中文摘要：

OBJECTIVE:To study the Chinese ancient five-element theory,one of the philosophical foundations of Traditional Chinese Medicine(TCM)theory construction,from the perspective of comtemporary cognitive science,and to reveal the important functions of five-element theory in the construction of TCM theory.METHODS:The basic effects of five-element theory in the construction of TCM theory are intensively expounded and proved from the following aspects:embodiment of five-element theory in cognizing the world,quasi axiom of five-element theory in essence,classification thery of family resemblance and deductive inference pattern of five-element theory,and the openness and expansibility of five-element theory.RESULTS:If five-element theory is considered acognitive pattern or cognitive system related to culture,then there should be features of cognitive embodiment in the cognitive system.If five-element theory is regarded as a symbolic system,however,then there should be a quasi-axiom for the system,and inferential deduction.If,however,five-element theory is taken as a theoretical constructive metaphor,then there should be features of opening and expansibility for the metaphor.CONCLUSION:Based on five-element theory,this study provides a cognitive frame for the construction of TCM(a medicine that originated in China,and is characterized by holism and treatment based on pattern identification differentiation)theory with the function of constructing a concept base,thereby implying further research strategies.Useful information may be produced from the creative inferences obtained from the incorporation of five-element theory.

英文摘要：

OBJECTIVE： To study the Chinese ancient five-ele- ment theory, one of the philosophical foundations of Traditional Chinese Medicine（TCM） theory con- struction, from the perspective of comtemporary cognitive science, and to reveal the important func- tions of five-element theory in the construction of TCM theory. METHODS： The basic effects of five-element theo- ry in the construction of TCM theory are intensively expounded and proved from the following aspects： embodiment of five-element theory in cognizing the world, quasi axiom of five-element theory in es- sence, classification thery of family resemblance and deductive inference pattern of five-element theory, and the openness and expansibility of five-element theory. RESULTS： If five-element theory is considered acognitive pattern or cognitive system related to cul- ture, then there should be features of cognitive em- bodiment in the cognitive system. If five-element theory is regarded as a symbolic system, however, then there should be a quasi-axiom for the system, and inferential deduction. If, however, five-element theory is taken as a theoretical constructive meta- phor, then there should be features of opening and expansibility for the metaphor. CONCLUSION： Based on five-element theory, this study provides a cognitive frame for the construc- tion of TCM（a medicine that originated in China, and is characterized by holism and treatment based on pattern identification differentiation） the- ory with the function of constructing a concept base, thereby implying further research strategies. Useful information may be produced from the cre- ative inferences obtained from the incorporation of five-element theory.