1.Exploratory Study on the Theory of the Spatiotemporal Structure of Visceral Manifestation
Houfang MA ; Xiaoying XU ; Linghao MENG ; Haili ZHANG ; Nannan SHI
Journal of Traditional Chinese Medicine 2025;66(16):1629-1634
The "integrated time-space" perspective of life in traditional Chinese medicine holds that structure and function respectively belong to the realms of space and time. The orderly integration of time and space not only supports the existence and development of life, but also serves as the foundation for biological evolution. Based on this standpoint, this paper proposes the spatiotemporal structural theory of visceral manifestation, characterized by the fusion of time and space, the integration of internal and external dimensions, and the absence of primary or secondary distinctions. Using the individual human body as the boundary, it delineates the man and nature spatiotemporal structure, based on the theory of the "correspondence between man and nature", and the internal spatiotemporal structure of the living body. The man and nature spatiotemporal structure, with yin-yang and the five phases as its core, reveals the correspondence and connectivity between the external environment and the internal zang-fu organs within the spatiotemporal dimension. The internal temporal structure of the body refers to the collective physiological rhythms related to the zang-fu organs, while the spatial structure refers to the tangible forms, spatial positions, and connective structures of the zang-fu organs. The proposal of the spatiotemporal structural theory of visceral manifestation represents a rational reconstruction and practical exploration of the essential connotations of visceral manifestation, aiming to provide new perspectives for subsequent theoretical research and clinical applications.