What are three souls and seven souls?
In traditional Chinese culture, especially in Taoism and Chinese medicine theory, "three souls and seven souls" are an important concept, which describes the components of human spirit and life. This theory not only influenced ancient philosophical thought, but is also reflected in modern psychology and medicine. This article will introduce in detail the meaning, function and manifestation of three souls and seven souls in modern society.
1. The definition of three souls and seven souls

Three souls and seven souls are the ancient Chinese classification of human spirit and vitality. The three souls refer to the three advanced spiritual activities of human beings, while the seven souls represent the seven basic physiological functions. The following is the specific content of Three Souls and Seven Souls:
| Name | Function |
|---|---|
| Heavenly Soul (Fetal Light) | Controls people’s consciousness, thinking and wisdom |
| Earth Soul (Shuang Ling) | Controls people's emotions and desires |
| Human soul (ghost spirit) | Controls human instinct and vitality |
| cadaver dog | Controls alertness and responsiveness |
| Fushiya | Controls digestion and excretion functions |
| Sparrow vagina | In charge of reproductive function |
| Swallow a thief | Responsible for immune and defense functions |
| non-toxic | Controls detoxification and metabolic functions |
| Remove filth | Master cleaning and purifying functions |
| Smelly lungs | Master breathing function |
2. The cultural influence of Three Souls and Seven Souls
The theory of three souls and seven souls not only occupies an important position in ancient philosophy, but also has a profound impact on traditional Chinese medicine, Taoist practice and folk beliefs. The following are its manifestations in various fields:
| field | influence |
|---|---|
| Traditional Chinese Medicine | Used to explain people’s physiological and psychological states and guide diagnosis and treatment |
| Taoism | The important theoretical basis for cultivating inner alchemy and pursuing the harmony of three souls and seven souls |
| folk beliefs | Used to interpret phenomena such as dreams, illness, and death |
3. Three Souls and Seven Souls from a Modern Perspective
In modern society, although the theory of three souls and seven souls is no longer widely accepted by science, it still has certain enlightening significance for the classification of psychology and physiology. For example, consciousness, subconsciousness and instinct in modern psychology can correspond to the three souls, while the functions of the seven souls have similarities with the physiological system in modern medicine.
The following is a comparison of the three souls and seven souls with modern concepts:
| Three Souls and Seven Souls | modern concept |
|---|---|
| Heavenly Soul (Fetal Light) | consciousness, rational thinking |
| Earth Soul (Shuang Ling) | emotions, desires |
| Human soul (ghost spirit) | instinct, vitality |
| Seven souls | Physiological systems (such as digestion, immunity, respiration, etc.) |
4. The connection between hot topics on the Internet and Three Souls and Seven Souls
In the past 10 days, discussions on mental health, traditional Chinese medicine and traditional culture have been very popular across the Internet. The following is an analysis of the correlation between some hot topics and Three Souls and Seven Souls:
| hot topics | Related points |
|---|---|
| Mental Health and Meditation | Related to the balance of heavenly soul (consciousness) and earthly soul (emotion) |
| Chinese medicine health craze | Emphasis on the conditioning of the seven souls (physiological functions) |
| renaissance of traditional culture | Three souls and seven souls as a representative concept of ancient philosophy |
5. Summary
Three Souls and Seven Souls is a unique classification of people and vitality in ancient China. It not only reflects the ancients' profound understanding of life phenomena, but also has certain reference value in modern society. Whether from the perspective of culture, medicine or psychology, Three Souls and Seven Souls provides us with a new perspective on understanding people and life.
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