6 climate theory

 Six Climate Theory

Grandmaster James Shyun  

Shifu Andrew Miles

The six external factors are wind, cold, damp, dryness, heat, and fire.  These relate to the six climates.
6 Climate theory is given a cursory explanation relating to external pathogenic factors in modern TCM, but it is a crucial aspect to understanding how to climates and food chains operate.

Each animal has adapted to different climates and will hold strength over other animals based on its attribute.

Cold/Water

 

Polar climates are very cold and dry throughout the year. They encompass the South Pole, the extreme northern latitudes and the interior of Greenland. The polar region is attributed to water.  The king of the polar region is the polar bear.  Bears belong to Earth.  Earth holds water so the polar bear reigns.  The ocean is attributed to water, the kings of the water are mammals which are from Earth.  Dolphins will easily kill sharks.  The largest ocean creatures are whales.  Earth holds water.

Wind/Wood

The temperate region experiences cold winters and mild summers, and covers much of North America, Europe and the northern parts of Asia. Temperate forests grow in soil fertilized by leaf litter, producing a rich diversity of plants like oak, maple, elm and willow, and animals like deer, bear, rabbits, squirrels and birds. Temperate grasslands are dominated by flowering grasses, and are rules by animals which live in caves.  Earth produces metal.  Animals such as the wolf with its mournful howl is metal.  Metal chops wood so these animals rule the forest.

Arid/Metal

Arid zones are hot and dry all year.  The rough soil contains little surface water and supports mostly shrubs. Animal life includes birds, reptiles, insects, and rodents.  Arid relates to metal.  Fire controls metal.  Birds come from the sky and like the phoenix relate to fire.  Fire melts metal and so birds of prey rule this climate.  Fire controls metal.

Damp/Earth

The tropical region is hot and wet.  This area contains the greatest diversity of plant and animal life. Tropical forests experience about 12 hours of daylight daily, with only a rainy and dry season.  Tropical climates relate to Earth.  Animals which relate to wood such as snakes rule these climates.  Wood controls earth.

 

 

Heat

Hot regions such as in Africa are devoid of water so animals must compete for scarce water supplies.  Because of this the most fearsome creatures are of water.  In Africa hippos are the most feared animal.  The other feared animals adapt to take on the qualities of water such as being nocturnal. Crocodiles and hippos rule these kind of climates.  Water controls fire.

Fire 

The ancient explanation is that phoenixes are from fire and controlled by dragons.  Dragons in this sense are the collective water wapors which rise and appear to coil on mountain tops.  They form clouds and block the sun which is represented as a phoenix.  The deepest parts of the ocean are geothermic vents which support small organisms which are eaten by fish.