『素問‧五臟生成』의 “人臥血歸於肝”에 대한 고찰 - 肝藏血과의 관련성을 중심으로 -

Abstract

Objectives : This study examines the relationship between the phrase “when lying down, Blood returns under the influence of the Liver” from the Suwen and the concept ‘Liver stores Blood.’ Based on the understanding of the complex nature of Blood, we aim to attempt at a more comprehensive interpretation of the Blood concept. Methods : Previous studies and theories on the relationship between the phrase and the concept were examined generally. Based on the annotation of Wangbing on the Suwen chapter ‘The Generation of the Five Viscera’, related chapters in the Huangdineijing were analyzed to grasp the meaning of “when lying down, Blood returns under the influence of the Liver” and Liver stores Blood’. Next, their functional relationship was examined. Result & Conclusions : Previous studies and theories failed to provide accurate meaning of the phrase, “when lying down, Blood returns under the influence of the Liver.” Based on our findings, Blood is operated through the Heart and meridians during activity, and returns to the Liver during inactivity. In this instant, the Liver is not merely a place of storage but functions as a regulating viscera. The phrase “when lying down, Blood returns under the influence of the Liver” symbolizes the transition between the active and inactive state of Blood, while the Liver is the key viscera that mediates this transition. This finding contributes to an integrative understanding of the complex nature of the Blood concept and the difference between ‘stores’ and ‘returns.’ Such understanding had been applied in the treatment of the ‘Heat entering the Blood chamber’ condition in the Shanghanlun.