Bodywork

An Introduction to Traditional Chinese Medicine

 “The Tao begot one. One begot two. Two begot three. And three begot the ten thousand things… The ten thousand things are sustained by Yin, encompassed by Yang, and the immaterial breath renders them harmonious.”

~ Lao Tzu (from the Tao Te Ching, Chapter 42)

The Tao Te Ching defined Qi (pronounced “chee”) as the animating force of the universe. It is the vital energy that unites all existence, and its harmonious flow or “breath” is essential to everything within the cosmos. In Traditional Chinese Medicine (TCM), this balanced flow = health. “Meridians” are the energetic channels throughout the human body by way of which Qi circulates.

At the heart of TCM are “The Five Elements”. The following chart is organized around these, their various properties, and the meridians that they govern. Those who are familiar with the practice of Feng Shui will recognize several overlapping principles here. In future articles, I will break the vital components down and discuss each one in greater detail.

There is a ton of information available about TCM, The Five Elements, and the meridians. I certainly don’t profess to be any kind of expert, but I hope that you will find this simple compilation as interesting and helpful as I have.

WOOD FIRE EARTH METAL WATER
COLOR Green Red Yellow White Blue/Black
SEASON Spring Summer Late Summer Autumn Winter
DIRECTION East South Center West North
CLIMATE Wind Heat Humidity Dryness Cold
YIN (SOLID)
ORGAN/MERIDIAN		 Liver Heart Spleen Lungs Kidney
YANG (HOLLOW)
ORGAN/MERIDIAN		 Gall Bladder Small Intestine Stomach Large Intestine Bladder
PEAK TIME G= 11PM–1AM
LV = 1AM–3AM		 HT = 11AM–1PM
SI = 1PM–3PM		 ST = 7AM–9AM
SP = 9AM–11AM		 LU = 3AM–5AM
LI = 5AM–7AM		 BL = 3PM–5PM
KI = 5PM–7PM
NOURISHES Muscles/Sinews Blood Vessels Flesh Skin Bones/Marrow
EXPANDS INTO Nails Complexion Lips Body Hair Head Hair
ORIFICE Eyes Ears Mouth/Throat Nostrils Genitals/Anus
SENSE ORGAN/
SENSE COMMANDED		 Eyes/Sight Tongue/Words Mouth/Taste Nose/Smell Ears/Hearing
LIFE ASPECT Soul Spirit Intellect Instinct Will
EMOTION Anger Joy Worry/Sympathy Grief/Anguish Fear
SOUND Shouting Laughing Singing Weeping Groaning
SECRETION Tears Sweat Saliva Mucous Urine
FLAVOR Sour Bitter Sweet Pungent/Spicy Salty
SMELL Rancid Scorched Fragrant Rotten Putrid
*GRAIN (VARIES) Wheat Corn Millet Rice Beans/Peas
*FRUIT (VARIES) Plum Apricot Date Peach Chestnut
*MEAT (VARIES) Chicken/Trout Lamb/Shrimp Quail/Salmon Beef/Cod Pork/Crab
*VEGETABLE (VARIES) Broccoli Asparagus Pumpkin Cabbage Nori
MUSICAL NOTE Chio Chih King Shang Yu
*There is varied (and often widely conflicting) information available about these. Curious readers are encouraged to investigate them further.
The “Heart Protector/Circulation Sex” meridian (thought to be associated with the pericardium: the fibrous sac enclosing the heart and its great vessels) is also “Fire” and “Yin”. It governs blood flow, sexual secretions, and the pulse of life.
PEAK TIME = 7PM–9PM
The “Triple Heater” or “Three Burning Spaces” meridian is “Fire” as well. It is the “Yang” counterpart of “Heart Protector”, and it’s thought to guard all body organs and control body heat.
PEAK TIME = 9PM–11PM
DEPRESSION is a malady of the LIVER
SKEWED JOY is a malady of the HEART
OBSESSION is a malady of the SPLEEN
ANGUISH is a malady of the LUNGS
PHOBIA is a malady of the KIDNEYS