Essence、Qi 、Blood and body fluids Lecturer: QU Hongyan

Objects Basic concepts Generation, functions and movement of qi Production, distribution and functions of blood Relationships among qi, blood, essence and body fluids

Essence In a broad sense, it refers to the basic material to form and sustain life activities of the human body. In a narrow sense, it refers to the kidney essence which is the basic material to promote the growth, development and reproductive function of the human body.

General term for innate essence and acquired essence Reproductive essence Visceral essence

Generation of essence The embryo From parents Innate essence Essence Acquired essence The spleen and stomach From food

Functions of essence Growth and development Reproduction Growth and development Generating marrow and blood Nourishing the body

Metabolism of essence reproduction Innate essence Visceral Essence Supporting life reproduction Innate essence Visceral essence Essence Moistening and nourishing viscera Acquired essence Transform qi, blood and spirit generation storing discharging

Concept of qi concrete material Qi is the vigorous and refined material and the most basic material to form and sustain life activities of the human body. concrete material Functional activities Qi

Geneation of qi innate qi Qi food essence（▲） clear qi 氣

Movement of qi Ascending (e.g. spleen qi) Descending (e.g. stomach qi) Exiting Entering

Reversed flow of qi Qi stagnation Qi sinking Imbalance of qi movement Qi blockage Qi prostration

Functions of qi Promoting Warming Defending Consolidating Qi transformation

Classification and distribution of qi Inherited from parents generated by Kidney essence Original qi Innate qi Qi of the whole body Pectoral qi Visceral qi Meridian qi Clear qi Acquired qi Nutritive qi Food essence Defensive qi

Original qi Also known as primitive qi, it is the primary force of life activities. [Generation] Inherited from parents, stored in kidneys and nourished by acquired essence. [Functions] Promote growth and development of the human body, warming and stimulating viscera, meridians and constituents

Pectoral qi It is the qi accumulated inside the chest. [Generation] It is transformed from the food essence generated by the spleen and stomach and clear qi inhaled by the lung. [Functions] It governs the heart and lung and governs respiration and circulating blood and qi.

Blood Blood is the red fluid circulating inside vessels with functions of nourishing and moistening, and also the basic material to form and sustain life activities.

Generation of blood Blood is consist of nutritive qi and body fluid. The two sources of blood are food essence and kidney essence.

Blood Liver Clear qi Nutritive qi Heart and vessels Body fluid Lung qi Qi of spleen and stomach Nutritive qi Food Food essence Heart qi Heart and vessels Body fluid Kidney essence Blood Liver Kidney qi marrow

Circulation of blood Blood circulate spread the whole body ceaselessly like an endless ring. There are two factors to ensure the circulation of blood. Integrated and smooth vasculature Viscera especially heart, liver, spleen, lung function normally

Functions of blood 1、Nourishing the whole body blood deficiency sallow complexion, dizziness, lusterless skin and hair, numb limbs, emaciation, etc. 2、Nourishing the mental activities blood deficiency palpitation, insomnia, dream-disturbed sleep, fidget and even coma.

Body fluids Body fluids are the general terms for all the normal water inside the human body. Jin (the clear part) Ye( the turbid part)

Relationship and differences between Jin and Ye Both generated from food by the spleen and stomach, iner-transformation。 Jin Ye Diluted, highly fluid In the skin, muscles and orifices mositening Dense, lower fluid Perfusing into viscera, joints and marrow Nourishing and lubricating

Metabolism of body fluids It refers to the complicated physiological process including generation, distribution of body fluids and discharge of left fluid and waste, which involves coordination of various visceral functions( especially spleen, lung and kidney.)

Generation Body fluids Accepting and digesting food to separate the clear from the turbid Small intestine Spleen and Stomach’s digesting Body fluids Food Transporting and transforming, absorb water Large intestine

Distribution After generation, body fluids distribute inside the human body through cooperation among the spleen, lung, kidneys, liver and triple energizer.

Spleen qi send up the body fluids to the lung Triple energizer is the passage and liver regulates qi movement Lung governs dispersing and descending Transformation function of Kidney qi

Relationships among essence, qi, blood and body fluids

Relationship between essence and qi Essence generating qi Innate essence and acquired essence combine and distribute to viscera to nourish qi of viscera and promote generation of qi. Qi promoting essence generation Essence generation depends on transforming function of viscera. Food can transform into essence Sufficient qi of Spleen and stomach Normal and active digestion and absorption Qi consolidating essence

Relationship between essence and blood Essence can generate blood and blood generating essence, so it is said that homogeny of blood and essence. generates Blood Essence generates

Relationship between qi and blood Qi pertains to yang, active, with functions of warming and promoting Blood pertains to yin, still, with functions of nourishing and moistening differences same points Both originated from the food essence generated by spleen and stomach and essence stored in kidneys “the relationship usually generalized as qi being the general of blood and blood being the mother of qi

Affection of qi on blood Qi generating blood Qi transformation is the promotive force for blood generation Food and water Food essence Nutritive qi and body fluids Blood Movement and change of qi Qi circulating blood Qi consolidating blood

Affection of blood on qi Blood generating qi It means that blood can supplement qi of the human body, blood circulates in the whole body to supplement nutrition to visceral qi to maintain it in a vigorous state. Blood transporting qi It means that qi is inside blood and circulates inside human body depending on blood. Blood is the vehicle of qi.

Relationship between qi and body fluids Qi generating body fluids It means that qi transformation can promote generation of body fluids. Food essence Body fluids Spleen and stomach Promoting of qi and qi transformation Qi circulating body fluids Qi consolidating body fluids

Relationship between blood and body fluids Body fluids and blood share the same source. Permeates out vessels Blood Body fluids Permeate into tertiary vessels

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