In the sheng cycle, what should be tonified for deficiency?

In the sheng cycle, the concept of tonification for deficiencies revolves around the relationships between the five elements: Wood, Fire, Earth, Metal, and Water. When addressing a deficiency in a given element, the element's "Parent" or the element that supports it in the cycle should be tonified.

For example, if there is a deficiency in the Earth element, the associated Parent element is Fire, which nourishes and supports Earth in the cycle. By tonifying the Parent element, this support can help restore balance and strength to the deficient element. This principle applies across all elements in the cycle, making tonifying the Parent the appropriate strategy to address deficiencies.

In contrast, tonifying the Child, Grandparent, or Grandchild elements is not as effective for directly remedying a deficiency, as they do not serve the same supportive role in the sheng cycle that the Parent does. Understanding these relationships is key in applying the concepts of Chinese medicine effectively.