Tag: alternative-medicine

TCM Organs Overview

In Traditional Chinese Medicine (TCM), the twelve zang-fu organs are divided into six zang (yin) organs and six fu (yang) organs. Each has its own function, relationships, and role in maintaining the body’s balance.

Zang (Yin) Organs – Storage and Regulation

  1. Heart (Xin, 心) – The Emperor
    • Governs Blood and vessels
    • Houses the Shen (Spirit/Mind)
    • Controls circulation and influences mental activity
  2. Liver (Gan, 肝) – The General/Strategist
    • Stores Blood and regulates its volume
    • Ensures the smooth flow of Qi
    • Controls emotions and planning
  3. Spleen (Pi, 脾) – The Granary Official
    • Governs Transformation & Transportation (digestion)
    • Controls Blood (keeps it within vessels)
    • Houses Yi (thought, intellect, memory)
  4. Lung (Fei, 肺) – The Prime Minister
    • Governs Qi and Respiration
    • Regulates Water metabolism
    • Controls Wei Qi (Defensive Qi) and pores
  5. Kidney (Shen, 肾) – The Minister of Power
    • Stores Essence (Jing) and governs birth, growth, reproduction
    • Produces Marrow, which nourishes the brain and bones
    • Houses Zhi (Willpower)
  6. Pericardium (Xin Bao, 心包) – The Protector of the Heart
    • Shields the Heart from external and emotional disturbances
    • Assists in blood circulation
    • Plays a role in emotional relationships

Fu (Yang) Organs – Transport and Transformation

  1. Small Intestine (Xiao Chang, 小肠) – The Separator of the Pure from the Impure
    • Receives food from the stomach and extracts nutrients
    • Separates pure from turbid, sending waste to the Large Intestine and Bladder
  2. Gallbladder (Dan, 胆) – The Decision Maker
    • Stores and excretes bile to aid digestion
    • Governs decision-making and courage
  3. Stomach (Wei, 胃) – The Official of Fermentation
    • Receives and decomposes food
    • Works with the Spleen to transform food into Qi and Blood
  4. Large Intestine (Da Chang, 大肠) – The Dreg Official
  • Governs the movement of waste and water absorption
  • Related to letting go physically and emotionally
  1. Bladder (Pang Guang, 膀胱) – The Water Reservoir
  • Stores and excretes urine – the transformation, evaporation, distribution, and excretion of body fluids.
  • Works with the Kidneys to regulate fluids
  1. Triple Burner (San Jiao, 三焦) – The Irrigation Official
  • Regulates water pathways and Qi movement
  • Divided into Upper, Middle, and Lower Jiao to coordinate bodily functions

Each organ not only has a physiological function but also a spiritual and emotional aspect in TCM. This holistic approach ties the physical, mental, and energetic aspects of health together.