Channel (Chinese medicine)
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Channel (simplified Chinese: 经络; traditional Chinese: 經絡; pinyin: jīngluò), also known as meridian, in traditional Chinese medicine, is the common name of vessel (simplified Chinese: 经脉; traditional Chinese: 經脈; pinyin: jīngmài, also known as channel) and collaterals (simplified Chinese: 络脉; traditional Chinese: 絡脈; pinyin: luòmài). It is the path of running qi (simplified Chinese: 气; traditional Chinese: 氣; pinyin: qì) and blood (Chinese: 血; pinyin: xuè), connection zang-fu viscera (simplified Chinese: 脏腑; traditional Chinese: 臟腑; pinyin: zàngfǔ), communication inside and outside, and run through top and bottom. (Note: In Japan, "meridian" is known as "keiraku". In Korea, "meridian" is known as "kyungrak".)
It is from the techniques and doctrines of Traditional Chinese Medicine (TCM), including acupuncture, acupressure, and qigong. According to these practices, the body's vital energy, "qi", circulates through the body along specific interconnected channels called meridians. There is no physically verifiable anatomical or histological proof of their existence, though research has shown how transmission of information experienced as qi could be possible through the subcutaneous fascia.[1][2]
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[edit] Background
In TCM, patterns of disharmony (ie, bad health and emotional disorders) in the body are thought to be caused by disruptions of the body's energy flow along a series of acu-tracts. To correct those disruptions, specific points (腧穴) on the meridians called acupoints (穴位) are stimulated via needles, burning incense cones (moxa), applying pressure or other means.
There are about 400 acupuncture points and 20 meridians connecting most of the points, however by the 2nd Century CE, 649 were recognised in China.[3][4] Such 20 meridians are usually called the "twelve regular channels" (simplified Chinese: 十二经脉; traditional Chinese: 十二經脈; pinyin: shíèr jīngmài) or "twelve regular meridians" (simplified Chinese: 十二正经; traditional Chinese: 十二正經; pinyin: shíèr zhèngjīng), with each meridian corresponding to each organ; nourishing it and extending to an extremity. There are also "Eight Extraordinary Channels" or "Eight Extraordinary Meridians" (simplified Chinese: 奇经八脉; traditional Chinese: 奇經八脈; pinyin: qíjīng bāmài), two of which have their own sets of points, and the remaining ones connecting points on other channels.
The twelve standard meridians go along the arms and the legs. They are: Lung, Large Intestine, Stomach, Spleen, Heart, Small Intestine, Urinary Bladder, Kidney, Pericardium, Triple Warmer (aka Triple Heater), Gall Bladder, and Liver. These terms refer to biological functions and not the structural organ, which is why there are some on the list with no corresponding anatomical structure.
Meridians are divided into Yin and Yang groups. The Yin meridians of the arm are: Lung, Heart, and Pericardium. The Yang meridians of the arm are: Large Intestine, Small Intestine, and Triple Warmer. The Yin Meridians of the leg are Spleen, Kidney, and Liver. The Yang meridians of the leg are Stomach, Bladder, and Gall Bladder. [5]
The table below gives a more systematic list of the meridians:[6][7]
| Meridian name (Chinese) | Yin / Yang | Hand / Foot | 5 elements | Organ |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Taiyin Lung Channel of Hand (手太阴肺经) or Taiyin Lung Meridian of Hand | Taiyin (greater yin) | Hand (手) | Metal (金) | Lung (肺) |
| Shaoyin Heart Channel of Hand (手少阴心经) or Shaoyin Heart Meridian of Hand | Shaoyin (lesser yin) | Hand (手) | Fire (火) | Heart (心) |
| Jueyin Pericardium Channel of Hand (手厥阴心包经) or Jueyin Pericardium Meridian of Hand | Jueyin (absolute yin) | Hand (手) | Fire (火) | Pericardium (心包) |
| Shaoyang Sanjiao Channel of Hand (手少阳三焦经) or Shaoyang Sanjiao Meridian of Hand | Shaoyang (lesser yang) | Hand (手) | Fire (火) | Triple Heater (三焦) |
| Taiyang Small Intestine Channel of Hand (手太阳小肠经) or Taiyang Small Intestine Meridian of Hand | Taiyang (greater yang) | Hand (手) | Fire (火) | Small Intestine (小肠) |
| Yangming Large Intestine Channel of Hand (手阳明大肠经) or Yangming Large Intestine Meridian of Hand | Yangming (yang brightness) | Hand (手) | Metal (金) | Large Intestine (大腸) |
| Taiyin Spleen Channel of Foot (足太阴脾经) or Taiyin Spleen Meridian of Foot | Taiyin (greater yin) | Foot (足) | Earth (土) | Spleen (脾) |
| Shaoyin Kidney Channel of Foot (足少阴肾经) or Shaoyin Kidney Meridian of Foot | Shaoyin (lesser yin) | Foot (足) | Water (水) | Kidney (腎) |
| Jueyin Liver Channel of Foot (足厥阴肝经) or Jueyin Liver Meridian of Foot | Jueyin (absolute yin) | Foot (足) | Wood (木) | Liver (肝) |
| Shaoyang Gallbladder Channel of Foot (足少阳胆经) or Shaoyang Gallbladder Meridian of Foot | Shaoyang (lesser yang) | Foot (足) | Wood (木) | Gall Bladder (膽) |
| Taiyang Bladder Channel of Foot (足太阳膀胱经) or Taiyang Bladder Meridian of Foot | Taiyang (greater yang) | Foot (足) | Water (水) | Urinary bladder (膀胱) |
| Yangming Stomach Channel of Foot (足阳明胃经) or Yangming Stomach Meridian of Foot | Yangming (yang brightness) | Foot (足) | Earth (土) | Stomach (胃) |
Authors Hernan Garcia and Sierra Antonio argue that the Chinese meridians have their counterpart in the Mayan acupuncture techniques practiced in the Yucatan. They say that the analogous concept is that of wind channels, and that most of the key points in Mayan acupuncture correspond with key acupuncture points in the Chinese meridian model.[8]
Author Alberto Villoldo indicates that these Chinese meridians coincided exactly with the flux lines or cekes which are known to Inca medicine people as rios de luz, rivers of light that flow within the luminous body. The kawak, the seers, can see the rivers of light or cekes along the surface of the skin. And Shamans throughout the Americas rely on their ability to massage the points where it was blocked so that the light could flow freely again. [9]
[edit] Criticism of TCM meridian theory
- See also: Acupuncture: Criticism of TCM theory
In 1694, during the "quarrel of the Ancients and Moderns", after having seen some meridian diagrams from the Lèi Jīng and misinterpreting them as anatomical drawings, British Scholar William Wotton wrote this famous criticism of TCM[10]:
- It would be tedious to dwell any longer upon such Notions as these, which every page of Cleyer's book is full of. The Anatomical Figures annexed to the Tracts, which also were sent out of China, are so very whimsical, that a Man would almost believe the whole to be a Banter, if these Theories were not agreeable to the occasional hints that may be found in the Travels of the Missionaries. This, however, does no prejudice to their [Medicinal Simples], which may, perhaps, be very admirable, and which a long Experience may have taught the Chineses to apply with great success; and it is possible that they may sometimes give not unhappy Guesses in ordinary Cases, by feeling their Patients Pulses: Still, this is little to Physic, as an Art; and however, the Chineses may be allowed to be excellent Empiricks, as many of the West-Indian Salvages [Savages] are, yet it cannot be believed that they can be tolerable Philosophers; which, in an Enquiry into the Learning of any Nation, is the first Question that is to be considered.
Skeptics of Traditional Chinese Medicine (TCM) often characterize the system as pseudoscientific. Proponents reply that TCM is a prescientific system that continues to have practical relevance. Others will say that this is a simple communication mismatch between the reductionist Western medical system focused on form, and the holistic Eastern system focused on function, and that they are both valid ways to approach development of knowledge.
[edit] See also
[edit] References
- ^ Kimura M, Tohya K, Kuroiwa K, Oda H, Gorawski EC, Hua ZX, Toda S, Ohnishi M, Noguchi E. “Electron microscopical and immunohistochemical studies on the induction of "Qi" employing needling manipulation.” Am J Chin Med. 1992;20(1):25-35.
- ^ Energy Medicine: The Scientific Basis by James L. Oschman, PhD, Churchill Livingston, 2000
- ^ Standard Acupuncture Nomenclature, World Health Organization
- ^ Needham, Joseph; Lu Gwei-Djen (1980). Celestial Lancets. Cambridge University Press, p.100. ISBN 0-521-21513-7.
- ^ Dillman, George and Chris, Thomas. Advanced Pressute Point Fighting of Ryukyu Kempo. A Dillman Karate International Book, 1994. ISBN 0-9631996-3-3
- ^ Peter Deadman and Mazin Al-Khafaji with Kevin Baker. "A Manuel of Acupuncture" Journal of Chinese Mediceine, 2007. ISBN 978-0-9510546-5-9
- ^ 中医药学名词审定委员会. 中医药学名词, 北京:科学出版社, 2005. ISBN 7030151542
- ^ Garcia, Hernan and Antonio, Sierra. Wind in the Blood - Mayan Healing & Chinese Medicine. Redwing Books, 1999. ISBN 1-56643-304-2
- ^ Alberto Villoldo. Shaman, Healer, Sage Hamony Books, 2000. ISBN 0-609-60544-5
- ^ Needham, Joseph; Lu Gwei-Djen (1980). Celestial Lancets. Cambridge, UK: Cambridge Press, pp. 281-282. ISBN 0-521-21513-7.
[edit] Bibliography
- Lo S.Y. (2002) Meridians in acupuncture and infrared imaging. Medical Hypotheses 58(1):72-76.
- J. Kwon et al., "Scanning probe microscopy study of microcells from the organ surface Bonghan corpuscle", Applied Physics Letters, vol. 90, article number 173903, 2007. (Note: This 2007 paper has quite some references related to Bonghan Kim's theory on meridians.)
[edit] External links
- Meridian Pathways Images showing the pathways of the 12 main meridians plus the Ren and Du Meridians
- The Mechanism of Acupuncture
- A meridian chart
- Meridians, Acupuncture Points and Martial Arts Instructions
- Pressure Point Charts
