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Module 2   Lesson 6   Xin Bao, Ming Men, Yuan Qi

Pericardium, Ming Men and Original Qi

Who protects the Heart, and where does the fire come from that keeps all the organs warm?

A shorter lesson. After this lesson you can name the five headings of ch. 11 and the seven functions of the Fire of the Ming Men, and explain how Yuan Qi, the Original Qi, travels from between the Kidneys to all the organs.

Heart Emperor Fire Pericardium: wrapper Uterus Bao Mai, Bao Luo Bao Mai San Jiao Triple Burner all organs and source points Kidney Water Ming Men Fire Kidney Water Yuan Qi Bao Luo Minister Fire
Pericardium and Uterus after Maciocia ch. 11 (pp. 169 to 173) and Su Wen 33 and 47; Yuan Qi and Ming Men after ch. 4 pp. 75 to 78 and Nan Jing 66. The Minister Fire as a line from the Ming Men to the Pericardium is one of two readings (step 4). Schematic.

Know by heart

  • Five headings of ch. 11. The Pericardium as an organ, as a channel, and the Shen, and the Minister Fire, and the Uterus. mnemonic: shield, channel, spirit, fire, womb.
  • Three functions. Protects the Heart; helps the Heart govern Blood; helps the Heart house the Shen. mnemonic: the bodyguard who also lends a hand.
  • Three names, two classics. Xin Bao (wrapper), Xin Zhu (Master of the Heart), Tan Zhong (centre of the chest). Su Wen 8: the ambassador, from whom joy comes; Ling Shu 71: what attacks the Heart lands in the Pericardium.
  • Yuan Qi. Jing in the form of Qi; arises between the Kidneys (Nan Jing 66), drives all the organs, travels via the San Jiao and emerges at the source points. mnemonic: the source, the messenger, the taps.
  • Seven functions of the Fire of the Ming Men. Source of Yuan Qi; Fire for all the organs; warms the Lower Burner and Bladder; warms the Spleen and Stomach; sexuality, Jing and Uterus; helps the Kidneys receive Qi; helps the Heart house the Shen. mnemonic: source, hearth, bladder, kitchen, bed, breath, spirit.
  • Two Fires. Emperor Fire: the Heart. Minister Fire: in the Five Elements with the Pericardium and San Jiao, in the Ming Men doctrine the Fire between the Kidneys.
  • Where is the Ming Men? Nan Jing 36: the right Kidney; Zhang Jie Bin (1563 to 1640): between the two Kidneys.

The rest of this lesson is reference.

Pericardium, Ming Men and Original Qi (Yuan Qi): Who protects the Heart, and where does the fire come from that keeps all the organs warm?
The chart as an image, to save or share

Three practice questions from this lesson

Which five headings does ch. 11 have?
  1. Organ, channel, Shen, Minister Fire, Uterus
  2. Organ, channel, Blood, Jing, Uterus
  3. Functions, correspondences, dreams, sayings, patterns

Answer: Organ, channel, Shen, Minister Fire, Uterus. That is how the table of contents has it: as an organ p. 169, as a channel p. 170, Shen and Minister Fire p. 171, Uterus p. 172.

Ling Shu 71: what happens when a pathogenic factor attacks the Heart?
  1. It goes to its Fu, the Small Intestine
  2. It ends up in the Pericardium
  3. The Heart fights it off itself

Answer: It ends up in the Pericardium. The Heart cannot tolerate a pathogenic factor; the Pericardium intercepts it. The Small Intestine is the Fu of the Heart, but Ling Shu 71 does not speak of it here.

Why does the Neijing often speak of eleven organs?
  1. The San Jiao then does not count as a Fu
  2. The Gall-Bladder then counts as an extraordinary Fu
  3. The Pericardium then counts as a function of the Heart

Answer: The Pericardium then counts as a function of the Heart. Five Zang and six Fu; the Pericardium belongs to the Heart. The San Jiao and the Gall-Bladder simply count among the six Fu.

The rest of this lesson

In the course you get the step-by-step explanation, 14 case-based practice questions, 14 spaced-repetition flashcards, the pitfalls and the bridge to physiology with evidence grades. This lesson belongs to module 2: Organs.

Try three lessons freeSee the course