LAI Min,JIA Chunhua.Exploring the Visceral Manifestation Theory of Kidney from the Perspective of Ancient Anatomical Knowledge[J].Journal of Traditional Chinese Medicine,2021,62(19):1657-1662.
LAI Min,JIA Chunhua.Exploring the Visceral Manifestation Theory of Kidney from the Perspective of Ancient Anatomical Knowledge[J].Journal of Traditional Chinese Medicine,2021,62(19):1657-1662.DOI: 10.13288/j.11-2166/r.2021.19.001.
Exploring the Visceral Manifestation Theory of Kidney from the Perspective of Ancient Anatomical Knowledge
The kidney, located in the lower abdomen of the human body, is closely connected to the bladder and external genitalia, and governs water, reproduction, and
qi
reception. Considering the relationship between the anatomical structure of the kidney and the bladder, and the metaphor of natural water cycle for water metabolism in human body, the ancient physicians propose that kidney governs water and
qi
transformation. As the reproduction function is considered to be improved with the growth and development of human beings synchronously, the function of kidney is expanded from governing reproduction to growth and development in addition. Accordingly, the associations between kidney and bone, tooth, hair, minds and other body and orifices have been inspired. The observation findings on the synergistic reproductive function between two sexes, as well as the formulation of five
zang
organs (脏), limbs and skeleton from nothing during the human embryonic development, supported the construction of theories that essence and blood are from the same source, and that the kidney stores the essence of the five
zang
organs and six
fu
organs (腑). As abdominal breathing activities are found to be associated with health preservation and regulating, it is proposed that kidney governs
qi
reception. Finally, the visceral manifestation theory of kidney in TCM has been formulated through interaction between anatomical knowledge and subjective experience in reproduction, growth and development and breathing activities.