Library

Yellow Emperor asked: I once ascended the Qingleng Terrace. Looking back midway and crawling forward, I experienced dizziness and confusion. I privately found this strange and wondered within myself. Whether closing or opening my eyes alone, calming my mind and regulating my qi, the state persisted for a long time without resolving. Gazing intently alone caused vertigo; with hair disheveled, kneeling for a long time, looking down, it continued for an extended period. This sensation suddenly arose from above; what qi causes this?

Qibo replied: The essence of the five zang organs and six fu organs all converge into the eyes, forming the eye's essence. The essence of bone manifests as the pupil (tongzi); the essence of sinew manifests as the black eye (heiyan, referring to the iris/cornea area); the essence of blood manifests as the collaterals (luo, intraocular vessels); the essence of qi manifests as the white eye (baiyan, sclera); the essence of muscle manifests as the constraints (yueshu, eyelids). These essences envelop the sinews, bones, blood, and qi, merging with the meridians to form the optic nerve system (muxi), which connects upward to the brain and exits posteriorly at the neck. Therefore, when pathogenic factors invade the neck, especially if accompanied by bodily deficiency, deep invasion allows them to follow the optic nerve system into the brain. Once in the brain, it causes cerebral rotation (naozhuan); cerebral rotation pulls the optic nerve system taut; tautness of the optic nerve system leads to vertigo and spinning vision. If pathogenic factors invade the essence itself, the affected essence fails to coordinate with others, leading to the dispersion of essence. Dispersion of essence results in diplopia (shiqi), hence seeing double objects.

It is also said: The eyes are the convergence of the essence of the five zang and six fu organs, the regular circulation site of Ying-Wei (Nutritive and Defensive) qi and Hun-Po (Ethereal and Corporeal Souls), and the birthplace of Shen (Spirit). Thus, mental overexertion causes Hun and Po to scatter and Zhi (Will) to become chaotic. Consequently, the pupils and black parts correspond to Yin, while the whites and red vessels correspond to Yang; when Yin and Yang harmonize and rotate, vision becomes clear. The eyes are the messengers of the Heart, and the Heart is the residence of Shen. Therefore, if Shen Jing (Spiritual Essence) becomes chaotic and fails to rotate properly, and one suddenly sees unusual scenes, the Spirit, Jing, Hun, and Po scatter and fail to integrate, which is termed "Huo" (Confusion/Delusion).

The Yellow Emperor asked: I suspect this is true. Every time I go to Dongyuan, I invariably experience confusion; leaving there restores me. Am I the only one whose spirit is taxed by Dongyuan? Why is it so peculiar?

Qibo replied: Not so. If the Heart has preferences and the Spirit has aversions, sudden mutual interference causes Qi and Essence to become chaotic, leading to visual errors and thus confusion. When the Shen shifts focus, recovery occurs. Hence, mild cases are called "Mi" (Muddled), and severe cases are called "Huo" (Confused). The Suwen states: The eyes enable us to see all things, distinguish black from white, and judge length. If long appears short, and white appears black, resulting in inversion and chaos, with dimming of Shen Guang (Spiritual Light), it indicates depletion of Essence and alteration of vision. Treatment should differentiate between Deficiency and Excess patterns.