Guangwen Xu
Preface
This paper is a reflection on the Chinese character “wu” calligraphy on the cover of the New England Journal of Traditional Chinese Medicine. It provides an overview of concepts such as the 5 elements, yin and yang, channels and network vessels, acupuncture, construction qi, defense qi, original qi, essence qi, ancestral qi, the qi of the viscera and bowels, the qi of the channels and network vessels, triple burner qi, earlier heaven qi, later heaven qi, the spirits of the 5 viscera, essence qi and spirit, and regulation of the channels and network vessels, as well as qi transformation and metabolism; the upbearing, downbearing, inward and outward movements of the qi dynamic; and health. These concepts show that “wu” is not only the highest realm of philosophy, religion, and ideological cultivation, but also the highest realm of traditional Chinese medicine. “Wu” is a high-level overview of the regulation and balance of substance and energy in the human body according to traditional Chinese medicine, as well as a high-level overview of health in the living human body.
Content of the calligraphy Cover：
The cover work Wuji (The Chinese pronunciation of this word also means ‘no disease’) of The New England Journal of Traditional Chinese Medicine was selected from Fan Zhou’s Talisman artwork.
“Wu” is not only the highest realm of philosophy, religion, and ideological cultivation, but also the highest realm of traditional Chinese medicine.
According to the original text of huowen Jiezi ［Explaining Graphs and Analyzing Characters］by Xu Shen: “‘Wu’ means ‘without’. It is derived from the character ‘wang’ and sounds like ‘wu’. ‘Wu’, alternatively written using the character ‘wu’, is equivalent to ‘yuan’ i.e. original or beginning］. Wang Yu says: The character ‘tian’［i.e. heaven］ curled up in the northwest ［i.e. bottom right］ is ‘wu’.” The character “yuan” also means “root” or “source”, so “yuan” signifies “beginning”. It can be inferred that “heaven acts as ‘wu’ and ‘wu’ is the same as heaven”. “Wu” means going back to one’s roots and returning to nature. For the living human body, that is to nourish and maintain health, prevent and treat diseases, and achieve a state of mind and body without depression or illness, “without repletion or vacuity”, returning to the root of physical health.
The first chapter of Ling Shu［The Magic Pivot］, entitled “The 9 Needles and 12 Origins”, states: “Each has its own unique form, and each acts according to what is suitable ［i.e., nature takes its course］, ［with］ neither repletion nor vacuity ［i.e., a balance of physical health is achieved］.”
Zhang Jingyue said: “The mechanism of creation cannot be without generation, nor can it be without restriction. Without generation, there is no reason for development, and without restriction, it becomes excessive and harmful.” An overview of the interpretation of “wu” is provided below:
I. “Wu” may be interpreted in terms of qi. Qi generates everything and everything transforms as qi. Qi is energy and energy is transformed by qi. Qi is invisible and intangible, and cannot be detected by modern medical instruments. It can only be felt by the living body itself.
For example, Nei Jing ［The Inner Canon］states: “Earth’s qi bears upward as clouds.” This rising “Earth’s qi” is the qi generated by all things on Earth. Chapter 5 of Su Wen ［Elementary Questions］, entitled “Great Treatise on the Correspondences and Manifestations of Yin and Yang”, states: “Qi engenders ［physical］ form ［…］ essence transforms as qi.”
To give another example, in the Eastern Han dynasty, Wang Chong believed that “heaven and earth are united in qi, and all things are born from this.” Wang believed that heaven, earth, and all things are produced by “qi”, which is the origin of the world.
Zhang Zai of the Northern Song dynasty believed that “the heavens cannot be without qi, and qi cannot help but gather to create all things.” This can be summarized as “the heavens are the same as qi; qi is the essential substance, and rectification ［happens］ within qi”. Chapter 12, “Shuyan”, of the pre-Qin dynasty text Guanzi ［Writings of Master Guan］states: “If there is qi, there will be generation; if there is no qi, there will be death. The living rely on their qi.”
Chapter 22 of the Daoist text Zhuangzi, entitled “Knowledge Wanders North”, states: “The birth of a person is the gathering of qi. Gathering leads to life and dispersing leads to death.” This text considers qi to be the source of life. Qi generates things and everything is transformed as qi. The gathering of qi leads to life, since qi is energy and energy is transformed by qi. The statement that “the heavens are the same as qi” means that qi is invisible, intangible, and cannot be detected by modern medical instruments. It can only be felt by the living body itself.
II. “Wu” ［i.e., without］ is the highest realm
The highest realm of traditional Chinese medicine is “without repletion or vacuity” (Ling Shu).
The highest realm of Buddhism is “without ego”.
The highest realm of Daoism is “without action”.
The highest realm of Confucianism is “without evil”.
The highest realm of Christianity is “without selfishness”.
III. The 5 elements of the human body are without form; they are attributes and manifestations
For example, the element of earth in the 5 elements of the living human body is not the soil on the planet Earth! Soil can make everything grow. The spleen and stomach of the living human body can make “everything” (such as qi and blood, construction and defense, body fluid, and essence) grow with the same attributes and the same manifestation as soil, so the spleen and stomach belong to soil (or earth).
Another example: according to the 5 elements, all green plants in nature (such as various trees, flowers, and grasses) belong to the wood element. Wood has the characteristics of flexibility, upward and outward movement, and stretching and reaching, reflecting springtime and vitality. By extension, all properties and phenomena with qualities of growth, rising, stretching, and free movement belong to wood.
The liver in the living human body governs free and uninhibited movement and regulates the qi dynamic of the whole body, enabling qi to flow without stagnating and scatter without depression. These physiological functions are similar to the attributes of wood. In addition, because the properties of liver and wood are the same, they correspond to spring. Nei Jing states that “the liver governs spring” and “spring qi flows through the liver”. So, in the 5 elements of the human body, the liver belongs to wood. This does not mean that the liver is the same as wood in the natural world; rather, the manifestations of the attributes of the liver are similar to those of wood.
IV. In traditional Chinese medicine, many substances and energies in the human body are “without form” (cannot be detected by modern medical instruments), such as:
1. The qi, yin and yang, and channels and network vessels of traditional Chinese medicine cannot be seen or found in the anatomy of living organisms and corpses.
2. Qi, yin and yang, and spirit are constantly being dynamically regulated, so they are impossible to locate. The regulation of qi, yin and yang, and spirit, as well as the movement of qi, yin, and yang, cannot be measured by modern medical techniques. They can only be felt by the living body.
3. Construction qi, defense qi, original qi, essence qi, and ancestral qi are the substances and energy of the human body in traditional Chinese medicine, and they exist in reality. However, they cannot be detected using modern medical testing methods.
4. Construction qi, defense qi, original qi, essence qi, and ancestral qi are the essential substances (invisible substances) that constitute the human body. They are reflected in the physiological activities of the human body.
5. The qi of the viscera and bowels, channels and network vessels, and triple burner, as well as the qi of earlier and later heaven, make up the core of the living human body’s qi. They are the most important energies that regulate life activity. Similarly, they cannot be detected with modern medical instruments.
6. According to traditional Chinese medicine, in the living human body, the spirits of the 5 viscera, essence qi and spirit, and regulation of the channels and network vessels, as well as qi transformation and metabolism; the upbearing, downbearing, inward and outward movements of the qi dynamic, are all reflected in the various movements of the human body. However, they cannot be measured with modern instruments and they disappear when there is no life.
V. The qi that circulates in the channels and network vessels of the living human body has energetic and regulatory effects, like signaling molecules. It is without form, and cannot be seen or touched.
It has movement, but is without form.
It is a signaling molecule; it is the qi of movement in the channels and network vessels.
It is spatial energy; it is a regulatory system.
Acupuncture uses no drugs, has no side effects, and inflicts no trauma upon the human body. It will not cause any complications.
VI. The concept of a healthy human body in traditional Chinese medicine is a state of being “without repletion or vacuity”; the body is without evil, depression, stasis, vacuity, or disease. When the human body is without evil, depression, stasis, vacuity, disease, i.e. “without repletion or vacuity”, then it is healthy.
VII. The 6 channels used in pattern identification in Shanghan Lun ［On Cold Damage］ cannot be detected using modern medical instruments and laboratory tests, much less in an autopsy. This exemplifies the highest realm of profundity in traditional Chinese medicine.
Therefore, in summary: “wu” is not only the highest realm of philosophy, religion, and ideological cultivation, but also the highest realm of traditional Chinese medicine. “Wu” is a high-level overview of the regulation and balance of substance and energy in the human body according to traditional Chinese medicine, as well as a high-level overview of health in the living human body.
Professor Guangwen Xu was born into a family of traditional Chinese medicine practitioners. Xu graduated from Shanghai University of Traditional Chinese Medicine, holds a doctorate degree, and serves as a chief physician. Xu is a registered practitioner of acupuncture and Chinese medicine in the UK, and has received a Provincial and Ministerial Science and Technology Award, as well as a first-place award and 2 second-place awards for outstanding papers. Xu has also received an award for special contributions from the US Chinese Medical Association.
Author information:
Professor Xu Guangwen was born into a family of traditional Chinese medicine practitioners. He graduated from Shanghai University of Traditional Chinese Medicine, holds a doctorate and is a chief physician. He is a registered traditional Chinese medicine practitioner and acupuncturist in the UK. He has won one provincial and ministerial science and technology progress award, one first prize for outstanding papers, and two second prizes. He also won a special contribution award from the Chinese Medical Association of the United States.
