“一阴一阳之谓道”与中国十二生肖的阴阳

阴阳是中国古典哲学的元范畴，十二生肖是中国传统文化的重要组成部分。《周易》“一阴一阳之谓道”的精辟概括，深刻濡染了中国传统文化的方方面面。于十二生肖而言，十二种动物的有序排列，渗透了丰富的阴阳思想。如何认识这些阴阳思想，古人的切入角度有趣而又有异:有的从十二生肖的生理特征区分，有的以十二生肖的习性特征区分，有的以《周易》卦象区分。但不论如何区分，“一阴一阳”的哲学思想根深蒂固，这从一个侧面反映了中国人的象喻思维特性。  

Yin and Yang in Tao and Yin and Yang in Twelve Chinese Zodiac Signs

Yin and Yang is a meta-category concept of Classical Chinese Philosophy. And Twelve Chinese Zodiac Signs is vital component of Traditional Chinese Culture. The generalization in The Books of Changes that the alteration of Yin and Yang makes Tao is widely revealed in all aspects of Traditional Chinese Culture. And the ideology of Yin and Yang is frequently felt in the sequence of the Twelve Chinese Zodiac Signs, resulting in more difficulty in understanding the two concepts. Some ancient recognition made their analyses from the physical and habitual traits of the Twelve Chinese Zodiac Signs （ of individuals）, while others from the Hexagram Symbols. Varied and full of fun as they may seem, the ideology of Yin and Yang is mentally rooted in the Chinese people, revealing the Symbol-Metaphor Thinking of the Chinese nation..