Deck 5 - Blood, fluids and qi

Question 1

Explain the complete process of blood production in CM

Answer 1

Stomach breaks down food
Spleen transforms food into gu qi
Gu qi rises to Lung to combine with air qi
Transforms into zong qi (gathering qi)
Heart transforms zong qi into blood with yuan qi
Kidney jing provides material basis
Blood also produced from bone marrow if needed.
Liver stores and regulates blood volume

Question 2

Describe the complete cycle of fluid metabolism

Answer 2

1. Fluids enter Stomach
2. Spleen separates pure/turbid
3. Pure part:
   Ascends to Lung
   Lung disperses to skin/muscles
   Some descends to Kidney

5.Turbid part:
Descends to Small Intestine
Further separation occurs
Pure rises to Bladder
Turbid exits as feces

6. Kidney plays key role:
   Vaporizes some fluid up to Lung
   Sends some down to Bladder

Question 3

What are all the steps in qi production?

Answer 3

. Yuan qi (original qi) from Kidney
Gu qi (food qi) from Spleen
Air qi from Lung
Combines to form:
Zong qi (gathering qi) in chest
Ying qi (nutritive qi)
Wei qi (defensive qi)

Each organ then produces its own qi

Question 4

Detail the relationship between qi and blood

Answer 4

Qi is the commander of blood
Blood is the mother of qi
Qi moves blood
Blood nourishes qi
If qi is deficient, blood stagnates
If blood is deficient, qi becomes unstable
Both needed for proper circulation

Question 5

Explain the complete transformation of jin-ye fluids

Answer 5

Jin (clear fluids):

Light and thin
Flow to surface
Moistens skin/muscles
Controlled by Lung

Ye (turbid fluids):

Heavy and dense
Nourish organs, bones, marrow
Moisten joints
Controlled by Spleen/Kidney

Question 6

What organs are involved in fluid circulation and what are their roles?

Answer 6

Lung:

Controls water passages
Disperses fluids

Spleen:

Transforms and transports
Raises pure fluids

Kidney:

Controls water metabolism
Steams fluids

Triple Energizer:

Regulates water passages
Ensures proper fluid movement

Bladder:

Stores and excretes fluids

Question 7

Describe the four levels of qi transformation

Answer 7

Yuan qi (Original qi):

From Kidney
Base for all qi

Zong qi (Gathering qi):

In chest
Governs respiration

Ying qi (Nutritive qi):

Flows with blood
Nourishes organs

Wei qi (Defensive qi):

At surface
Protects from pathogens

Question 8

What causes blood deficiency and how does it manifest?

Answer 8

Poor diet/digestion
Blood loss
Chronic illness
Overwork
Emotional strain

Manifestations:

Pale complexion
Dizziness
Palpitations
Dry skin
Poor memory
Scanty menstruation
Numbness
Insomnia

Question 9

What are the key philosophical concepts introduced during the Warring States period?

Answer 9

Yin Yang theory
Five Elements theory
Dao (the Way)
Heaven-Earth-Human relationships
Concepts of change and transformation
Unity of macrocosm and microcosm

Question 10

Name and describe the four major classical texts of Chinese Medicine

Answer 10

Huangdi Neijing (Yellow Emperor’s Classic):

Suwen (Basic Questions)
Lingshu (Spiritual Pivot)

Nanjing (Classic of Difficulties)
Shanghan Lun (Treatise on Cold Damage)
Jingui Yaolue (Essential Prescriptions of the Golden Cabinet)

Question 11

What are the key differences between Confucian and Daoist influences on Chinese Medicine?

Answer 11

Confucian influence:

Emphasis on social order
Systematic correspondence
Ethical practice
Social responsibility

Daoist influence:

Natural law
Non-interference
Following the Dao
Spontaneous healing

Question 12

Explain Zhang Zhongjing’s contribution to Chinese Medicine

Answer 12

Wrote Shanghan Lun and Jingui Yaolue

Developed six-stage theory of disease
Created systematic approach to herbal formulation
Established pattern differentiation
Linked specific formulas to patterns
Foundation of clinical practice

Question 13

What are the Four Examinations and their significance?

Answer 13

Looking (望):

Complexion, tongue, body shape, movement

Listening/Smelling (闻):

Voice, breathing, odors

Asking (问):

Case history, symptoms

Touching (切):

Pulse, palpation, temperature

Question 14

How did the Song-Jin-Yuan period influence modern CM?

Answer 14

Four great masters emerged:
Liu Wansu (Cooling school)
Zhang Congzheng (Attacking school)
Li Dongyuan (Tonifying Earth)
Zhu Danxi (Nourishing Yin)

Question 15

What are the key differences between TCM and Classical Chinese Medicine? | TCM (post 1950s):

Answer 15

Standardized
Simplified theories
Integration with biomedicine
State-sponsored

Classical CM:

More philosophical
Complex theoretical system
Traditional terminology
Classical text-based

Question 16

Describe Sun Simiao’s contribution to medical ethics | Wrote “On the Absolute Sincerity of Great Physicians”:

Answer 16

Treat all patients equally
Avoid financial motivation
Maintain continuing education
Practice with compassion
Focus on prevention
Study classical texts

Question 17

How did the Warm Disease School develop?

Answer 17

Emerged in Ming-Qing dynasties
Response to epidemic diseases
Four-level theory developed
Focus on heat pathologies
New understanding of disease progression
New herbal formulas created

Question 18

What are the three main treatment principles in CM?

Answer 18

1. Support the righteous (zheng qi)
   Expel the pathogenic (xie qi)
   Balance yin and yang

Question 19

How did Buddhism influence Chinese Medicine? |

Answer 19

Introduced meditation practices
Influenced understanding of mind-body connection
Added compassion emphasis
Brought Indian medical concepts
Influenced understanding of consciousness
Added new therapeutic techniques

Question 20

What were Wang Qingren’s anatomical contributions?

Answer 20

Wrote “Corrections on the Errors of Medical Works”
Conducted actual anatomical studies
Corrected traditional organ descriptions
Linked anatomy to clinical practice
Challenged some classical concepts
Maintained traditional theoretical framework