本原与气化——古希腊医学四元素说与中医五行思想

Arche and Qi Hua:Four Elements in Classical Greek Medicine and Wu Xing in Chinese Medicine

古希腊医学四元素说和中医五行思想在表面的相似之下蕴含着深刻的区别:四元素说用不变的本原解释变化的世界,而五行本身就是生生不息的气化过程。四元素是空间主导的思想,五行则根本上是时间的思想。所以,四元素必须借助本原之外的"爱恨"来作为推动力才能解释不变的本原如何形成变化的世界,五行则在自身中蕴含着生克化合的动力。通过五行气化,天地人和四时五方被纳入一个整体之中,而四元素说对世界的认识则是基于对不变世界的几何空间想象,并从而导致人与自然的对立结构。

It seems that Four Elements in Classical Greek medicine and Wu Xing in Chinese medicine are quite similar; however, they are different profoundly. Four Elements theory uses unchangeable arche to explain the changeable world, while Wu Xing is a self-motive, endless process. Four elements theory is based on the timeless space, while the thought of Wu Xing is based on time. Therefore, love and hate as the movers are necessary to the four elements when they are understood as the cause of the world. Wu Xing has the mover in itself, which can generate and restrain. By Qi Hua, heaven, earth and human, including seasons and places are in a whole. However, human and nature are opposite because the understanding of the world depends upon the imagination of the geometrical space.