Energetic Anatomy and Physiology in Male Infertility

Abstract

The focus on fertility and to ensure offspring was a very important element in the Confucian tradition because of the practice of ancestor worship. Even in the Taoist tradition fertility was significant, since the practices for obtaining longevity and immortality used techniques in the area of sexuality and reproduction. The anatomy of the male genital tract in Chinese medicine uses specific terms for visible structures such as the external genitalia, while there are more functional and structural terms for some internal structures. The chapter also describes the relationships of the Organs and Channels with the male reproductive system and the energetics of the spermiogram. The term zong jin has been extensively commented upon, because its different layers of meaning can reveal a complex and fascinating approach to male sexual and reproductive functioning.

Keywords: Bao, Barrier of Essence, Chamber of Essence, Channels, Chong Mai, Cinnabar Field, Dai Mai, Dan Tian, Essence, Huangdi Neijing, Li Shizhen, Ling Shu, Ming Men, Ministerial Fire, Organs, Sperm Chamber, Su Wen, Tiangui, Zhen Jiu Jia Yi Jing, Zong Jin.