I. The Origin and Conceptual Evolution of the Six Meridian Discriminations

1. The leap from the Neijing to the Typhoid Treatise

• ​Su Wen - The Treatise on HeatFor the first time, the theory of "three yin and three yang" was put forward, but it was not directly related to clinical diagnosis.
• ​Zhang Zhongjing (1820-1895), historian of the Ming dynasty, author of the folklore of Zhang ZhongjingIn the Treatise on Typhoid Fever creatively developed the six meridians (sun, yangming, shaoyang, taiyin, shaoyin, and syncope) into theDynamic Energy Layer Model, used to analyze the transmission pattern of exogenous diseases.

2. Naming Contributions of Zhu Humeral in the Song Dynasty

• Zhu humerus first named the "three yin and three yang diseases" of the Typhoid Fever Treatise as the "six meridians" in the Book of Class Certificates for the Living, but the essence of theSix-layer energy defense system, rather than a mere meridian concept.

When it comes to the "six meridians of identification" in the "Treatise on Typhoid Miscellaneous Diseases", it is not exactly the same concept as the six meridians of the "Neijing".

The Treatise on Typhoid Fever does not have the names of the six meridians. When we look at the entire "Treatise on Typhoid Fever", it is all about identifying and treating the pulse and evidence of sun disease and identifying and treating the pulse and evidence of yang-ming disease, and there is no mention of the sun meridian or the yang-ming meridian. Taking the name of the six meridian identification is not Zhang Zhongjing, is the Song Dynasty Zhu humerus gong1, he in the "class evidence living book", for the first time in the "typhoid fever" in the side of the three yin disease, the three yang disease is called six meridian, we later said six meridian identification, that is, from this. The reason why Zhu humerus called it six meridians is that it is directly derived from the Suwen-heat treatise.

The six meridians of Typhoid originally referred to six different layers of energy, which you can also understand as different defense mechanisms.

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​II. Core Theory of the Six Meridian Energy Layers

(with illustration of energy levels)
1. Correspondence between the six meridians and energy

​the Six Sutras (Daoism, Confucianism, Buddhism)	​energy level	​physiological function	​pathological manifestations
solar	superficial defense	Regulates body temperature and protects against external evils	Cold and fever, no sweating or spontaneous sweating
Yangming prefecture level city in Guangdong	liner supply	Digestion and absorption, qi and blood biochemistry	High fever, constipation, thirst
one of the 28 constellations of Chinese astronomy	cardinal regulation	Elevation of qi and balance of yin and yang	Cold and fever, chest and hypochondriac pain and fullness
the Moon (esp. in Daoism)	qi and blood biochemistry	Spleen and Stomach Transportation and Fluid Transmission	Bloating, loose stools, loss of appetite
the Moon (esp. in Daoism)	radical nourishment	The heart and kidneys are intertwined, and yang energy is latent	Cold extremities and depression
herky-jerky	dynamic equilibrium	Liver qi is unblocked and yin and yang are transformed	Cold hands and feet, vomiting roundworms

2. Dialectical relationship between meridians and energy layers

• ​solar meridian(Bladder meridian, Small Intestine meridian): main surface defense; if the meridians are full of qi, the pores will open and close freely (e.g. Gui Zhi Tang stimulates yang qi in the solar layer).
• ​one of the channels of TCM(Stomach meridian, large intestine meridian): more gas, more blood, for energy "reinforcement" (such as Hegu point sweating need to borrow Yangming meridian gas).
• ​the Divine Yin channel (TCM)(Spleen meridian, lung meridian): If the spleen and stomach are weak, all diseases will arise (e.g., a child's cough needs to strengthen the spleen rather than simply stopping the cough).

How are the meridians of the Sun, Shaoyang, Yangming, Taiyin, Shao Yin, Syncopated Yin and the different levels of energy connected?Meridians are specific manifestations of different levels of energy. But energy is not the same as exclusively referring to meridians.

For example: the Hand Solar Small Intestine Meridian and the Foot Solar Bladder Meridian. They both belong to the solar level of energy. They are both the main surface: the surface that is in contact with the outside world: if the Bladder meridian is full of meridian energy, the back is not easily chilled and does not catch cold easily. If the Small Intestine meridian is full of energy, food is easily digested without stagnation.

The Sun of the Typhoid is different from the solar meridian.The solar layer is the surface energy and is not limited to the skin where the hands and feet solar meridians circulate; the skin of the whole body can be attributed to the solar layer. However, by pronouncing the meridian energy of the hands and feet, it is possible to realize the effect of opening the pores of the whole body.

As for our solar surface evidence, using the medical idea of declaring the solar meridian qi to relieve the surface, such as a bowl of onion and black bean soup, ginger soup, or cinnamon stick soup are all ways to stimulate the body's yang qi. The first thing activated is the solar layer.

Similarly, we can do direct back scraping, acupuncture, etc. When it comes to acupuncture, we probably won't go for the solar meridian, but rather the yangming meridian, such as the Hegu point to sweat. Why?This is because the Yangming meridian is the only multi-qi and multi-blood meridian in the twelve main meridians of man.The reason why people get cold is also because the sun meridian Qi is not enough. So the south water to the north, from the most energetic Yangming meridian to transfer some energy over, equivalent to the reinforcement of troops.

And what if it comes to a cough? That's when you don't just detoxify the surface, but you also promote the lungs to detoxify the surface.The reason it can turn into a cough is because there is a Tai Yin inside and outside.Many children cough directly after being cold, which is directly related to the deficiency of the lungs and spleen. And some doctors prescribe only pronounce the lungs to stop coughing, without paying attention to the spleen and stomach. So there will be a situation: the child is well, but the next time the cold is directly cough again.

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​III. Clinical practice: the logic of using the six meridians to identify evidence

(with tongue image and medication guide)
1. Solar epidemiology: relief of the epidemiology is the first priority

• ​an image of the tongue (in former times): Pale red tongue, thin white moss, floating tight pulse.
• ​classical Chinese medical prescription::
  • ​cinnamon branch soup(Harmonizes Ying and Wei, activates yang qi in the solar layer).
  • ​black bean soup with scallion and black bean paste (TCM)(Therapeutic formula: 3 white onions + 10g of Tempeh, to sweat out the symptoms).
• ​external treatment (e.g. medicine): Back scraping (bladder meridian circulation area) or moxibustion at the Da Shi points.

2. Yangming li syndrome: venting the bowels and draining heat

• ​an image of the tongue (in former times): Red tongue with yellow fur and flooding pulse.
• ​classical Chinese medical prescription::
  • ​Baihu Tang(Gypsum + Zhimu to clear Yangming Qi heat).
  • ​Shunqi Tang, a Tang dynasty soup that regulates the stomach and takes care of vital energy (TCM)(Rhubarb + Manganese Nitrate passes through the bowels and drains heat).

3. Shaoyang pivot: reconciling Shaoyang

• ​an image of the tongue (in former times): Red tongue with thin yellow coating and thin stringy pulse.
• ​classical Chinese medical prescription::
  • ​Xiaochaihu Tang(Chai Hu + Scutellaria baicalensis and Shaoyang, harmonizing Liver, Gallbladder, Spleen and Stomach).

4. Spleen deficiency in the Taiyin: cultivating earth to generate gold

• ​an image of the tongue (in former times): The tongue is pale and fat, bordered by teeth marks, and the moss is white and greasy.
• ​classical Chinese medical prescription::
  • ​Four Gentlemen Soup(Ginseng + Rhizoma Atractylodis Macrocephalae + Poria + Licorice strengthens the spleen and strengthens the qi).
  • ​poria mushroom and white artichoke powder(Enhances expectoration of dampness and stops diarrhea).

5. Shao Yin, Heart and Kidney: Returning Yang and Rescuing Reversals

• ​an image of the tongue (in former times): The tongue is pale purple, the moss is grayish-black, and the pulse is dull and sluggish.
• ​classical Chinese medical prescription::
  • ​four reversals of the trend (TCM)(Appendicia + Ginger + Radix et Rhizoma Glycyrrhizae to restore Yang and rescue the rebellious).

6. Syncopated Liver Reversal: Harmonizing Yin and Yang

• ​an image of the tongue (in former times): Reddish-red tongue, yellowish-dry moss, stringy pulse.
• ​classical Chinese medical prescription::
  • ​umeboshi pills(Umei + Rhizoma Polygonati Odorati + Radix Aesculi Cold and Heat are used to harmonize the syncopated yin.)

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​IV. Modern Misinterpretation and the Return of the Classics

(Analyzed in the context of clinical cases)
1. Common misconceptions

• ​Myth 1: "The six meridians are the six meridians" → Truth: The six meridians are dynamic energy layers that cover the meridians, internal organs, and qi and chemical functions.
• ​Myth 2: "Yangming meridian is full of qi and blood = sweating at will" → Risk: depletion of yin fluid, aggravating yin deficiency (case: constipation aggravated by abuse of ephedra soup in a patient).

2. Return of the classics: the six meridians of pediatric cough diagnosis

• ​case (law): A 4-year-old child with a cough after exposure to cold, pale tongue, white moss, and floating tight pulse.
• ​miscalculation: Cough syrup alone (treats the symptoms, not the cause).
• ​reigning (of a king)Cough stopped after 3 doses of Guizhi Tang + Poria, Almond and Licorice Tang (relieving surface and promoting lungs + strengthening spleen and dispelling dampness).