AP Foundations of Traditional Chinese Medicine 3 — Questions and Answers
Question 1: What is the primary function of the Triple Burner (San Jiao) in TCM?
- Storing Jing and governing reproduction
- Governing the transformation and transportation of water and fluids throughout the body (Correct answer)
- Controlling the sinews and tendons
- Producing Wei Qi to protect the exterior
Correct answer: Governing the transformation and transportation of water and fluids throughout the body
The Triple Burner is responsible for the transformation, transportation, and excretion of fluids, connecting all three body regions.
Question 2: In TCM theory, which organ 'opens into' the eyes and governs the sinews?
- Heart
- Kidney
- Liver (Correct answer)
- Lung
Correct answer: Liver
The Liver opens into the eyes, stores Blood that nourishes vision, and controls the sinews for smooth movement.
Question 3: Which of the Eight Principles pairs represents the depth and location of a disease?
- Hot/Cold
- Excess/Deficiency
- Interior/Exterior (Correct answer)
- Yin/Yang
Correct answer: Interior/Exterior
Interior/Exterior is one of the Eight Principles and describes whether a pathogen is superficial or has penetrated deeply.
Question 4: A patient presents with a red face, thirst, irritability, and a rapid pulse. Which pattern does this most suggest?
- Liver Qi stagnation
- Kidney Yin deficiency
- Heart Fire blazing (Correct answer)
- Spleen Qi deficiency
Correct answer: Heart Fire blazing
Heart Fire manifests with red face, thirst, irritability, mouth ulcers, and a rapid, overflowing pulse.
Question 5: The 'Governing Vessel' (Du Mai) is said to be the 'sea' of which type of channel?
- Yin channels
- Yang channels (Correct answer)
- Luo channels
- Divergent channels
Correct answer: Yang channels
The Du Mai (Governing Vessel) is called the 'Sea of Yang Channels' because it meets all Yang meridians at Da Zhui (GV14).
Question 6: Which of the following is NOT considered one of the 'Seven Emotions' (Qi Qing) in TCM etiology?
- Joy (Xi)
- Fear (Kong)
- Guilt (Zui) (Correct answer)
- Pensiveness (Si)
Correct answer: Guilt (Zui)
The Seven Emotions are Joy, Anger, Worry, Pensiveness, Sadness, Fear, and Shock — guilt is not among them.
Question 7: In TCM, 'Ying Qi' (Nutritive Qi) circulates primarily through which pathway?
- The skin and muscles (Wei level)
- The twelve regular meridians and blood vessels (Correct answer)
- The extraordinary vessels only
- The divergent channels
Correct answer: The twelve regular meridians and blood vessels
Ying Qi flows within the regular meridians and blood vessels, nourishing the organs and body tissues.
AP Foundations of Traditional Chinese Medicine 3
What is the primary function of the Triple Burner (San Jiao) in TCM?