[Original meaning of mai and its academic evolution].

Mai is the important concept in TCM and this term has been found in the early classic work of TCM. With the development and perfection of TCM theory, the original meaning of mai is "blood vessels entirely distrusted in the body". In five dynasties, the meaning of it was supplemented as "distribution of qi and blood in five zang and six fu organs to the four extremities", in which, not only blood but also qi has been included. With the constant understanding on mai, qi and blood, the unique concept of meridian and collateral is gradually generated. In terms of the modern study on the original meaning of mai and the academic evolution of meridian and collateral, it is discovered that qi is predominated and distributed in meridian and collateral as compared with blood. It is very significant to study the original meaning and academic evolution of mai, as well as the origin of the concept of meridian and collateral and to provide the reference support for the terminology standardization and basic study.