Mindblown: a blog about philosophy.

One of the six External Pathogenic Factors. Summer heat is a specific type of pathogen that can only invade the body during the summer. It is characterized by intense heat (high fever, thirst, sweating, etc.) accompanied by sensations that are attributed to dampness (heavy sensations, loose stools, abdominal pain, etc.). It is the same thing…

One of several different systems of diagnosis in Chinese medicine. This system can be contrasted with San Jiao diagnosis, Four Level diagnosis, Eight Principles, and Zang Fu diagnosis. Six Channel diagnosis deals with invasion of the body by cold External Pathogenic Factors. It outlines how a pathogen invades the body from the exterior levels to…

Literally, this means, “Four Directions, Five Flavors.” It is a fundamental principle to Chinese herbal medicine. Chinese herbs are categorized according to their flavor and direction of action (among other functions). The four directions are up, down, outwards, and inward/down. The five flavors are bitter, sour, salty, sweet, and pungent/acrid. The five flavors are correlated…

One symptom of Yangming Fu syndrome. Shi means a palpable or visible accumulation or lump in the intestines/abdomen.  

A syndrome that results from internal accumulation of wind, cold, and damp in the Kidney. Its manifestations include cold and heavy pain in lower back, decreased range of motion due to extreme pain, aggravated by cold and humid weather, and does not improve with rest.  

Each of the Zang Fu organs are thought to “house” a spirit. The human body is thought to be animated by five different spirits, each one inhabiting a different Zang organ, and each representing a different aspect of human consciousness. The Shen is the spirit that resides in the heart. Being awake, aware, and conscious…

Usually translated as “Lesser Yin,” this is the fifth of the Six Channels. This stage is characterized by systemic weakness and dysfunction. A person’s constitution determines whether they develop Shao Yin cold or Shao Yin heat syndrome. Shao Yin cold manifests as fatigue and apathy, diarrhea, poor digestion, cold limbs, profuse clear urine, and palpitations.…

Usually translated as “Lesser Yang,” this is the third of the Six Channels. In this stage, the pathogen is trapped half-interior and half-exterior, producing symptoms such as alternating chills and fever, vomiting, a bitter taste in the mouth, blurry vision, dizziness, and sweating. The next channel is Tai Yin.  

This book is equally as important as the Nei Jing as a foundation to Chinese medicine. This book was written by Zhang Zhong Jing around 300 A.D. It contains the theory of Six Channel Diagnosis, and is the first book that explains differential diagnosis. The counterpart of Shang Han Lun is Jin Gui Yao Lue.…

One of several different systems of diagnosis in Chinese medicine. This system can be contrasted with Six Channels diagnosis, Four Levels diagnosis, Eight Principles, and Zang Fu diagnosis. San Jiao diagnosis deals with the invasion of the body by damp External Pathogenic Factors. It outlines how a pathogen invades the body from the exterior levels…