Research Status and Review on the Nature of Tendons
ZHENG Qi
LI Wang
JING Yeteng
WU Xi
YU Zheng
YANG Jinsheng
Abstract：The tendon is one of the"five body constituents"in traditional Chinese medicine(TCM),and together with the vessels,flesh,skin,and bones,it constitutes the physical structure of the human body.The meridian tendons,also known as the twelve meridian tendons,serve as an auxiliary system to the twelve regular meridians and represent a systematic integration of tendons within the framework of meridian theory.In essence,tendons and meridian tendons are consistent,which forms the premise for understanding the nature of tendons.Contemporary scholars have explored their substance from five perspectives:nerves,fascia,muscles,myofascial complexes,and myofascial chains.Research on the nature of tendons should avoid a one-to-one interpretive model and instead emphasize the integrity of TCM theory.While maintaining the self-consistency of the TCM theoretical system,modern interpretations of tendon functions should be emphasized.Chinese and Western theories should learn from each other's strengths,forming a complementary relationship that promotes the establishment and development of an integrated theoretical system for traditional Chinese and Western medicine.
Keywords：TendonMeridian tendonsFive body constituentsNatureAcupuncture and moxibustion
Publication Date：2026-01-28
Online Publishing Date：2026-01-30(First online date of this platform, not the publication date of the document)
Pages：5( 22-26 )