Taijitu Taijitu A taijitu () is a symbol or diagram ( "tú") in Chinese philosophy representing Taiji ( "tàijí" "great pole" or "supreme ultimate") representing both its monist ("wuji") and its dualist (yin and yang) aspects. Such a diagram was first introduced by Song Dynasty philosopher Zhou Dunyi (周敦頤 1017–1073) in his "Taijitu shuo" 太極圖說. The modern Taoist canon, compiled during the Ming era, has at least half a dozen variants of such "taijitu". The two most similar are the "Taiji Primal Heaven" (太極先天圖 "tàijí xiāntiān tú") and the "wuji" (無極圖 "wújí tú") diagrams, both of which have been extensively studied
Yin and yang light; female and male; moon and sun", however, is an exception. Scholars have proposed various explanations for why "yinyang" violates this pattern, including "linguistic convenience" (it is easier to say "yinyang" than "yangyin"), the idea that "proto-Chinese society was matriarchal", or perhaps, since "yinyang" first became prominent during the late Warring States period, this term was "purposely directed at challenging persistent cultural assumptions". Needham discusses Yin and Yang together with Five Elements as part of the School of Naturalists. He says that it would be proper to begin with Yin and Yang before Five Elements because the former: "lay, as