth， in that way wood is the “mother” of fire， fire is the “child” of wood; meanwhile， fire is the “mother” of earth， earth is the “child” of fire. Consequently， wood and fire， fire and earth form mother-child relationships. As far as fire is concerned， wood is the creator and earth is the product.

五行之間遞相克制的次序是：木克土，土克水，水克火，火克金，金克木。在相克關系中，任何一行都具有“克我”和“我克”兩方面的關系。《內經》把這種相克關系稱為“所勝”與“所不勝”的關系。“克我”者是我的“所不勝”；“我克”者是我的“所勝”。如金克木、木克土，就木而言，“我克”者為土，土為木之“所勝”；“克我”者為金，金為木之“所不勝”3。

In terms of their mutual restrictions， the order is as follows： wood—earth， earth—water， water—fire， fire—metal， metal—wood， in which every single one is twofold—both restricting and under restriction. The Inner Canon of the Yellow Emperor defines these relations as those of the “conqueror” and the “conquered”. Taking wood as the example， the “conqueror” is metal and the “conquered” is earth， so their natures are innately defined.

五行學說除以五行特性類比五臟的生理特點，確定五臟的五行屬性外，還以五臟為中心，將自然界的五方、五氣、五色、五味等與人體的五臟聯系起來，建立了以五臟為中心的天人一體的五臟系統，將人體內外環境聯結成一個密切聯系的整體。

Apart from its physiological features， the theory of the Five Elements also links up the five natural orientations， five qi， five colors and five flavors with the five viscera of the human body to establish a unitary nature-man five viscera system， integrating the internal and external conditions of the human body as an organic whole.

在古希臘哲學里，人們也試圖將世界劃分為不同的細小微粒子，但沒有形成知識系統。五行學說的完整、嚴密體系不僅為中醫，也為世界哲學提供了獨特的思維方式與材料。

In ancient Greece， philosophers tried to classify the world into different tiny particles， but failed to establish a knowledge system. The theory of the Five Elements， with its sophistication and perfection， presents a unique way of thinking and food for thought not only to TCM but also to the philosophical world.

* 博士，杭州師范大學外國語學院翻譯研究所特聘教授。

1“構建以五臟為中心的生理病理系統，……同時，以五行的生克制化規律來分析五臟之間的生理聯系及其相互影響，……”沒有按原文語序翻譯，而是將意思分解——“centered on the five viscera…， a more comprehensive five viscera system was founded. Based on their mutual physiological functions and influences of wu xing …”——以更通順。

2“說明人與自然界的統一性”并非其字面的describing the unity of man and nature，而是“通過自然現象的觀察與醫學實踐聯系到五方、四時等”，使得這種關系更加和諧，故譯為“… the unity of man and nature is perfected”。

3“‘克我’者為金，金為木之‘所不勝’”，因前文已有敘述，若再按原文譯出，不免重復，故可省略不譯。