• The body’s self-defense is an innate and dynamically changing defense mechanism and potential ability that plays an important role in the prevention and treatment of diseases. Human life activities are constantly influenced by the external environment, and only by adapting to the four seasons and the environment can one remain safe and sound.
• When disturbed or attacked by pathogenic factors, the body responds differently based on the type of pathogenic factor and the area affected, resulting in various symptoms. These symptoms serve as “warning” signals to the body. To protect itself, the body expels pathogenic factors through specific means.
Self-protection, abbreviated as “self-defense,” refers to a series of physiological or psychological measures taken by the body to protect itself from harm when faced with adverse stimuli or potential dangers. This is an innate and dynamically changing defense mechanism and potential ability that plays an important role in the prevention and treatment of diseases. Traditional Chinese Medicine (TCM) has a unique understanding and interpretation of this, which will be elaborated upon in conjunction with literature.
Principles of Self-Defense
Influenced by ancient philosophical thoughts, TCM has formed the concept of “the correspondence between heaven and man” and “the unity of heaven and man.” The “Su Wen: On the Full Shape of Life” states, “Man is born on earth, and his fate is suspended in heaven; the union of heaven and earth’s qi gives rise to man”; “Man is born from the qi of heaven and earth, and the laws of the four seasons are established.” It is believed that human life activities are constantly influenced by the external environment. Only by adapting to the four seasons and the environment can one remain safe and sound.
Regarding the occurrence of diseases, TCM has two important assertions: one is the statement in the “Su Wen: On Acupuncture Methods” that “when the righteous qi is preserved within, the evil cannot invade”; the other is from the “Su Wen: On the Evaluation of Febrile Diseases” stating, “Wherever evil gathers, its qi must be deficient.” This is evidently a different expression of the same viewpoint, both indicating that the occurrence of diseases is the result of the struggle between righteousness and evil, with insufficient righteous qi being the fundamental internal cause.
The so-called righteous qi refers broadly to the life substances such as essence, qi, blood, and body fluids, as well as the physiological functions of the organs and meridians, and the self-protective abilities that arise from this foundation, including self-regulation, adaptability to the environment, disease prevention and resistance, and self-healing abilities.
Specifically, as a highly active subtle substance, qi is also the basic material that constitutes and maintains life activities. Its generation relies on the comprehensive functions of various organs, but it is also said that “the kidney is the root of life qi,” “the spleen and stomach are the source of life qi,” and “the lung is the master of life qi.” The functions of qi include promoting, warming, defending, consolidating, and transforming, among which the defensive function is an important manifestation of the body’s self-defense ability.
In terms of defending against external pathogens, wei qi (defensive qi), as a type of yang qi, is undoubtedly the first line of defense. It is generated from food and drink, originates from the spleen and stomach, emerges from the upper jiao, circulates outside the meridians, is vigorous in nature, and operates swiftly, performing functions such as nourishing the interior and exterior, protecting the skin, nourishing the pores, and regulating sweat pores. As stated in the “Su Wen: On Bi Syndrome,” “Wei is the fierce qi of food and drink.” The “Ling Shu: On the Organs” states, “Wei qi is what warms the flesh, fills the skin, nourishes the pores, and regulates the opening and closing… When wei qi is harmonious, the flesh is well-nourished, the skin is soft, and the pores are dense.” The “Yi Zhi Xu Yu” states more clearly: “Wei qi is to protect the whole body… preventing external pathogens from invading.” Thus, it can be seen that when pathogenic factors invade the body, wei qi cannot be absolved of responsibility.
Each component of the living body, such as the five organs and six bowels, meridians, five senses, and limbs, has its own functions and characteristics, and in performing their functions, they also have their own forms and methods of self-defense.
The “Ling Shu: On the Origin of All Diseases” states, “The beginning of all diseases arises from wind, rain, cold, heat, dampness, joy, and anger,” indicating that besides external pathogens, emotions such as joy and anger are also common causes of diseases. The emotional activities represented by joy and anger are originally external reflections of the functional activities of the five organs, as stated in the “Su Wen: On the Correspondence of Yin and Yang,” “Humans have five organs that transform into five qi, giving rise to joy, anger, sadness, worry, and fear.” Among these, the heart occupies a dominant position, as stated in the “Classics”: “The heart is the great master of the five organs and six bowels, encompassing the soul and spirit, and governing intentions and thoughts. Therefore, worry affects the lung, thinking affects the spleen, anger affects the liver, and fear affects the kidney; this is why the five emotions are governed by the heart.” At the same time, emotional activities are also the body’s responses to external stimuli that have self-protective significance; expressing emotions in moderation is beneficial and harmless. The “Yi Chun Sheng Yi” states profoundly and in detail: “Joy, anger, worry, thinking, sadness, fear, and surprise are all common experiences for everyone. If one is joyful when it is time to be joyful, angry when it is time to be angry, and worried when it is time to be worried, this is the utmost harmony in the world, and what harm can there be? However, if one anticipates joy or anger before it is due, or clings to it after it has passed, then one will be in a state of joy, anger, worry, and thinking at all times, and the heart will never have a day of tranquility; even if one wishes to avoid harm, how can it be achieved? However, the harm of the seven emotions, although divided among the five organs, must ultimately return to the heart.
Manifestations of Self-Defense
When disturbed or attacked by pathogenic factors, the body responds differently based on the type of pathogenic factor and the area affected, resulting in various symptoms. Although these pathological responses will undoubtedly cause varying degrees of harm to the body, from a diagnostic perspective, they also have positive significance: these symptoms serve as “warning” signals to the body. To protect itself, the body expels pathogenic factors through specific means. Here are some examples to illustrate.
Fever is a manifestation of elevated body temperature during the pathological process or a subjective feeling of heat. In cases of external invasion, it is due to wei yang (defensive yang) combating pathogenic factors, or being obstructed by pathogenic factors; in cases of internal injury, it is due to deficiency of qi and blood, or imbalance of yin and yang. Accompanying fever, sweating is a response of self-regulation by the body. The “Su Wen: On the Distinction of Yin and Yang” states, “When yang is added to yin, it is called sweat,” indicating that sweat is a product of the interaction between yin and yang qi, which can regulate body temperature and excrete waste.
Coughing is a manifestation of the lung’s failure to descend and the upward rebellion of lung qi. The onset of coughing is described in the “Three-Character Classic of Medicine”: “The lung is the canopy of the organs; when called, it is empty; when inhaled, it is full; it can only accept the righteous qi of the original organ and cannot tolerate external guest qi; if guest qi invades, it will cause choking and coughing; it can only accept the clear qi of the organs and cannot tolerate the pathogenic qi of the organs; if pathogenic qi invades, it will also cause choking and coughing.” Accompanying coughing, expectoration can reduce further harm from metabolic waste to the body.
Vomiting is a manifestation of the upward rebellion of stomach qi, expelling the contents of the stomach through the mouth. The “Ling Shu: On Nutritional and Biological Meetings” describes the middle jiao as “like a fermentation process,” vividly illustrating that the spleen and stomach digest food and drink like fermentation, requiring both “fire” (yang qi) for warming and “water” (yin fluids) for moistening. If there are undigested food and drink in the stomach, expelling them is undoubtedly a form of self-defense.
Diarrhea is a manifestation of loose and frequent stools. Its onset can be due to external invasion or internal injury, leading to spleen deficiency and excess dampness. However, expelling the waste from the intestines can cleanse the internal environment, which is also a self-defense response.
Palpitations refer to a feeling of the heart racing or being unsettled, indicating a signal of distress or lack of nourishment to the heart spirit.
Dizziness refers to a sensation of lightheadedness, reflecting a disturbance or lack of nourishment to the brain orifices.
Pain occurs when the meridians, which are the pathways for qi and blood circulation, become obstructed due to various reasons, leading to the saying “no flow means pain” or “pain means no flow.”
Depressive Syndrome is an emotional response exceeding the body’s regulatory capacity after encountering unfavorable circumstances, primarily manifested as depression, gloominess, or emotional instability, easily angered, prone to crying, and fluctuating emotions, reflecting improper emotional release and a state of being unable to control oneself.
Various abnormal indicators discovered by modern medical tests are actually responses made after the body’s self-protective mechanism is activated, and not all of them have corresponding clinical symptoms. For example, elevated blood pressure reflects a state of increased pressure on the blood vessel walls as blood flows through them, similar to the abnormal indicators of blood sugar and uric acid, all reflecting a result rather than a cause; clinically, it is still necessary to find the root cause.
Utilization of Self-Defense
Fully understanding the body’s self-defense mechanism is of great significance for health maintenance and clinical treatment.
Health Maintenance In traditional terms, health maintenance refers to various methods to nourish life, enhance physical fitness, and prevent diseases, aiming for health and longevity. In modern terms, health maintenance refers to actively engaging in physical and mental nurturing activities according to the laws of the life process. The effectiveness of health maintenance is primarily reflected in the improvement of self-defense ability.
The “Huang Di Nei Jing” contains very rich and wise experiences of physical and mental health maintenance, which still effectively guide people’s health practices today. For example, the “Su Wen: On the Ancient True Nature” records, “Follow the principles of yin and yang, harmonize with the techniques, eat and drink in moderation, maintain regularity in daily activities, do not overwork, thus the body and spirit can be together, and one can live out their full lifespan”; “Avoid the invasion of evil winds at the right time, maintain tranquility and emptiness, and the true qi will follow; keep the spirit within, and where does illness come from?”; “When the will is calm and desires are few, the heart is at peace and not afraid, the body is tired but not weary, qi flows smoothly, and everyone gets what they desire”; the “Su Wen: On the Four Qi Adjusting the Spirit” states, “Nourish yang in spring and summer, nourish yin in autumn and winter”; the “Ling Shu: On the Spirit” states, “A wise person’s health maintenance must follow the four seasons and adapt to cold and heat, harmonize joy and anger, and adjust hardness and softness; in this way, evil will not approach, and one can live long”; the “Su Wen: On Pain” states, “I know that all diseases arise from qi; anger causes qi to rise, joy causes qi to relax, sadness causes qi to dissipate, fear causes qi to descend, cold causes qi to contract, heat causes qi to leak, surprise causes qi to become chaotic, and overwork causes qi to deplete, while thinking causes qi to stagnate”; the “Ling Shu: On the Organs” states, “When the will is harmonious, the spirit is focused and straight, the soul does not scatter, regrets and anger do not arise, and the five organs do not suffer from evil”; the “Su Wen: On Bi Syndrome” states, “Excessive eating and drinking harms the intestines and stomach,” etc.
Throughout history, many related records can be found, such as the “Mengzi” stating, “Nourishing the heart is best achieved through few desires”; the “Lunheng” stating, “To achieve longevity, the intestines must always be clean; to achieve immortality, the intestines must be free of residue.” The “Baopuzi” introduces many experiences of physical and mental health maintenance, such as “In treating the body and nurturing the nature, one must be cautious in detail; do not neglect small benefits for the sake of not repairing them, and do not ignore small harms for the sake of not preventing them”; “Moreover, if one attempts what is beyond their ability, it will cause harm; if one exerts strength beyond their capacity, it will cause harm; if one is saddened and emaciated, it will cause harm; if one excessively rejoices, it will cause harm; if one is overly eager for desires, it will cause harm; if one talks and laughs excessively, it will cause harm; if one sleeps at the wrong time, it will cause harm; if one draws a bow and pulls a crossbow, it will cause harm; if one becomes intoxicated and vomits, it will cause harm; if one eats too much and then sleeps, it will cause harm; if one runs and jumps excessively, it will cause harm; if one rejoices and cries excessively, it will cause harm; if yin and yang do not interact, it will cause harm… Therefore, the methods of health maintenance should not be extreme; one should walk slowly, not listen excessively, not look too long, not sit too long, not lie down too much, dress according to the cold and heat, not eat excessively when hungry, and not drink excessively when thirsty. If one eats too much, it will lead to accumulation; if one drinks too much, it will lead to phlegm and obstruction… In winter, do not seek excessive warmth; in summer, do not seek excessive coolness; do not sleep under the stars, and do not sleep with shoulders exposed; avoid extreme cold, extreme heat, strong winds, and heavy fog.” Additionally, the “Yangxing Yanming Lu” states, “The body should always be active, and the appetite should always be moderate; work should not be excessive, and rest should not be excessive.” The “Four Essentials of Health Maintenance” proposes that the methods of health maintenance include “few desires,” “cautious actions,” “following the seasons,” and “avoiding diseases,” and there are countless related folk sayings, such as “Dress warmly in spring and cool in autumn to avoid various diseases”; “If you want your child to be safe, keep them moderately hungry and cold,” etc.
Clinical Treatment The body’s self-defense ability is also fully reflected in the treatment and recovery from diseases, playing an unexpectedly important role. Therefore, how to appropriately and fully utilize this ability is a significant issue that both doctors and patients need to correctly understand, rationally view, and appropriately grasp.
Once a disease occurs, it indicates that pathogenic factors have breached the defense line of righteous qi, which will inevitably cause a certain degree of harm to the body. Due to the discomfort and pain it brings, most people choose to seek medical treatment. However, this process of seeking “external assistance” may also, due to inappropriate measures, deprive the self-defense ability of the opportunity to exercise and display, leading to a state of lethargy.
The various responses made by the body in self-defense need to be carefully analyzed, treated differently, and intervened appropriately. If one hastily addresses symptoms, not only will it obscure the condition due to the disappearance of symptoms, but it may also lead to changes due to neglecting the root cause. For example, while quickly controlling body temperature can alleviate suffering and harm in cases of fever, excessive medication can adversely affect immunity. Similarly, coughing with expectoration, vomiting due to food injury, and diarrhea due to food injury are all forms of the body’s expulsion of pathogenic factors; if they are simply suppressed, phlegm and food-related pathogenic factors will remain in the body and continue to cause harm. Furthermore, while elevated blood pressure has very complex causes, if the underlying causes are not eliminated and the focus is solely on controlling blood pressure values, even believing that lifelong medication is necessary, it will reduce some harm while increasing some potential dangers.
In current clinical treatment, whether using “confrontation” methods such as antibiotics, antiviral drugs, antihypertensives, hypoglycemics, lipid-lowering agents, or uric acid-lowering agents, or using “correction” methods such as clearing heat, dispersing cold, warming yang, or nourishing yin, the underlying principle is to strengthen the righteous qi and eliminate the evil, support the weak, and “reduce the excess and supplement the deficiency,” striving to help patients eliminate pathogenic factors and relieve pain. However, in doing so, the focus is often placed on controlling the disease, inadvertently neglecting the patient’s recovery potential.
From both life and clinical practice perspectives, many diseases can achieve self-healing in the early stages through self-adjustment without medical intervention; conversely, excessive medical intervention, even if it achieves the desired effect, may weaken self-defense and self-healing abilities. In TCM, the human body is viewed as an organic whole interconnected internally and externally. The diseases one suffers from are also a whole; that is, the occurrence and development of each stage of the disease will have explicit or implicit effects on the next stage of the disease. Therefore, excessive medical intervention aimed at immediate effects may lead to endless future problems and be counterproductive.
In summary, health is inseparable from the body’s self-defense ability. Despite the various warning signals emitted by the body in the face of diseases, how to actively mobilize the body’s self-defense ability and grasp the timing and degree of intervention in diseases is a dilemma filled with contradictions for both doctors and patients. However, it is clear that treating the righteous qi well and emphasizing self-defense is always a wise choice.
Source: China Traditional Chinese Medicine News Editor: Qiao Yuyuan
Reviewed by: Han Weiwei Supervised by: Yang Na
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