Guan Hanheng, He Zhiming, Hu Haitian (Cooperative Group on "Channel Theory", Guangzhou College of Traditional Chinese Medicine)
Channel theory is an important component of the theoretical system of the traditional Chinese medicine. In order to further investigation on the basic principle of acupuncture theory and acupuncture anaesthesia as well as the essence of channel, it is of great significance to trace the origin and history of channel theory and to study its formation and development.
A. From the discovery of points to the formation of channel theory
1. The discovery of channel was originated from practice. It was a product of the Chinese labouring people during the practice of treating diseases with acupuncture. The evolutional course from point to channel was as follows: burn the wound probe the point with fine-pointed stone and cauterization (the time of treating diseases with fine-pointed stone) determination of position and assignment of name to the points (discovery of point) from points to lines which are combined to form channels according to similar properties of points (formation of the twelve channels).
2. The production of channel was based upon anatomy. In "The Historical Records" ), description of abdominal cutting therapy to treat the diseases performed by doctor Yufou was recorded in the ancient times. "Lingshu Jing-shui Chapter" stated: "The dead body can be dissected and seen internally. The firmness of viscera, the size of internal organs, the volume of food collected, the length of blood vessels, the turbidity of blood . . . etc. are all measurable." In "The Book of Han Dynasty" there was similar descriptions as: "Observing the five viscera, measure their blood vessels with bamboo pieces and search for their origins and termini, so as to give a help for treating diseases".
3. The ancient simple materialism -- the theory of Yin-Yang and the Five Elements is the ideological basis of channel theory. For example, the idea of "Five Elements" matched with five viscera was described in "The Book of Liji" ; the "Six elements" served as etiological agents proposed by Qin Yihe was recorded in "Zuozhuan" .
B. The accomplishment of "Neijing" was a marking of the formation of the channel theory
1. The idea of channels and its theory was produced before the time of "Neijing". There were many written records in "Guanzi" (7th century B.C.) as well as in "The Rites of Zhou Dyn asty" . Bianque , a famous doctor in the 5th century B.C., had applied the idea of channel to clinical practice of acupuncture.
2. The main contents and basic characters of channel theory at the time of "Neijing". Morphologically, the channels were divided into two groups, namely, "Channels" and "Collaterals". The twelve channels joined with the internal organs accordingly and communicated with the skin and tendon externally, so as to hold all the organs of human body together organically and form the body as a whole. Functionally, the channels possessed the ability of promoting "qi" and blood, reacting to diseases and resisting to various etiological agents.
3. According to the records in "Neijing" the "qi" and blood circulated in the channels and collaterals manifested as conjugations between different channels which were running upward and downward longitudinally.
4. The relationship between channels and brain was also described in "Neijing".
C. The development of channel theory and its scientific value
Shortly after the accomplishment of "Neijing" another famous medical work was published in the name of "Nanjing" , in which channel and point we widely discussed. A doctor of Jin Dynasty, Huangfu Mi , compiled "Jiayijing" , of which seventy chapters were writings about points and 349 points were named. He systematized the knowledge of channel with clinical practice of acupuncture. Yang Shangshan in the Sui Dynasty described the points according to the systemic arrangement of the twelve channels, and at the same time, made notes for every point's name. In the Yuan Dynasty, Hutaibilie developed the twelve channels to fourteen channels with pictures for them. Hua Bairen described the twelve channels and another two, namely, "Dumai" and "Renmai" even more clearly, noting their relationship with the circulation of "qi" and blood. In the Ming Dynasty, Yang Jizhou wrote "Zhen Jiu Da Cheng" in which the origin and category of channels was expounded.
The channel theory plays an instructive role to all clinical branches of traditional Chinese medicine. Its importance and scientific value are of sound assurance.
Channel theory is an important component of the theoretical system of the traditional Chinese medicine. In order to further investigation on the basic principle of acupuncture theory and acupuncture anaesthesia as well as the essence of channel, it is of great significance to trace the origin and history of channel theory and to study its formation and development.
A. From the discovery of points to the formation of channel theory
1. The discovery of channel was originated from practice. It was a product of the Chinese labouring people during the practice of treating diseases with acupuncture. The evolutional course from point to channel was as follows: burn the wound probe the point with fine-pointed stone and cauterization (the time of treating diseases with fine-pointed stone) determination of position and assignment of name to the points (discovery of point) from points to lines which are combined to form channels according to similar properties of points (formation of the twelve channels).
2. The production of channel was based upon anatomy. In "The Historical Records" ), description of abdominal cutting therapy to treat the diseases performed by doctor Yufou was recorded in the ancient times. "Lingshu Jing-shui Chapter" stated: "The dead body can be dissected and seen internally. The firmness of viscera, the size of internal organs, the volume of food collected, the length of blood vessels, the turbidity of blood . . . etc. are all measurable." In "The Book of Han Dynasty" there was similar descriptions as: "Observing the five viscera, measure their blood vessels with bamboo pieces and search for their origins and termini, so as to give a help for treating diseases".
3. The ancient simple materialism -- the theory of Yin-Yang and the Five Elements is the ideological basis of channel theory. For example, the idea of "Five Elements" matched with five viscera was described in "The Book of Liji" ; the "Six elements" served as etiological agents proposed by Qin Yihe was recorded in "Zuozhuan" .
B. The accomplishment of "Neijing" was a marking of the formation of the channel theory
1. The idea of channels and its theory was produced before the time of "Neijing". There were many written records in "Guanzi" (7th century B.C.) as well as in "The Rites of Zhou Dyn asty" . Bianque , a famous doctor in the 5th century B.C., had applied the idea of channel to clinical practice of acupuncture.
2. The main contents and basic characters of channel theory at the time of "Neijing". Morphologically, the channels were divided into two groups, namely, "Channels" and "Collaterals". The twelve channels joined with the internal organs accordingly and communicated with the skin and tendon externally, so as to hold all the organs of human body together organically and form the body as a whole. Functionally, the channels possessed the ability of promoting "qi" and blood, reacting to diseases and resisting to various etiological agents.
3. According to the records in "Neijing" the "qi" and blood circulated in the channels and collaterals manifested as conjugations between different channels which were running upward and downward longitudinally.
4. The relationship between channels and brain was also described in "Neijing".
C. The development of channel theory and its scientific value
Shortly after the accomplishment of "Neijing" another famous medical work was published in the name of "Nanjing" , in which channel and point we widely discussed. A doctor of Jin Dynasty, Huangfu Mi , compiled "Jiayijing" , of which seventy chapters were writings about points and 349 points were named. He systematized the knowledge of channel with clinical practice of acupuncture. Yang Shangshan in the Sui Dynasty described the points according to the systemic arrangement of the twelve channels, and at the same time, made notes for every point's name. In the Yuan Dynasty, Hutaibilie developed the twelve channels to fourteen channels with pictures for them. Hua Bairen described the twelve channels and another two, namely, "Dumai" and "Renmai" even more clearly, noting their relationship with the circulation of "qi" and blood. In the Ming Dynasty, Yang Jizhou wrote "Zhen Jiu Da Cheng" in which the origin and category of channels was expounded.
The channel theory plays an instructive role to all clinical branches of traditional Chinese medicine. Its importance and scientific value are of sound assurance.
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