Solar Terms Moxibustion --- A Great Model of 'The Unity of Human and Nature'

I had mentioned in my earliest post on ‘Introduction to Traditional Chinese Medicine – Part 2‘, explaining about ‘The Unity of Human and Nature’. This is another important concept of Traditional Chinese Medicine. While Solar Terms Moxibustion 节气灸 (JieQi Jiu), is a great model of explaining and carrying out this concept.

(1) The Meaning of Solar Terms 节气 (JieQi)

Solar Terms 节气 (JieQi),  is one part of the Chinese Calendar. There are 24 Solar Terms in  one year, with 2 Solar Terms at each month. The first Solar Term in the month is named as ‘Major Solar Term’ 节气 (JieQi), while the second one is named as ‘Minor Solar Term’ 中气 (ZhongQi). Both are now collectively referred to as Solar Terms.

For example, in the first month of Chinese Calendar, there are 2 Solar Terms, the ‘Start of Spring’ 立春 (LiChun) and ‘Rain Water’ 雨水 (YuShui). ‘Start of Spring’ is the Major Solar Term, while ‘Rain Water’ is the Minor Solar Term.

(2) The History of Solar Terms

Based on the period of revolution for sun, moon and earth; human (especially the Chinese) had established the year, the month, the day and a seasonal law (spring, summer, autumn, and winter) that complies with nature and four seasons. Thus, it then later formed the calendar.

In the world, China is one of the earliest country that invented the calendar. One of the traditional chinese calendar is the Chinese Agricultural Calendar 农历 (NongLi). It is also known as the Chinese Lunar Calendar 阴历 (YinLi).

For the Chinese Agricultural Calendar, it is an integrated lunisolar calendar or integrated lunar-solar calendar 阴阳历 (YinYang Li) that incorporates both elements of a lunar calendar with those of a solar calendar 阳历 (YangLi). This means that it embraces both the movement of the moon as well as that of the Sun. In Chinese Agricultural Calendar system, it takes into consideration of the moon orbiting the earth for one cycle, known as one ’synodic month’; and the characteristics of seasons changes represented by the 24 Solar Terms.

The Lunar Orbit

The 24 Solar terms are compartmentalized according to the position of the Sun in the ecliptic 黄道 HuangDao (i.e. the orbit of Earth around the Sun). Starting from the first point, ‘vernal equinox’ 春分 (ChunFen) (i.e. ecliptic longtitude at 0°, the Sun irradiate vertically at the equator 赤道 ZhiDao), every movement of 15° is considered as one Solar Term. When orbits one cycle, returning back to ‘vernal equinox’ point, it is known as the ‘Tropical Year’ 回归年 (HuiGui Nian), with total of 360°. Thus, it is divided into 24 Solar Terms within 360°, with 15° difference.

(3) The Compartmentalization of 24 Solar Terms

There are 24 Solar Terms in one year, with 6 Solar Terms in one season. Each synodic month has 2 Solar Terms, i.e. the Major Solar Term, and the Minor Solar Term. The date of each individual Solar Term found on the solar calendar is relatively fixed. For the early of the half year (January till June), the Major Solar Term falls on 5th of each month, and the Minor Solar Term falls on the 21st of each month. As for later of the half year (July till December), the Major Solar Term falls on 8th of each month, and the Minor Solar Term falls on the 23rd of each month. The difference between the date for Major Solar Term falling on early of the half year and on later of the half year, is just 1~ 2 days.

The naming of each Solar Term is also very intersting. There are 4 seasons in a year. Thus, having the 4 different Solar Terms, showing the beginning of each season. They are the ‘Four Starts’ 四立 (ShiLi)- ‘Start of Spring’ 立春 (LiChun), ‘Start of Summer’ 立夏 (LiXia), ‘Start of Autumn’立秋 (LiQiu), and ‘Start of Winter’ 立冬 (LiDong).

There are 2 solstices for both the summer and winter, ‘Summer Solstice’ 夏至 (XiaZhi) and ‘Winter Solstice’ 冬至 (DongZhi). From astronomical view, solstice means the extremes of both summer and winter. On ‘Summer Solstice’, this day, there is direct splar radiation at the Tropic of Cancer 北回归线. It is the longest day time in a year for the northern hemisphere. Although it’s a day with longest day time, highest Sun elevation angle, it is still not the hotest day of the year. While on this day, ‘Winter Solstice’, the direct splar radiation at the Tropic of Carpricorn 南回归线. It is a day with the shortest day time in a year for the nothern hemisphrere, but it might not be the coolest day of a year.

The ‘Vernal Equinox’ 春分 (ChunFen) and ‘Atumnal Equinox’ 秋分 (QiuFen)  are collectively known as ‘Two Equinox’ 二分, having the meaning of equal length of day and night. While other Solar Terms that show the changes in temperature are: ‘Minor Heat’ 小暑 (XiaoShu), ‘Major Heat’ 大暑 (DaShu), ‘Limit of Heat’ 处暑 (ChuShu), ‘Minor Cold’ 小寒 (XiaoHan), and ‘Major Cold’ 大寒 (DaHan) 5 Solar Terms. There are 7 Solar Terms that reflect the weather phenomena: ‘Rain Water’ 雨水 (YuShui), ‘Grain Rain’ 谷雨 (GuYu), ‘White Dew’ 白露 (BaiLu), ‘Cold Dew’ 寒露 (HanLu), ‘Frost Descent’ 霜降 (ShuangJiang), ‘Minor Snow’ 小雪 (XiaoXue), and ‘Major Snow’ 大雪 (DaXue). The 4 Solar Terms that reflect the phenological phenomena: ‘Awakening of Insect’ 惊蛰  (JingZhe), ‘Clear and Bright’ 清明 (QingMing), ‘Grain Full’ 小满 (XiaoMan), and ‘Grain in Ear’ 芒种 (MangZhong).

The sequence of 24 Solar Terms following the 4 seasons are: Start of Spring, Rain Water, Awakening of Insect, Vernal Equinox, Clear and Bright, Grain Rain; Starting of Summer, Grain Full, Grain in Ear, Summer Solstice, Minor Heat, Major Heat; Start of Autumn, Limit of Heat, White Dew, Autumnal Equinox, Cold Dew, Frost Descent; Start of Winter, Minor Snow, Major Snow, Winter Solstice, Minor Cold, and Major Cold. This is can be easily remember with the help of a poem:

春雨驚春清穀天, chūn yǔ jīng chūn qīng gǔ tiān,

夏滿芒夏暑相連; xià mǎn máng xià shǔ xiāng lián,

秋處露秋寒霜降, qiū chù lù qiū hán shuāng jiàng,

冬雪雪冬小大寒. dōng xuě xuě dōng xiǎo dà hán.

The 24 solar terms and the 12 zodiac constellations.

(4) The Effect of Solar Terms on Human Body

These Solar Terms are established from the orbits law of the Sun, the Earth, andthe Moon. It is the important symbol of the seasonal changes. The spacial position of the Sun, the Earth, the Moon, and other celestial bodies are always in an irregular, continous changes. At the same time, this also cause the energy of the universe to change continuously. While this kind of changes is very obvious volatile  before and after of a soler term. According to the concept of Traditional Chinese Medicine – “The Unity of Human and Nature”, any changes of the “Nature ” will inevitably affect the human body. And, Solar Terms affected human body from two aspects.

1. The climate changes are relatively large during the period before and after a solar term.

Because of changes, a person with a old wound or suffering from chronis illness, his ability to adapt and his body resistibility become weak. This person always has a tendency to get sick or worsen of his  illness. According to some medical statistics, heart disease, stroke, asthma and other diseases happened at the time before and after a solar term, and during midnight. Human get sick when his body’s strain ability cannot afford the external climatic changes. This is as mentioned in The Yellow Emperor’s Inner Canon 《黄帝内经》<>, “When pathogenic evils arise, the human’s vital energy, Qi is weaken”

2. The universe’s energy or cosmic’s energy changes are relatively large during the period before and after a solar term.

If at this time, we use some special methods to intervene, transforming the universe energy into our own use. It would have a multiplier role. Solar Terms Moxibustion is a great model that carries out the concept of succesfully transforming the universe energy into own use, under the guidance of Traditional Chinese Medicine’s theory.

When treating a disease using Solar Terms Moxibustion, we can achieve the best result, at the same time increase our body’s immunity and body’s resisting power to diseases. Thus, when there are changes in external environment, weather, climate and others factors, human will not easily fall sick. This has tally with the statement in The Yellow Emperor’s Inner Canon 《黄帝内经》<>, “Keeping the vital energy, Qi in body, exogenous pathogens can’t invade our body”.

(5) The Effect of Solar Terms on Different Regions

Solar Terms is one of the elements of Chinese Agricultural Calendar. It was originated from more than 2000 years ago, China’s central region. Thus, it can accurately reflects the climatic changes and the weather changes of this region. But it doesn’t means that the effect and the usage are just only for China’s central region or even China. The effects of universe energy’s changes is at every corner on the Earth, no matter it’s south hemisphere, north hemisphare, east hemisphare or even west hemisphere. This is because solar terms are arised from the regular orbits patterns of the Sun, the Earth, the Moon, and other celestial bodies.

(6) Moxibustion, Solar Terms Moxibustion

Moxibustion is a method that put the burning moxa on the skin accordingly based on different acupoints. It is a method of disease prevention and treatment, by utilizing the heat for stimulation and moxa herbs for the function of warming meridians, dispelling cold, and relieving pain.

I was putting a moxa stick according to a patient's acupoint.

Moxibustion, its Chinese name – 灸法, having the word “Jiu” “灸”, was explained in the book ‘Word and Expression’ 《说文解字》<> as “Burn”. It has the meaning of “burning” the body as to cure diseases. Among all the famous monograph on Traditional Chinese Medicine, moxibustion was found at the earliest in the book HuangDi NeiJing 《黄帝内经》. Moxibustion is not only good and effective for Asthenia syndromes and cold diseases. At the same time, moxibustion is also a good way of health care. There are few different ways of moxibustion, such as moxibustion with moxa cone, moxibustion with moxa stick, moxibustion with warming needle, moxibustion with medicines or herbs, solar term moxibustion and others. When different ways of moxibustion are applied based on different condition of sickness, it usually gets miraculous effects.

Solar Terms Moxibustion on a child.

Solar Terms Moxibustion is a special moxibustion method. It utilizes the specific Solar Term, to have moxibustion on different acupoints according to different body conditions, under the guidance of Traditional Chinese Medicine’s theory.

(7) The Role of Solar Terms Moxibustion

Solar Terms Moxibustion utilizes the heat stimulation from the of burning Moxa, and the Moxa herb itself to warm the channels and meridians. This is to strenghten thestimulate the vital energy, Qi of the channels; regulating the body potentials energy; transforming the universe energy for body own use; establishing a relation between the human’s balance system and the natural’s system. All these lead to curing of diseases and improving the body’s resistance to disease and adaptability.

(8) The Clinical Usage of Solar Terms Moxibustion

The usage for Solar Terms Moxibustion is very wide. It can be used in treatment for various sicknesses and diseases, particularly in the treatment of chronic diseases. This is also a natural cum highly effective way of health care.

Solar Terms Moxibustion is commonly used in the treatment for the following diseases…

1. Internal Diseases (surgical diseases): treat and prevent stroke, high blood pressure, coronary heart disease, asthma, stomach pain, bloating, diarrhea, hiccup; diabetes, obesity, high cholesterol, hyperthyroidism, impotence, chronic nephritis.
2. External Diseases (clinical diseases): Cervical spondylosis, acute and chronic lumbar sprain, all kinds of arthritis, urticaria.
3. Gynecologic Conditions: dysmenorrhea, uterine fibroids, ovarian cysts, infertility.
4. Pediatric diseases:  Infantile anorexia, children with enuresis, children are stunted.
5. ENT diseases: Allergic rhinitis (allergic rhinitis).

[Via http://liyesen.wordpress.com]