Discussion On The "Consistency" And The "Exterior And Interior"between The Lung And The Large Intestine

BackgroundThe theory of "the viscera and the bowels are closely related to each other" and "the exterior-interior relationship between the lung and the large intestine", which have been effectively guiding the clinical practice, are two of the most important parts of traditional Chinese Medicine (TCM) basic theory. Yet many researchers confused the concepts and connotations of "consistency" and "exterior and interior", consequently clinical thinking and clinical applications are limited. This study summarized the connotation and the relationship between "consistency" and "exterior and interior", in order to provide new ideas and methods for clinical applications.ObjectiveThrough the literature collection and the reorganization, the purpose is to further study the connotation and extension of "consistency" and "exterior and interior", to elucidate their relationship, to further improve and confirm the scientific and practical theory of "the exterior-interior relationship between the lung and the large intestine" furthermore, to provide new ideas for clinical application.MethodsThe traditional texture analysis methods were adopted to collect the literatures in the ancient Chinese Medicine books and modern national and international database on "the viscera and the bowels are closely related to each other" and "the exterior-interior relationship between the lung and the large intestine" theory. Through analyzing the effective information, the concept, the connotation and the relationship can be summarized, so that we can explore the status in human beings.Results1. Based on the same aspect, the lung and the large intestine have cohesion force. which are both from primordial qi, have the same morphological structure. Meanwhile, they both belong to yangming dry qi, and form the physiological basis of consistency. At the same time, the lung and the large intestine have different anatomical sites and different relationships between yin and yang. They play a role in discharging impurity, accessing of qi and companying movable together.2. The exterior-interior relationship between the lung and the large intestine can be verified from four aspects. Firstly,"the lung is interior and the large intestine is exterior" can be verified from the doctrine of viscera state, the lung storing inferior spirit and the large intestine governing anus, the lung governing descending and the large intestine transporting, the lung deficiency and the large intestine excess. Secondly,"the lung is exterior and the large intestine is interior" can be verified from the lung and the large intestine both belong to yangming dry metal, the large intestine producing ying-wei and the lung governing ying-wei. the large intestine producing fluid and the lung governing it. Thirdly,"the lung and the large intestine are both interior" can be verified from qi movement and their meridian connected. fourthly,"the lung and the large intestine are both exterior" can be verified from they both connecting skin and hair and qi of the nature.3. The consistency of the lung and large intestine is based on spirit, supported by qi, yinyang and five elements, and on the basis of the "exterior and interior". The "exterior and interior" is a form that the "consistency" plays different functions. They are interdependent and inseparable.Conclusions1. The "consistency" between the lung and the large intestine has the same and the different aspects, which is promotes and bases on each other, and its similarity coexists with differences, so that the lung and the large intestine have attraction to consistency.2. The relationship between the lung and the large intestine including four different ways. Firstly, the lung is interior and the large intestine is exterior. Secondly, the lung is exterior and the large intestine is interior. Thirdly, the lung and the large intestine are both interior. Fourthly, the lung and the large intestine are both exterior.3. The "consistency" is the basis of the "exterior and interior", and the "exterior and interior" is a form of living. They arc interdependent, inseparable and collaborative.A. Clinical application should stimulate human’s inner strength, harmonize the relationship of yinyang and five elements, in order to recover the consistency of viscera. This is the mechanism of curing.