Study on the fundamentals of the Five Viscera

오장(五臟)의 본(本)에 대한 연구

In oriental medicine, there is the fundamentals to lead a stirring life, and it is an important matter that make a study of fundamentals for treatment. The su-wen(素問) mentions the fundamentals of sheng(生之本), the fundamentals of qi(氣之本), the fundamentals of feng-cang(封藏之本), the fundamentals of ba-ji(罷極之本) and the fundamentals of cang-lin(倉廩之本). They are terminologies expressing physiological functions of the five viscera - heart, lungs, kidneys, liver and spleen. The five viscera are expressed through face, fur, hair, nail and lips. And the five viscera are closely connected with blood, skin, bone, muscle and flesh. Through the changes of personal appearance, we can recognize those of their internal organs. In oriental medicine, they are called as the cang-xiang(藏象). Heart is the fundamentals of sheng(生), and it is related to spirit, blood and blood vessel. Lungs are the fundamentals of qi(氣), because they master the extensive meaning of qi(氣). Kidneys are the fundamentals of feng-cang(封藏) which means seclusion. Liver is the fundamentals of ba-ji(罷極) that have several view by concept. Spleen, stomach, large and small intestines, paunch and bladder are the fundamentals of cang-lin(倉廩), that is to say, gastrointestinal tract that ingest diet and digest it.