What cycle is referred to as the insulting cycle or backwards Cheng cycle?

The cycle referred to as the insulting cycle or backwards Cheng cycle is indeed the Ru cycle. In Traditional Chinese Medicine (TCM), cycles describe the interactions between the five elements: Wood, Fire, Earth, Metal, and Water.

The Ru cycle, or insulting cycle, illustrates a detrimental relationship where one element inhibits or damages another. For example, it highlights how a certain element can overcontrol or harm the element that follows it. This is significant in understanding how imbalances occur in the body and how they can affect health.

In contrast, the Sheng cycle represents the nurturing relationships between elements, while the Cheng cycle describes how elements produce and support each other. The Ke cycle is associated with controlling relationships but does not specifically capture the harmful interactions depicted in the Ru cycle. Recognizing these cycles helps practitioners understand the complex dynamics of organ relationships and elemental interactions in TCM.