In the WHO-published TCM terminology book, Ming Men (명문, 命門) is translated and defined as follows:
"The gate of life: The root of life and origin of qi transformation. It is closely associated with the functions of the kidney."
WHO International Standard Terminologies on Traditional Chinese Medicine, March 3, 2022, download; https://www.google.com/books/edition/WHO_international_standard_terminologies/
Ming Men is one of the most difficult concepts to understand in acupuncture and herbal medicine. Many doctors have different opinions about it in history;
- Ling Shu (靈椎) - Ming Men is the eye
- Nan Jing (難經) - Left Kidney and Right Ming Men
- Yu Bo (虞搏) - Both Kidneys Ming Men Theory
- Sun Yikui (孫一奎) - Moving Qi between Kidneys Ming Men
- Zhao Xianke (趙獻可) - Small Heart Ming Men Theory
- Li Qian (李梴) - Heart Wrapper Ming Men Theory
- Zhang Jiebin(張介賓)- Womb Ming Men Theory
In Ling Shu (靈椎) Chapter Gen Jie (根結), there is a mention of Ming Men, but it is said to be the eye, so it cannot be considered an organ. In the Difficult Classic (Nan Jing, 難經), chapters 36 and 39 mention that the left kidney is Ming Men and the right kidney is Ming Men. Also, in the 8th chapter of Nan Jing, there is a mention of the "moving Qi between the left and right kidneys(腎間動氣)", but it is not link to Ming Men. The authorship of Nei Jing and Nan Jing dates back to the Later Han period. All the other theories, except for Nei Jing and Nan Jing, are from the Ming dynasty. Isn't it a bit strange? The history of traditional Chinese medicine is 2000 years old, and the period from the Han dynasty to the Ming dynasty is 1500 years. There were no discussions for 1500 years, and suddenly, during the Ming dynasty, many doctors started debating with different opinions. What happened? Some say both kidneys are Ming Men, and some say neither kidney is Ming Men, but rather some energy in between. Some have interpreted Ming Men as a small heart or pericardium connecting Ming Men to the heart. Zhang Jiebin (張介賓), who had many discussions about Ming Men theory and actively used deer horn and Fu Zi to tonify Ming Men, said that Ming Men refers to the womb. He said that for women, the womb is Ming Men, and for men, the testicles and seminal vesicle are Ming Men. Jang Gaebin believed that a person's reproductive ability is influenced by the Ming Men.
Anyway, for 1500 years it remained dormant, and suddenly there was a fierce controversy in the Ming Dynasty, which is related to the historical atmosphere at the time. Chinese medicine during the Yuan Dynasty, an immigrant-dominated period, favored treatment-centered, cold prescriptions such as the Clearing Heat School and the Nourishing Yin School. They claimed that the prescriptions of the Song Dynasty were too warming and damaging Yin. However, when the Ming Dynasty arrived and the Han people regained power, a relatively peaceful period ensued and life expectancy increased. At this time, they returned to using warm medicine like during the Song Dynasty, and focused on tonifying treatments. This is because as people age, their Yang energy declines, and sexual function becomes a problem. Doctors like Zhang Jiebin created prescriptions that use many herbs to tonify the weak Yang energy and help reproductive function. Examples of such prescriptions are Zhu Gui Wan (左歸丸) and You Gui Wan (右歸丸). These schools of thought had a deep influence on Korean medicine, giving rise to the Tonifying Yang School (扶陽學派).
Ming Men is merely a hypothesis that emerged in the unique environment of the Ming Dynasty. It is not a theory that has developed through discussion since the Han Dynasty's Inner Canon. The Inner Canon of the Han Dynasty just states Ming Men is eye. Moreover, it was not a subject of discussion for 1500 years. The Ming Men used during the Yuan Dynasty all refer to the Yang of the kidney. Zhang Yuansu (張元素) also said in his book, Zangfu Biaoben Hanre Xuanshi Yongyao Shi (臟腑標本寒熱虛實用藥式), that Ming Men is the source of 'minister fire (相火)'. Wang Haogu (王好古) mentioned in his book, Tangye Bencao (湯液本草), that Fu Zi and others are medicines for treating Ming Men. Danxi (丹溪) said in Danxi Xinfa (丹溪心法) that all medicines for tonifying Ming Men generate Yang. When you look at the herbs and fomrulas used to treat Ming Men, they all tonify Kidney Yang medicines. Therefore, using the term "Kidney Yang" instead of "Ming Men" does not cause any problems. No scholars, except those in the Ming dynasty, discussed the actual anatomical existence of Ming Men. What matters is the function of Ming Men, which is Kidney Yang. WHO also defines Ming Men is associated with Kidney.
Ming Men Fire represents the Yang functions of the kidneys and is considered essential for life, as it is the origin of life processes and the very root of existence. At this time, ideas like the Dantian (丹田) of Daoism, the Chakra of India, and vital energy influenced traditional medicine, leading to the assumption that there might be a deep source of energy in the human body, which was also interpreted as Ming Men. Scholars like Yang Xuancao (楊玄操) said, "The vital energy below the navel is the Dantian (丹田). Dantian is the origin of human beings," and "Dantian is the root of life." This concept of Ming Men as a life source was a common idea in many cultures, such as Emphuton Thermon. Emphuton Thermon, or innate heat, is a concept found in Greco-Roman and Islamic Medicine that refers to the energy source powering vital functions of the body. This heat is believed to be present from birth, gradually decreasing as a person ages. A newborn baby has the most heat, while an elderly person's body becomes colder, eventually leading to death when the heat completely disappears. Emphuton Thermon is thought to be composed of semen and menses and is considered the origin of life, a vital life force in ancient medicine. Both Ming Men Fire and Emphuton Thermon acknowledge the importance of an innate energy or heat source in sustaining life and powering vital bodily functions. They both recognize that this energy decreases as a person ages, with the eventual depletion leading to death.
However, the anatomical location of Ming Men is purely speculative and an unprovable hypothesis. It is frustrating to see scholars who are unaware of this historical background try to interpret the existence of Ming Men by resorting to speculative sophistry. The term Ming Men should not be used in the clinical practice of traditional medicine anymore; Kidney Yang can substitute this concept. Of course, for people like me who study history, it is a very interesting and precious terminology.
I hope you enjoy simple and practical traditional medicine, not complicated sophistry
太陽根于至陰，結于命門。命門者，目也。
