The Origin of Jingmai : Through the Investigation into Some Important Hypotheses

Jung, Woojin

Abstract

In this paper, I tried to investigate the origin of Jingmai through examination of some important hypotheses brought up by modern scholars and introduce new hypothesis. Hypotheses about the origin of Jingmai that have been investigated in this paper are as follows. 1) Hypothesis by Joseph Needham and Kano Yoshimitsu that Jingmai is originated from hydraulic engineering or twelve rivers. 2) Hypothesis by some chinese scholars like Zhou yimou that Jingmai is originated from subjective experience of the Neishi daoist experience. 3) Hypothesis by Yamada Keiji that Jingmai is originated from moxibustion supported by shamanism. 4) Hypothesis by Li jianmin that Jingmai is originated from Daoyinshu one of the body-cultivation techniques. Hypothesis 1) has the problem of the fallacy of circular argument. I can drag the opposite resolution from the same basis used by Kano Yoshimitsu. There is the problem of misreading in the hypothesis 2). The words quoted by Zhou yimou are not related to the twelve Jingmai but Qijingbamai. Yamada Keiji and Li jianmin presuppose that at first Mai was just blood vessel. Then they follow each way as mentioned above. I agree their opinion that at the beginning Mai was just blood vessel. But I think that Mai was affected by the schema of shamanism. Mai as the vessel that not only blood but Qi go through is conceived by the schema of shamanism, I think.