a look at two acupuncture classics
The following passage is taken from Wu Jing-Nuan’s translation of the ‘Ling Shu’ or ‘Spiritual Pivot’. This text is a foundational acupuncture text written in the Han dynasty some 2000 years ago.
“The water clock drippings are divided into one hundred quarters in accordance with divisions of day and night. Consequently, for man, for each exhalation, there is a repeating movement in the channels, wherein the qi travels three cun. For each inhalation, there is also a repetitive movement in the channels, and the qi travels three cun. For one complete breath there is a travelling motion of the qi of six cun.”
To put this above statement in an expanded and clearer context I have added chapter one on the Nan-Ching translated by Paul U. Unschuld.
The first difficult issue: All the twelve conduits have [sections where the] movement [in these] vessels [can be felt]. Still, one selects only the "inch-opening" in order to determine whether the [body's] five depots and six palaces [harbor a] pattern of death or life, of good or evil auspices. What does that mean?
It is like this. The "inch-opening" constitutes the great meeting point of the [contents passing through] the vessels; it is the [section of the] hand-great-yin [conduit where the] movement [in that] vessel [can be felt]. When a [normal] person exhales once, [the contents of] the vessels proceed three inches; when [a normal person] inhales once, [the contents of] the vessels proceed three inches [too]. Exhaling and inhaling [constitute one] breathing [period]. During this period, [the contents of] the vessels proceed six inches. A person, in the course of one day and one night, breathes altogether 13,500 times. [During that time, the contents of] the vessels proceed through 50 passages. [That is,] they circulate through the body [in the period needed by] the clepsydra dripping water to move down by 100 markings. The constructive and the protective [influences] proceed through 25 passages [during a] yang [period], and they proceed through 25 passages [during a] yin [period]. This constitutes one cycle. Because [the contents of the vessels] meet again, after 50 passages, with the inch-opening, [this section] is the beginning and the end of [the movement of the contents of the vessels through the body's] five depots and six palaces. Hence, the pattern [of death or life, of good or evil auspices harboured by the body's five depots and six palaces] is obtained from the inch-opening.
Thus from above, both chapter 50 of the Ling shu & chapter 1 of the Nan-Ching present to us the essence of the movement in the vessels and highlight the deep connection our internal Qi flow has to the universal/astronomical cycles, as measured against the clepsydra markings.
“The influences felt at the inch opening reflect the state of the five depots & six palaces”
Feel free to contact me with any questions you may have.
Warm Regards,
Giancarlo Nerini - Acupuncturist (Melbourne & Safety Beach)
“The water clock drippings are divided into one hundred quarters in accordance with divisions of day and night. Consequently, for man, for each exhalation, there is a repeating movement in the channels, wherein the qi travels three cun. For each inhalation, there is also a repetitive movement in the channels, and the qi travels three cun. For one complete breath there is a travelling motion of the qi of six cun.”
To put this above statement in an expanded and clearer context I have added chapter one on the Nan-Ching translated by Paul U. Unschuld.
The first difficult issue: All the twelve conduits have [sections where the] movement [in these] vessels [can be felt]. Still, one selects only the "inch-opening" in order to determine whether the [body's] five depots and six palaces [harbor a] pattern of death or life, of good or evil auspices. What does that mean?
It is like this. The "inch-opening" constitutes the great meeting point of the [contents passing through] the vessels; it is the [section of the] hand-great-yin [conduit where the] movement [in that] vessel [can be felt]. When a [normal] person exhales once, [the contents of] the vessels proceed three inches; when [a normal person] inhales once, [the contents of] the vessels proceed three inches [too]. Exhaling and inhaling [constitute one] breathing [period]. During this period, [the contents of] the vessels proceed six inches. A person, in the course of one day and one night, breathes altogether 13,500 times. [During that time, the contents of] the vessels proceed through 50 passages. [That is,] they circulate through the body [in the period needed by] the clepsydra dripping water to move down by 100 markings. The constructive and the protective [influences] proceed through 25 passages [during a] yang [period], and they proceed through 25 passages [during a] yin [period]. This constitutes one cycle. Because [the contents of the vessels] meet again, after 50 passages, with the inch-opening, [this section] is the beginning and the end of [the movement of the contents of the vessels through the body's] five depots and six palaces. Hence, the pattern [of death or life, of good or evil auspices harboured by the body's five depots and six palaces] is obtained from the inch-opening.
Thus from above, both chapter 50 of the Ling shu & chapter 1 of the Nan-Ching present to us the essence of the movement in the vessels and highlight the deep connection our internal Qi flow has to the universal/astronomical cycles, as measured against the clepsydra markings.
“The influences felt at the inch opening reflect the state of the five depots & six palaces”
Feel free to contact me with any questions you may have.
Warm Regards,
Giancarlo Nerini - Acupuncturist (Melbourne & Safety Beach)
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