Ma Yonglan, Zhao Bai-Xiao
College of Acupuncture-Moxibustion and Tuina, Beijing University of Chinese Medicine, Beijing 100029, China; G&L Thessaloniki Ltd., Greece.
College of Acupuncture-Moxibustion and Tuina, Beijing University of Chinese Medicine, Beijing 100029, China.
Zhen Ci Yan Jiu. 2022 Aug 25;47(8):738-43. doi: 10.13702/j.1000-0607.20210701.
Using the philological method, the comparison was conducted between the internal canals of human body, meaning the four pairs of "phleps" in the ancient Greek medicine, and the eleven "mai" (meridians, vessels, channels) of Mawangdui silk manuscripts. It is believed that they refer to the initial understanding on the connecting passages of the human body in Western medicine and Chinese medicine respectively. Although they have their own unique characteristics, there are many similarities in running courses, related indications, diagnosis and treatment, as well as theoretic foundation. Both of them represent the duality of tangible blood vessels and intangible pathways, reflecting the common cognitive mode of human body and diseases in early human medicine, with the similar characteristics, e.g.analogy, examining the exterior to deduce the conditions in the interior, holistic connection and natural balance. The four pairs of "phleps" of ancient Greek medicine, with the preliminary features of meridians, were substituted by the blood circulation theory afterwards; whereas, the eleven "mai" of Mawangdui silk manuscripts were developed into a twelve-meridian system. These different evolution paths and outcomes may be associated with the distinct medical philosophies and cultural backgrounds between ancient Greek medicine and Chinese medicine. This summary provides a new approach and new perspectives for the study on the regularity of the early human medical origin, especially the origin of meridians.
运用文献学方法，对人体内部管道进行了比较，即古希腊医学中的四对“血管”与马王堆帛书的十一“脉”（经络、血脉、通道）。认为它们分别代表了西医和中医对人体联络通道的初步认识。它们虽各有特点，但在循行路线、相关病症、诊疗方法以及理论基础等方面存在诸多相似之处。二者均体现了有形血管与无形通路的二元性，反映了早期人类医学对人体及疾病的共同认知模式，具有类比、由表及里、整体关联、自然平衡等相似特征。古希腊医学的四对“血管”具有经络的初步特征，后被血液循环理论所取代；而马王堆帛书的十一“脉”则发展成为十二经脉系统。这些不同的演变路径和结果可能与古希腊医学和中医不同的医学理念及文化背景有关。这一总结为早期人类医学起源规律尤其是经络起源的研究提供了新途径和新视角。
