Sun Jingwen, Tian Yanpeng, Guo Yan, Wang Chaoyang, Liu Qingguo
Zhongguo Zhen Jiu. 2015 Jun;35(6):619-22.
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.
脉是中医的重要概念，这一术语在中医早期经典著作中就已出现。随着中医理论的发展与完善，脉的本义是“血之府，贯通周身”。五代时期，其含义补充为“气血在五脏六腑与四肢之间的分布”，其中不仅包含血，还纳入了气。随着对脉、气、血认识的不断深入，经络这一独特概念逐渐形成。从现代对脉的本义及经络学术演变的研究来看，发现与血相比，气在经络中占主导并分布其中。研究脉的本义、学术演变以及经络概念的起源，对于术语规范化和基础研究提供参考支持具有重要意义。
