A Study of Ming-Qing Physicians'Interpretations of the Theory of Five Circuits and Six Qi

LONG Anran; YANG Wei; WANG Guowei; WU Qiong; JIANG Haiyu; WU Meng; ZHANG Yupeng

doi:10.3969/j.issn.1006-3250.2025.11.011

Abstract：As a classical theory of traditional Chinese medicine(TCM),the theory of five circuits and six Qi has garnered significant attention and sparked ongoing debate among physicians throughout history since Wang Bing of the Tang dynasty supplemented the seven grand treatises on circuits and Qi into Inner Canon of Huangdi.The controversies surrounding circuits and Qi theory were particularly prominent during the Ming-Qing dynasties.Through a systematic analysis of historical and contemporary literature,this study explores the divergent interpretations of circuits and Qi theory among Ming-Qing medical scholars.It was found that Ming-Qing physicians compiled numerous monographs and treatises to disseminate the circuits and Qi theory.Within these academic debates,Ming-Qing physicians further elaborated on the Three-year Epidemic Transformation theory from Su Wen Yi Pian,interpreted the Shang Han Qian Fa,and initiated the Da Si Tian theory,among other contributions.These works further enrich the academic system of circuits and Qi theory.Conversely,some Ming-Qing physicians denied circuits and Qi theory,primarily questioning the theory's literature source and clinical practicability.The study suggests that the contemporary inheritance and development of circuits and Qi theory necessitate a greater emphasis on the integration of theory with practice,enhanced interdisciplinary research methodologies,and emphasizing sequential learning and cultivating dialectical thinking among TCM learners.This research provides a clearer understanding of the historical trajectory of the circuits and Qi theory,offering new insights and approaches for its modern inheritance and development.