Studies on the method and the theory of moxibustion in "BianQueXinShu(扁鵲心書) (vol. I)"

"편작심서(扁鵲心書).권상(卷上)"에 나타난 뜸법에 대한 연구(硏究)

  • Kim, Hyun-Dong (Dept. of Oriental Medical Classics and History, College Of Oriental Medicine, Sangji University) ;
  • Lee, Yong-Bum (Dept. of Oriental Medical Classics and History, College Of Oriental Medicine, Sangji University)
  • 김현동 (상지대학교 한의과대학 원전의사학교실) ;
  • 이용범 (상지대학교 한의과대학 원전의사학교실)
  • Published : 2007.05.31

Abstract

A theory of the school which attach great importance to moxibustion therapy was more developed from 'Ge Hong(葛洪)', 'Wang Tao(王燾)' up to "BianQueXinShu(扁鵲心書)" of 'Dou Cai(竇材)' in Song Dynasty. The first volume of "BianQueXinShu" was described about the principles of health preserving method, diagnosis, treatment related with meridian system, support Yang theory, moxibustion therapy over the 10 chapters and in the continued 3 chapters, explained the symptoms and related moxibustion therapies. The summary is as follows. The Yang energy is the essence of the human body and it is minutely explained in "Hwangdineijing(黃帝內經)". However, the younger scholars after 'Zhang Zhongjing(張仲景)' held different views with "Hwangdineijing" so they didn't control serious diseases. Supporting the Yang energy, it will be possible to human body in good health and long life and perennial youth and longevity. To do like this, the first important thing is a moxibustion, the second is a Taoist hermit medication(丹藥) and the third is well usage of Radix Aconiti Lateralis Preparata. According to the sequence of Yang energy deficiency, the stages of diseases are classified as Ordinary Gi(平氣), Latter deficient state(微虛), The more deficient state(甚虛), Exhausting state(將脫), Exhausted state(已脫) and in the consideration of each stage, it is used gradually with warm-natured berbs, warm-acrid herbs, warm-heated herbs and moxibustion therapy. If it comes to the stage of Exhausted state, the Yang energy is too weak to treat a disease. Therefore it is easy to harm human body with usage the treatment of the Purgationist school theory or the Cold and cool medical school theory, so it is needed a great attention to use these therapies. To summarized the keynote of 'Du Jae''s moxibustion therapy, the one is a minority of selection of points(1$^{\sim}$2 acupuncture points), the second is a majority of moxibustion units(50$^{\sim}$500 units), and the other is a focused selection of points on spleen and kidney(especially Gwanwon, CC4). And in this book, it was explained concretely about the size of moxibustion, according to the experiment with mentioned size, the burning time of moxibustion was almost 4 min 40 sec, so the big size moxibustion was one of the characteristic of moxibustion therapy revealed in this book. Also it was used 'Suseongsan(睡聖散)' - a kind of analgesic herb complexes - to reduce a pain during the usage of moxibustion therapy in this book. To develop the moxibustion theory, it is more investigated in the future that there wasn't significant relation between Gwanwon(CC4) and spleen and kidney meridian in theory, compared to many used Gwanwon(CC4) in the prescription, where as mentioned the importance of spleen and kidney in treatment, that considering the burning time(1 unit - 4 min 40 sec, 12 units an hour, maximum 288 units a day) there were no guidances about meals, sleeping, stool and urine, and that there was no concrete study about the toxicity of 'Suseongsan' as analgesic moxibustion therapy.

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