Lexicon Browse

this is the ‘yíng’ frequently use with wèi (衛), where yíng (營) is generally translated as “to nourish;” yíng (營) is the pictogram of a military encampment or barracks; Unschuld often translates it as “camp,” which certainly makes clear when the Chinese text includes this character, but its natural meaning is not helpful for the practitioner, something like Wiseman and Ye’s ‘constructive’ qì may be more helpful; in many of those cases, I simply leave it untranslated (in pinyin), as I believe this is one of the terms for which practitioners should simply learn the Chinese name; yet, in Língshū 1.1.5 yíng (營) appears to be used rather differently — meaning “to regulate or manage,” which is a meaning it exhibits especially relative to exchanges, as we see in the opening of Língshū 1, and commonly in business affairs. Yíng (營) is one of the three qì; life consists of the individual’s constant exchange with his or her environment; within that context, the character yíng (營) expresses the idea of regulating and managing the resources and processes that generate qì and blood, so the meaning of yíng (營) is more than just some variant of “to nourish,” as it is frequently translated in Chinese medicine contexts; Sabine often likes to render yíng (營) as “provision,” which can be read as either a verb or a noun and it maintains the military connotation, though with that rendition as well, we need to understand that yíng (營) includes not just the materials to generate vital humors (qì, blood, and fluids), but also the management or regulation of that process.

Wiseman and Ye render yíng (營) as “construction” (as a noun) or “constructive” (as an adjective), which they define as the qì that forms blood and qì (post-natal qì) that flows within the vessels to nourish the body; Unschuld renders yíng (營) as “camp,” because yíng (營) is the pictogram of a military encampment; like a military encampment, yíng (營) provides the working foundation and resources from which any ‘military’ action — 衛氣 (wèi qì) — can be waged; yíng (營) refers to how one is able “to manage or regulate” the digestion and processing into blood-qì from what the individual chooses to internalize, including both physical and experiential material; it has been rendered simply as “constructs” (as a verb) in Lingshu 47.1.3, though it could just as easily been rendered as “nourishes.”

these are yáng-type abscesses, which well up from the surface of the skin, sometimes called carbuncles; these yáng-type abscesses contrast with jū (疽) which are yīn-type abscesses, that are deep and do not raise the surface of the skin; yōngzhǒng (癰腫), as in Sùwèn 3.5.6 can be rendered as either “yōng with swelling” or “the swelling of yōng;” this expression became a technical term of historical Chinese medicine, which Wiseman and Ye rendered as “swollen welling-abscesses.”

to travel, rove, associate with, or the reaches of a river; in Língshū 1.15, yóu (遊) seems to refer to the entire range of where shénqì (神氣) moves.

literally means “to have surplus;” if we are looking for classical roots for our modern Chinese medicine concepts of ‘deficient’ and ‘excess,’ we are much closer with bùzú (不足) as ‘deficient’ and yǒuyú (有餘) as ‘excess,’ than we are with xū (虛) and shí (實).

literally means “to consent,” though it is often used as an abbreviated form of shù (腧) with the flesh radical on the left. 腧穴 (shùxué) is a common name for acupuncture points. Yet, these phrases refer to very specific points; so yú (俞), as an abbreviated form of shù (腧) appears to be used as an alternate form of shū (輸), meaning “to transport;” these are the five or six special points on each mài (脈), where it is characterized by a specific quality of qì flow; these shū (輸) are the points identified for each vessel flux in Língshū, chapter 2, and they remain core information for all acupuncture students to learn.

means “to participate in or interfere with;” See also, yǔ (與) and yú (與).

can indicate either a question or an exclamation; See also yǔ (與) and yù (與).

this character can be used in several very different ways; yǔ (與) is a verb with a range in meanings — to give, help, approve, be friendly with, to follow, conform with, or to wait, permit, or pay; or yǔ (與) can function as an adverb meaning “all or completely;” it also operates as a preposition (with, be at, along with, to, for) and conjunction (and or by); many passages that contains this character (與), most frequently pronounced yǔ, are difficult to render into English; often, they have more than one meaningful interpretation, which can itself grow into a fruitful inquiry. See also, yù (與) and yú (與).

means “source or origin;” yuán (源) is the same character used for the ‘source points’ on each of the channels. These yuán (源) points are the locations where the channels receive yuánqì (源氣).

in many common uses, yùn (運) means “to transport or convey,” it can also mean “to revolve,” or “a revolution, circuit, or period of time” or even “turn of fate.” Yùn (運) is frequently used in relation to the turning of the heavens, as in Sùwèn 3.3.2; yùn (運) also occurs in Sùwèn 3.3.4. Later in Sùwèn (ch. 67-71), yùn (運) is used in the context of the wǔyùnliùqì (五運六氣) or five transports and six qì (氣).

it is a place of storage, or ‘storehouse’ (as in 庫藏 (kùzàng, which apparently inspired Unschuld’s translation); in Chinese medicine, the 五藏 (wǔzàng) refer to what Wiseman and Ye render as the ‘five viscera.’ However, both that rendition and the common ‘zàng-organs’ project a modern physical bias that distorts the classical meaning; Porkert translated the zàng (藏) as ‘orbs’ of influence, and indeed each has particular ‘resonances’ — yìng (應), which Unschuld and many others refer to as their Five Phase ‘correspondences.’ Regardless of translation, these yìng (應) are the specific sense organ, tissue, emotion, etc. that practitioners of acupuncture and Chinese medicine learn are associated with each zàng (藏).
In Buddhism and Daoism, zàng (藏) refers to a scripture, sutra, or canon, as in 大藏經 (Dàzàngjīng) or 道藏 (Dàozàng), which is where particularly treasured teachings are recorded.
Zàng (藏) is a government storehouse or arsenal, where important things including the means of defending oneself are stored.
zàng (藏) is also frequently used as a shortened form of zàng (臟) — with the ‘flesh radical’ on the left, which is specifically the zàng (藏) used in Chinese medicine to refer to the ‘vital organs’ of the heart, lungs, spleen, liver, and kidneys, where the five spirits are stored or treasured. However, I believe it’s dangerous to identify the zàng (臟) with physical/anatomical organs, because doing so shifts one into modern scientific worldview where, among other things, nouns are nouns, and they signify something material. Instead, the zàng (臟) are far better understood as ‘orbs of influence,’ as Manfred Porkert defined them many years ago.
In common language, this character is sometimes pronounced differently — cáng (藏).

to be apparent or to make known, obvious; in Sùwèn 75.1.7, it refrains the theme of illumination of míng (明) in Sùwèn 75.1.6. The progression in that line clarifies that one may shed light on some passage of text or situation — míng (明), but still not be able to convey that understanding into specific clinical applications — zhāng (彰). One implication of this progression in Sùwèn 75.1 is that academic scholarship, without the ability to translate one’s understanding into clinical application, has limited value.

literally, this means “true man.” According to my lineage of Daoist thought, zhēnrén (真人) is the highest of four ‘types’ of xiān (僊) or xiān (仙). Its use in Sùwèn 13 may suggest that portion of the chapter, especially, expresses Daoist sensibilities.

will, aspiration, ideal, ambition; be devoted to, or to remember, to keep in mind; it can also mean the records or annals that hold that memory, aspiration or ideal; zhì (志) is one of the wǔshén (五神), associated with Water and which are identified with the wǔxíng (五行); indeed, since each of the five phases expresses a directional movement, the shén (神) associated with it is instrumental in implementing that movement. In that context, zhì (志) is usually translated simply as “will,” however that is simply its yáng (陽) side, where its yīn (陰) side might be expressed as “willingness.” As with the somatic qì (氣) of the Water phase (Kidney), the yīn (陰) is the foundation of yáng (陽), or willingness is the foundation of will.

generally means “a branch,” though it can also mean “to pay, or to advance money;” this extends to mean “to support, prop up, manage, or (even) to withdraw.” In medicine, zhī (支) is sometimes short for zhī (肢), which means one’s limbs. Within the theory of the jīngmài (經脈), the limbs are where the individual exchanges qì (氣) with the environment, and each mài (脈) contains specific points near the ends of the limbs that manage (and can drain) the vessel flow — mài (脈).

literally means “to govern, direct, regulate, or put into order,” and specifically in Chinese medicine “to cure or heal;” zhì (治) is used throughout Nèijīng to identify conditions or disease expressions that can be treated by the methods or techniques being discussed.

literally means “to, or until;” Zhì (至) is used in the important expression zhìdào (至道)， which is often rendered into English as “Perfect, Ultimate, or Supreme Dào.” In both cases it means the progression or process by which one approach some ideal, rather than the endpoint of that process. That is, the meanings of both zhì (至) and dao (道) convey the idea of an ongoing path, rather than a destination. According to Shuōwén, zhì (至) is a pictogram of a bird diving into water to ‘strike’ (that is, catch) a fish, and thereby feed him/herself or perhaps even family/children; thus, it refers to focused and persistent attention or effort; in Sùwèn 13.3, it appears to mean that thieving wind will continue doing what it does (disrupt and penetrate) until it is stopped, which one with sufficiently compromised wèiqì (衛氣) cannot do.
The title of Sùwèn 75 presages an expression at the end of the Thunder Duke’s first response to the Yellow Emperor, where he expresses his desire to receive further teachings, so he can treat patients more effectively and to make the teachings received from our elders — jiāo (教) concerning Chinese medicine explicit enough to write a book — zhù (著).

can be translated relatively literally as “limbs and joints” or “joints of the extremities,” and this pair can also be read as a complex meaning “the external anatomy;” much of Língshū 47 is devoted to visual diagnosis of various details of each individual’s external anatomy — zhījié (肢節), including but not limited to measures of their limbs and joints; in Língshū 1, line 15, jié refers to the assemblies of qì (i.e. points), where the embodied spirit exchanges its qì (氣). These are the points, where one can communicate with qì (氣) to influence its flow.

these two characters can be translated simply as a conjunction of two of the five aspects of spirit, which are generally rendered as “will (or willingness)” — zhì (志) and “intent” — yì (意); however, when they are used together as at the beginning of Língshū 47, this pair of characters is a complex — a yīn-yáng (陰陽) nexus, which I’ve rendered into English as “purposeful intent;” I read this complex of shén (神) to animate yíng (營). See also húnpò (魂魄) and jīngshén (精神).

literally means a “lord, master, owner, or host” (as a noun) and also to “manage, direct” (as a verb). Specifically within an investigation or practice like Chinese medicine, zhǔ (主) means “main principle,” as in zhǔyào (主要). Within Shennong Bencao, zhǔ (主) is used to signify the treatment principles expressed by various herbs. Sabine has rendered zhǔ (主) in her translation as “in charge,” as in this text’s initial discussion of the functions of upper, middle, and lower ‘level’ herbs.

Certainly, this is a correct translation, and it leaves a lot of latitude for individual interpretation. How much of this treatment is a matter of mastering a pathology, through asserting one’s main principle as the host (see Lingshu 1.2, where the pathogenic factor is referred to as 客 (kè), so the individuals are the host)? How much is it a matter of illuminating one’s unconscious and somatic projections, by bringing them out to conscious awareness? While zhǔ (主) does not actually mean “to illuminate,” according to Shuōwén (說文), it is the pictogram of a lamp that is lit, so it then “masters” the dark. What is the meaning of mastery?

From early in the history of Chinese herbal literature, zhǔ (主) has indicated the therapeutic functions of an herb or formula. A particularly Daoist perspective in reading zhǔ (主) believes the therapeutic function of an herb formula is generated by it illuminating the dynamics of pathology for the patient’s embodied spirit — jīngshén (精神), and thereby provides it some (somatic) guidance toward resolution.

literally means “to follow, pursue, overtake; or to escort, or to go back;” it can also mean “to trace out or follow to its source; or to reflect upon;” following the other part of Língshū 1.3.5, this expression, 其往不可追, might also be rendered “its going cannot be made to happen.”

this is an ancient method for treating disease by ‘calling on the shén (神) for the cause or origin of a disease;’ zhù (祝) means “to bless, or invoke;” while yóu (由) simply means “from,” it is the pictogram of the germination of a fruit pit or large grain. Together with zhù (祝), we can think of yóu (由) as one’s (original or essential) ‘coming from.’ Thus, this method involves more than simply communicating with spirit to understand the cause or origin of one’s disease, it also invokes a ‘re-initialization” of the individual’s essential ‘coming from’ — one’s jīngshén (精神) or embodied spirit — to restore the person’s health.

as a simple conjunction, this pair of characters means “left and right;” however, zuǒyòu (左右) can also be read as a complex, meaning “to control or influence;”