CMPR113

www.endeavour.edu.au

Session 8

Zang Xiang Theory –

Zang/Heart/Pericardium

Chinese Medicine Department

By Dr Shulan Yang

• Heart is the monarch of the

body

Heart

Johannes Flintoe, 2007

• Heart weighs 十二两(around 193g). It has 7 holes and 3 valves. It stores 三合(around 300ml) essence.

• Nan Jing, 42nd difficulties

• The Yīn/Yáng nature of Heart compared with other Zàng: Heart is the Yáng in the Yáng.– The back being Yáng (compared with abdomen),

Yáng in the Yáng is Heart.– Huáng Dì Nèi Jīng, Su Wen, chapter 4

• In Five Element theory, Heart belongs to Fire.

Heart

• Function of Heart

– Heart governs Xuè and the

pulse

Heart

• What is Xuè?

• The middle Jiāo gathers Gŭ Qì and

Jīn Yè, transforms them (in the

upper Jiāo) into red, which is Xuè.• Huang Di Nei Jing, Ling Shu, chapter 30

Governs Xuè

• Heart is the factory where the blood

is produced

• Heart controls the circulation of blood

• Heart blood influences menstruation

indirectly

• Heart blood houses the Mind (Shén)

Governs Xuè

Heart (Pixabay, 2019)

• Heart connects with blood vessels

and pushes Xuè to fill and move in

the blood vessels.

• What is Mài?

• Mai is the house of the blood.• Huang Di Nei jing, Su Wen, chapter 17

Governs Mài (blood vessel)

Heart Governs the Blood Vessels

• Heart governs the Blood, so naturally it also controls the blood vessels (cardiovascular system)

• State of the Heart’s energy is reflected in the state of the blood vessels

• Blood vessels refers also to one of five energetic layers:– Skin

– Muscles

– Sinews

– Blood vessels

– Bones

(Lungs)

(Spleen)

(Liver)

(Heart)

(Kidneys)

Blood vessels (Pixabay, 2019)(Maciocia, 2005)

• There are 2 important pre-requisites

to keep normal Heart function in

regards to governing Xuè:

1. Strong Heart Yáng Qì

2. Smooth Blood vessels

2 Important Pre-requisites

• Heart is the fire Zàng. So Yáng Qì is the main factor to affect it’s function.

• Blood, as a Yin vital substance, pairs with Yáng Qì in the Heart to keep the balance of Yīn and Yáng.

• With the support of Yáng Qì, the Heart keeps beating

Characteristics of the Heart

Hands with a red heart donor day background (Created by ibrandify/Freepik, 2017)

• How can we detect conditions of the Heart?– State of the Mind (Shén)

– Emotion: happiness or joy

– Tissue: controls pulse and manifests in the complexion

– Body fluid: sweat

– Sense organ: tongue

Heart

• How to understand the Shén?– Review the content about Shén in

session 4-5.

Governs Shén (Mind)

© Endeavour College of Natural Health www.endeavour.edu.au 13

Functions of Shen

Maciocia, 2015, p71

© Endeavour College of Natural Health www.endeavour.edu.au 14

The relationships between Shén and

other vital substances

o Shén is the most subtle and non-material type of Qi.

o Shén governs all life activities. If Shén is clear, then

internal organs could work together to generate,

distribute and discharge Jīng, Qì, Xuè, Jīn Yè.

o But on the other hand, Jīng, Qì, Xuè, Jīn Yè is the

material basis of Shén.

• When Heart blood is abundant and circulates smoothly, the Shen will enjoy it’s house (in the Heart) and reside there happily.

Governs Shen (Mind)

BabaraALane, 2016

• What’s the manifestations of healthy Shén (Heart is strong & blood abundant)– Normal mental activity,

balanced emotional life

– Clear consciousness

– Good memory

– Keen thinking

– Good sleep

Governs Shén (Mind)

Heart Blood & the Shen

Heart function of housing the Mind is dependant on adequate nourishment from the Blood and conversely, the Heart’s job governing Blood is dependent on the Mind

Healthy supply of HT Blood roots the Mind, embraces it and anchors it (Mind will be peaceful & happy)

If HT Blood deficient, the Mind lacks root and this will result in mental restlessness, depression & emotional problems (conversely these issues can induce a deficiency of HT Blood)

(Maciocia, 2005)

Heart Blood & the Shen

1) Mind (Shen) – Heart – whole complex of mental and spiritual aspects (also encompasses mental and spiritual aspects related to other organs). Responsible for consciousness, thinking, affections, memory & sleep.

2) Etheral Soul (Hun) – Liver – broadly corresponds to the Western concept of ‘Soul’. Responsible for sleep, plans & life aims.

3) Corporeal Soul (Po) – Lung – somatic expression of the soul – gives us capability of sensation, feeling, hearing and sight.

4) Will-power (Zhi) – Kidney – mental drive that gives determination and drive in pursuit of goals

5) Intellect (Yi) – Spleen – capacity for applied thinking, studying, concentrating and memorisation

(Maciocia, 2005)

• Heart and Joy affects each other in both physiological and pathological states.

Emotions: Joy

No author. 2015.

• Heart conditions decide the quality of pulse.

Tissue

• Heart conditions affect the

colour of face

• Heart conditions affect the

lustre of face

• Heart conditions affect the

Shén in the eyes

Manifests in the Complexion

Achim Hering, 2014

• Sweat comes from blood• Heart Yin + Heart Yang →Sweat

Kullez, 2011

Body Fluids

Controls Sweat

• Body fluids & Blood have a common

origin

• Blood & body fluids mutually interchange

(if Blood is too thick, body fluids enter the

blood vessels & vice versa).

• Sweat as a body fluid has a relationship

with the Heart Blood – excessive

sweating can induce a deficiency of Heart

Blood (& vice versa)

Thirsty sport girl (Created by Freepik, 2017)

• Spiritual Axis Chapter 17:

– Heart Qi communicates with the tongue, if the

Heart is normal the tongue can distinguish the

five tastes

Noricum, 2006

Sense Organ

• The Heart influences the tongue itself

• The Heart influences talking and speech as well

Sense Organ

• Remember the ‘Correspondence of Five Elements’ to deeply understand the following relationships about the Heart:

• Colour: red

• Season: summer

• Climate: heat

• Smell: scorched

• Taste: bitter

• Sound: laughing

• Movement: think

Other Relationships

• In Jing Luo, hand Jue Yin

belongs to Pericardium.

• But in Zang Fu, Pericardium is

only the house of Heart.

– It’s function is to protect Heart

from invasion of external

pathological factors. So there is

no too much content about

Pericardium in Zang Fu.

Pericardium

pericardium (Cardiac Health, 2017)

• Johannes Flintoe, 19 Jan 2007, Crown Prince’s Coronet, Viewed 3 Feb 2016.

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Regalia_of_Norway#/media/File:Johannes_flintoe_cr

own_for_norwegian_prince_1846.jpg

• BabaraALane, 16 Nov 2016, fractal heart red love angel wings, Viewed 1 Mar

2018. https://pixabay.com/en/fractal-heart-red-love-angel-wings-1822039/

• No author. No title. 26 Nov 2015. Viewed 1 March 2018.

https://pixabay.com/en/woman-old-senior-female-elderly-1031000/

• Kullez, 23 Feb 2011, Sweat or rain? Viewed 18 Jan 2016

https://www.flickr.com/photos/kullez/5598159209

• Noricum, 18 Feb 2006, swollen tongue, viewed 18 January16 https://www.flickr.com/photos/noricum/101041488

• Pixabay. (2019). Blood vessels [Image]. Retrieved February 20, 2019. https://pixabay.com/en/human-body-circulatory-system-311864/

Reference

• Maciocia, G. (2005). The foundations of Chinese medicine: A comprehensive text

for acupuncturists and herbalists. London: Elsevier Churchill Livingstone.

• Pixabay. (2019). Heart [Image]. Retrieved February 20, 2019, from https://pixabay.com/en/human-heart-blood-flow-1700453/

• Freepik. (2017). Thirsty sport girl [Image]. Retrieved January 19, 2018 from https://www.freepik.com/free-photo/thirsty-sport-girl_1173417.htm

• Cardiac Health. (2017). pericardium [Image]. Retrieved January 19, 2018 from https://www.cardiachealth.org/chestpain/your-pericardium

Reference