Taijitu Symbol (Taiji's Yin and Yang Symbol)
The Taijitu Symbol was a cultural symbol in ancient China, composed of a sign for yin and another for yang, representing ancient philosophical ideas. According to an ancient Chinese belief, the Taiji is the origin of the universe, in which every phenomenon is composed of two elementary aspects - yin and yang. The two are opposite but counterbalanced, mutually-containing while interconvertible. Everything in the universe goes on and on in cycles under the dialectical forces of yin and yang. The Taijitu symbol illustrates this concept. The symbol is round, representing the origin and oneness of the universe; an S-shaped curve splits the symbol into two fish-like parts - the black "fish" stands for "yin", and the white one "yang"; inside the yin fish there is a white spot, meaning the yang exists in the yin, and within the yang fish there is a black spot, meaning the yin exists in the yang. The yin and yang fishes are connected end-to-end, representing the interconvertibility of yin and yang as well as the circulation of the universe.
Simple as it is, the symbol graphically expresses the rich meanings of harmony, symmetry, balance, stability, and circulation that inform an outlook on life and the universe - a defining feature of Chinese civilization. The symbol is also used in many other countries, for example, on the national flags of South Korea and Mongolia.
太极图
太极图是中国古代一种文化符号，包含表示一阴一阳的图形，蕴含阴阳相生、刚柔相济的古老哲理。中国古人认 为，太极为宇宙本原，宇宙中一切现象都由阴阳两个基本方 面构成，两者既相互平衡、相互对立，又相互包含、相互转 化。宇宙万物就在这种阴阳辩证关系的推动下循环运转、生 生不息。太极图就是关于这一宇宙观的基本图示。其轮廓为 圆形，代表作为宇宙本原及整体的太极；S形曲线将太极图 分为形似鱼的两部分，黑色部分代表阴，白色部分代表阳； 阴鱼中又有白色圆点，代表阴中有阳，阳鱼中又有黑色圆 点，代表阳中有阴；阴鱼与阳鱼头尾相连，代表阴阳的相互 转化和宇宙的循环运转。
这一图示简约而形象地表达了中华文明所蕴含的宇宙观，体现了和谐、对称、均衡、稳定、循环的丰富内涵。太极图元素在其他国家也有很多应用，例如，出现在蒙古国、韩国的国旗上等。
