The Zang-Fu Organ Theory

5 Zang Organs: produce, store & reserve.

6 Fu organs: transport and transform food

6 extra-ordinary organs: store essential substances


Heart

  • Heart governs blood (responsible for blood circulation)

  • It controls blood vessels including the pulse strength.

  • It houses the mind (Shen), the spirit: mental activity, memory, consciousness, thinking and sleep (dreams)

  • Responsible for happiness & joy

  • It manifests in the complexion (face color)

  • It opens into the tongue (especially the tip). The condition of the heart also affects the speech.

  • It controls sweat


Liver

  • Liver stores blood (for regular activities & menstruation)

  • Ensures the smooth flow of Qi (for energy, mental state & digestion)

  • It controls the tendons (sinews): in charge of movement (muscle, ligaments, tendons)

  • It manifest in the nails (good for Diagnosis observation)

  • It opens into the eyes

  • It corresponds to tears (moistening and protecting the eyes)

  • It houses the ethereal soul (finding direction in life, visions, planning)


Lung

  • Lung governs Qi & respiration: extract the good Qi from the SP and sends it all over the body

  • It controls all Channels circulation (blood through meridians)

  • It controls descending (Down & inward) & dispersing(upward & outward): Descending (Send Qi to Kd, purify Qi to keep it clean) & dispersing (spread Defensive Qi to the skin to help fight diseases)

  • Regulates Water metabolism: Some spread to skin & some send to Kd to excrete).

  • It controls skin & body hair: for body resistance

  • It opens into the nose & controls the nasal discharge

  • It houses the Corporal soul (reside in the body): physical strength

Spleen

  • Spleen governs transformation & transportation: food & drink. Preventing water retention

  • It controls raising function: keeps internal organs in place & sends essential substances to the head

  • It controls the blood to keep the blood within the vessels (preventing hemorrhages)

  • It controls muscles and the 4 limbs (for energy)

  • It opens into the mouth and manifests in the lips

  • It controls saliva

  • It houses the thoughts (clear thinking)


Kidney

  • KD Yin & KD Yang are the root of the genes: if one is disease the other will be too.

  • Kidney stores essence and governs birth, growth, reproduction & development

  • They produce marrow, fill up the brain & controls bones

  • They govern water: San Jiao (lower burner part) will be in charge of getting rid of “bad” water

  • The control the reception of Qi from the Lung

  • They opens into the ears

  • They manifest on the Hair

  • They control the lower orifices (spermatic duct, urethra & anus) opening & closing function

  • They house the will power (motivation)

  • The Gate of Vitality (Ming Men): between the 2 Kd. It provides heat for all body functions, warms lower burner, Stomach & Spleen to aid in digestion, harmonizes sexual function, support all other organs, warm the KD Yang & nourish KD Yin.


Stomach

  • It is the most important Yang organ!

  • It controls the ripening & rotting of food (with the SP)

  • If ST Qi is strong, the prognostic of any disease will be good.

  • Controls the transportation of Food Qi

  • ST is the origin of fluids (likes moisture)

  • ST & SP are very closely related (dry & damp, Excess & deficiency, heat & cold, ascending & descending)


Small Intestine

  • It Controls the receiving & transforming

  • SI separates the fluids (Food goes to LI and fluids to BL)

  • SI & HT are related but not as closely as ST & SP


Large Intestine

  • Excretion of the rotten food

  • LI & LU are interiorly-exteriorly related. If LU qi is def. LI won’t have enough energy to defecate.


Gallbladder

  • GB is the only yang organ that doesn’t deal with food directly.

  • It stores Bile

  • It controls judgment and decision

  • It also controls the joints

  • GB & LV depend on each other


Bladder

  • BL remove Water by Qi transformation (with the help of the SI & SJ)

  • Imbalance of BL will provoke jealousy, suspicion and long-standing grudge

  • BL & KD are quite close in the fluids transformation.


San Jiao (Triple Burner)

  • The upper burner : Lu & Ht

  • The middle burner: Sp & St

  • The lower burner: Lv & Kd, Li, Si, Bl, Gb

  • SJ & PC is related through the meridians


The extraordinary organs are shaped like the Yang organs but have functions of the Yin organs.

Uterus

Brain

The brain is called the sea of marrow.

Marrow

Bones

Blood Vessels

Gallbladder