本文以「命門」爲例，探討金元明時期醫者如何理解他們的身體，特別是胚胎時期身體成形的關鍵與過程，以及兩性身體結構的差異。至晚從金元時期開始，醫者對「命門」展開熱烈而積極的討論，雖然醫者對「命門」在身體中的位置、性質、功能及其與其它臟腑或經絡的關係議論分岐，但是卻賦予「命門」前所未有的崇高地位。本文希望透過金元明時期醫家有關「命門」的種種論述方式，不僅深入了解他們賦予「命門」在身體中的地位、屬性與功能，以及他們透過「命門」所開展的身體起源理論的意義，並析論「命門」何以在此一時期成爲醫者討論的重點之一，同時亦嘗試將「命門」置入歷史發展的脈絡中，討論醫學與當代儒學、道教哲學、佛學思想之互動關係。

This paper discusses the ideas of ming-men (the gate of life) in traditional Chinese medicine during the Chin, Yuan, and Ming periods (1127-1644). Although physicians held various opinions about ming-men's position, nature, and relationship with other visceral systems and circulation trucks in the body, they unanimously viewed ming-men as the most important part of the body and the key of life. Upon their discussions, this paper explores how traditional Chinese physicians understood the formation and development of human embryos as well as the different structure of body in terms of gender. Questions as to why physicians were highly interested in ming-men and the relationship between medicine, Confucianism, Taoism, and Buddhism will also be discussed.

命門；身體；相火；三焦；胎毒；醫學；性別

ming-men; body; medicine; gender; hsiang-huo (minister fire); San-chiao (triple chiao)