The Huángdì Nèijīng Text
The Huángdì Nèijīng is the root text of Chinese medicine. With origins over 2,000 years ago, it is a compilation of ancient writings that describes the workings of the cosmos and nature. From these ideas, a sophisticated system of medicine was developed. It establishes the fundamental principles, concepts, and terminology of Chinese medicine, as well as its anatomical and physiological framework, core clinical methods, and theoretical foundation for herbal medicine. The text is divided into two volumes: the Plain Questions (Sùwèn) and the Divine Pivot (Língshū).
Understanding the Neijing has historically been challenging due to classical Chinese language complexities and the fragmented nature of its content. Modern scholarship continues to examine these texts, with recent technological advances enabling deeper analysis of their medical principles and philosophical foundations.
The Neijing represents a significant departure from earlier shamanistic beliefs, introducing systematic theories about health and disease based on concepts like yin-yang and the five phases, viewing human beings as microcosms reflecting the larger natural world. This comprehensive approach to understanding human health and disease remains the foundation of East Asian Medicine.
夫血脈之藏於身也猶江河之流地夫血脈之藏於身也猶江河之流地江河之流濁而不清血脈之動亦擾不安
The blood rivers of the body are held within the body like the rivers that flow through the earth. When their stirrings are obstructed by impediments to flow, they become unsettled.
The Way of Emptiness
Warring States
