04/02/2022
This is the type of study we do as Chinese Medicine Doctors. There are awesome people about who translate these very old texts so people in the west understand more
Chinese Medicine Series 13:
Explanations of Channels and Points Vol.2
The following post is an excerpt from ’Explanations of Channels and Points Vol. 2 from the chapter ‘The Hand Shaoyang Sanjiao Channel & Points‘ translated by Michael Brown and edited by Allen Tsaur. This second volume completing the series and is available at a reduced price compared to other outlets on the Purple Cloud Institute website:
https://purplecloudinstitute.com/shop/
手少陽三焦經總論
Overview of the Hand Shaoyang Sanjiao Channel
思蓮子曰：此經有形有名，所治之部分，膈之上爲上焦，乃心、肺之所居也；膈之下爲中焦，乃胃、脾之所居也；臍之下爲下焦，乃腎、肝、大、小腸及膀胱之所治也。故曰：上焦如霧，言氣之所蒸也；中焦如漚，言物之所化也；下焦如瀆，言一化之物所出也，此三焦所治之部分。凡腹中上下空處，皆三焦之氣所到處，則皆三焦治及之處，而尚非三焦所居之位、成形之所也。《内經》云：三焦
者，决瀆之官，氣化則能出矣。
Master Sīlián says, this channel has a form and a name;for the areas it manages, above the diaphragm, it is the upper jiāo, which is where the heart and lung reside; below the diaphragm, it is the middle jiāo, which is where the stomach and spleen reside; below the umbilicus, it is the lower jiāo, which manages the kidneys, liver, large and small intestines, and bladder. Thus, it is said that “the upper jiāo is like a mist,” which is speaking of the steaming of the qì; for “the middle jiāo is like foam,” it is speaking of the transformation of substances by [the qì]; for “the lower jiāo is like a sluice,” it is speaking of where the substances exit once they are transformed. These are the areas that the sānjiāo manages.
For any cavities within the abdomen, upper and lower, all of them are places that are reached by the qì of the sānjiāo; as a result, all of them are places managed by the sānjiāo; however, [these places] are still not the location where the sānjiāo resides, nor are they the places where [the sānjiāo] takes shape. The Nèijīng states, “The sānjiāo is the official of dredging the sluices; when there is qì transformation, it is able to emanate.
______________________
三焦經第五穴外關
Fifth Point of the Sanjiao Channel
Wai Guan – Outer Pass (SJ-5)
穴在腕後二寸兩骨間，與手厥陰經内關相對，手少陽絡别走心主。《銅人》：鍼三分，留七呼，灸三壯。《明堂》：灸三壯。
This point is located in the space between the two bones, 2 cùn behind the wrist; it is a counterpart to Nèi Guān (PC-6) of the hand juéyīn channel. It is the hand shàoyáng network point that diverges to the heart governor. The Tóngrén states, “Needle 3 fēn, retain for 7 respirations, and moxa 3 cones. The Míngtáng states, “Moxa 3 cones.”
注：外關者，對内關而言也，此穴在八法中，以爲通帶脈，而與足少腸膽經之臨泣穴通陽維，爲男女主客相應。
Explanation: for Wài Guān (Outer Pass), it is speaking of the counterpart to Nèi Guān (Inner Pass, PC-6). Amongst the eight confluent [points],191 this point communicates with the dài vessel; as such, it serves as a correspondence of male and female, host and guest, with [Zú] Lín Qì (GB-41) of the foot shàoyáng gallbladder
channel, which communicates with the yángwéi vessel.
外關之本病：耳聾，渾渾焞焞無聞，五指盡痛，不能握物。
Principal diseases of Wài Guān: deafness, inability to hear with muddleheadedness and dimness, and pain in all five fingers with inability to grasp objects.
注：前症乃本經上下所行部分，正症也，宜責此穴。
Explanation: the above signs [occur] in the areas where this channel travels above and below, thus, these are the principal signs [of this channel], it is appropriate to seek this point.
PS: The original work is extensively footnoted, which is omitted in this abbreviated post.
PPS: If you wish to be informed about new releases, please sign up here for free:
Purplecloudinstitute.com/register
PPPS: Image from Wellcome Collection.
