The term "vital gate" appeared for the first time in the Internal Classic. At that time,it referred to the eyes and the acupoints of the Jingming. In chapter 5 in the Spirit it states: " The Taiyang Meridian originates from the point Zbiyin and ends at thevital gate. The vital gate refers to nothing but the eyes. " It was the book of the Classic on Medical Problems that for the first time spoke on the vital gate as an organ. Is the vital ;gate a physical organ, of a kind of function? What is the relationship between the vital gate and the kidney? Where is it located? Successive literature of traditional Chinese medicine has provoked debate as to the real nature of the vital gate. The main viewpoints are as follows: 1 The Right Kidney as the Vital Gate The 36th Medical Problems of the Classic on Medical Problems states: "There are two kidneys, but in fact both of them are not kidney,the left one is a kidney,the right one is the vital gate. " The 39th Medical Problems states.. "The left one is the kidney,but the right one, is the vital gate, providing residence to the essence of vitality.The male stores the essence and the female maintains the uterus; its qi communicates with the kidney." From the above description, it may be seen to imply. It explains the importance of the vital gate in the human body. It is called the vital gate because "the residence of vitality is viewed as the source of life and as the gate which keeps life.It points out the important functions of the vital gate. This gate is important in atoring essence for males, and in maintaining the uterus in females. The reproductive function lies in the vital gate.It shows that the kidney communicates with the vital gate. Although the two kidneys are divided into left and right, they are inseparable in their physiological functions.That is to say, the physiological function of the vital gate corresponds to the kidney function. he Vital Gate Resides Between the Two Kidneys This viewpoint was first put forth by Zhao Xianke in the Ming Dynasty. He held that the function of the vital gate is to provide the "true fire" which controls the yang-qi of the entire body. Another medical doctor Zhang Jingyue, also in the Ming Dynasty,the same view. His theory exerts influence on later generations up until the Qing Dynasty The Theory of the Vital Gate,In the Yuan Dynasty, Hua Shou accepted the theory of the right kidney as the vital gate, but he also said: "The vital gate's qi communicates with the kidney, which has two names, but only one entity. " Yu Bo in the Ming Dynasty pointed out that "The two kidneys are called the vital gate. " Zhang Jingyue in the Ming Dynasty said: "The vital gate is both the root of primordial qi and the house of water and fire. The yin of the five zangviscera must depend on it for nutrients, the yang of the five zang-viscera must depend on it for developing. " He stressed the qi of yin and yang, the qi of water and fire within the vital gate, implying their inter-promoting and inter-restraining {unction.
