Understanding Your Body Type: Sasang Medicine Explained

Have you ever wondered, “What is my body type?” You’ve probably noticed how some people gain weight from the same food while others don’t, or how the same exercise yields different results for different individuals. This shows that everyone has unique, innate characteristics. Today, I’m excited to introduce you to Sasang Constitutional Medicine.

Sasang Constitutional Medicine is an original system of constitutional medicine developed by the brilliant physician Yi Je-ma during the late Joseon Dynasty. It goes beyond simply treating illnesses; it helps us understand our bodies and minds, paving the way for healthier lives. So, shall we embark on a journey into the world of Sasang Constitutional Medicine?

1. What is Sasang Constitutional Medicine?

Sasang Constitutional Medicine is a unique system of constitutional medicine founded by Dongmu Yi Je-ma (李濟馬) in the late Joseon Dynasty. While traditional Korean medicine was based on the principles of Yin and Yang and the Five Elements, Sasang Constitutional Medicine uses a Confucian four-element structure to classify humans into four main constitutions: Tae-yang (太陽人), Tae-eum (太陰人), So-yang (少陽人), and So-eum (少陰人).

The core of Sasang Constitutional Medicine is the concept of Jangbu Daeso (臟腑大小), which means that the size and function of certain internal organs are inherently different in each constitution. This balance of internal organs defines an individual’s personality, physiological characteristics, pathological tendencies, and even determines the most effective treatment methods. It is considered an outstanding system of constitutional medicine with few parallels worldwide.

Sasang Constitutional Medicine operates on four fundamental principles:

First Principle: Sa (事) – Sim (心) – Sin (身) – Mul (物)

This perspective suggests that human thought (事), mind (心), body (身), and external environment (物) are organically connected and influence health.

Second Principle: Cheon (天) – In (人) – Seong (性) – Myeong (命)

It has a philosophical foundation that the laws of Heaven (天), human nature (人) and disposition (性), and innate destiny (命) affect one’s constitution and health.

Third Principle: Innately Different Sizes of Internal Organs (大小)

This is the most fundamental principle for classifying Sasang constitutions and is key to understanding the characteristics of each body type.

Fourth Principle: The Spirit of Jung-yong (中庸 – The Doctrine of the Mean)

This principle embodies the philosophy that maintaining balance without leaning too heavily to one side is fundamental to good health.

2. Characteristics of Sasang Constitutional Medicine

Sasang Constitutional Medicine possesses the following characteristics:

Four-Element Structural Medicine (四元構造的 醫學): It classifies humans into four constitutions and proposes unique treatment methods tailored to each.

Human-Centered Pathological Medicine (人間中心의 病理醫學): It focuses on the ‘person’ suffering from the illness rather than the disease itself. It believes that even the same illness can have different causes and treatments depending on the individual’s constitution.

Mind-Body Balancing Therapeutic Medicine (心身均衡的 治療醫學): It emphasizes not only physical health but also mental well-being, considering factors like stress and personality, and aims for treatment through mind-body balance.

Appearance-Based Diagnostic System (形象醫學的 變證體系): Visible characteristics such as appearance, body shape, and gait are used as important clues to determine one’s constitution.

New Constitutional Disease and Pharmacology Treatment (體質病證藥理) Proposal: It aims for effective treatment by developing specific herbal medicines and prescriptions for each constitution.

Health Preservation Medicine (養生醫學) and Preventive Medicine through Constitutional Management: It emphasizes knowing and managing one’s constitution in advance to maintain health and prevent illness before it occurs.

✅ Wait! How can I find out my constitution?

Accurately identifying your Sasang constitution can be more complex than it seems. While typical constitutions can be judged relatively easily, modern lifestyles and habits often make constitutional determination challenging.

Korean medicine clinics use a comprehensive approach to determine one’s constitution, employing methods such as:

• Appearance: Facial features, body shape, skin color, and other external characteristics.
• Personality: Usual disposition, emotional changes, interpersonal relationships, etc.
• Physiological Symptoms: Sleep habits, bowel movements, appetite, digestion, and other typical bodily responses.
• Lifestyle: Eating habits, exercise habits, stress management, etc.
• Disease Status: Current illnesses or past medical history.

By considering all this information comprehensively, the constitution is determined, and in some cases, the constitution is confirmed by observing the patient’s response after taking Sasang herbal prescriptions tailored to their presumed type. At home, observing your body’s reaction after consuming foods recommended for certain constitutions can also be a good method.

Now, let’s delve into the characteristics of the four constitutions in detail!

3. Characteristics of Tae-yang (Solar) Type

✅ Physical Characteristics

• Their appearance is neat and tidy.
• They have a thick neck and a particularly well-developed nape.
• Their head is large, face is round, and eyes are relatively small but possess a radiant gleam.
• Their upper body is relatively strong and firm, but their lower back is weak, making their legs feel weak and often preventing them from walking for long periods.

✅ Personality

• They are good at communicating with others and have a strong pioneering spirit.
• They tend to have excessive original ambition, strong heroism and self-esteem, and a tendency to exaggerate.
• They possess a clear mind that can clearly distinguish right from wrong.
• On the other hand, they can be emotional, lack foresight, and tend not to regret failures.
• When they have many worries and extreme sadness, they can easily turn to anger.
• Many outstanding heroes and magnates are said to be of this type.

✅ Common Ailments

• Their lower body is weaker than their upper body, so they may experience tingling calves and leg pain when exposed to cold. Fever and chills should be treated quickly.
• Excessive stress can cause the stomach’s yang energy to become too strong, leading to a condition called “banwi” where food gets stuck in the esophagus and is immediately vomited.
• Intestinal issues can also lead to abdominal pain, diarrhea, and dysentery.

✅ Internal Organ Function

• Lung is large, Liver is small (肺大肝小): The lungs are strong and vital, while the liver is weak and deficient in energy.
• They urinate frequently, and their stools are loose and copious.

✅ Suitable Foods

• Kiwifruit, clams, carp, squid, grapes, quince, persimmons, cherries, apples, buckwheat, non-glutinous rice, etc.
• It’s best to consume as many vegetables as possible.
• Avoid fatty foods.

✅ Prohibited Foods

• Beef, pork, and other fatty meats.
• Radish, garlic, sugar, yellow croaker, chili peppers, and other highly stimulating foods.

✅ Eating Habits

• They are either very picky eaters or very indifferent to food.
• They prefer bland and cold foods and avoid stimulating, hot, or greasy dishes.

✅ Lifestyle Tips

• They should try to suppress feelings of anger and sadness, and always maintain a clear and cheerful mind.
• They should not worry about trivial matters and avoid highly stimulating foods.
• Their stools should be loose, large, and voluminous, and they should urinate frequently.

✅ Effective Herbal Medicines

• Reeds, grape root, kiwifruit, buckwheat, water dropwort, quince, Acanthopanax, clams, carp.

4. Characteristics of Tae-eum (Greater Yin) Type

✅ Physical Characteristics

• Their appearance is dignified and thoughtful.
• Their lower body is well-developed, and their upper body is slightly weaker, but their bones and muscles are well-developed, resulting in a slow and stable gait.
• Their face is round or oval, with dark and firm but delicate skin.
• Their body is generally robust and well-built. Even thin Tae-eum types have well-developed bone structures.
• They have a thin neck and are tall, standing upright.

✅ Personality

• They are active and taciturn, yet they enjoy solitude and value family, often preferring ease, which can lead to laziness.
• They have strong patience and do not readily express joy or sorrow, which can sometimes lead to misunderstandings with others.
• They possess much greed and extravagance but are good at achieving business goals.
• They can be arrogant and cunning, tending to procrastinate and rush things at the last minute.

✅ Internal Organ Function

• Lung is small, Liver is large (肺小肝大): The liver is strong, and the lungs are weak.

✅ Common Ailments

• If their stomach is affected by cold, they may experience headaches, aching in the lower back and joints, and chills. If these symptoms, along with a lack of sweating and shortness of breath, are neglected, it can lead to typhoid fever.
• If their liver is affected by heat, they may develop a rash with red spots, indicative of typhus.
• They are prone to high blood pressure, low blood pressure, colitis, appendicitis, constipation, asthma, heart disease, and nervous disorders, and often develop skin problems like leprosy and hives.

✅ Suitable Foods

• Beef, radish, mushrooms, beans, sweet potatoes, lotus root, taro, bellflower root, yam, Job’s tears, glutinous rice, seaweed, kelp, walnuts, pumpkin, plums, peanuts, peaches, perilla seeds, deodeok, bracken, etc.

✅ Prohibited Foods

• Pork, chicken, eggs, goat meat, dog meat, apples, cabbage, etc.

✅ Eating Habits

• They are constitutionally sensitive to smells due to their developed sense of smell.
• They tend to eat relatively slowly and have a good appetite, focusing on the quantity of food rather than its appearance.
• They often eat silently, concentrating solely on their meal.
• People who sweat excessively during meals are likely Tae-eum types.
• Due to their indiscriminate eating habits, they often overeat and drink, so moderation in food is especially necessary.

✅ Lifestyle Tips

• Many Tae-eum types are easily scared, which can develop into fright disorders.
• They should always try to calm their minds and maintain a joyful and cheerful disposition, no matter what situations arise.

✅ Effective Herbal Medicines

• Pueraria root, Platycodon root, rhubarb, winter melon, deer antler, Ophiopogon tuber, Ephedra.

✅ Prohibited Herbal Medicines

• Kansu, Gui Zhi, Cinnabar, Bupleurum, Phellodendron.

✅ Suitable Occupations

• They are often heroic types with romantic and optimistic temperaments, excelling in business.
• Many politicians, strategists, vocalists, actors, mathematicians, public speakers, and entrepreneurs belong to this type.
• Some can also be rough-tempered or timid.

✅ Workplace Interpersonal Relationships

• They can be difficult to get to know initially. They are taciturn, blunt, and do not reveal their true feelings easily, making them hard to approach.
• They don’t easily sympathize even when colleagues express workplace dissatisfaction.
• They are not the type to spread others’ stories, so there’s little fear of repercussions.
• While they don’t disparage colleagues, they have a strong sense of rivalry and should be approached with caution.
• They have strong concentration, so frequent interruptions during work can irritate them.
• If your superior is a Tae-eum type, it’s best to fulfill your responsibilities, avoid shortcuts, obey commands, and show a confident attitude.
• If your subordinate is a Tae-eum type, assign tasks that require prudence and a competitive spirit rather than those demanding quick wit or judgment.

✅ Dressing Style

• They secretly prefer flashy and red clothes but enjoy wearing elegant colors.
• They are not sensitive to trends, don’t buy clothes often, and even expensive clothes may not look refined on them.
• They should avoid overly thin or loose clothing that suppresses perspiration. Slightly thicker, dark-colored clothing is generally suitable.
• They are authoritarian, value their reputation, and have strong conservative tendencies, so they are reluctant to wear flashy or conspicuous clothes in public.

5. Characteristics of So-yang (Lesser Yang) Type

✅ Physical Characteristics

• Their face is white or reddish-yellow, with a pointed chin and thin lips.
• Their upper body is well-developed, with a broad and strong chest, but their lower body is weak, with narrow hips and an unstable gait.
• Their head protrudes front and back, their neck is thin and long, and their eyes are sharp, clear, and bright.
• People with thin and large lips are usually active and independent.

✅ Personality

• Their personality is lively and upright, and they are good at judging people’s faults and strengths.
• Their actions are impulsive and quick, unable to settle in one place for long, and they can burst into anger.
• They are detailed and intelligent in everything, capable at work, but they can be arrogant, prone to sorrow, and quick to anger, with stubbornness.
• They have strong self-interest and often neglect their families.

✅ Internal Organ Function

• Spleen is large, Kidney is small (脾大腎小): The spleen and stomach’s size and function are robust, while the kidney’s function is weak.

✅ Common Ailments

• If their spleen is affected by cold, they may experience fever, chills, and lack of sweating. This can cause headaches, diarrhea, and even delirium.
• So-yang type illnesses are caused by fire and heat, so their symptoms can change rapidly, requiring careful attention.
• If their stomach is affected by heat, they may suddenly vomit, experience nosebleeds or vomiting blood, and have difficulty with bowel movements.
• Constitutionally, their digestion is strong, but their kidneys are weak, so they need to pay attention to their kidneys and bladder.
• They are also prone to diabetes, partial paralysis, and chronic functional disorders (e.g., lack of vitality).

✅ Suitable Foods

• Pork, duck meat, snakehead fish, soft-shelled turtle, sea cucumber, dried pollack, abalone, mung beans, red beans, millet, barley, melon, apples, tomatoes, strawberries, water celery, eggplant, cabbage, cucumber, pumpkin, burdock, potatoes, etc. (Foods that nourish Yin are good.)

✅ Prohibited Foods

• Beef, chicken, peanuts, milk, honey, taffy, etc.

✅ Eating Habits

• Due to their impatient personality, they cannot tolerate eating without talking or doing other things during meals.
• They eat quickly and hastily, often failing to properly savor the taste of food.
• They eat when food is available and don’t when it’s not. Naturally, they are not picky eaters, and there are few gourmands or foodies among them.
• However, instead of focusing on taste, they tend to enjoy the atmosphere, paying attention to conversation and the presentation of food.
• They are constitutionally hot, preferring cold foods over warm ones, and some even seek cold noodles in the middle of winter.

✅ Lifestyle Tips

• The So-yang constitution has abundant Yang energy and little Yin energy, so their lifestyle should focus on clearing heat and nourishing Yin (淸凉補陰).
• They should always maintain a bright and cheerful mind, avoid anger, and strive to overcome fear and terror.

✅ Effective Herbal Medicines

• Sophora root, Ligustrum lucidum, Akebia stem, Rehmannia root, Siler, Plantago seeds, Schizonepeta, Gypsum.

✅ Prohibited Herbal Medicines

• Chicken meat, Aconite, Ginseng, Agarwood, Gleditsia.

6. Characteristics of So-eum (Lesser Yin) Type

✅ Physical Characteristics

• They appear gentle and docile.
• Their face is oval like an egg, often considered beautiful, but some have a rectangular or round face.
• Their skin is smooth and soft, not chapping even in winter, and women are said not to have stretch marks even after multiple births.
• Their physique is generally small, with short stature, a narrow chest, and large hips.
• Their lower abdomen protrudes, and they sit gracefully, but when standing, they may waddle, and when walking, they tend to hunch forward.

✅ Personality

• When interacting with people, they are humble and show a cheerful expression, earning people’s favor.
• They are skilled in social interactions and excel in all tasks.
• While they enjoy revealing personal stories, they are also contemplative and neat, often preferring to stay at home and can be quiet, showing a passive side.
• They enjoy playing with close friends but are often suspicious, jealous, and possessive.
• They enjoy luxury and can be spiteful, sometimes slandering or plotting against others.
• They have relatively quick emotional changes and a habit of sighing frequently.

✅ Common Ailments

• If their kidneys are affected by heat, they may experience fever, headache, and body aches. They may also have chills and profuse sweating.
• When their stomach is affected by cold, the area below the navel becomes icy cold, with severe coldness, headaches, vomiting, and constipation.
• They are prone to acute and chronic stomach problems, gastroptosis, hyperacidity, and habitual abdominal pain, so caution is needed.

✅ Internal Organ Function

• Kidney is large, Spleen is small (腎大脾小): The kidney’s function is strong, and the spleen’s function is weak.

✅ Suitable Foods

• Dog meat, lamb, goat meat, chicken, pheasant, rabbit meat, eel, Mandarin fish, mullet, anchovies, non-glutinous rice, perilla seeds, cabbage, chives, green onions, shepherd’s purse, garland chrysanthemum, carrots, mallow, spinach, potatoes, honey, etc. It’s best to consume foods that replenish warmth.

✅ Prohibited Foods

• Cabbage, buckwheat, barley, mung beans, red beans, sweet potatoes, chestnuts, walnuts, watermelon, pears, cucumbers, melon, etc.

✅ Eating Habits

• Due to their meticulous personality, they tend to chew their food thoroughly.
• Their taste buds are also well-developed, so they eat slowly, savoring the food and valuing the atmosphere.
• They have a strong attachment and desire for food, paying attention to taste and presentation, and preferring many side dishes.
• When serving food, they prefer it to be neatly arranged and pretty rather than overly abundant.
• Constitutionally, their stomach function is weak, so it’s beneficial to chew food thoroughly and consume warm foods rather than cold ones.

✅ Lifestyle Tips

• The So-eum constitution is prone to losing form (脫形) and losing qi (脫氣), so their lifestyle should focus on replenishing warmth.
• They should always approach everything with a cheerful and happy heart and maintain a sense of composure even in urgent situations.

✅ Effective Herbal Medicines

• Chebula, dried ginger, Eucommia bark, sulfur, Costus root, Pinellia, Amomum fruit, Lindera root, Cyperus rhizome.

✅ Prohibited Herbal Medicines

• Pueraria root, rhubarb, Cinnabar, Litchi seeds, Ephedra, Gypsum, Phellodendron, Coptis.

So far, we’ve explored detailed information about Sasang constitutions. What did you think? Which constitution do you feel you are closest to?

Of course, the information presented above describes general characteristics. For an accurate constitutional diagnosis, it is crucial to consult a professional Korean medicine doctor. However, even a rough understanding of your own constitution and maintaining appropriate dietary and lifestyle habits can greatly contribute to a healthier and more vibrant life.

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