Understanding Tongfu Organs and Five Phases in Chinese Medicine

Understanding Tongfu Organs and Their Functionality

Introduction to Tongfu

• Definition of Tongfu: A term encompassing the yin (zong) organs which are filled with vital essence and the yang (fu) organs which are hollow.

• Relation to Physiology and Pathology: Understanding the physiology of these organs is crucial for diagnosing pathology through dongfu diagnosis, which assesses impairments in the body from disharmony in zong or fu organs.

Associations with the Five Phases

• Review of associations with five phases, vital substances, tissues, sense organs, emotions, and other corresponding elements.

  • Vital Substances: Includes qi (vital energy), blood, jing (essence), jinya (fluid essence).

  • Tissues and Layers:

  • Lungs (Wei Qi): Associated with skin.

  • Spleen: Related to muscles (flesh).

  • Liver: Related to sinews (connective tissues).

  • Heart: Connected to blood vessels.

  • Kidneys: Associated with bones.

  • Emotional Intelligence & Five Phases: 累 = health in emotional responses, which changes with environmental conditions and body fluids.

  • Physical Layers of the Body: Mirrors the five phases, ranging from superficial (skin) to deep (bones).

Physical Indicators of Organ Health

• Observations of skin, nails, hair, and lip health as indicators of organ conditions:

  • Heart: Manifests in complexion; dullness may indicate blood deficiency.

  • Liver: Manifests in nails; deficiencies cause brittleness.

  • Lungs: Health is reflected in body hair and pores.

  • Spleen: Health can be assessed through lips and mouth appearance.

  • Kidneys: Hair on the head reflects kidney health and aging processes.

Body Fluids and Correspondences

• Liver: Tears relate to eye moisture indicating liver health.

• Heart: Sweat is a vital fluid related to heart function and essence.

• Spleen: Saliva for digestion indicates digestional health.

• Lungs: Snivel or nasal mucus indicates respiratory health, especially in colder conditions.

• Kidneys: Spittle relates to lubrication in the throat (less commonly discussed).

Smell Associations with Organs

• Liver: Rancid smell (akin to rotting meat).

• Heart: Burnt smell (similar to smoked products, indicating heat).

• Spleen: Sweet smell resembling overripe fruit, potentially indicating diabetes when related to breath.

• Lungs: Rotten smell associated with infections or stagnant respiratory conditions.

Organ Functions and Their Correspondences

Zang (Yin) Organs

1. Heart:

   • Properties: Root of life, governs blood and circulation.

   • Emotional and Mental Functions: Houses Shun (spirit), associated with clarity, sleep, and consciousness.

   • Clinical Indicators:

     • Skin Complexion:

       • Pale = Blood deficiency.

       • Bright white = Yang deficiency.

       • Purplish = Blood stasis.

       • Red = Heart heat.

   • Functions: Clear speech, governs blood vessels.

2. Liver:

   • Properties: Stores blood, governs the sinews, regulates body movements.

   • Emotional Functions: Associated with anger and irritability.

   • Clinical Indicators:

     • Strong nails suggest healthy liver blood.

     • Emotional Stability: Orderly reaching in life manifestations.

3. Spleen:

   • Functions: Digestion and transformation of food into vital substances.

   • Health Indicators: Lip and mouth condition related to the spleen's energy.

4. Kidneys:

   • Functions: Store Jing essence, foundation of health and vitality.

   • Health Indicators: Hair condition reflects long-term kidney health and aging.

Fu (Yang) Organs

• Characteristics: Primarily related to digestion and elimination, differentiate from yin organs by not storing substances (except for food in transit).

• Functionality of Fu Organs: Receives, processes and excretes food material within the digestive tract (e.g., stomach, intestines).

• Gallbladder & Urinary Bladder: Specific functions noted as extraordinary Fu organs due to unique roles in storage of bile and urine.

Statements of Fact in Organ Function

• Use of idioms in clinical contexts to understand organ health from a traditional Chinese medicine perspective.

• Memorization of Key Phrases** for each organ to explore health and pathology related functions.

Specific Organ Review: Heart

• Bloom in the Face: Affects mental clarity and emotional expression. Adverse complexion signals underlying deficiencies.

• Heart's Clinical Considerations: Blood governance, heat management and cultivation of Shun.

Conclusion

• Each organ holds significance that interlinks emotional, physical, and spiritual components. This reinforces the need for a holistic approach in diagnosis and treatment using Traditional Chinese Medicine principles. Organ functionality reflects a balance of energies, vital for maintaining health and well-being.