An Analysis of the Concept of"Tong Zheng"in the Yunqi Theory of Inner Canon of Huangdi Based on Ancient Musicology
HANG Xiaoyi
JIANG Shucheng
DENG Jiashuai
HE Juan
Abstract："Tong Zheng",as a recurring specific concept in the seven major discussions of the Yunqi theory in Inner Canon of Huangdi is crucial for the correct interpretation of the theory.Historically,most physicians have interpreted"Tong Zheng"as referring to a year of balanced Qi.However,this interpretation has several inconsistencies and theoretical difficulties.By integrating the Qin-Han musical terminology system revealed in the Tsinghua Bamboo Slips'"Diagram of the Five Tones"and other archaeological findings,and systematically reviewing relevant discussions in the seven major Yunqi texts,this paper argues that the character"Zheng"should be understood in its original sense of"fundamental"or"standard".The essence of"Tong Zheng"lies in the application of musicology within the Yunqi theory,influenced by the doctrine of"uniformity of pitch,measurement,capacity,and weight".It involves using the same"standard tone"to express the"central tone",summarizing the final Qi transformation tendency after the interaction between the annual circuit and the celestial Qi.Specifically,it indicates that the overall Qi transformation predominantly reflects the fundamental characteristics of the annual circuit.It is hoped that this conclusion will contribute to the future development and clinical application of the Yunqi theory.
Keywords：Tong ZhengFive circuits and six QiYunqiMusicologyUniformity of pitchmeasurementcapacityand weight
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( 97-101 )