Yin-Yang

Yin-Yang (陰陽, In'yō) are dual chi's, or energies, that acts as a main component to the life energy known as Tao.

Overview

Five Elements

Every organism, as well as lifeless objects, that exists possesses one chi of either Yin or Yang, which are portrayed physically through gender: Yin being depicted through females and Yang being depicted through males. The chis correspond with one of the Five Elements (五行, Gogyō, Pinyin: Wǔxíng), five elemental attributes that goes through a cycle of hindering and restoration effects, which acts as a crucial component to Tao. The five elements react as follows:

• Wood (木, Moku, Pinyin: Mù) restores Fire and hinders Earth.
• Fire (火, Ka, Pinyin: Huǒ) restores Earth and hinders Metal.
• Earth (土, Do, Pinyin: Tǔ) restores Metal and hinders Water.
• Metal (金, Kin, Pinyin: Jīn) restores Water and hinders Wood.
• Water (水, Sui, Pinyin: Shuǐ) restores Wood and hinders Fire.

The restoration between two elements that causes a person's Tao to be replenished is known as Sōsei (相 (そう) 生 (せい) ), while a hindering that cause one person's Tao to be drained and weakened is known as Sōkoku (相 (そう) 克 (こく) ).

The measure of a being's Yin-Yang cycle determines how strong their Tao is. The cycle can be strengthened by having two individuals of the opposite sex combine their Yin and Yang through the art of love making. Bōchū Jutsu (房中), one of the Five Training Methods of Immortality to master Tao, is known to focus on this practice. Though all organisms have a chi of either Yin or Yang, Tensens are the only known beings that possess both chi's that revolve and flow inside their bodies, allowing them to heighten and generate more Tao as they switch between Yin and Yang. As a side effect, the bodies of the Tensen changes to match the sex of the chi.

Middle Way

Main article: Middle Way

The Middle Way (中道, Chūdō) refers to the spiritual acceptance of duality, or extremes, within an individual to lean towards a "middle ground" that balances out their spirit. Such extremes that a person would try to balance out can be the interstice between emotion and reason, strength and weakness, intensity and tranquility, etc. This path ultimately is the key for a living being to unlock their Tao and the more one follows this path the more power they can generate with their Tao.

Trivia

• Though it is a known fact that all living organisms possess only one of the Five Elements there have been some instances where that rule is broken.
  • The Banko had five tandens with each possessing one of the Five Elements.
  • Yamada Asaemon Shugen was able to alter the elemental attribute of his Tao by accurately utilizing the fighting styles of his comrades from the Yamada clan. Such a phenomenon was completely unheard of even to a Sennin such as Rien.
• The Tensen's Kishikai bodies and the monsters created by the Banko give clear reference to Yin-Yang.
• Aside from using Tao, a person's attribute can be identified based on an analysis of their personality. The assessment is as follows:
  • Wood: The individual possesses a friendly demeanor.
  • Fire: The individual is stubborn and enjoys fighting.
  • Earth: The individual has a rather nasty attitude and is also shrouded in mystery.
  • Water: The individual goes at their own pace that feels comfortable to them but is also quite clumsy.
  • Metal: The individual is very intelligent but can also be seen as being a bit awkward around others.

See Also

• List of individuals with Wood attribute chi
• List of individuals with Fire attribute chi
• List of individuals with Earth attribute chi
• List of individuals with Metal attribute chi
• List of individuals with Water attribute chi