Back to search result Search again Previous Next ↑

1. The color of unsullied snow, or any color approaching or tending toward it. In the five phases, white is associated with metal, an association that may derive from the color of metals such as iron and silver. It possibly derives from the purifying frost of autumn, although winter, the season of snow, is associated through water with the color black. In the body, the white of the eye, or qì wheel, is associated with lung-metal. In the diagnosis of disease, a white (i.e., pale) complexion indicates vacuity or cold, whereas a white tongue, if significant, indicates cold. White vaginal discharge is associated with spleen vacuity or kidney vacuity. The associations of the color white are thus related to those of purity and clearness described in Plain Questions (素问 sù wèn, zhì zhēn yào dà lùn): all disease with watery humors that are clear, pure, and cold is ascribed to cold.

2. The lung. In the term White-Draining Powder (泻白散 xiè bái sǎn), white refers to the lung.

3. White turbidity.

Back to search result Search again Previous Next