The form-qi-spirit life concept is the foundation of the theoretical system of traditional Chinese medicine(TCM).Ontologically,it defines the essential life substances that constitute the"human being,"exerting a profound influence on TCM health preservation and clinical practice.This study uses an integrated philological and phenomenological methodology grounded in classical texts such as the Inner Canon of Huangdi and Classic of Questioning.It systematically examines the epistemological basis of these core concepts.Form is apprehended through measurement,palpation,and dissection from the perspective of subject-object separation,and introspective realization from the perspective of subject-object unification.Qi is conceptualized through physicians' observations and abstractions of natural phenomena,as well as a profound examination of physiological and pathological manifestations.Spirit emerges from physicians' awareness and analysis of conscious activities amid the deconstruction of early deity worship.Form,qi,and spirit constitute the organic whole of human life,interconnected and mutually influential.This paper has stage-by-stage clarified the fundamental issue of"how to understand the form-qi-spirit life concept came into being."It contributes to consolidating the philosophical foundation of TCM theory and may provide a reference for related research.

The form-qi-spirit life concept is the foundation of the theoretical system of traditional Chinese medicine(TCM).Ontologically,it defines the essential life substances that constitute the"human being,"exerting a profound influence on TCM health preservation and clinical practice.This study uses an integrated philological and phenomenological methodology grounded in classical texts such as the Inner Canon of Huangdi and Classic of Questioning.It systematically examines the epistemological basis of these core concepts.Form is apprehended through measurement,palpation,and dissection from the perspective of subject-object separation,and introspective realization from the perspective of subject-object unification.Qi is conceptualized through physicians' observations and abstractions of natural phenomena,as well as a profound examination of physiological and pathological manifestations.Spirit emerges from physicians' awareness and analysis of conscious activities amid the deconstruction of early deity worship.Form,qi,and spirit constitute the organic whole of human life,interconnected and mutually influential.This paper has stage-by-stage clarified the fundamental issue of"how to understand the form-qi-spirit life concept came into being."It contributes to consolidating the philosophical foundation of TCM theory and may provide a reference for related research.

Through combing and analysing the Silk Texts of Hand-Foot-11-Channels by Moxibustion （《足臂十一脉灸经》） and Yin-Yang-11-Channels by Moxibustion （A and B） （《阴阳十一脉灸经》） unearthed from the Mawangdui Han Tomb， the second part of The Book of Vessels （《脉书》） unearthed from the Zhangjiashan Han Tomb， The Vessels Book-Second Part （《脉书·下经》） in Tianhui medical bamboo slips and the fragmentary text of the Channels （《经脉》） and the painted channel portrait unearthed from the Laoguanshan Han Tomb， and the lacquered wooden human body's model of channels unearthed from the Shuangbaoshan Han Tomb， it is argued that the channels starts from the arm jueyin channel which was missing in the early literature of channels， instead of the the hand jueyin pericardium channel， and then argues progressively. It is proposed that the arm jueyin channel in the early meridian literature may have been purposely omitted， that the three yin and three yang paradigms that prevails nowadays has experienced the interchange of the positions of taiyin and jueyin， and that the correspondences between visceral manifestation and the three yin and three yang are derived from the channels theory， and that the pericardium corresponds to the solid organ of the heart， and that the cognitive model of the channels theory has been briefly analysed， which can provide references to the related research.