In honor of Huang Yuanyu!
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Golden ChamberSuspension ExplanationVolume One
Organs and Meridians Sixteen Chapters
The organs and meridians are hidden and invisible, yet their external manifestations are evident. For instance, symptoms such as sound, odor, color, pulse, cold, heat, pain, itching, emotions like joy, anger, love, and hate, as well as excretion, drinking, and eating can all reveal subtle conditions. However, those with superficial understanding may not grasp this. The ancient master Zhang Zhongjing explored the relationship between heaven and humanity, understanding the virtues of the divine, and within the organs and meridians, he demonstrated the methods of observation, listening, inquiry, and palpation. This is akin to the divine elixir of long-lasting health, illuminating the mysterious. The ancient sages’ four diagnostic methods are all contained herein; this discussion must be thoroughly understood.
Organs and Meridians One
Question: What does it mean to treat disease before it occurs? Master: Treating disease before it occurs means recognizing liver disease and understanding that the liver transmits to the spleen, thus one must first strengthen the spleen. In all seasons, if the spleen is strong, it does not suffer from evil influences, and thus it should not be supplemented. If the practitioner does not understand this transmission and only treats the liver upon seeing liver disease, they fail to strengthen the spleen. The same applies to other organs.。
1. Treating disease before it occurs, what does it mean? Master: Treating disease before it occurs means recognizing liver disease and understanding that the liver transmits to the spleen, thus one must first strengthen the spleen. Strengthening the spleen is treating disease before it occurs; it is not merely treating the liver. Understanding the liver’s transmission to the spleen and strengthening the spleen is treating disease before it occurs, which means treating the spleen before it becomes ill. The five elements of generation and overcoming indicate that the liver (wood) overcomes the spleen (earth). When liver disease is observed, one knows that the liver transmits to the spleen, thus one must first strengthen the spleen. If the spleen is strong in all seasons, it does not suffer from evil influences, and thus it should not be supplemented. If the practitioner does not understand this transmission and only treats the liver, liver disease will not resolve, and spleen disease will recur. The same principle applies to other organs.
2. Treating disease before it occurs does not mean there is no disease; it means treating the transmission of disease before it manifests. When liver disease is observed, one knows that the liver transmits to the spleen, thus one must first strengthen the spleen. Strengthening the spleen is the essence of treating disease before it occurs. The liver is already diseased. From the perspective of the spleen, it is not yet ill; from the perspective of the liver, it is already diseased. Liver disease indicates that the person is already ill, not that they are without disease. Recognizing liver disease means understanding its transmission to the spleen; this is the principle of the five elements. Treating the liver is treating the disease, while strengthening the spleen is treating disease before it occurs, which means treating the spleen before it becomes ill. If the practitioner does not understand this transmission, they will only treat the liver, and liver disease will not resolve, leading to a recurrence of spleen disease.
Key point: Do not think that treating disease before it occurs means treating when there is no disease. If treating disease before it occurs is truly interpreted as having no disease, that would be a laughable misunderstanding. If there is no disease and one treats, how can TCM not muddle through? In the case of the six meridians of cold damage, when the Jueyin is diseased, the Taiyin must also be affected; this is a certain principle. Once the Jueyin is compromised, the Taiyin must also be harmed. The liver disease (wood) invades the spleen (earth), thus treatment must focus on strengthening the spleen, which is the essence of treating disease before it occurs. Liver disease is the most typical and thus serves as a guiding principle.
Discussion:
1. What diseases affect the liver? In TCM, liver diseases are the most extensive. The Neijing states that all diseases begin with wind; thus, any condition associated with wind is considered a liver disease. Upon further investigation, Master Huang mentions the five labors and seven injuries, primarily affecting the Jueyin liver meridian. The liver belongs to wood and governs blood; when diseased, it generates wind. In detail, modern disease names such as external pathogens and internal injuries, spleen and stomach issues, heart, lung, liver, kidney, male and female reproductive health, and various chronic miscellaneous diseases are all related to the liver. Liver disease is the most typical, thus it is used for explanation; all diseases are interconnected, and the same principle applies to other organs, all embodying the essence of treating disease before it occurs.
Note: TCM does not differentiate between specialties. The terms used here are for reference. Specialized TCM is not true TCM; it has been evolved into pseudo-TCM by Western medical models. TCM is a holistic system. If each organ or disease is treated separately, it is also a form of Westernized pseudo-TCM. Similarly, if TCM prescribes functional herbs, it is treating diseases with Chinese medicine rather than practicing TCM, which is also pseudo-TCM. The current division of TCM and its treatment methods demonstrate the deformity of modern TCM. The Shanghan discusses the six meridians, while the Jinkui addresses miscellaneous diseases, phlegm, deficiency, running piglet syndrome, diabetes, stroke, palpitations, and women’s diseases, none of which are named by specialty. TCM is a holistic system; studying the Shanghan and Jinkui means that every practitioner is a generalist.
2. The spleen is strong in all seasons and does not suffer from evil influences, thus it does not need supplementation. However, if it is weakened by invasion, it becomes deficient in all seasons, thus when liver disease is observed, one must first strengthen the spleen. Liver disease invades the spleen, thus it must be strengthened; this is a certain principle. The spleen is the central earth and also the central qi; strengthening the spleen is preserving the center. If the central qi is not compromised, then the person will not die; if the central qi can recover, all diseases can be cured. The practitioner who understands the liver’s transmission to the spleen and treats the liver while strengthening the spleen is the true master, and understanding the central qi also makes one a true master.
The principle of the five elements of generation and overcoming is a certain principle; later scholars have also discussed the theory of counteracting. This section is on page 333, Nanjing Difficulties 77.
It should be noted that some people today misunderstand TCM’s treatment of disease before it occurs as treating before disease manifests or treating when there is no disease; this is a mistaken concept. Even simple sub-health conditions or mild cases of the three highs are already diseases, not the absence of disease. TCM’s treatment of disease before it occurs is not the concept of treating before disease manifests, but rather understanding the transmission of disease and the principles of treatment. Treating when there is no disease is nonsense.
Discussion: From another perspective, compare TCM’s treatment of disease before it occurs with vaccines, which prevent disease before it manifests.
TCM’s treatment of disease before it occurs involves overcoming what it can conquer and addressing the transmission; the spleen is affected by the liver’s invasion, thus it must be strengthened. Strengthening the spleen is treating disease before it occurs; can one say that the liver is without disease? Is the person without disease? The Western medical vaccine is a typical example of preventing disease before it manifests, which is entirely different from treating disease before it occurs. Vaccination implies that one is certainly without disease, and it is preventive. TCM’s treatment of disease before it occurs indicates that disease is already present. There are two obvious distinctions: TCM treats disease while vaccines prevent disease; treating disease before it occurs involves existing illness, while vaccine prevention involves no illness.Currently, whether in TCM’s treatment of disease before it occurs or in vaccine prevention, neither is being executed well.TCM cannot treat diseases; it fails to cure various ailments, and the chaos of miraculous doctors and miraculous medicines persists. Vaccines also frequently face issues, such as expired or counterfeit vaccines, incorrect administration, leading to injuries or fatalities. The prevention of disease through vaccines is also poorly managed, muddling through for profit. Without clear skies and pure air, without safe and reliable water and food, the most basic health standards cannot be maintained, let alone discussing treating disease before it occurs. TCM can treat existing diseases and potentially prevent future diseases, yet it fails to address the numbness of the human heart.
In the preface of the Shanghan Lun, it states, “Alas! The world is in a state of confusion, unable to awaken, not cherishing their lives, as if they are light-heartedly seeking death. What glory or power can they claim? They cannot love others or understand themselves, and when faced with disaster, they find themselves in dire straits, lost and confused, like wandering souls. Alas! Those who pursue worldly affairs rush towards vanity, neglecting their roots, forgetting their bodies for material gain, precarious as if on thin ice, and this is the state of affairs.”
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