任脉名称刍议

A Rustic Opinion on the Names of Conception Vessel

历代医家关于任脉名称的解释大致可分为三类:“任”通“妊”,意为妊娠,表明任脉与妇女妊娠关系密切;“任”通“衽”,表明任脉脉行腹中;“任”意为“任维、任养”,表明任脉可任维诸脉。“任”通“妊”,意为妊娠,此说法的不足是经络通常被认为是一种不分性别的生理性存在,而此假说只强调了任脉对于女性的重要性,从《黄帝内经》原文可以看出,任脉应男女均有,不独存于女性,故此种说法在任脉的起点和任脉对于男子的作用等方面存疑。“任”通“衽”,意为“衣服前襟”,表任脉脉行腹中,此说法缺乏古文字学方面的依据。从古文字学角度,“任”确有担任,任养之意。任脉有“血气盛则充肤热肉,血独盛者澹渗皮肤”的功能,也可体现了其为“经络海”,有任维诸脉,进而任养肌肉、皮肤,生胡须的重要作用。任脉冲脉为气血运行的通道,并非独见于女性,而是因为其与女性月经关系密切,故《素问·上古天真论》在论述女子生理功能时独重冲任。故任脉之任的初始含义应为“任维,任养”之意,表明任脉为“经络海”,可统任、濡养诸经脉,进而任养胎儿、肌肉皮肤等。

The explanations of the names of conception vessel(CV)by physicians in the past dynasties can be roughly divided into three categories:"Ren"is equal to"Ren",meaning pregnancy,indicating that CV is closely related to women′s pregnancy."Ren"is e-qual to"Ren",indicating that CV runs in the abdomen."Ren"means"taking and maintaining",indicating that CV can runs through in all the meridians.The opinion that"Ren"is equal to"Ren",meaning pregnancy,is not completely correct.Because meridians are u-sually considered as a physiological existence regardless of gender,and this hypothesis only emphasizes the importance of CV for women.As can be seen from the original text of Huangdi′Internal Classic,CV should be found in both men and women,not only in women.Therefore,this statement is doubtful about the starting point of CV and the role of CV for men."Ren"is equal to"Ren",mean-ing"front collar of clothes",indicating that CV runs in the abdomen,which lacks of evidence from palaeography.From the perspective of palaeography,"Ren"does have the meaning of taking and maintaining.CV has the functions of"filling the skin and warming muscles when having superabundant blood and qi,and permeating the skin when only having excessive blood",which also reflects its function as"the sea of meridians",having the function of maintaining all the meridians,and then nourishing the muscles,skin and beard.CV and thorough vessel(TV),as channels for the movement of qi and blood,are not only seen in women,but because it is closely related to women′s menstruation,so Plain Questions only emphasizes CV and TV when discussing women′s physiological functions.Therefore,the initial meaning of CV should be"taking and maintaining",indicating that CV is"the sea of meridians",which can govern and nourish all the meridians,and then regulate the fetus,muscle and skin,etc.