TSOU YEN

born 340 died 260?, BC Pinyin Zou Yan Chinese philosopher of the ancient state of Ch'i (present-day Shantung), and leading exponent of the YinYang school. The only account of his life is a brief one in the Shih chi (Historical Records). To him is attributed the association of the Five Agents theory with the YinYang doctrine. Nature was thought to consist of changing combinations of the Five Agents (metal, wood, water, fire, earth), which were governed by the basic dualism of the cosmic principles of Yin (Earth, female, passive, absorbing) and Yang (Heaven, male, active, penetrating).