Written by
- Sanghoon Lee, KMD, MPH, PhD, DiplAc, LAc Professor, Department of Acupuncture and Moxibustion, College of Korean Medicine Kyunghee university
- Dongwoo Nam, KMD, PhD Assistant Professor, Department of Acupuncture and Moxibustion, College of Korean Medicine Kyunghee university
- Jeongmin Ko, KMD, Dr.Jeongmin Ko’s Korean Medicine Clinic (Inc.) All that Korean Medicine
- Hyojung Kwon, KMD, PhD (Inc.) All that Korean Medicine
- Seung Min Kathy Lee, KMD, PhD, Research Fellow Department of Acupuncture and Moxibustion, College of Korean Medicine Kyung Hee University
- Park Jun Hyeong, KMD, MS, Researcher, Department of Acupuncture and Moxibustion, College of Korean Medicine
Kyung Hee University
Published in December 2017 by Korean Society of Acupuncture & Moxibustion Society
9. Composition of acupuncture points in Saam acupuncture prescriptions
The basic theory for composition of acupuncture points in Jung-gyeuk (正格) and Seung-gyeuk (勝格) appear in Nanjing. The 69th line in Nanjing : 『難經·六十九難』, 虛者補其母, 實者瀉其子, 當先補之, 然後瀉之 describes the basic principle. It states the application of five phases theory to the self meridian and other meridians as well.
Lines from Nanjing that states the composition theory for Saam acupuncture:
Line 69) Treat Deficiency by reinforcing the mother, Treat Excess by reducing the child. (虛者補其母, 實者瀉其子, 當先補之, 然後瀉之).
The meaning of Saam acupuncture is the control by the self meridian and other meridians as well. There are other lines within the Nanjing that is supposedly explaining for the composition of acupuncture points in Saam acupuncture, but the meaning are still controversial and line 69 is the basic principle so far.
10. Tonification-sedation methods in self-meridian and other meridians
1) Self-meridian tonification-sedation method (自經 補瀉法): The concept of self-meridian tonification-sedation method is acupuncturing the son point of the self meridian and the mother point of the next meridian. It was Bo ren hua (滑伯仁) who first combined the twelve meridians and the twelve double-hours (十二時辰) and stated the circulating time of the lung meridian as 3 am~5am (寅時). The two-hours of each meridian is when the qi flow is the highest, and so the son point is acupunctured. The next two-hours is when the qi flow becomes weaker, so the mother point is selected. The twelve meridians are matched to the twelve earth branches(十二地支), the start of which is time of Zi (子時:11pm~1am).
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2) Other meridian tonification-sedation method (他經 補瀉法): Zhang shi xian (張世賢) expanded the use to the other meridians in addition to the self meridian (original meridian). This was basically from the five pathogens (五邪) of Neijing.
For example, for liver, liver itself is the right pathogen. Heart is the excessive pathogen (liver engenders heart), spleen is the tiny pathogen (liver restricts spleen), lung is the enemy pathogen (lung restricts liver), and kidney is the deficient pathogen (kidney engenders liver).
For example, for Earth (土) above, Fire and Metal which are in the front and back of Earth become the son and mother each for Earth. What are over the mother and son are 官 and 讐. Son and mother help the original qi (本) while 官 and 讐 suppress the original qi.
- 相侮(讐) : mutual insulting, counter-acting Insult here means when one element is so strong that the corresponding overcoming element it is overcome.
- 相克(官): mutual overcoming (official) Since mother can make the son deficient (母能令子虛), right pathogen (正邪) can be used for treatment of treating deficiency by reinforcing the mother (虛則補其母). Son can make mother become excessive (子能令母實) enables excessive pathogen (實邪) to be used in treatment of treat excess by reducing the child (實則瀉其子). Enemy pathogen (賊邪) is used for treatment of deficiency should be suppressed of the official (虛則抑其官(承乃制)) when in case of utmost excess leads to myself becoming deficient (剋實則令我虛(亢則害)), and treatment of excess should be tonified of the enemy (實則補其讐), when in case of utmost deficiency leads to myself becoming excess (剋虛則令我實). Tiny
pathogen (微邪) is used for treatment of deficiency should be treated by sedating the tiny pathogen (虛則瀉其微邪).
