Associations Between TCM Five-Pattern Personality and Five Notes

Ya-nan Gong,Hao Wang,Zhi-rong Li,Jian Du,Zhen-zhu Liu,Xiang-yun Xu,Qiu-li Yang＊

1.Shandong University of Traditional Chinese Medicine,Jinan 250355,Shandong Province,China

2.Institute of Basic Research in Clinical Medicine,China Academy of Chinese Medical Sciences,Beijing 100700,China

Abstract

Key words:five-pattern people; five notes; TCM psychology; treatment based on syndrome differentiation

Connotation of TCM Five-Pattern People and Five Notes

The “Five-Pattern People” originated from the Inner Canon of Yellow Emperor.In the “Miraculous Pivot（Lingshu）·Reaching Heaven （Tongtian）”,people can be divided into five types based on the content of yin and yang,namely:Taiyang,Shaoyang,Taiyin,Shaoyin and Harmony,also known as the “five-pattern people”.The book describes in detail the differences in personality characteristics,physical structure,behavior,posture,expression,and treatment methods of the “five-pattern people”.The description is systematic and complete,and the subsequent medical books have followed this norm[1].The “five-pattern people”have different inner psychological characteristics （rapid or slow emotional experience,rapid or slow cognition,and strong or weak will） and behavioral manifestations （internal and external tendencies,rapid or slow actions,obvious or unobvious actions）.On the basis of this theory,Xue Chong-cheng and Yang Qiu-li have used psychological measurement and statistical methods to compile the five-pattern personality test.It is the first self-developed native personality measurement tool in China[2],and is a universal personality assessment tool in China.

Five notes （Gong,Shang,Jue,Zhi,Yu） are the important elements of TCM music therapy.They are first introduced into the field of medicine by “Inner Canon of Yellow Emperor”.In the “Plain Question·Yin and Yang Analogy Chapter” and “Plain Question·Jinkui Zhenyan Chapter”,five notes are organically linked with the five internal organs （liver,heart,spleen,lung,kidney）,five senses （anger,joy,miss,sadness,fear） and other factors and the fivephase theory,and are used as the theoretical guidance of TCM five-note therapy[3].Zheng Xuan’s note in the book of “Liji Zhengyi” states that:“Gong,Shang,Jue,Zhi,Yu,combined as sounds,single as note”.Sound develops from the notes.Sound has changes in melody and rhythm,but note does not have.The five notes themselves are derived from the five sounds,which are the separate pronunciations of the five notes Gong,Shang,Jue,Zhi,and Yu.At the same time,they are different from the five sounds.The five notes discussed here are composed of five modes according to a certain rule,that is,when each note serves as the tonic,the remaining notes are combined and arranged in an orderly manner around the tonic,so as to form 5 modes of music,also known as five tones[4].

Significance of Exploring the Association Between TCM Five-Pattern People and Five Notes

At present,music therapy has become one of the treatment methods for psychosomatic diseases.Domestic music therapy attaches great importance to the analysis of different psychological situations,combines with multiple forms of action for a comprehensive adjustment,has the characteristics of apply happiness based on symptom differentiation,and aims to achieve the state of flat Yin and secretary Yang,harmony between blood and pulse[5].In the “Lvshi Chunqiu•Jichunji•Huandao”,it demonstrates that,only in accordance with the law of yin and yang movement,the harmony of yin and yang and the harmony of the five notes are achieved,normal growth and collection of all things in nature can be ensured,and the operation of the human body’s qi also follow this law.In the “Historical Records·Taishigong” it states that:“Music contributes to promote blood circulation and the communication of spirits and righteousness.” It means that,different types of music can be used to balance the body’s yin and yang,so as to regulate the rise and fall of the body’s qi,and nourish the spirit.Therefore,this article explores the relationship between the five-pattern personality and the five notes under the theoretical guidance of “the unity of body and spirit”,“the harmony between yin and yang ”,and “holistic concept”,in order to enrich the theory of TCM psychology,and provide a new theoretical perspective for clinical dialectical application of TCM music therapy.

Association Between the Inner Essence of TCM Five-Pattern Personality and Five Notes

The inner essence of the five-pattern people

In the “Laozi”,it states that:“Everything bears yin and embraces yang,and urges for harmony.” It indicates that the yin-yang movement is the foundation of various changes and development,and is the general principle of all life movements.The five-pattern personality under the guidance of TCM theory is evolved based on the content of yin and yang[6].Specifically,the yin and yang two qi will undergo sympathy during exercise,and then there are five different patterns:one is the pattern of yin declining and yang growing,the second is the pattern of yang declining and yin growing,the third is the pattern of maximal yang,the fourth is the pattern of maximal yin,and the fifth is the pattern of yin and yang balance[7].The five movement patterns of yin and yang are exactly corresponding to the five patterns of people based on the content of yin and yang:Shaoyang refers to yin declining and yang growing,Shaoyin refers to yang declining and yin growing,Taiyang refers to maximal yang,Taiyin refers to maximal yin,and Harmony refers to the balance.The descriptions are also recorded in “Lingshu·Tongtian”.The dynamic changes of yin and yang form the inner essence of the five-pattern personality.Therefore,in order to explore its relationship with five notes,it is necessary to first explore the relationship between yin and yang and five notes.

The origin and inner essence of five notes

The five notes originate from yin and yang

The theoretical source of TCM music therapy is the theory of yin and yang,which evolved from yin and yang.“Lvshi Chunqiu Dayue” has a clear meaning:“The origin of music is far-reaching,born in measurement,and based on the Tai Yi.Tai Yi comes out of the two meters,and the two meters give rise to yin and yang,yin and yang change,decline and increase,so they combine as a chapter.” The compound term “music” is used to show that music originated from “Tai Yi”,pointing out that the essence of music is the ebb and flow of yin and yang in the universe,with the momentum of life,the spiritual transformation of yin and yang,and the sentiment of the universe[8].At the same time,from the various elements of music,such as pitch,timbre,loudness,etc.,it also contains the law of yin and yang changes.From the perspective of parity,all modes with Gong,Jue,and Zhi （odd numbers） as the main note are suitable for expressing passionate and powerful emotions; all modes with Shang and Yu （even numbers） as the main note contain the sentiment of bright,lyrical,softand graceful emotions[9].

The five notes and yin and yang interact with each other to harmonize the yin and yang of the human body

From the perspective of TCM music therapy,Gong,Shang,Jue,Zhi,and Yu cannot exist independently,that is,yin and yang are mutually rooted; according to the records in“Historical Records Music Book”,when the music is given,the ears and eyes are bright,the blood and qi is calm,and the customs are changed.The world is peaceful.Therefore,the music is a happy.The principle of music therapy is to use five different notes to balance the yin and yang in the body,so as to regulate the rise and fall of the body’s qi and the invigoration of the mind[10].TCM music therapy is aimed at the body’s yin and yang attributes that are prosperous and declining,and the yin and yang attributes of music are used to remedy the deficiency and coordinate the balance of yin and yang.Therefore,the internal mechanism of the five notes and the five patterns are consistent,both derived from the theory of yin and yang.At the same time,as a whole,the five notes are a kind of harmony qi.Through the concordance of yin and yang in human body,it can regulate yin and yang,accordingly treat mental disease.

Correspondence between the inner essence of the five-pattern person and five notes

The dynamic changes of yin and yang form the inner essence of the five-pattern people; the five notes originate from yin and yang,and interact with yin and yang.Yin and yang are the basis of the theory of yin and yang and five phases.The content of yin and yang is reflected by the object image of wood,fire,earth,gold and water.The five phases are the form of existence of yin and yang.Based on this,the relationship between the three can be analyzed through the analogy method.

“Baihutong” records that:“The water is in the north,and the yin qi are below the dwelling place of the dead,and the time is spring.The wood is in the east,and the yin and yang are beginning to move,all things are growing,and the time is spring.The fire is in the south,and the south is yang,and the time is summer.The gold is in the west,the west is the beginning of the yin,all things are forbidden,and the time is autumn.The earth is in the center,governing all things,and the time is long summer ”[11].Dong Zhong-shu in the Han Dynasty states in his “Chun Qiu Fan Lu” that:“Heaven and earth are combined into one,divided into yin and yang,judged as four periods,and manifested as five phases.Different phases have different behaviors,so they are the five phases”.Based on this,it is inferred that water is located in the north,the time is winter,and is in the pattern of maximal yin,so it corresponds to the five patterns of Taiyin; the wood is located in the east,the time is spring,it is in the pattern of yin declining and yang growing,so it corresponds to Shaoyang; the fire is located in the south,the time is summer,which is the pattern of maximal yang,so it corresponds to Taiyang; the gold is located in the west,the time is autumn,it is in the pattern of yang declining and yin growing,so it corresponds to Shaoyin;the soil is located in the center,the time is long summer,it is in a pattern of relative balance between yin and yang,so it corresponds yin-yang harmony.In summary,the conclusions can be drawn:wood-Shaoyang,fire-Taiyang,earth-yin-yang Harmony,gold-Shaoyin,water-Taiyin.Some scholars have reached a consistent conclusion through detailed discussion[12].

“Historical Records · Music Book” records:“Sensing to things,forming in the sound”.The five notes derive from the accumulation of the ancients’ long-term life experience.“Guanzi·Diyuan” says:“Anyone who listens to Zhi like a piggy that feels terrified.Anyone listens to Yu like a horse crowing in the wild.Anyone listens to Gong like am ox crowing in the hunch.Anyone listens to Shang like a stray sheep.Anyone listens to Jue like a pheasant climbing on a tree and singing.” Here we use the calls of 5 kinds of beasts as a metaphor to vividly describe the imagery of impetuous Zhi note,deep and broad and quiet Yu note,vigorous and heavy Gong note,sorrowful and screaming Shang note,and crisp and straight-forward Jue note.Impatience is like fire,deep and broad and turbulent is like water,vigorous and heavy is like earth,sighing and screaming is like gold,crisp and straight is like wood.Therefore it’s inferred that,Zhi note-fire,Yu note-water,Gong note-earth,Shang note-gold,Jue note-wood[8].

By analyzing the inner essence of the five notes and five-pattern people,it is easy to get the corresponding relationship of the five notes and the five patterns with the five phases.According to the analogy method,the corresponding relationship between the five notes and the five patterns is inferred as follows:Gong note-Yin-Yang Harmony,Shang note-Shaoyin,Jue note-Shaoyang,Zhi note-Taiyang,Yu note-Taiyin.

Correspondence Between Five-Pattern Person’s External Personality Characteristics and Five Notes

The five notes are firstly recorded in “Zhou Li·Chun Guan”:“Everyone hears the five notes,Gong,Shang,Jue,Zhi,Yu”.It is firstly introduced into the medical field by the “Inner Canon of Yellow Emperor”.Five notes derive from the pronunciation of the five notes and different tones have different characteristics.According to the Wang Bing’s note on “Yin and Yang Analogy Chapter”[13],Jue means wood note,in straight tune; Zhi means fire note,in plain tune; Gong means earthy note,in great and harmonious tune; Shang mean golden note,in light and strong tune; Yu mean water note,in deep tune.The character expression of the five-pattern personality is mainly found in the systematic discussion of “Inner Canon of Yellow Emperor”.Exploring the correlation between the two external characteristics indicates the characteristics description of the two.

External personality characteristics of five-pattern people

Table 1 External personality characteristics of five-pattern people [14]

Association between five notes and external personality characteristics of five-pattern people

As shown in Table 2,the external personality characteristics of the five-pattern people match the tonal characteristics of the five notes,thereby obtaining the corresponding relationship between the two:Taiyang-Zhi tune,Shaoyang-Jue tune,Yin-Yang Harmony-Gong tune,Shaoyin-Shang tune,Taitin-Yu tune.

Table 2 The association of five notes and five-pattern people’s external personality characteristics [15]

Clinical Application of the Association Between Five-Pattern Personality and Five Notes

In the Yuan Dynasty,Zhu Dan-xi has clearly pointed out:“The happy is also a medicine.” The use of music is like a medicine,and also requires treatment based on syndrome differentiation.“Book of Rites·Book of Music”says:“The principles of all things are related to each other by analogy.So a gentleman behaviors differently to match his aspirations and compares to form his phase”[16].Accordingly,it can be cited in the principle of using music.The principle of “anti-emotion” refers to select notes that are inconsistent with the personality characteristics of the patient.According to the principle of the five phases’ mutual restraint,it helps to improve or even change their excessive emotions; the principle of“comparison” refers to select notes that are consistent with the personality characteristics of the patient.According to the principle of the five phases’ mutual generation,it makes up for the sentiment that is not enough.“Book of Music” records that:“Hearing the Gong note makes people warm and wide; hearing the Shang note makes people square and righteous; hearing the Jue note makes people feel compassion and love; hearing the Zhi note makes people friendly and generous; hearing the Yu note makes people neat and polite”.As a result,the combination of five notes and five-pattern personality can regulate human temperament from the perspective of emotional interaction.

Conclusion

In summary,by corresponding the inner essence and external characteristics of the five-pattern personality to the five notes,the association is mainly expressed as follows:Taiyang-Zhi note,Shaoyang-Jue note,Yin-Yang Harmony-Gong note,Shaoyin-Shang note,Taiyin-Yu note.The authors hereby discuss the association,aiming to provide a theoretical basis for the clinical diagnosis and treatment based on symptom differentiation of TCM music therapy.However,the types of clinical diseases are complex and different by individuals.The author will perform further discussion.