Tsubo Vital Points for Oriental Therapy

Vital Points for Oriental Therapy by Katsusuke Serizawa

~T Though it forms the major current of the medical philosophy and practice of much of the world, modern Western medical science is now being confronted with an increasing number of diseases that stubbornly resist its treatments and methods. The time has come. to' reexamine Western medical therapy; and, in this connection, it is becoming increasingly important to reevaluate the thought and clinical methods of the rifedicine of the Orient. Oriental medicine is already over three thousand years old. At least one of its aspects-acupuncture-has captured the attention of professional doctors and laymen all over the world. This book is an attempt to introduce a still more basic part of oriental medicine by explaining the system of tsubo, or vital points, on which much oriental therapy rests. In the Orient, mankind is considered an integral part of nature. Just as the seasons change and the weather alters, so the state of health of man fluctuates from good to bad. The idea of oneness with nature and the belief in the inevitability of change are two of the foundations of oriental medicine. According to the medical philosophy of the East, the human body is operated and controlled by means of two groups of organs: the six Zo organs and the six Fu organs. As long as these organs operate harmoniqusly, the body remains healthy. Disturbances in any of them mean illness. (It must be explained here that, though the names of the six Zo and six Fu organs correspond fairly closely to those of internal organs as established by scientific anatomy, the terms are not identical since the oriental names indicate only the bodily functions as propounded by eastern medical philosophy.) A system of energy circulation provides the power by means of which the six Zo and six Fu organs can operate in harmony. This larger system is broken down into fourteen smalkr systems, called meridians, known by the Chinese word ching-fa (keiraku in Japanese). The meridians extend throughout and over the whole body. Along them are points where the flow of energy to the Zo and Fu organs tends to stagnate. These points, called the tsubo, are the basic subject of this bOin,

baCK

of the thoraCIC

Ch.-r;n·ch/ng)

I I-I the

middle pomt bEJtwEJen the basEJ of the neck iJnd the end of the shoulder.

3. TH-14

('rat, Chlen-flao)

Depressloll at the under ed,Je of the external tip of the aClomlon process The place where the uppel arm bone lOins the shoulder of the shoulder

4. 51-11 (-r.

. T'/enrsung)

The depreSSion shoulder blade.

I,~ the

5. Bl-23 One the

height

of

the

(Tfrf,;,Shen-vu)

sun and five bu on either spinal column at pOints

the spinal plOlectlons lumbar vertebra. which the

middle

blade

of the

lowest

of

Side of below

the second IS located 211 ribs.

at

the

base

145

Sicknesses of the Muscles and Joints

Fig. 6

6. lU-2

(~r'9.

Yun-men)

Middle of the depression at the side of the external extremity clavicle.

7. lU-1

(q>Jt:f, Chung-fu)

Upper extremity of the exterior front chest second intercostal zone. Six sun on either sternum.

8. 1I-14 (\

--

/'\hout

sevell

thumh

Sick

place triceps tendorl

uf

the

on

at the of the

the

at th.,

15. 1I-11 Thumb

'1. Shao-hal)

OOIllt

the

LI·ll

upp'.?1 arm

'"pper aim 'Nhele th,; qradualiv tapers to

9. HT-3 ( ';,de of JOlill

wall sidu

Pl-nao) SUll ahove

III the muscle

JI1I1errnost

underof the

Idrqe

on

the

hone

lillie

FJulnt

8Ibo',-.

1)11 thl;

10. lU-5

(i(

.

Ch'Lf-ch'lh) of tile

elbow.

Yang hSI)

trngel

01 the

(IHI;jl!,

51(le of the bend

h;Jck

()f

the tile

of thlJ tllumll uutsll\,tchc'c!

Chllse)

hilild

lillCJe telldollS ;11 the base

the

thumb

IS full;

The hard tendon th;;t IS apptmJnt III the IImer Side of the elbmo,) when th.'NIISt IS bent.

11.

HC-4

Middle

(,'1'1"], HSI-men\

pomt

of the

inner

--

". 'r'ang-ch'il7)

Side of

forearm at the rnidpolllt elbow and the wrrst.

tfH'

between

part

of the

inner

surface

cd that ';11,11111'1 lCi th" ilildcll