The Dynamic and Static State of the Life Gate - Early Discoveries Made by Traditional Chinese Medicine in Endocrinology
- VernacularTitle:命门动静观——兼论中医关于内分泌学的早期发现
- Author:
Ming ZHU
1
;
Qi DAI
Author Information
1. Beijing University of Traditional Chinese Medicine
- Keywords:
Life Gate;
Ministerial Fire;
Eight Extra-Meridians;
Different Academic Schools of TCM;
Endocrinology;
Adrenal Gland
- From:
Journal of Beijing University of Traditional Chinese Medicine
2000;23(5):1-6
- CountryChina
- Language:Chinese
-
Abstract:
The Doctrine of the Life Gate formed in the Ming Dynasty is a great attempt of Chinese ancient medical doctors to explore the origin of life and the laws inside the life, and represents the early discoveries and understanding of the traditional Chinese medicine (TCM) about the endocrinological functions. The descriptions of anatomical site and functions of the life gate given by medical doctors in the Ming Dynasty, basically conform to the adrenal glands in the modern medicine. The authors of this paper have put forward a viewpoint of the life gate' s dynamic and static state. According to this viewpoint, the life gate is a life reproduction regulating center related to the integration of the five zang-organs. When in a static state, the life gate is half closed in order to accumulate substance and energy for life reproduction; but when in a dynamic state, the life gate is fully open for the integration of the five zang-organs so as to make their functions synchronous. This viewpoint holds that the eight extra-meridians are the channels of the life gate, through which the five zang-organs are integrated. The life gate, the origin of life and the resources of the ministerial fire, is characterized by its functions of yin-yang mutual supplement. Different from those of the five zang-organs and the twelve meridians, the functions of life gate represents the regularity of life activity and life regulating mechanism at the Taiji level. The results of the authors' research have cleared up the long-standing confusion between the kidney and the life gate in TCM. The authors believe that deepgoing studies on the doctrine of the life gate will promise optimistic prospects of the integration of the traditional Chinese and modern medicines at a higher level of life science.
