Anatomical drawing: Sea of Qi and diaphragm, Chinese MS

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Anatomical drawing: Sea of Qi and diaphragm, Chinese MS. Wellcome Collection. Attribution 4.0 International (CC BY 4.0). Source: Wellcome Collection.

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Description

Ink drawing from a MS of the Qing period (1644-1911). The artist gives visual expression to the account given by Huangdi neijing (Inner Classic of the Yellow Emperor) of the location, form and function of qihai (Sea of Qi) and the diaphragm (gemo). According to this, qihai is situated above the diaphragm, in the danzhong (Chest Centre) location between the breasts. It is also known as shang qihai (Upper Sea of Qi). It is the source and point of convergence of zongqi (ancestral Qi). The diaphragm (gemo or heng gemo) is located below the heart and lung. It is like an impermeable screen, shielding them from the noxious influences of zhuoqi (turbid Qi), which could otherwise rise up from below.

Lettering

IMAGE TITLE: Illustration of qihai (Sea of Qi) and the diaphragm (gemo). OTHER LETTERING: Tong fei (via the lung); tong xin (via the heart); tong sui (via the marrow). Qihai (Sea of Qi); pixi (spleen nexus); ganxi (liver nexus); shenxi (kidney nexus). Weiben, here food and drink enter the stomach.

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