The Principle of Cross-Scale Model Integration

Once a single model—such as the Five Phases or the Three Yin and Three Yang—has been grasped, practical Chinese medicine depends on coordinating these models across scales. The principle of cross-scale model integration means superimposing temporal scales (year, month, day, hour) and spatial scales (the macro environment of Heaven and Earth and the micro environment of the human zang-fu) in a matrix-like fashion and calculating their interactions. From this, the model seeks to derive predictive power relevant to human life, culture, agriculture, and even epidemiology. The principle behind this concept is the superposition and interference of multidimensional spatiotemporal energy fluctuations. Everything in the world simultaneously participates in cycles of many different scales. An animal, for example, exists within the day-night cycle (daily scale), the alternation of the four seasons (annual scale), and larger celestial cycles beyond the Earth. Only with a cross-scale matrix perspective can one attempt to capture the total energetic effect at a particular spatiotemporal node. A friend with experience in a special-forces unit once described recruit training that required winter exposure, late-night training, and immersion in an icy pool. In this interpretation, the training stacked three factors regarded as injurious to the kidneys, on top of his individual constitution; two weeks later he was sent to the hospital emergency department.