Zang Fu Organs
The view of organs in the West and in Traditional Chinese Medicine can differ. Sometimes they are talking about the same thing using different words and analogies, sometimes the view is very different. The point of view creates the way we can heal an illness. It becomes short sighted to believe that an organ has only one function and use.
Here are some of the ways Traditional Chinese Medicine see the organ functions.
Zang Organs Yin Organs
These organs transform the fluids in our bodies. I list these from the 5 Element inter-promoting action of qi flow. The kidneys bring in dirty blood and cleans the water and takes out excess water. The liver has a similar action to poisons. The heart is part of the exchange of carbon dioxide CO2 and oxygen O2. The spleen is seen as having another function that western medicine does not see as you will see below. And the lungs bring in oxygen and blood takes it to the heart and the carbon dioxide is exhaled out.
Kidney
In Chinese Medicine, it is concidered the first organ to be created in a fetus. It a yin organ because it is a 'zang' or transforming organ. One of its jobs is to clean the blood. So the blood goes in dirty, and when the kidneys are healthy the blood leaves clean. It is known as the "root of life" because the other organs depend on its ability to keep the blood clean and the strength of the jing.
It stores the Jing. (See Jing Qi Shen for more information.) Jing is what gives us life. It is important to not waste it. We waste it when we exhaust ourselves by too much exercise, too much sleep, eating poorly, and too much sex. (It is said to try to keep it to about once a week.)
The kidneys, with the jing, are known as the “root of life” because the kidneys govern birth, growth, development, reproduction, maturation and aging. We age as the jing is used. When the kidneys strength weakens, it is seen as a serious problem that needs to be looked at and treated.
The kidneys rule the water. It is the foundation of water in the body”, while the spleen is understood to raise the water from the kidneys to the lungs where the lungs “move and adjust the water channels”. (From the 5 Elements, the water channel includes the kidneys and urinary bladder.)
These are just a few things that the kidneys do in TCM. They are also connected to the bones strength or weakness, the kidneys aid the lungs in breathing etc... As one can see, it is important to maintain their health.
Liver
The liver governs the flow and sperading of qi and blood through the body. It is known as the "general of the army" because it keeps harmony of movement through the body. It is also known as the organ that "stores" the blood when we are at rest.
The liver harmonizes the emotions. When someone has an anger problem, usually there can be a liver problem. It governs the ligaments and tendons according to the 5 Elements. When the liver blood is weak, one may have spasms, inflexibility, or numbness in the limbs. One can also see the strength of the liver by the strength or brittleness of the nails.
Heart/Mind
For westerners the heart/mind connection is scientifically hard to prove. But many people instictively know that there is a connection. In understanding qi, masters have understood the connection and the importance of the two being in tune with each other.
It is known to store and rule the "shen". Though the shen is also seen as the upper dan tian in the head, it is ruled by the heart/mind. (For further information read Jing Qi Shen.) This distinction is important because the West sees the mind in the brain, but the mind in many traditional cultures sees it in the heart.
The heart “rules the blood and blood vessels”. This is also known in modern terms. The heart pumps the blood through the body, but it also is connected to the vessels. If there is a vessel problem somewhere in the body, there is probably a heart problem too.
Spleen
The spleen aids the stomach in digestion. It is known as the organ that “rules the transportation and transformation” of food into qi and blood. It is seen as the primary organ to digestion because of the transformation it rules.
It “governs the blood”. Though the heart pumps the blood physically, the spleen keeps the blood flowing on the right path. If the spleen is not balanced, one may have symptoms of bloody vomit or bloody stool.
The spleen also raises the fluids/water in the body to the lungs where the lungs can distribute it through the rest of the body.
Lung
The lungs “rule and regulate” the qi through the body from the action of breathing. The qi (air) from the outside meets a person’s internal qi and the air is mixed with the blood as food (oxygen) to the rest of the body.
They are in charge of dispersing the fluids/water in the body. The spleen turns the water into “vapor” rising to the lungs where it can descend down to the kidneys where it is cycled through again. Lung disharmonies can create problems with edema to urination problems.
The lungs rule the exterior of the body. In the 5 Elements, the lungs are associated with the skin and body hair (the kidneys are connected to head hair), and sweat glands. This is also where the Wei Qi is found. So when one has weak lungs, he or she will also catch colds and flu more easily
Fu Organs Yang Organs
They include the urinary bladder, gall bladder, small intestines, stomach, large intestines and some say the triple burner. These organs are known for their transporting nature of food and drink. I list these in 5 Element inter-promoting action of qi flow. The urinary bladder takes out the water that the kidneys cleaned. The gall bladder creates bile that is secreated to the stomach to digest fat. The small intestines absorb the nutrients from the digested food. The stomach churns and digests to break down the food we eat.The large intestine absorbs the water and takes out the waste. Lastly, the triple burner; an organ that is not so much of a physical organ, but a process of digestion.