3. On the Pathogenesis of Internal Organs

3. On the Pathogenesis of Internal Organs

In this regard, Tang Rongchuan offered some insights based on his own clinical experience. For example, regarding the heart: “The heart is a fire organ that illuminates all things, hence it governs the spirit. The spirit is intangible, existing only as ‘fire qi’ in the heart.” This links the traditional concept of the heart governing the spirit with the idea of “heart fire qi.” He also stated that this “fire qi” is “intangible yet real,” which to some extent dispels the idealistic interpretation of “spirit.” Regarding the liver, he connected the liver’s function of regulating qi and ensuring smooth blood circulation throughout the body; he also linked liver qi stagnation with fire and blood heat running wild. This further clarified the relationship between the liver and blood syndromes, providing an effective pathway for the differential diagnosis and treatment of blood syndromes. Concerning the spleen and stomach, he said: “The stomach soil absorbs food through dryness, while the spleen soil transforms qi through moisture. If the spleen’s qi is not distributed, the stomach becomes dry and unable to eat, and food intake decreases without proper digestion.” The digestion of food and liquid is accomplished jointly by two factors: stomach yang and spleen yin. Just like cooking, “a pot without fire cannot cook properly, and a pot without water cannot cook properly either.” This provided an appropriate description of the relationship between the spleen and stomach, as well as between stomach yang and spleen yin, making people more aware of the clinical significance of nourishing spleen yin.

III. Insights on the Treatment of Blood Syndromes in “Blood Syndrome Theory”