Introduction to the theory that the liver is yin in nature but functions as yang

Traditional Chinese medicine is not as highly regarded as it used to be in modern times, because Western medicine is now very developed. However, many pharmacological theories of traditional Chinese medicine are very real and practical. For example, treating the yin of the body and using the yang is a common theory in traditional Chinese medicine. Let's talk about it in detail below.

Physiological term. Body, entity; use, function. It means that the liver entity is yin but its function is yang. The liver stores blood, and blood is yin, so the liver is yin; the liver governs the flow of qi, and contains the corresponding fire, so it is the organ of wind and wood, and can easily stir up wind and transform it into fire, so its function is yang. "The Guide to Clinical Practice: Liver Wind" states: "The liver is the organ of wind and wood. Because it has fire in it, it is yin in nature and uses yang. It is rigid in nature and is active and ascending. It depends entirely on the kidney water to contain it and the blood to moisten it."

Specifically, the liver plays a role in regulating the body's qi. The liver and lungs work together to regulate the rise and fall of Qi in the human body. The liver is responsible for rising while the lungs are responsible for descending, forming a Qi hub called the "Dragon-Tiger Loop." Traditional Chinese medicine believes that everything that rises, floats, warms, and brightens is Yang, so the function of the liver also belongs to Yang. As for the yin of the body, the liver is the organ that stores blood, and blood is yin among yin and yang, so it is yin of the body.

Body, entity; use, function. It means that the liver entity is yin but its function is yang. The liver stores blood, and blood is yin, so the liver is yin. The liver governs the flow of qi, and contains the fire element. It is the organ of wind and wood, and is prone to wind and fire, so its function is yang.

First of all, "body" refers to the liver itself, and "function" refers to the functional activities of the liver, including pathological changes.

Furthermore, “body yin” should be understood from two aspects: first, the location of the liver, which is located below the diaphragm, in the abdomen, and is a yin organ;

As we all know, Chinese medicine always emphasizes a principle called the harmony of yin and yang. The liver is yin in nature but uses yang, which is a more representative theory in Chinese medicine. In fact, the harmony of yin and yang is not without reason. Moreover, general Chinese medicine conditioning can not only effectively treat diseases, but also harmonize the body.