Three jiaos
Encyclopedia
The identification of disease according to the Three Burners (三 焦) was first described in the Qing Dynasty
by Wu Ju Tong (吳鞠通, 1758–1836) in his book "A Systematic Identification of Febrile Diseases". The system is often combined with Four Stages
theory when diagnosing and treating an externally contracted disease caused by a wind-heat pathogen. The disease will be diagnosed and understood according to its location within the three burners. This system is used within the practice of Chinese herbal medicine, in conjunction with acupuncture
and other Chinese medicine
modalities. Note that San Jiao theory differs slightly from the San Jiao
organ, or channel [(Shou Shao Yang, san jiao jing)]; referred to additionally as Triple Heater, San Jiao, and Triple Burner. Viewed by Chinese Medicine as the passage of heat and fluid throughout the body, Elementary Questions (su wen) explains, "The Triple Burner holds the office of the sluices; it manifests as the waterways."
The three burners are most commonly referred to by their respective names:
, Lung
, and Pericardium
organs. The Pericardium is the corresponding internal organ of the Triple Burner (for the purpose of acupuncture only*). Patterns that affect the upper burner include:
, Stomach, Gall Bladder
and Liver
organs.
and Large Intestine
s, the Kidneys
and the Urinary Bladder
.
Qing Dynasty
The Qing Dynasty was the last dynasty of China, ruling from 1644 to 1912 with a brief, abortive restoration in 1917. It was preceded by the Ming Dynasty and followed by the Republic of China....
by Wu Ju Tong (吳鞠通, 1758–1836) in his book "A Systematic Identification of Febrile Diseases". The system is often combined with Four Stages
Four stages
The Four Stages or Four Levels are from the Traditional Chinese medicine book Discussion of Warm Diseases by Ye Tian Shi, written in the years 1667-1746.The stages are in order from surface to deep internal and from "light" sickness to death:...
theory when diagnosing and treating an externally contracted disease caused by a wind-heat pathogen. The disease will be diagnosed and understood according to its location within the three burners. This system is used within the practice of Chinese herbal medicine, in conjunction with acupuncture
Acupuncture
Acupuncture is a type of alternative medicine that treats patients by insertion and manipulation of solid, generally thin needles in the body....
and other Chinese medicine
Traditional Chinese medicine
Traditional Chinese Medicine refers to a broad range of medicine practices sharing common theoretical concepts which have been developed in China and are based on a tradition of more than 2,000 years, including various forms of herbal medicine, acupuncture, massage , exercise , and dietary therapy...
modalities. Note that San Jiao theory differs slightly from the San Jiao
San Jiao
San Jiao is a term found in traditional Chinese medicine , as part of modelling the workings of the human body attempted by early Chinese medical writers...
organ, or channel [(Shou Shao Yang, san jiao jing)]; referred to additionally as Triple Heater, San Jiao, and Triple Burner. Viewed by Chinese Medicine as the passage of heat and fluid throughout the body, Elementary Questions (su wen) explains, "The Triple Burner holds the office of the sluices; it manifests as the waterways."
The three burners are most commonly referred to by their respective names:
- Upper Jiao (上焦)
- Middle Jiao (中焦)
- Lower Jiao (下焦)
Upper Jiao
The Upper Jiao refers to the upper part of the body, and includes the HeartHeart (Zang)
The Heart is one of the zàng organs stipulated by Traditional Chinese Medicine . It is a functionally defined entity and not equivalent to the anatomical organ of the same name.-In the context of the zang-fu concept:...
, Lung
Lung (Zang)
The Lung is one of the zang organs stipulated by Traditional Chinese Medicine. It is a functionally defined entity and not equivalent to the anatomical organ of the same name.-In the context of the zang-fu organs:...
, and Pericardium
Pericardium (Zang)
As distinct from the Western medical concept of pericardium, this concept from Traditional Chinese Medicine is more a way of describing a set of interrelated parts than an anatomical organ....
organs. The Pericardium is the corresponding internal organ of the Triple Burner (for the purpose of acupuncture only*). Patterns that affect the upper burner include:
- Wind-heat invading the lungs — symptoms include fever, aversion to cold, headache, sore throat, red and swollen tonsils, red tip on tongue, floating-rapid pulse.
- Heat in the lungs — symptoms include fever, sweating, cough, asthma, thirst, red tongue with yellow coat, rapid pulse.
- Heat in the pericardium — symptoms include fever, delirium, aphasia, burning feeling in epigastriumEpigastriumThe epigastrium is the upper central region of the abdomen. It is located between the costal margins and the subcostal plane....
, cold limbs, dark red tongue with no coat, fine-rapid pulse.
Middle Jiao
The middle jiao refers to the midsection of the body and includes the SpleenSpleen (Zang)
The Spleen is one of the zàng organs stipulated by Traditional Chinese Medicine . It is a functionally defined entity and not equivalent to the anatomical organ of the same name.-In the context of the zang-fu concept:...
, Stomach, Gall Bladder
Gallbladder (Chinese medicine)
Distinct from the Western medical concept of gallbladder, the concept of the Gallbladder in Traditional Chinese Medicine is more a way of describing a set of interrelated parts than an anatomical organ....
and Liver
Liver (Zang)
The Liver is one of the zàng organs stipulated by Traditional Chinese Medicine . It is a functionally defined entity and not equivalent to the anatomical organ of the same name.-In the context of the zang-fu concept:...
organs.
- Heat in Yang Ming — symptoms include high fever, profuse sweating, constipation, large thirst, irritability or delirium, red tongue with dry yellow coat, deep and full pulse. The yang ming pattern is often referred to as the Four Bigs — big fever, big sweat, big thirst, big pulse.
- Damp-Heat invading the Spleen — symptoms include aversion to cold, low fever in the afternoon, feeling of heaviness, nausea, vomiting, red puffy tongue with a yellow-sticky coat,slippery and rapid pulse.
Lower Jiao
The lower jiao refers to the lower section of the body and includes the SmallSmall Intestine (Fu)
In traditional Chinese medicine the Small Intestine is a fu organ described in the Zang-fu theory concept.The small intestine governs the separation of the clear from the turbid. The small intestine further digests food decomposed initially by the stomach...
and Large Intestine
Large Intestine (Fu)
The Large Intestine is one of the fu organs stipulated by Traditional Chinese Medicine . As distinct from the Western medical concept of Large Intestine, this concept from TCM is more a way of describing a set of interrelated parts than an anatomical organ...
s, the Kidneys
Kidney (Zang)
According to Traditional Chinese Medicine, the Kidney refers to either of the two viscera located on the small of the back, one either side of the spine. As distinct from the Western medical definition of kidneys, the TCM concept is more a way of describing a set of interrelated parts than an...
and the Urinary Bladder
Urinary Bladder (Fu)
As distinct from the Western medical concept of Urinary bladder, this concept from Traditional Chinese Medicine is more a way of describing a set of interrelated functions than an anatomical organ....
.
- Lower jiao pattern — symptoms include low grade fever in the afternoon, hot palms and soles (also called 5 palm heat), dry mouth, convulsions, deep-red tongue with no coat, fine-rapid pulse.
See also
- Traditional Chinese MedicineTraditional Chinese medicineTraditional Chinese Medicine refers to a broad range of medicine practices sharing common theoretical concepts which have been developed in China and are based on a tradition of more than 2,000 years, including various forms of herbal medicine, acupuncture, massage , exercise , and dietary therapy...
- Four StagesFour stagesThe Four Stages or Four Levels are from the Traditional Chinese medicine book Discussion of Warm Diseases by Ye Tian Shi, written in the years 1667-1746.The stages are in order from surface to deep internal and from "light" sickness to death:...
- Six LevelsSix levelsIn Traditional Chinese medicine, the Six Levels are first heard of from Zhang Zhongjing in the Shang Han Lun from about 220 AD or about 1700 years ago.The six stages are* Tai Yang or Greater Yang* Yang Ming or Bright Yang...