Rebellion

In the doctrine of the five phases, a reversal of the restraining relationship, where one of the five phases is disproportionately strong and rebels against the phase that should normally restrain it. For example, wood is normally restrained by metal, but if it becomes too strong it will rebel against metal. Powerless to withstand the attack, metal will succumb. In terms of the bowels and viscera, this means that when the liver, normally restrained by the lung, becomes too strong, it will rebel against the lung and overcome it.