Zang Fu Flashcards
Zang Fu: Outline
Zang: (5 Viscera) Heart, Lung, Spleen, Liver, Kidney, (Pericardium)
Fu: (6 Bowels) Gall Bladder, Stomach, Small Intestine, Large Intestine, Urinary Bladder, Triple Burner
Extra-Ordinary Bowels/Fu: Brain, Marrow, Bones, Vessels, Gall-Bladder, Uterus
ZANG (functions)
Viscera
- Yin organs
Main Functions: transform, generate,andstore essence-qi/Vital Substances (Qi, Blood, Essence, Body Fluids)
- store substances, do not drain
FU
Bowels
- Yang Organs
Main Functions: receive and digest/transform food; transmit and excrete the wastes
- do NOT store (hollow), but transmit and transform
HEART: Outline
Government Seat: Monarch/Emperor
- Main Functions:
- governs Blood and Vessels
- stores the Shen
- Manifests in the face/complexion
- Opens to the tongue
- Emotion: Joy
- Fluid: Sweat
- Fire organ, loathes heat
Heart as the Monarch
- “Heart is the Monarch, [from where] the shen emanates.”
- Heart stores the shen, and therefore oversees all physiological (including mental/emotional) processes in entire body
(shen: mind, cognitive function)
- “Heart is the great commander of the five viscera and six bowels and the residence of (essence) and shen.”
note: “essence” here refers to the basic substances that give rise to shen
Heart Main Functions
- Governs the Blood Vessels
2 aspects: A
- Governs Blood and Vessels
A. Heart circulates blood through vessels to entire body where it nourishes all the tissues
- heart, vessels, and blood constitute the circulatory system
- blood flows in a continuous loop through body
- Heart qi is the force behind circulation
Heart Main Functions
- Govern Blood and Vessels
2 aspects: A
A. Heart circulates blood through vessels to entire body where it nourishes all the tissues
- Healthy, normal circulation depends upon:
1. sufficient Heart-qi
2. sufficient quantity and good quality blood
3. unobstructed vessels
Heart Main Functions
- Governs Blood and Vessels
Quote
“[If the Heart] is exhausted then the vessels are not open and the blood will not circulate. [If] the vessels are not open the whiskers will be lackluster and the complexion will be black like lacquer. The Blood will die.”
Heart Main Functions:
- Governs Blood and Vessels
2 aspects: B
B: Transformation (production) of Blood occurs in Heart
- Heart doesn’t contribute any material for production of Blood, but it belongs to Fire, Fire is red, and so it is said that Heart “transforms red”
Heart Main Functions
- Stores the Shen
A. Heart is the commander of the five viscera and six bowels, and therefore of the entire body (e.g. blood circulation of Heart, respiration of Lung, transformation and transportation of Spleen… all take place under command of the Heart)
B. Heart commands all mental/emotional activity (e.g. when pensiveness stirs in the Heart, the Spleen responds)
- Broad sense of shen: outward manifestations of life-activities of entire body as observed in: face, eyes, speech, response, movements, posture, tongue and pulse)
- Narrow sense of shen: mental-emotional activities
Heart manifests in the:
FACE/COMPLEXION
- Heart commands blood and vessels and face has an abundant supply of both
Heart opens to the:
TONGUE
- Heart dominates speech and sense of taste
- tongue connected to Heart meridian
Heart’s Emotion:
JOY
- joy in appropriate amount is good for the Heart and entire body
- excessive joy can damage the Heart and disperse the shen
Heart Fluid:
SWEAT
- Heart commands Blood, Blood and Body Fluids are related, share same origin
HEART (Fire Organ), loathes:
Heart Fire is controlled by:
HEAT
- Heart belongs to fire element, and its nature is “heat”
- helps warm viscera and bowels and entire body
- Heart fire is controlled by KIDNEY WATER
- adding heat to Heart easily leads to excessive heat in the Heart, and Kidney water is unable to control it
PERICARDIUM
- normally not included in the Five Viscera [and Six Bowels]
- thin membrane wrapped around Heart - not a thick, fleshy organ like other Viscera
- Pc channel paired with TB channel (TB is Yang, Pc channel is yin, therefore Pc organ considered yin)
PERICARDIUM Functions
Protects Heart:
- from invasion by external pathogenic factors
- [If pathogen] is allowed into the Heart, the Heart will be damaged. If the Heart is damaged the shen will depart, and if the shen departs, death will follow. Therefore, all pathogen that would enter the Heart [instead] enters the Pericardium.
LUNG: Outline
- Government Seat: Prime Minister
- Main Functions:
A. Governs Qi and controls respiration
B. Regulates the water passages
C. Governs diffusing and descending
D. Governs “regulation” (regulate all physiological activities)
E. Governs Defensive (wei) and the exterior
- Lung is the delicate organ, Lung is the brilliant canopy
- Manifests in the body hair
- Opens to the nose
- Emotion: grief/sadness
- Fluid: snivel
8: Body Part: skin
Lung: Prime Minister
“Lung is the Prime Minister from where regulation emanates”
- Lung commands Qi. Qi regulates all functions of the body
Lung Main Functions
- Governs Qi and Controls Respiration
“Governs Qi” – 3 ways
“All Qi belongs to the Lung”
1. Lung governs all Qi in the body
- Production*: (Lung contributes Clear Qi, combines in chest with Food Qi to make Gathering Qi/Chest Qi)
- Distribution*: Lung disseminates Qi to entire body via its diffusing fx… (which sends stuff up and out)
2. Movement of Qi
- respiration is outward manifestation of lung qi, where movement begins
3. “Lung Faces the Hundred Vessels”
- (Lung Governs Qi) Qi is the commander of Blood and Qi moves Blood through the vessels; Lung assists the Heart to circulate blood
Lung Main Functions
- Governs Qi and Controls Resipiration
“Controls Respiration”
Lung Controls Respiration
- Lung Qi drives respiration
Lung Main Functions
- Regulates Water Passages
2 aspects: Part I
1. Lung regulates water passages
- Lung function of diffusing and descending helps regulate the distribution, movement, and elimination of body fluids
- “Fluids enter the Stomach which sends essence qi (nutritious part^) up to the Spleen. The Spleen Qi disperses the essence up to the Lung. The Lungs regulate the water passages and send [fluids] down to the UB and the water essence to the entire body and circulating in the 5 channels.”
- “Lung moves water.”
Lung Main Functions
- Regulates Water Passages
2 aspects: part II
2. Lung is the “Upper Source of Water”
- Lung is located in the upper portion of the body and disseminates fluids throughout body
- Lung assists Kidney and Bladder in formation and excretion of urine
- Lung sends fluids down to Kidney and and UB
- If Lung descending function is impaired: fluids do not descend (accumulate in the upper portion of the body; urine is not formed and excreted
Lung Main Functions
- Governs Diffusing and Descending
3 aspects
1. Relationship to Respiration
- Diffusing (Exhalation: excrete turbid-qi upward and outward)
- Descending (Inhalation: inhale and absorb Clear-Qi downward and inward)
2. Relationship to controlling water passages (Lung sends Fluids to all parts of the body)
- Diffusing (Upwards to head and face; outwards to surface of body (space between muscles and skin)
- Descending (Downwards to Kidney and UB)
3. Relationship to regulating Qi-mechanism
- Lung qi descends (metal); Liver qi ascends (wood)
- mutually control/restrain each other and assist each other – Qi mechanism/dynamic is balanced
LUNG MAIN FUNCTIONS
- Governs “Regulation”
2 aspects
1. Assists Heart
- Qi moves/commands Blood
- Lung governs Qi
- Lungs assist Heart in circulation of Blood
2. Helps regulate all physiological activity
- Lung governs Qi
- Qi is the basis for all physiological activity
- Helps all physiological activity to be HARMONIOUS/ORDERLY and RHYTHMICAL/CYCLICAL
LUNG MAIN FUNCTIONS
- Governs Defensive and Exterior
1. Production of Defensive Qi (Lung plays a role)
- note the importance of middle and lower burner
2. Lung diffuses Defensive Qi to exterior
a: defends/protects exterior body from invasion by pathogenic factors
b: warms and nourishes cou li, skin, body hair
c: controls opening and closing of pores
“Lung governs skin and body hair”
Lung is the Delicate organ
Lung is the Brilliant Canopy
- delicate, tender, fragile
Two Aspects:
- intolerant of either heat or cold (extremes: excessive cold impairs diffusing/excessive heat impairs descending)
- easily invaded and damaged by external pathogen (connects directly with the environment, governs exterior)
Brilliant Canopy: “Lung is positioned at the top, above all other organs”
Lung Manifests in
BODY HAIR
- Lungs diffuse Defensive Qi and body fluids to the skin and body hair (function of Lung reflected in condition of body hair)
GOOD: glossy, sheen/POOR: dry, withered
Lung opens to:
NOSE
- respiration occurs through
- sense of smell related to Lung function
Lung emotion:
GRIEF/SADNESS
- grief and meloncholy deplete qi
Fluid of the Lung:
SNIVEL (nasal mucous)
- moistens, protects
Lung Body Part:
SKIN
- Lung diffuses Defensive-Qi and body fluids to skin
- Lung controls pores and surface of body
Lung:
Smell
Color
Taste
Climate
Sound
Smell: “fishy”
Color: white
Taste: pungent
Climate: dryness
Sound: weeping/crying
SPLEEN: Outline
Government Seat: Granary Official
- Main Functions:
1. Governs transformation and transportation
2. Governs ascending/lifting
3. Controls Blood
4. Controls the muscles of the 4 limbs - Spleen likes dryness and loathes dampness
- Manifests in the lips
- Opens to the mouth
- Emotion: pensiveness
- Fluid: (thin saliva)
- Associated body part: flesh, muscles
Spleen: Granary Official
“Spleen and Stomach are the Granary official [from where] the 5 flavors emanate.”
- Spleen (and Stomach) are the source of Water and Grain Qi – central organs in digestion
SPLEEN MAIN FUNCTIONS:
- Governs Transformation and Transportation
Transformation:
- transform (digest) “water and grain”
- extract the essence (“food-qi”, “food essence”, “grain -qi”) from water and grain
- distill the turbid from the clear/essence
- absorb the essence
Transportation:
- transport the essence of water and grain (to various parts of the body – food most importantly to Lung, fluids (clear) to Lung and (turbid) down into intestines
- send clear/essence up and turbid/dregs down
SPLEEN MAIN FUNCTIONS
- Governs Transportation and Transformation
3 part process
- Assist Stomach (break down food, separate essence from dregs)
- Assist in the absorption of food/fluid essences (intestines also do some absorbing)
- Transport food/fluid-essences
SPLEEN MAIN FUNCTIONS
- Controls Ascending/Lifting
3 aspects
1. Spleen governs “ascending” (general direction of movement of Spleen-Qi)
2. Spleen ascends the “clear” (refined substances/essences; sends these up to Lung and Heart where they are used in production of Qi and Blood)
3. Spleen lifts/holds the internal organs (Spleen Qi lifts up and holds internal organs in place – weakness of Spleen Qi can lead to prolapse)
SPLEEN MAIN FUNCTIONS
- Controls Blood
2 aspects
1. Spleen holds Blood in the vessels
- Spleen-Qi ensures Blood stays within the vessels and doesn’t leak out; weak Spleen-Qi can cause bleeding
2. Spleen helps produce Blood
- water and grain essences transformed and produced by the Spleen and Stomach – most fundamental component of Blood
- “Root of Post-Heaven”
- “Source of generation and transformation of Qi and Blood)
SPLEEN MAIN FUNCTIONS
- Controls Muscles and Four Limbs
2 aspects
1. Connects with flesh/muscles
- Spleen is post-heaven root, source of generation and transformation of Qi and Blood (primary source of nutrition for flesh and muscles)
2. Commands the Four Limbs
- Movement/health of limbs depends on Spleen
- source of Qi and Blood
- transports Qi and Blood to limbs
- nourish muscles, nourish limbs
“The Four Limbs all [depend on] grain qi from the Stomach, but not directly. It must be the Spleen [which ensures] they receive the grain.”
Spleen Likes Dryness and Loathes Dampness
Dampness is the climate of Spleen
Easily Injures Spleen
Spleen easily generates dampness
Dryness is opposite of, and overcomes dampness
Spleen Manifests in the
LIPS
Condition of Spleen reflected in lips (color, moisture, condition, function)
Spleen opens to the
MOUTH
Mouth includes lips, teeth, tongue, throat
- sense of taste, ability to chew, thin saliva
Emotion is
PENSIVENESS
- pondering, considering, concentrating, studying, brooding, thinking too much
- too much can damage Spleen
- Knots Qi? Especially in middle burner
Fluid of Spleen is
THIN SALIVA
- Spleen transforms (produces) thin saliva
- Spleen controls amount secreted, holds it in mouth – prevents drooling
Thin Saliva: moistens mouth, protects and maintains membranes lining oral cavity
- aids in swallowing and digestion
Spleen Body Part
MUSCLES/FLESH
- Spleen post-heaven root, source of generation and transformation of Qi and Blood
- Qi and Blood nourish flesh/muscles – Condition of Spleen easily reflected in function and appearence of flesh and muscles
SPLEEN:
Smell
Color
Taste
Climate
Sound
Stores
Smell: “fragrant”
Color: yellow
Taste: sweet
Climate: damp
Sound: singing
Stores: Yi (Intellect)
LIVER: Outline
Government Seat: Army General
- Main Functions:
1. Ensures the smooth flow of Qi (Governs free coursing)
2. Stores Blood
3. Controls Sinews (body part: sinews) - Houses: Hun (Ethereal Soul)
- Manifests in nails
- Opens in eyes
- Fluid: tears
- Emotion: anger
Liver Seat
Army General
- Liver ensures smooth flow of Qi
- responsible for planning body’s functions
- making plans, resoluteness
LIVER MAIN FUNCTIONS
- Liver Ensures Smooth Flow of Qi
5 aspects (overview)
disperse, extend, loosen, relax, circulate, make smooth and free, balance; FREE-COURSING
- Effects on Qi Mechanism and Blood and Body-Fluids
- Effect on Emotions
- Effect on Spleen and Stomach (transf and trasp)
- Effect on Gall Bladder and Bile
- Effect on Menstruation and Semen
LIVER MAIN FUNCTIONS
- Ensures Smooth Flow of Qi
Effect on Qi-mechanism and Blood and Body Fluids
Qi-mechanism of entire body dependent upon Liver’s free-coursing
- impacts functions of organs
- effect on Blood and Body Fluids (Qi moves Blood and Body Fluids)
LIVER MAIN FUNCTIONS
- Ensures Smooth Flow of Qi
Effect on emotions
Emotions primarily under purvey of Heart and Shen
- depend on Liver to ensure Qi and Blood are harmonious
- Liver disharmony can impair smooth flow of Qi and cause EMOTIONAL IMBALANCE
LIVER MAIN FUNCTIONS
- Ensures smooth flow of Qi
Effect on Spleen and Stomach (transformation and transportation)
- Spleen ascending and and Stomach descending are important components of Qi-mechanism and rely upon free-coursing of Liver
- Spleen and stomach transformation and transportation depend on free flow of Liver Qi
LIVER MAIN FUNCTIONS
- Ensures Smooth Flow of Qi
Effect on Gall Bladder and Bile
- Liver and Gall Bladder are int/ext pair
- Liver makes Bile, GB stores and secretes Bile
(Production and Secretion of Bile depend on Liver free-coursing)
LIVER MAIN FUNCTIONS
- Ensures smooth flow of Qi
Effect on menstruation and semen
Menstruation:
- Liver stores Blood, Blood forms basis of menstruation
- Liver free-coursing ensures harmonious circulation of Blood
- Liver free-coursing ensures harmonious menstruation
Semen:
- emission of semen depends upon Liver free-coursing
LIVER MAIN FUNCTIONS:
- Liver Stores Blood
2 aspects
A. Liver regulates Blood volume
- Liver main organ involved in storage of Blood
- During activity, Liver allows more Blood to enter circulation
- During rest, Blood returns to and is stored in Liver
B. Liver Blood regulates Menstruation
- Liver stores Blood, Blood forms basis of menstruation
LIVER MAIN FUNCTIONS
- Controls the Sinews/Tendons
- Sinews/Tendons are body-part/tissue of the Liver (e.g. tendons, ligaments, fascia)
- Liver Blood provides nourishment for sinews
“Food Qi enters the Stomach and the essence is sent to the Liver and the surplus goes to the sinews.”
Liver houses the
- Hun* (Ethereal Soul)
- mental/spiritual aspect of Liver
- nourished by Liver Blood
- affected by Liver regulating free flow of Qi
Hun:
- related to inhibition and excitation of mental processes (these must control each other)
- influences capacity to plan and find sense of direction
(problems with Hun: abnormal dreaming, talking in sleep, insomnia, hallucinations)
Liver manifests in the
Nails
“Nails are the surplus of Sinews”
- Liver Blood nourishes nails
- abundant Liver Blood: healthy, strong, thick, flexible nails
Liver opens to the
Eyes
Liver vessel/channel connects to the eyes
- Liver Blood nourishes eyes
Fluid of Liver
Tears
- production, quality, excretion/containment depend on normal Liver function
- Note: strong emotion can elicit tears and is not necessarily related simply to Liver
Liver emotion is
Anger
- Anger COMES FROM Liver and also AFFECTS liver
Liver body part
Sinews
- Liver Blood provides nourishement for sinews
Liver:
Smell
Color
Taste
Climate
Sound
Smell: rancid/urine
Color: green/blue-green
Taste: sour
Climate: wind
Sound: shouting (sighing)
