Name, signified, and its therapeutic application of ancient medicine.

Zi Lu said, "The ruler of Wei has been waiting for you, in order with you to administer the government. What will you consider the first thing to be done?" The Master replied, "What is necessary is to rectify names." "So! indeed!" said Zi Lu. "You are wide of the mark! Why must there be such rectification?" The Master said, "How uncultivated you are, You! A superior man, in regard to what he does not know, shows a cautious reserve. If names be not correct, language is not in accordance with the truth of things. If language be not in accordance with the truth of things, affairs cannot be carried on to success. When affairs cannot be carried on to success, proprieties and music will not flourish. When proprieties and music do not flourish, punishments will not be properly awarded. When punishments are not properly awarded, the people do not know how to move hand or foot. Therefore a superior man considers it necessary that the names he uses may be spoken appropriately, and also that what he speaks may be carried out appropriately. What the superior man requires is just that in his words there may be nothing incorrect."
 

子路曰:“衛君待子而爲政,子將奚先?”子曰:“必也正名乎!”子路曰:“有是哉,子之迂也!奚其正?”子曰:“野哉由也!君子於其所不知,蓋闕如也。名不正,則言不順;言不順,則事不成;事不成,則禮樂不興;禮樂不興,則刑罰不中;刑罰不中,則民無所措手足。故君子名之必可言也,言之必可行也。君子於其言,無所苟而已矣。” 子路/Chinese Text Project

If Confucius came into politics, he said that rectifying names is the first thing that he would do. What did it mean? Names are not mere indicator. Various philosophical contexts are dissolved within them. Name can tell us the person's way of life and how it will be. Therefore signification of name is also guidance of direction for what it should be. Applying this in reverse, we can understand its function from what it is meant to be from signifier. In this regard, the Western method of displaying acupuncture points is a bit disappointing. Simply being indicated by numbering the name of acupuncture points can make therapists limited in capable of approaches that can be treated in a variety of ways by inferring the meaning. Obtaining the Knowledge of literal meaning of acupuncture point provides useful clues to the direction of therapy.

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For example, GV-6(脊中) literally means the center of spine, and its fields of therapeutic application are such as spine problems, adjustment of the spleen for loss of appetite, abdominal pain and fullness, diarrhea, jaundice, hemorrhoids, Epilepsy.

Center symbolizes core activity. Digestion can be regarded as center of body physiology. Spleen and other internal organs which are related with digestion are also located below GV-6 area. It's one of clues from which therapist can applies from its literal meaning of center.

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