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The First Soumin (Teuminesque
Soumin)
The first soumin has an organ structure with kidneys as the
largest, liver relatively large, lungs small and pancreas the smallest. This
can be written as kidneys > liver > lungs > pancreas.
This structure is the opposite of the first soyangin's structure, which is
pancreas > lungs > liver > kidneys.
As seen in the illustration below, the first soumin is in the position opposite
to the first soyangin. Body shape, temperament, character, physiology and
pathology of the first soumin - these are all opposites of those of the first
soyangin.
This is the unique aspect of constitutional theory, that constitution is
determined by organ structure. This phenomenon is the same with other
constitutions. The second soyangin has the opposite structure of the second
soumin, the first teyangin that of the first teumin and the second teyangin
that of the second teumin. In other words, if you know thoroughly only four
constitutions of the eight, you can easily understand the other four
constitutions.
Illustration. Organ structure of the first soumin
The organ structure of the first soumin can be shown as below,
according to Lee Jema's theory of four constitutions.
Largest: lower jiao: kidney group (kidneys, large intestine, sex organs, mouth,
bladder, bones)
i
Medium large: lower middle jiao: liver group (liver, small
intestine, navel, nose, waist, hypodermic tissues)
i
Medium small: upper jiao: lung group (lungs, esophagus, tongue,
ears, brain, skin) Ù
i
Smallest: upper middle jiao: pancreas group (pancreas, stomach,
breasts, eyes, spine, muscles)
Illustration. Body shape of the first soumin
The kidneys are the largest organs in the first soumin, so
naturally the lower jiao, the group with the kidneys, is the most developed;
namely, the kidneys, large intestine, sex organs, mouth, bladder, bones. The
liver follows as relatively large organ, so its group, the lower middle jiao,
is relatively well developed: the liver, small intestine, navel, waist, and
hypodermic tissues.
Lungs are relatively small organs with the first soumin, so it's group, the
upper jiao, is not well developed: lungs, esophagus, tongue, ears, brain, skin.
Pancreas is the smallest organ, so its group, the upper middle jiao, is least
developed: pancreas, stomach, breasts, eyes, spine, muscles.
Because the upper and upper middle jiaos are not well developed, the first
soumin has relatively narrow chest and shoulders. The waist is wide due to the
large liver and the buttocks are large because of the largest kidneys. The
lower parts of the body are most developed. So this body shape looks the most
balanced. Especially a woman with a feeble upper body, well developed lower
body with long legs has the most perfect and beautiful body shape.
However, because of the not well developed upper middle jiao the first soumin
has a narrow chest and small or immature breasts. Of course, many have
beautiful breasts, because that does not depend only on their size.
The main characterization of this constitution is the pancreas as the smallest
of the organs. Therefore, the first soumin is the least likely to become
overweight.
The first soyangin has the largest pancreas and because of excellent digestion
can gain weight easily and in serious cases become obese. In contrast, the
first soumin can never become fat because of the smallest pancreas and weak
digestion, even if he eats well.
This is supported by his kidneys as the largest organs, so his elimination is
smooth. The organ structure of weak digestion and strong elimination indeed
does not make the first soumin fat. Even if he becomes his heaviest, his weight
remains only ordinary.
The first soumin, therefore, has the thinnest body shape of all eight
constitutions. Many people are worried about their excess weight or corpulence,
but the first soumin even wishes to put on weight.
In other words, those who
have more or less fat or corpulent bodies, and those who are thin when young
but later become corpulent, are never the first soumin.
Nevertheless, it would be a mistake to suppose that everyone with
a thin or svelte body is a first soumin, because there are also other
constitutions besides the first soumin who do not become overweight. A person's
constitution must be judged considering various constitutional characteristics.
Judging only by corpulence is not the right way.
The first soumin is thin, so sweating a lot is not healthy and it is not good
for him to intentionally make himself sweat often in a sauna. If he often
sweats, that is an indication that he is not well and should be regarded as a
symptom of an oncoming serious illness. His pancreas is the smallest, so
irregular or excessive eating can easily damage his digestive organs. If he
usually eats and digests well, that means that he is in good health.
Muscles belong to the pancreas group of upper middle jiao, so the first
soumin's muscles (the smallest pancreas) are the least developed. It is
therefore difficult for him to achieve much athletic success due to his
constitutional specific character.
But he has a strong lower body, so he can
show his outstanding abilities in sports that don't require great muscle
strength, such as artistic skating.
The eyes, too, belong to the pancreas group, so generally soyangin has strongly
brilliant eyes, but soumin has melancholy eyes like those of someone who just
stopped crying. Soumin has quiet eyes, not very impressive, that give a soft
feeling.
Kidneys and liver of soumin are well developed. Therefore, as the body is thin
and long, so is the face not round but oval. That is the typical face of
soumin. We could say even, that there aren't any soumins among those with round
or wide faces, the same as among fat people.
The largest kidneys influence strongly the kidney's group, the lower jiao, so
the uterus, in the kidney group, works well. Even though a woman looks thin,
she can well give birth to many children. She starts to menstruate at an
earlier age than others, and has menopause later. A man has much energy, but
much energy doesn't mean sex urge. Indeed, sex urge can be very strong with
soyangins whose energy levels are low.
Bones are in the kidney group and are relatively thick and solid, so the spine
doesn't curve much even in old age.
Liver and kidneys, that is the lower and lower middle jiaos, are well
developed, so the first soumin may be tall. But generally the first soumin
doesn't put on much weight nor grow smoothly because of the smallest pancreas,
so many are short.
The first soumin has a weak upper body and strong lower body. Sports that
strengthen the weak upper body are especially good, such as badminton, tennis,
ping-pong, etc.
The first soyangin has the most yang character, while the first soumin has the
most yin. This has great influence on the physiology, pathology and
temperament.
The first soyangin has the greatest warmth and prefers anything cold, while the
first soumin has the greatest cold and is very sensitive to cold and often
suffers from cold in the extremities.
Therefore the first soumin prefers warm
food. If he eats too much food with cold character, that will give him
diarrhea. His diarrhea is different from that of soyangin, caused by weak
intestines, and is not cured the same way.
Ginseng and honey, with a warm medical effect, are very good for soumins. Also
foods with warm character, such as chicken, potato, ginger, are appropriate. The
more he eats those kinds of foods, the more it warms his body which from birth
is inclined toward cold. That's why it is good for his health.
Cold energy of the first soumin influences also his temperament and makes him
inactive, prudent, scrupulous, introverted. Of course, this is the opposite of
the first soyangin.
Generally the first soumin is quiet, gentle and has great aplomb. In personal
relations he tends to choose his companions rather than making friends easily
with anyone at all. In contrast to soyangin, who begins anything with self
confidence and easily gets tired of it in the middle, soumin decides only after
thinking about it, solidly prepares and constantly pushes it forward. Therefore
he rarely fails. In contrast to soyangin, who acts before thinking, soumin
likes to sink into thought, barely revealing his feelings, and prefers comfort
and ease to change and risk.
Due to his strong yin character, soumin
tends to avoid fighting directly against a problem, in contrast to soyangin who
tries to directly confront and solve it. If the soumin's feelings or self
respect are hurt, he doesn't directly express his emotions on the spot, but
reacts more sensitively and doesn't easily forget the wound.
In contrast to soyangin, who speaks narcissisticly, loudly and excitedly,
soumin speaks with aplomb, quietly and persuasively with a soft voice. The
first soumin is scrupulous and self centered, so he often sighs and is very
sensitive to everything. He can easily suffer form melancholy, neurasthenia and
insomnia. He has strong individualism, egoism and self respect so he is very
averse to other's interventions into his affairs.
The soumin temperaments described by Lee Jema in his book concern mostly the
first soumin.
The first soumin looks mild, humble and weak, but also can be also strong and
self confident inside. This is the opposite of soyangin, who looks strong, but
is softhearted, warm and romantic inside.
Generally the first soumin is tranquil, thoughtful and precise. He has great
intelligence and thinks deeply about a subject. He can be outstanding in
religion, philosophy or pedagogy.
It is important not to suppose that every inactive or introverted person is a
first soumin just from their temperament. Indeed, it isn't possible to
distinguish constitutions only by temperament, not least because individual
character and temperament forms after birth with much influence from the
environment and life conditions. There are many first soumins who have a merry
and active character.
Useful foods for soumin
Grains: rice, glutinous rice, whole grain
(brown) rice, corn, glutinous millet, sorghum.
Vegetables: potatoes, carrots, leeks, garlic, ginger, green onions,
onions, chiles, sweet potatoes, mustard, pepper, sea tangle (seaweed), green
laver, brown algae, laver, lettuce, spinach, tomato, beans, peas.
Fruits: apple, mandarin oranges, lemons, oranges, peaches, jujube.
Meats: chicken, goat, roe-deer, beef, dog meat.
Fish: eel, loach, croaker, dried croaker, globefish.
Others: ginseng, honey, royal jelly, coffee, curry, snake meat, sour
drinks.
Harmful foods for soumin
Grains: barley, wheat, buckwheat.
Vegetables: cucumber, cabbage, Chinese cabbage, bracken fern, bean
sprouts, mallow, aloe, green beans, red beans, wild sesame, black sesame.
Fruits: watermelon, strawberries, grapes, melons, bananas, persimmons,
pears, kiwi.
Meats: pork, duck.
Fish and shellfish: prawns and shrimp, crab, trepang, ascidian,
cuttlefish, small octopus, oysters, shellfish, flatfish, frog flounder,
stingray, mackerel, Pacific saury, clupea.
Others: wine, beer, cold water, ice, alkaline drinks, chocolate, sauna.
Examples of the first soumin:
Abraham Lincoln, Prince Charles
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Introduction
