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Han philosophers concentrated specifically on the Five Classics, attempting to derive from them, particularly the I Ching, or Book of Changes, the principle of the workings of the universe, or Tao. They appended this new theory of the universe to the I Ching. This appendix explained the metaphysical workings of the entire universe and is the origin of what is called the Yin-Yang or Five Agents school of Chinese thought.

The Yin-Yang doctrine teaches that everything is the product of two principles: "Yin," which is weak, female, and destructive and "Yang," which is strong, male, and creative. The interaction of these two principles produces the five elements and enables change to take place within the world. These five elements represent a dynamic process, not the 'elements' that come together to produce things. The five elements are not physical substances; they represent cyclic movements. There are two orders of the five elements:

• Production, which includes wood, fire, earth, metal, and water.

• Overcoming, where fire is overcome by water, water by earth, earth by wood, and wood by metal, producing the series, fire, water, earth, wood, metal.

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