THE KNOWLEDGE OF THE ANCIENT TAOISTS

According to the Tao, the world and the universe can exist as an all-embracing unity without any application of force. Due to changes in the course of time, tensions appeared, which set up two opposite polarities within this originally complete unity. These polarities still formed a unity in the universe and were later described as Yin and Yang, terms that originated in observation of nature by the Taoists. Therefore the sunny side and the shady side of a mountain only form a contradiction at first sight. Looking more closely you will find that over the course of a day it will change: in the morning the eastern side is illuminated, in the afternoon the western side. Aspects of a whole are therefore not absolute, but relative. Depending on time, place or point of view one "thing/matter" may show aspects of Yin or Yang.

Out of this insight, the necessity of further even more subtle divisions arose. According to the 4 cardinal points/directions, a distinction of 4 elements  Wood (E), Fire (S), Metal (W), Water (N) was established, with an additional harmonizing  element Earth.