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Zang Fu 1:Spleen, Lung and Liver

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By the end of this session, you will:

• Have begun to grasp the functions of three of the Zang: the Spleen, the Lung and the Liver

• Have applied your understanding of these functions to some simple case outlines

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Each Zang• relates to an Element and so to an emotion, sense organ, tissue and

other correspondences

• has particular functions

• has relationships with other Zang and their functions

• has relationships with Fundamental Substances – the Zang are involved in producing or storing these

• is paired with a Fu

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The Spleen

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The Spleen

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The Spleen

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Functions of the Spleen• Governs Transportation and Transformation

• Contains Blood (ie, holds Blood in place)

• Dominates the muscles/flesh

• Opens into the mouth - manifests in the lips

• Controls raising of Qi

• Maintains lightness

• Spirit aspect: Yi (consciousness of possibilities)

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Governs transportation and transformation• This is ‘Yun Hua’

o ‘Yun’ = transportationo ‘Hua’ = transformation (colloquially: digestion)

• The Spleen digests and absorbs food and water, and distributes nutrients throughout the body

• Spleen is very important in making Qi and Blood

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Bristol Stool Chart

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Contains or holds Blood• The Spleen keeps the Blood within the vessels – ‘holds’ Blood in

place, prevents leakages

• Distinct from: o Heart, which governs (ie, propels) Bloodo Liver, which stores (and releases) Blood

• ‘Leakages’ of Blood tend to be more common from the lower part of the body

• Chronic low-level bleeding can be treated via the Spleen

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Dominates the muscles/flesh• This links to transforming and transporting – the Spleen nourishes

the flesh and ‘dominates the four limbs’

• Distinct from the Liver, which dominates ‘tendons’ (Liver is more to do with muscle tension, or lack of)

• Spleen dominates the body weight and the quality (tone) of the flesh/bulk of the muscles

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The health of the mouth and lips links to T&T

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The health of the mouth and lips links to T&T

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The Spleen raises the Qi (Stomach sends Qi downwards)

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The Spleen raises the Qi (Stomach sends Qi downwards)

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The Spleen ‘rules the raising of the pure’, which includes raising pure, clear energy to the head

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The Spleen ‘rules the raising of the pure’, which includes raising pure, clear energy to the head

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The Spirit aspect: Yi• The aspect of the soul that relates to the consciousness of

possibilities (links to the mental/emotional aspects of the function of ‘maintaining lightness’)

• The heavenly virtue related to the Spleen: the ability to trust and be trusted – sincerity, dependability, faithfulness, responsibility of being

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Some common indications of Spleen involvement(there are plenty more, and some of these may not be Spleen-related)

• poor appetite• tiredness• loose stools• heaviness• muzzy/fuzzy in

the head

• stuckness• oedema• phlegm• bleeding (of the

leaking kind)

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Treatment principle and key points

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The Lung

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Functions of the Lung• Governs respiration and rules Qi

• Disperses and descends

• Regulates water passages

• Dominates skin and body hair

• Opens into the nose

• Maintains our connectedness

• Spirit aspect: Po - corporeal soul

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Governs respiration• Inhalation of pure Qi of air and the exhalation of impure Qi

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Governs respiration• Inhalation of pure Qi of air and the exhalation of impure Qi

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Rules Qi• Central role in the formation of Qi

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Rules Qi• Central role in the formation of Qi

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Disperses

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Disperses

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Disperses

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DescendsThe Lung is the ‘lid’ and:

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The Lung is the ‘lid’ and:Descends

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Regulates water passagesLinks to Dispersing and Descending of fluids

The Lung has general influence on the water metabolism and circulation throughout the body

Role of the organs in relation to Body Fluids (Jin Ye):

• LUNG - descends/disperses/regulates

• SPLEEN - transforms/transports

• KIDNEY - steams fluids/catalyses their transformation

• BLADDER - opens and closes to eliminate fluids

• SAN JIAO - co-ordination and transportation of fluids

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Dominates skin and body hairSkin includes sweat glands and resistance to invasion

The Lung sends Qi and Jin Ye around the body, maintaining/nourishing the skin and hair

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Skin includes sweat glands and resistance to invasion

The Lung sends Qi and Jin Ye around the body, maintaining/nourishing the skin and hair

Dominates skin and body hair

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Opens into the noseThe nose is the opening of the Lungs and the beginning of respiration. The throat is the door of the Lungs, housing the

vocal cords

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Opens into the noseThe nose is the opening of the Lungs and the beginning of respiration. The throat is the door of the Lungs, housing the

vocal cords

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Maintains our connectedness• with the universe and the world around us

• Grieving is natural with loss/bereavement. Healthy Lung function enables grieving and letting go. In imbalance, a person can be cut off from feeling the loss

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• with the universe and the world around us

• Grieving is natural with loss/bereavement. Healthy Lung function enables grieving and letting go. In imbalance, a person can be cut off from feeling the loss

Maintains our connectedness

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Spirit aspect: Po (corporeal soul)

• This aspect of the soul dies on physical death. It is the aspect that allows us to be in the moment as if a moment is complete (this relates to ‘maintaining connectedness’)

• The heavenly virtue related to the Lungs is justice / righteousness, or beauty of a very pristine kind / preciousness, or severity/clarity

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What affects the Lung

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Some common factors indicating Lung involvement

• Breathlessness/breathing issues

• Cough

• Wheeze

• Tiredness

• Voice issues (weakness/hoarse/loss of)

• Nose issues

• Difficulty dealing with loss

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Treatment Principle and key points

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The Liver

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Functions of the Liver• Stores the Blood

• Rules flowing and spreading

• Dominates the tendons

• Manifests in the nails

• Opens into the eyes

• Maintains capacity for control

• Spirit Aspect: Hun (non-corporeal soul)

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Stores the BloodRegulates Blood in circulation: more if active, less if at rest or asleep

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Liver Blood gives rise to menstrual blood

Stores the Blood

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Rules flowing and spreadingSmooth movement of Qi

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Smooth flow of Blood depends on the smooth movement of Qi. If stagnant Qi persists, this can lead to stagnant Blood, ie:

Rules flowing and spreading

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Rules flowing and spreading• LIV can ‘invade’ ST and SP - abdominal rumblings/pain, nausea, vomiting,

belching, diarrhoea alternating with constipation

• Bile: excess Liver Qi accumulates in the Gall Bladder and forms bile. Imbalance: irregular bile secretion, a sour taste, vomiting yellow fluid, flatulence and low appetite

• Harmonising the emotions: Liver is responsible for maintaining a relaxed, free-flowing disposition. Imbalance: rashness, irritability, frustration, anger (or depression, if turned inwards)

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Dominates the tendons‘Tendons’ also includes ligaments and, to some extent, muscles. These

are nourished by the Liver Blood

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Manifests in the nails

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Manifests in the nails

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Opens into the eyesThe eyes are nourished by the Blood that the Liver sends to the eyes

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Opens into the eyesThe eyes are nourished by the Blood that the Liver sends to the eyes

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Maintains capacity for controlThe Liver is the General (the controller of the army)

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The Liver is involved in assertiveness:

Maintains capacity for control

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Spirit aspect: Hun (non-corporeal soul)• This is the aspect of the soul that lives (usually)

for three generations after physical death

• The heavenly virtue related to the Liver - human kindness

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What affects the Liver?

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Some common factors indicating Liver involvement

•symptoms worse with stress

•inability to relax

•lack of smoothness

•inflexibility (physically or emotionally)

•distension

•fluctuations of emotion or symptoms

•sighing

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Treatment principles and key points