Blood and body fluid are both liquids with the functions of moistening and nourishing the body. In contrast to qi, they pertain to yin. Hence, they are physiologically inter-supplemented and pathologically inter-affected.
Since blood and body fluid are both derived from cereal nutrients, there is a saying in TCM that blood and fluid share the same origin. Physiologically, when body fluid permeates into the vessels, it will become a constituent part of blood. Pathologically, body fluid and blood are mutually affected. For instance, when there is massive bleeding, body fluid may infiltrate into the vessel to increase blood volume; meanwhile, since enormous amount of body fluid flows into the vessels, pathological manifestations such as thirst, scanty urine or dry skin will occur as a result. Conversely, when there is mass consumption of body fluid, it is very likely that not only the body fluid outside the vessels fails to flow into the vessels to increase blood volume, but also the body fluid already inside the vessels may flow out, causing lack of blood and depletion of body fluid, etc. Clinically, sweating therapy should not be used for patients with bleeding. In other words, sweating therapy is inapplicable to
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patients with frequent epistaxis, or patients suffering from frequent bleed- ing. For those with profuse sweating or depletion of body fluid, drastic blood-breaking or blood-hastening therapies should not be used unless it is necessary. In this sense, it is said, “patients who have lost profuse blood should not be treated by sweating, and those who have sweated massively should not be treated by drastically consuming blood.”
Daily Exercises
1. What is the connotation of body fluid?
2. How is body fluid produced, distributed and excreted? 3. What does “blood and fluid sharing the same origin” mean?
Weekly Review
In this week, we mainly studied the relationship among the six fu-organs and the relationship between the five zang-organs and six fu-organs, as well as some knowledge on qi, blood, and body fluid. Now we will take a brief review as follows:
1. The relationship between the six fu-organs is mainly reflected by the interaction and coordination in the process of digesting, absorbing and excreting water and food. The six fu-organs take unblocked transmission as its normal functional state and purgation as its own way of utilization.
2. The relationship between the five zang-organs and six fu-organs is, as a matter of fact, the relationship between yin and yang or interior and exterior. The channel of the heart is connected with the small intestine and
vice versa, hence they are mutually affected. The lung and large intestine
are also associated interiorly and exteriorly through the connection of channels. Under normal circumstances, the descending of lung qi is con- ducive to the transportation of the large intestine and vice versa. Pathologically, they are mutually affected. The spleen distributes fluids for the stomach, which is actually the coordination between the ascent of the spleen and the descent of the stomach. The relationship between the liver and gallbladder is mainly manifested in the production and excretion of bile and the regulation of emotions. The relationship between the
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kidney and the urinary bladder is mainly manifested in the production, storage and excretion of urine.
3. Qi, blood, and body fluid. Qi, blood and body fluid are essential substances constituting the human body and also serve as the material foundation for the physiological activities of the viscera, meridians and tissues, etc.
(1) Qi, as the most essential substance constituting the human body and sustaining its life activities, is characterized as material, invisible, motional, vital and functional. It can promote life activities and warm the human body.
Qi within the body is derived from three sources: congenital essence-qi inherited from parents, nutrients from water and cereal, and fresh air inhaled from nature. The production of qi depends on the synthetic actions of the lung, spleen, stomach and kidney, etc.
Qi can promote, warm and defend the human body. It also has astring- ing and qi-transforming functions.
The movements of qi are various, but generally they can be classified into four basic patterns: ascending, descending, exiting and entering.
According to the composition, distribution and function of qi, it can be divided into the following types:
Primordial qi, also called original qi or genuine qi, is the most basic and important kind of qi. Encompassing primordial yin and primordial yang, it is considered the motive power for life activities. It is mainly trans- formed from kidney essence and nourished by cereal nutrients. The pri- mordial qi is distributed through the triple energizers to the viscera internally and to the skin and interstices externally. Being the motive power for life activities, it can promote, warm and stimulate the physio- logical functions of the viscera and channels.
Pectoral qi refers to qi within the chest. It is composed of fresh air inhaled by the lung from nature and cereal nutrients transformed by the spleen and stomach from water and food. It flows upward out of the lung, and goes along the throat and air tube; it flows down to the pubic region, infuses into Qijie (ST 30) of the stomach meridian of foot yangming. Its functions can be generalized as “flowing into the respiratory tract to facilitate respiration and goes into the heart vessels to promote circulation of qi and blood.”
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Nutrient qi flows within the vessel and primarily originates from the quintessential part of cereal nutrients transformed by the spleen and stom- ach. The primary functions of nutrient qi are to nourish the body and produce blood.
Defensive qi, also called “defensive yang,” flows outside of the vessels. It also originates from cereal nutrients transformed by the spleen and stomach. Since it is very active, rapid, and free from the restriction of ves- sels, the defensive qi can flow between the skin and muscular interstices, warm the membranes and distribute over the chest and abdomen. The defensive qi can protect and warm the body, as well as regulate body temperature.
(2) Blood, a red liquid circulating inside the vessels, is regarded as one of the most essential substances constituting the body and maintaining its life activities. Its chief functions are to nourish and moisten the human body. Blood is primarily composed of nutrient qi and body fluid which come mainly from cereal nutrients transformed by the spleen and stom- ach. That is why it is said that the spleen and stomach is the source for production of qi and blood. The main functions of blood are to nourish and moisten the whole body as well as to serve as the main material foun- dation for the mental activities of the body. Blood circulates inside the vessels throughout the body, reaching internally to the viscera and exter- nally to the skin, muscles, tendons and bones. The normal circulation of blood relies on the coordination between the promoting action and con- solidating action of qi.
(3) Body fluid is a collective term for all the normal liquids of the body with the exception of blood. This includes various kinds of liquids exist- ing in every organ and tissue of the body, as well as the normal liquid excretions. It is also a basic material for constituting the human body and maintaining its life activities. The fluid and liquor are different in texture, function and distribution.
Body fluid originates from water and food. This is a process involving the reception of food by the stomach, the separation of the lucid from the turbid by the small intestine, and the upward transmission of nutrients to the spleen. The distribution and excretion of body fluid is achieved through the transmission of the spleen, the dispersion and descent of the lung, as well as the steaming action of the kidney. In this process, the
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triple energizers serve as the passage for circulating the body fluid to every part of the body. The body fluid functions mainly to nourish and moisten the body.
(4) The relationship between qi, blood and body fluid. In terms of the relationship between qi and blood, qi is the commander of blood, while blood is the mother of qi. This is indicated by not only that qi can produce, promote and control blood, but also that blood can produce qi. The rela- tionship between qi and body fluid is approximately the same, and the relationship between blood and body fluid is mainly marked by “blood and body fluid sharing the same origin.”
Daily Exercises
1. Concisely describe the definitions and physiological functions of qi, blood and body fluid.
2. Concisely describe the concepts and physiological functions of pri- mordial qi, pectoral qi and nutrient qi.
3. What are the relationships among qi, blood and body fluid?
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