4. The Heart and Leukemia

4. The Heart and Leukemia

(1) The Heart Governs Blood Vessels

The "Plain Questions · On the Six Sections of the Zang-Fu Organs" states: "The heart is the origin of life and the transformation of spirit; its essence resides in the blood vessels," indicating that only when heart qi is abundant can blood fill the vessels and circulate throughout the body. The bleeding and anemia symptoms seen in leukemia can both be interpreted as blood not "filling the vessels," suggesting that treatment should be approached from the perspective of the heart.

(2) The Heart Generates Blood

The "Plain Questions · On the Great Principles of Yin-Yang Correspondence" states: "The heart generates blood." Wang Bing believed that "the heart generates blood because its vital essence nourishes and produces blood"^③^, while Zhang Zhicong argued that "blood is the juice of the middle jiao, transformed into red under the influence of heart spirit, thus blood is essentially spirit and qi"^④^, indicating that blood formation depends on the heart's vital essence—that is, blood is produced under the guidance of heart spirit. During leukemia, the disruption of bone marrow's hematopoietic function can be addressed by treating the heart.