The Meaning and Modern Reinterpretation of Regulating the Waterways in Korean Medicine

This paper reconsiders the concept of &quotregulating the waterways&quot (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, &quotregulating the waterways&quot 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 &quotregulating the waterways&quot 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 1st 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. &quotregulating the waterways&quot (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.