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The five zang-organs is a collective term for the heart, lung, spleen, liver and kidney. While each of
the zang-organs has its special functions, the physiological functions of the heart play a dominant
role.
The Heart
The heart is situated in the thorax, above the diaphragm and enveloped by the pericardium,
resembling an inverted lotus flower bud. It is the house of spirit, the governor of blood, and the
converging location of vessels.
Pertaining to fire in the five elements and being yang within yin, the heart plays a major role in
dominating the life activities of the human body.
). It has two main functions: controlling blood and vessels and dominating
associating with joy in emotions and sweat in secretion. The two major
shaoyang, connect and tangle each other between the heart and small
intestine. Hence the heart and small intestine are believed to be related
This function of the heart involves two aspects: control of blood and control
of blood vessel. The blood circulates in the vessel and relies on the
propelling of the heart to reach all parts of the body, so as to perform its
made up of the heart, vessel and blood, the heart plays the dominant role,
The normal pulsation of the heart depends on the nourishing and moistening
function of the heart blood and heart yin as well as the propelling
and warming functions of the heart qi and heart yang. In this way the
normal cardiac efficiency, cardiac rate and cardiac rhythm are guaranteed,
enabling blood to circulate all over the body for nourishment. This is
the blood is deficient and the vessels are empty, it will also directly affect
the normal pulsation of the heart and the normal circulation of blood. In
blood. If the heart qi is insufficient, the blood is deficient and the vessels
well as thin and weak pulse; if qi and blood are stagnated and the blood
vessels are obstructed, there will be grayish complexion, cyanotic lips and
2. Governing spirit
Heart governing spirit, or heart storing spirit, refers to that the heart can
dominate and control the spiritual, mental and thinking activities of the
body. Spirit, in a broad sense, refers to the life activities and external
manifestations of the human body. The image of the body, the complexion,
language, response and body movements, are all classified into the
category of spirit. So there is a saying, One thrives with spirit yet perishes
(spirit qi), shen zhi (spirit mind) and shen se (spirit complexion), are
classified into this category. While in a narrow sense, spirit refers to the
spiritual, mental and thinking activities dominated by the heart. They are
The heart, where the spirit resides, is the supreme governor of the five
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why it is said, The heart stores the spirit. Ling Shu (Miraculous Pivot,
) pointed out clearly that the heart can receive external messages and
in Lei Jing, Zhang Jingyue further put forward that the spiritual, mental
spirit properly, one will be full in vitality, clear in mind, agile in thinking,
of the heart in governing the spirit may bring about such symptoms as
activities; in this sense, the function of heart controlling blood and vessel
The physiological function of the heart is closely related to joy. The theory
anger, worry, contemplation and terror, are derived from the physiological
is also confirmed that joy is associated with the heart. Joy, a positive reaction
excessive joy can impair heart spirit. In a word, joy is beneficial to the
heart in governing the spirit and controlling blood and vessel only when it
is not excessive.
It means that sweat is the fluid of the heart, indicating the close connection
between sweat and the heart. Sweat, a fluid excreted from the sweat pore
relies on the control of skin striae by defensive qi. If it is open, there will
that blood and sweat shares the same origin. And because blood is
controlled by the heart, it is said that sweat is the fluid of the heart.
It refers to the connection between the heart and all the blood vessels. Its
the blood vessels on the head and face are very abundant, just like what is
said in Ling Shu (Miraculous Pivot, ) that the face and upper orifices
receive qi and blood from all the twelve meridians and three hundred and
sixty-five collaterals. So abundant heart qi and blood will lead to red and
The heart opens into the tongue, which means the tongue is the external
sense of taste and language expression, which rely on the function of the
heart to govern spirit, blood and vessel. If the heart functions abnormally,
there will be change of taste and inflexibility of the tongue. If the functions
of the heart are normal, the tongue will be moist and lustrous in
property, normal and sensitive in taste, and free and flexible in movement.
The disorders of the heart can also be reflected on the tongue. For example,
whitish, bulgy and tender; if the blood is deficient in the heart, the tongue
will be deep-red, thin and dry; if the heart fire flames up, the tongue will
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the heart in controlling the spirit is abnormal, the tongue will become
the heart to protect it. Its shape and position are recorded in many ancient
the heart meridian of hand jueyin is connected with the pericardium and
heart for its protection so that when there is an exogenous invasion, the
pericardium will be the first barrier. In the theory of warm diseases, such
pericardium.
Daily Exercises
4. What is pericardium?
The Lung
The lung, including two lobes on the left and right, is situated in the thorax,
among all the viscera. The lung is tender, frail and finicky, and is susceptible
throat, opens into the nose, and is associated with the skin and hair in the
intestine.
It controls the qi of the whole body, or general qi, and the air it inhales and
exhales. The reason why it controls qi of the whole body is that all kinds
mainly composed of the fresh air inhaled by the lung and the cereal nutrients
function of the lung is critical for the production of thoracic qi and the
descending, entering and exiting of qi, thus the lung is capable of regulating
The lung governing the inhaled and exhaled qi means that the lung is the
location where the external air and the internal qi exchange. Through this
process, the external fresh air is inhaled and internal turbid qi is exhaled,
entering and exiting motions of qi, and facilitating the metabolism of the
body. Both of these two functions of the lung can ultimately be traced back
of the lung. The shortage of qi, the abnormal movement of qi, and the
2. The lung manages ascent and dispersion as well as descent and purification.
Ascent and dispersion mean that the lung qi can move upward
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and disperse outward; descent and purification means that the lung qi can
move downward and clear the foreign body away from the respiratory
tract. The lung managing ascent and dispersion is mainly reflected in three
by the spleen to the whole body as well as the skin and hair in the
exterior. c. Diffusing defensive qi to warm and nourish the skin and muscles,
to regulate the opening and closing of the skin striae, and to discharge
dysfunction of the lung in ascent and dispersion may lead to inhibited air
and cough, etc. Besides, if the lung qi is obstructed and fails to disperse
the defensive qi, there will be stagnation of defensive qi, closing of the
skin striae, absence of sweat, aversion to cold and sensation of fever, etc.
The descent and purification of the lung can also be discussed in three
aspects: a. inhaling the fresh air from nature; b. distributing downward the
inhaled fresh air as well as the body fluid and nutrients from water and
cereal transformed by the spleen; c. purifying the foreign bodies inside the
respiratory tract, and keeping it clean. Thus, if the lung fails to function
be no regular descent and purification, and vice versa. Only when both
function properly can the air tube be smooth, respiration be rhythmic, and
there will be syndromes such as the lung failing to disperse and ascend
and the lung failing to purify and descend, resulting in wheezing and
coughing, etc.
are passages within the body for circulating and discharging water and
and excretion of water and fluid. The ascent and dispersion of the lung
cover three aspects: dispersing the body fluid and the essence from water
and cereal to all parts of the body, controlling the opening and closing the
skin striae, and regulating the secretion and excretion of sweat. In contrast,
the descent and purification of the lung enable the inhaled lucid qi to reach
the kidney and make water and fluid within the body transported downward
to the urinary bladder where they transform into urine. This process
the smoothness of the urination, the lung can also distribute water and
fluid downwards to all parts of the body because of its supreme location
above all the other viscera (The water and fluid are taken from the external
environment and then transported to the lung via the spleen and stomach).
That is why it is called the upper source of water. If the function of the
4. The lung opens into various vessels and is in charge of regulation and
management. Almost all vessels are convened in the lung which means that
all the blood within the body is transported to the lung through different
vessels, and after exchange of qi via respiration, the fresh blood is sent
back to the whole body. It is thus evident that the lung is closely linked to
holds that the motive power of blood circulation lies in the dispersion and
regulation of lung qi as well as the propelling action of heart qi. The circulation
and qi of the whole body. The lung opening into myriad vessels, in this
sense, means that the lung qi can facilitate and promote blood circulation.
The lung in charge of regulation and management refers to that the lung
can regulate and manage the physiological functions of the whole body. It
through which the fresh air is inhaled for physiological activities, and the
entering and exiting of qi; c. The lung propels and regulates blood circulation
for the reason that it can manage and regulate qi activities of the
whole body; d. With the function of descent and purification, the lung can
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