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The Three Burners

Lung, Heart, Pericardium

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Disperses Qi and Fluids via Lung; regulates respiration, circulation

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Common Patterns

  • Wind-Heat invasion (Wei level)

  • Lung Heat → cough, yellow sputum

  • Heat in Pericardium → high fever, delirium (Ying level)

 

Symptoms

  • Fever, chills, sore throat, cough

  • Thirst, sweating

  • Chest oppression, restlessness

  • Possible Shen disturbance

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Treatment Principles

  • Release the Exterior (early)

  • Clear Heat from Lung/Pericardium

  • Disperse Wind, moisten Lung, calm the Shen

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Points

LI4, LU7, DU14, LU5, PC8, PC6

Upper Jiao
(Mist)

1

Spleen, Stomach, Gallbladder

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Transforms food and fluids; governs digestion

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Common Patterns

  • Heat in ST/SP → high fever, thirst, dry stools

  • Damp-Heat in Middle Jiao → fullness, poor appetite, loose stools

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Symptoms

  • High fever, profuse sweating

  • Epigastric discomfort, vomiting

  • Nausea, bloating, heaviness

  • Yellow greasy tongue coating

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Treatment Principles

  • Clear Heat from ST/SP

  • Drain Damp, support Spleen transformation

  • Regulate Qi and fluids

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Points

ST36, SP9, Ren12, ST44, LI11

Middle Jiao

‘Foam’

2

Liver, Kidney, Bladder, Intestines

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Separates pure from impure, governs elimination and reproduction

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Common Patterns

  • Damp-Heatin Lower Jiao → UTI, diarrhea, genital discharge

  • Kidney Yin Deficiency → night sweats, dry mouth

  • Heat stirring Liver Wind → tremors, convulsions (Xue level)

 

Symptoms

  • Scanty dark urine, burning urination

  • Diarrhea, tenesmus

  • Tidal fever, bleeding

  • Delirium, convulsions (Blood level invasion)

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Treatment Principle

Clear Damp-Heat, tonify Kidney, nourish Yin, cool Blood, extinguish Wind

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Points

Ren3, SP6, LR2, KI3, BL22, DU26, Shi Xuan

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Lower Jiao

‘Drainage Ditch'

2

The Sanjiao Theory of Pathology

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The San Jiao (三焦), or Triple Burner / Triple Energizer / Triple Warmer, is a unique and vital concept in Traditional Chinese Medicine (TCM). It represents a functional system, not an anatomical organ, that governs Qi, fluid metabolism, and communication between the organs. In pathology, San Jiao theory helps us understand how diseases affect different parts of the body, especially in febrile diseases and fluid disorders. It divides the body into three sections — Upper, Middle, and Lower Jiao, each associated with specific Zang-Fu organs, physiological functions, and patterns of disharmony. San Jiao connects the Zang-Fu organs, distributes Yuan Qi (Original Qi), and regulates the movement of water and food through the body.

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Pathology in the San Jiao system typically reflects the location of disease, the type of Qi/Fluid disorder and the progression of febrile diseases, especially Warm diseases (温病 Wen Bing). It is especially used in the Warm Disease School (温病学派) alongside the Four Levels model to localize and classify Heat invasion.

In Warm diseases, pathogens often move from the Upper Jiao → Middle Jiao → Lower Jiao, mimicking disease deepening:
 

  1. Upper Jiao: Exterior syndrome → cough, fever → Pericardium Heat (delirium)

  2. Middle Jiao: Internal Heat → affects digestion → Damp-Heat in Intestines

  3. Lower Jiao: Heat or Damp descends → affects Bladder, Kidney, Liver → bleeding, Wind, collapse


This layered approach helps localize the Heat and tailor treatment by stage.

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