Literary Study of Hyeolmaek(血脈)

Objectives : This study focused on how the modern blood vessel is defined in Oriental medicine through literary investigation.\udMethods : Contents from 35 classical texts representing each era were analyzed for the expression of Hyeolmaek and affiliated information, as well as terms used for the current concept of blood vessel.\udResults : Following results were obtained through investigating literary information on Hyeolmaek.\ud1. In the Yellow Emperor's Classic, Hyeolmaek is associated with heart and widely used for physiological, pathological, diagnosis, and treatment purposes.\ud2. During the Song Dynasty, a term Cheonggeun (靑筋) is used to describe the vein in the abdomen.\ud3. During the Ming Dynasty, terms such as Cheonggeun (靑筋) and Cheongmaek (靑脈) were used.\ud4. The term Hyeolmaek was used inclusively for blood, blood vessels, arteries, veins, and as well as meridians