“元神”乃“元始之神”——“脑为元神之府”刍议

“Yuanshen” Means “the Original Domination”——Discussion on“Brain is the House of the Original Domination”

李时珍所说“脑为元神之府”的“元神” ,到底是否指人的精神、意识、思维活动 ,涉及到中医基础理论 ,有必要加以澄清。为此详细论述了李时珍在《本草纲目》中所说“元神”的原意 ,并结合《内经》理论 ,指出此“元神”实际是“元始之神” ,指的是命门与脑存在的生命初始本原物质 ,这种物质并且决定了一切生物体的生长壮老已 ,而并不指人体的精神、意识、思维活动。

As for the “brain is the house of original domination” said by Li Shi zhen,a famous ancient doctor of Traditional Chinese Medicine,what does “the original domination” refer to?Does it really refer to the human domination,consciousness,and activity of thinking?It's necessary to make it clear for it involves the basic theories of TCM. The author of this article illustrated the original meaning of “Yuanshen” in detail said by Li Shi zhen in his ”Compendium of Materia Medica”,the most comprehensive work of ancient Chinese herbal books,combined with the theory of “The Yellow Emperor's Internal Classic”,and then pointed out that “Yuanshen” here actually means “the original domination”,that is,the natural substance of life origin on which the existence of gate of life and brain base.In addition,this substance determines the life,growth,maturity,aging,and death of all living things.Therefore “Yuanshen” doesn't mean the human domination,consciousness,and activity of thinking.