Study On The Theory Of Harmonizing The Spleen And Stomach From Zhang Zhongjing

The theory of harmonizing the spleen and stomach from Zhang Zhongjing could not only be found in six channels'differentiation (Shang Han Lun) but also in each aspect of differentiation of miscellaneous diseases(Jin Gui Yao Liu),which profoundly effects the future generations. For instance, Li Dongyuan's warming yang and ascending spleen, Ye Tianshi's nourishing yin and downward stomach, Li Zhongzi's concept that the spleen is the root of post-natal essence and so on. We might learn and understand more systematically the therapeutic principle of harmonizing the spleen and stomach, also practice preferably in the clinic from the thesis which study the original idea of the principle, the substance of the content and the exertion of the future generations.This paper leads out the physiological functions and pathological Conditions from "yang means excess while yin stands for deficiency" (Nei Jing). Spleen Governing ascending the purity while the stomach downward the dirty, as the key position of middle jiao. Opposition and complementary, they maintain the physiological functions of digestion and absorption of the human body. Dysfunction of the ascending and descending-disharmony between spleen and stomach, will cause disable of ascending the purity and downward the dirty. The precondition of normal metabolism of the essence is the regulation between spleen and stomach. The reason why to invigorate spleen and stomach strengthen the stomach qi cross the whole course of dealing with the disease for Zhongjing is that the spleen and stomach take such an important position. The conception of pay much attention to the spleen and stomach manifests in the following ways:giving prevention the priority,preventing transmission and change:choose the formula and herbs according to the key position of spleen and stomach, using herbs for treating depends on the spleen and stomach; spleen and stomach should be taken into account after having the decoction.Dysfunction of the spleen and stomach causing disharmony between them. For the general pathology, the treatment of conciliate the spleen and stomach was considered to restore the normal physiological function. The socalled harmonizing is to introduce therapies Chinese herbs and acupuncture for example which are used according to the secondary and primary aspects,°emergency and chronics with different pathogenesis, to get the normal functions back. In view of the plenty manifestations, failure of spleen to ascending the useful as primary, stomach fail to downward the waste as principal, both disharmony between ascending and descending and occurring in succession, for instance. Plenty of approaches to conciliate the spleen and stomach are there, in the aspect of therapy, mainly to do with the spleen, focus on the stomach, address both of them and resolve the problem in turn. Warm the spleen yang, reinforce the spleen qi as well as drain the dampness of the spleen are included in the methods of curing the spleen, while treating for the stomach consist of nourish the stomach yin, purge the stomach heat, descend the stomach qi and regulate the waste. From the perspective of using herbs, both cold and warm herbs, pungent for disperse and bitter for send down at the seem time and tonic with purgation simultaneously are all acceptable, but it depends when you practice. Furthermore, taking the decoction when it's warm, having some warm porridge after the decoction, double cook after taking out the materials and so on are the ways for decocting and taking the herbs.The future generations exert the theory of harmonizing the spleen and the stomach a lot, the most standard one is Treatise on Spleen and Stomach from Li Dongyuan. He suggests that all kinds of diseases will appear if the spleen and stomach are injured, the primary qi is deficiency and the fire in excess from the internal due to yin deficiency, and so on. He considers that the fundamental pathological basis of gastrointestinal disease is disharmony of qi and fire, ascending and descending, but the primary reason is yang in deficiency and ying in excess. Therefore, herbs with lifting.floating, warming and drying natures are constantly used to ascending the yang of spleen and stomach, to restore the regular lifting and lowering. The representing prescription are lifting yang and invigorate stomach decoction and strengthen middle jiao and tonify qi decoction. Ye Tianshi putts forward the theory of stomach yin based on nourishing yin to cure hot diseases, and introduces the concept of nourish yin and purge the stomach fire, which corresponds to the theory of warm the spleen and lift yang from Dongyuan. When choosing the herbs, he emphasizes that the stomach prefers soft to strong and dryness as it belongs to yang. In that case, shashen, tiandong, maidong, shengdihuang, likewise yuzhu which nourishing yin and increasing liquid are frequently used. Li Zhongzi proposed that the spleen is the essence of post-natal, injured by diet or internal attack due to overtired should be differentiated when treating the problems of spleen and stomach. Zhi Ke Bolus is suitable for the injury by diet while Bu Zhong Yi Qi decoction is appropriate for internal attack due to overtired.The classic formulas for harmonizing spleen and stomach are extensively applied in each system at present. My professor is also an accomplished scholar after researching the theory of Zhongjing for decades. He attaches importance to invigorate the spleen and stomach when deal with some confusing and miscellaneous problems as he follows Zhongjing. Sort of the conclusion about the classic prescriptions that my tutor frequently applied for harmonize the spleen and stomach I will introduce intending to study the clinical experience and to understand the harmonizing theory better.