What is the primary responsibility of the San Jiao in TCM?

In Traditional Chinese Medicine (TCM), the San Jiao, also known as the Triple Burner, plays a crucial role in the movement of water throughout the body. It is considered to be a regulatory system that governs the distribution and transformation of fluids, ensuring that water is properly metabolized and balanced within the body’s various systems.

The San Jiao is divided into three sections: the upper, middle, and lower burners, each responsible for different functions related to water metabolism. The upper burner is concerned with the respiratory system and the intake of fluids; the middle burner focuses on digestion and assimilation; and the lower burner handles excretory functions. Through these divisions, the San Jiao orchestrates the overall flow of fluids and maintains homeostasis, which is essential for health.

While regulating digestion is indeed a function associated with TCM, it primarily falls under the responsibilities of the Spleen and Stomach rather than the San Jiao. Similarly, enhancing liver function focuses on the liver's role in detoxification and blood regulation, not the core function of the San Jiao. Stimulating blood flow is more closely related to the Heart and the vessels in TCM; therefore, the primary responsibility of the San Jiao remains the efficient movement and regulation