• Journal of Physiology & Pathology in Korean Medicine
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• v.38 no.5
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• pp.179-186
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• 2024

This paper reconsiders the concept of "regulating the waterways" (通調水道) from a traditional Korean medicine perspective and offers a modern reinterpretation of its significance. Traditionally attributed to the lung's function, "regulating the waterways" involves the dispersion and regulation of bodily fluids through the actions of dispersing (宣發) and descending (肅降). The study argues that the role of "regulating the waterways" extends beyond a simple connection between the lung and bladder to encompass a broader scope of fluid regulation and excretion. By distinguishing the body's vascular system into external and internal waterway systems, the research clarifies how fluids are distributed and regulated throughout the body. Specifically, pathways leading to the face and body surface are categorized as 1^st dispersing (宣發) and 2^nd dispersing (宣發), respectively, while the pathway to internal organs is named 3^rd descending (肅降), proving to be clinically valuable. "regulating the waterways" (通調水道) is considered to involve the control of vessels, referring to the phenomenon where blood flow to local tissues is regulated by the contraction and relaxation of the arterioles or by the precapillary sphincters.