『동의보감』을 중심으로 한 기구·인영 및 좌·우맥에 대한 임상 적용 고찰

Abstract

Purpose: This study analyzes references to Qigu (氣口) and Inyeong (人迎) and to left–right pulses in Donguibogam, and reconstructs them from a diagnostic perspective to propose clinically applicable uses aligned with contemporary physiological and pathological understanding. Methods: We performed textual analysis of selected case records and prescriptions in Donguibogam that mention Qigu–Inyeong and left/right pulse findings. Sources were categorized into “Qigu–Inyeong pulse patterns” and “left–right pulse patterns.” Associated clinical symptoms and pulse findings were synthesized to suggest practical diagnostic alternatives. Results: The analysis shows that Donguibogam’s distinctions between left-hand and right-hand pulses coexist with several interpretive frames—“left Inyeong/right Qigu,” “right qi/left blood,” “left kidney/right Mingmen,” and “men left/women right.” In clinical practice, these can be reframed using the superficial · middle · deep allocation method or translated, case by case, into an appropriate pulse protocol. While left and right pulses are often similar in health, discrepancies may emerge in disease; left–right divergence reflects dysregulation in the circulation of Qi, blood, and body fluids. Conclusion: In Donguibogam, Qigu–Inyeong and left–right pulse assessment is grounded not in a purely anatomical left–right distinction but in functional considerations. Accordingly, reinterpretation within the standard cun–guan–chi framework is warranted. Applying the superficial · middle · deep allocation method provides a rational, physiologically coherent diagnostic system for modern clinical use.