The yin and yang of the muscles and bones in traditional Chinese medicine.
What is Yin and Yang?"Yin" and "Yang" are the two basic attribute categories of the entire material world summarized by ancient philosophers, and on this basis, they were infinitely extended and expanded, so as to study the two aspects of yin and yang that exist in the universe and are opposed to each other, and then expound and deduce the internal laws of the development and change of all things.
Everything that is athletic, extroverted, rising, diffuse, warm, bright, and excited belongs to yang;Relatively static, inward, descending, condensed, cold, dark, and inhibited are all yin. Cold and heat, movement and stillness, light and shade are the iconic attributes of yin and yang, and water and fire are both, so it is called "water and fire, the sign of yin and yang".
The theory of yin and yang runs through the whole theoretical system of traditional Chinese medicine, according to which it explains the structure of human tissues, explains the physiological functions of the human body, clarifies the pathological changes of the human body, and guides clinical syndrome differentiation and treatment. The physiological activities of the human body rely on yin and yang to restrain each other, promote each other and coordinate and balance, and maintain the normal physiological functions of the body with the balance of yin and yang, that is, "yin and yang secret".
The law of physiological phenomena and pathological changes in the human body. To put it simply, yin refers to the substance of the human body, that is, bodily fluids, including blood, fluid, tears, nasal fluid, endocrine, and even men's **. As for yang, it refers to the non-physical matter of the human body, that is, the functions and qi of the body.
What are bones?Regarding the original meaning of "tendons", "Shuowen" says: "Tendons, the power of flesh is also." From the force, from the meat, from the bamboo. Bamboo, the one with many muscles. All tendons belong to tendons. There are three meanings expressed here: from the aspect of meat, that is, in terms of attributes, tendons belong to the major class of tissues of muscles;From bamboo, it is about the structural characteristics, and the tendon refers to the slender and flexible fibrous tissue in this large category of tissuesFrom the force, it is to talk about the function, the tendon refers to the organization with mechanical properties in this category, and the mechanical role of the tendon is mainly manifested in the "main bundle of bones and beneficial organs" ("Su Wen and Impotence Theory"), that is, the fixation of joints and skeleton structure and the coordination of joint movement. In summary, tendon refers to fibrous tissue with certain biomechanical properties. Combined with modern anatomical knowledge, the extension of tendons can involve muscles, muscle bundles, muscle fibers, myofibrils, muscle filaments, muscle segments, tendons, fascia, ligaments, joint capsules and other structures.
Bone is a hard connective tissue that is composed of three components: cells, fibers, and matrix. The most characteristic of bone is that the cell matrix has a large amount of calcium salt deposits. The structure of bone includes periosteum, bone, and bone marrow. The function of bone is mainly to support and protect the body, in addition to hematopoiesis and maintaining blood calcium balance. The concept and function of bone in Chinese medicine are basically the same as those of modern anatomy.
Yin and yang of muscles and bones, "tendons" are yang;"Bone" is yin.
In the physiological state, the tendons connect and restrain the bones, and the bones provide support and attachment for the tendons, and the two are interdependent and mutually useful, so that the human body maintains a dynamic equilibrium state of "harmony between muscles and bones".
The tendons and bones are one of the five bodies, the main tendons are in the liver, the five elements belong to wood, the main bone is in the kidneys, and the five elements belong to water;Using the perspective of yin and yang to analyze the attributes of "tendons" and "bones", the tendons are active, outside, and yang, and the bones are static, inside, and yin, and in the physiological state, the relationship between the tendons and bones is the same as the relationship between yin and yang, which should be the harmonious state of "the muscles and bones", and it is the premise and fundamental of maintaining and guaranteeing "the bones are positive and the tendons are soft, and the qi and blood flow to the sky" ("Su Wen: The Theory of Qi and Qi through the Heavens").
Lonely yin does not grow, only yang does not grow", the tendons do not leave the bones, the bones do not leave the tendons, the bone marrow produces blood and transforms the jin, so as to nourish the tendons, and the tendons are soft and tenacious;The muscles are soft and the blood is dissolved, so that the bones are positive, and the body has vitality and strengthYin and Yang sympathy, Yin and Yang mutual storage, Yin and Yang transformation, Yin and Yang cycle, endless, muscles and bones are interdependent, the human body is balanced, and the foundation of health is also.
The balance and stability of the musculoskeletal system is also divided into yin and yang, yin refers to the flexibility and moisture of the body, and yang refers to the vitality and strength of the body. These two aspects are interdependent and mutually restrictive, and if one has a problem, the other will also be affected.
Specifically, if the yin aspect of the body is insufficient, it can lead to a lack of moisture and flexibility in the body, muscles and ligaments can become stiff and inflexible, and joints can become tight and uncomfortable. If the body's yang side is insufficient, it will lead to a lack of vitality and strength, muscles and bones will become weak and weak, and the body will become susceptible to damage.
Therefore, the theory of yin and yang of muscles and bones in traditional Chinese medicine believes that in order to maintain the health of the body, it is necessary to maintain the balance of yin and yang in the musculoskeletal system. This can be achieved through dietary conditioning, exercise, acupuncture and massage, etc.
Note: 1Yin and Yang sympathy: It refers to the mutual induction and integration of Yin and Yang in motion, that is, the interaction of mutual friction, dislocation and oscillation. The sympathy of yin and yang is the root of the generation and change of all things in the universe. "Zhou Yi Zhi Xia" said: "Heaven and earth are dense, and all things are alcohol;Men and women are refined, and all things are born. ”
2.Yin and Yang are mutually hidden: It means that either of the opposing Yin and Yang contains the other, that is, there is Yang in Yin and Yin in Yang.
3 .Yin and Yang transformation: refers to the overall attributes of things, under certain conditions can be transformed in the opposite direction, in the development process of things, if the growth and decline of yin and yang is a process of quantitative change, yin and yang transformation is a qualitative change on the basis of quantitative change.
Remarks:1Reference Xi Literature "Basic Theory of Traditional Chinese Medicine" Author: Zhang Anling, Xu Yincong
2.Online article material about the yin and yang aspects of muscles and bones.