中医“六淫”概念的发生学及本质探讨

Discussion on the genesis and essence of the concept of ‘six excessive climates’ in traditional Chinese medicine

中医“六淫”概念强调六气变化过度失序对人的影响。“气候因素致病”与“过度为害”是这一概念的核心思想。从这两方面溯源发现古人对气象灾害的长期观察和实践经验是其形成的客观源头。“六淫”内涵名目的演变体现了古人对雨水等现象的认识突破,以及时空结构和阴阳五行等思想的影响。“六淫”的内涵实质是古人对气的温度、湿度及运动状态3个维度在四时节度上的代表性列举,体现了其对气化产生根本机制——天火地水(能量与物质)相互作用的体悟。六淫的变化节度是由日地相对运动及我国特殊水文地理等客观因素共同造就的。六气生物、六淫害物的原因主要在于六气节度变化常异对生命维系所需“水火既济”状态的影响。

The concept of six excessive climates in traditional Chinese medicine(TCM) emphasizes the impact to human body when six climates are in disorder or excessive quantities. The concept has two hearts: namely disease caused by climatic factors and harmful effects from disorder and excessive quantities. By tracing back from these two important hearts,we find that this concept may be originated from the ancients’ long observation and experiences about many climate disasters.The evolution contents of six excessive climates shows a breakthrough in understanding of the natural phenomenon of rain and the influence of the structure of time and space, and the notions of Yinyang and Wuxing. The essence of the contents is a kind of typical enumeration about three dimensions, namely, temperature, humidity, and movement of qi;which shows the basic mechanism about the change of qi: that is the interaction between fire(energy) from heaven and water(matter) from earth. The rhythms and quantities of six excessive climates are caused by the interaction between the movements of sun and earth, as well as the conditions of China’s geography hydrology. The reason of the six normal climates’ promoting effect and the six excessive climates’ harmful effect is the rhythms and quantities of six excessive climates destroy the moderate relationship between water and fire;which is the indispensable condition in which life on the earth can survive.