Three Treasures (traditional Chinese medicine)

Three Treasures (traditional Chinese medicine)

The Three Treasures or Three Jewels (zh-cpw|c=|p="sānbǎo"| w="san-pao") are theoretical cornerstones in practices such as Traditional Chinese medicine, Neidan, and Qigong.

This Chinese term "sanbao" "Three Treasures" first occurs in "Tao Te Ching", referring to compassion, frugality, and humility, and it was later used to translate the Buddhist Three Jewels of Buddha, Dharma, and Sangha.

In Taoist healing traditions, the "Three Treasures" are the essential forces sustaining human life:
*"Qi" "vitality, energy, force; air, vapor; breath; spirit, vigor; attitude"
*"Jing" "nutritive essence, essence; refined, perfected; extract; spirit, demon; sperm, seed"
*"Shen" "spirit; soul, mind; god, deity; supernatural being"Besides this common "qi-jing-shen" ordering, both "jing-qi-shen" and "shen-qi-jing" also are used.

The Taoist text "Gaoshang yuhuang xinyin jing" (高上玉皇心印經, "Mind-Seal Scripture of the Exalted Jade Sovereign", or "Xinyin jing" "Mind-Seal Scripture") is a valuable early source about the Three Treasures (tr. Olson 1993). Louis Komjathy describes it.

Probably dating from the Southern Song dynasty (1127-1279), this anonymous text presents a simple and concise discussion of internal alchemy ("neidan" 內丹). In particular, it emphasizes the so-called Three Treasures ("sanbao" 三寶), namely, vital essence ("jing" 精), subtle breath ("qi" 氣), and spirit ("shen" 神). (2004:29)
Frederic Balfour's (1880:380-381) brief essay about the "Xinyin jing" ("The Imprint of the Heart") contains the earliest known Western reference to the Three Treasures: "There are three degrees of Supreme Elixir – the Spirit, the Breath, and the Essential Vigour".

References

*Balfour, Frederic H. 1880. "Three Brief Essays". "The China Review" 9: 380-382. [http://sunzi1.lib.hku.hk/hkjo/view/26/2601119.pdf]
*Komjathy, Louis. 2004. [http://www.daoistcenter.org/Articles/Articles_pdf/Texts.pdf Daoist Texts in Translation] .
*Olson, Stuart Alve. 1993. "The Jade Emperor’s Mind Seal Classic: A Taoist Guide to Health, Longevity, and Immortality". St. Paul: Dragon Door Publications.

External links

* [http://www.eng.taoism.org.hk/religious-activities&rituals/inner-alchemy/pg4-10-2.asp Essential Matter, Vital Breath and Spirit] , Taoist Culture and Information Centre.
* [http://www.holisticwebs.com/pangu1/treasures.html Shen, Qi and Jing, the Three Treasures of Pan Gu Mystical Qigong] , Ricardo B. Serrano
* [http://www.nqa.org/articles/treasures.html THE 3 TREASURES OF LIFE: Jing/Qi/Shen] , Frances Gander
* [http://www.lulu.com/content/547479 The Universal Healing Art of JING-QI-SHEN] , Ven. Rinchen Chodak


Wikimedia Foundation. 2010.

Игры ⚽ Нужна курсовая?

Look at other dictionaries:

  • traditional Chinese medicine — (TCM) the diverse body of medical theory and practice that has evolved in China, comprising four branches: acupuncture and moxibustion, herbal medicine, qi gong, and tui na. Although TCM encompasses a variety of theory and practice, all of its… …   Medical dictionary

  • Traditional Chinese medicine — Alternative medical systems Traditional Chinese medicin …   Wikipedia

  • Three Treasures — or Three Jewels (zh cpw|c=三寶|p= sānbǎo | w= san pao ) may refer to: *Three Jewels (Buddhism) *Three Treasures (Taoism) *Three Treasures (traditional Chinese medicine)It can also refer to the nihongo|Three Sacred Treasures|三種の神器|Sanshu no Jingi,… …   Wikipedia

  • Three Treasures (Taoism) — The Three Treasures or Three Jewels (zh cpw|c=|p= sānbǎo | w= san pao ) are basic virtues in Taoism. They first appear in Tao Te Ching chapter 67, which Lin Yutang (1948:292) says contains Laozi s most beautiful teachings. Every one under heaven… …   Wikipedia

  • Three ancestral treasures — (三樣寶), (三宗寶) or (三寶) refers to three treasured items coming from a particular region within the culture of China. Each region has its own three treasures passed down from generations. List of regional treasures The following is sorted… …   Wikipedia

  • Jing (Chinese medicine) — Jing (TCM)This article is part of the philosophy of CAM and Traditional Chinese medicine series of articles. Jīng (zh c|c=精; Wade Giles: ching1) is the Chinese word for essence , specifically kidney essence. Along with qì and shén, it is… …   Wikipedia

  • Chinese alchemy — Chinese alchemy, a part of the larger tradition of Taoism, centers on the tradition of body spirit cultivation that developed through the Chinese understandings of medicine and the body. These Chinese traditions were developed into a system of… …   Wikipedia

  • Chinese classic herbal formula — Chinese classic herbal formulas (Chinese: 经方) are a form of Chinese herbology, where herbs are combined for greater efficiency, compared to individual herbs. They are the basic herbal formulas that students of Traditional Chinese medicine learn.… …   Wikipedia

  • Chinese herbology — For non Chinese traditions of herbology, see herbalism. Chinese Herbology (simplified Chinese: 中药学; traditional Chinese: 中藥學; pinyin: zhōngyào xué) is the theory of Traditional Chinese herbal therapy, which accounts for the majority of treatments …   Wikipedia

  • Chinese culture — For culture in mainland China after 1949, see Culture of the People s Republic of China. A Chinese opera (Beijing opera) performance in Beijing. Chinese culture is one of the world s oldest and most complex.[1] …   Wikipedia

Share the article and excerpts

Direct link
Do a right-click on the link above
and select “Copy Link”