Zang (Yin) Organs are TCM’s Material Basis of Immunology

The lungs, spleen, kidney, liver and heart, also called the five solid organs (yin), are at the core of

immune activity. These organs also make up the zang organs in Traditional Chinese Medicine. In

TCM, the zang organs are joined with the body’s tissues, organs (viscera), qi (invisible vital

energy), meridians, blood & other body fluid as well to create a unity.

Zang organs are part of the overall dynamic energy process of the human body. Healthy energy is

closely related to its physiology activities. Human beings can actually learn a lot from the zang

organs. Despite their individual functions, they team up and act as messengers. They are responsible

for transportation and storage, excess and wastes, controlling of internal communication, activating

bodily functions, and making important decisions.

Traditional Chinese Medicine defines healthy energy as body’s natural resistance against diseases and

its recovery and repair ability. These functions are linked to the physiological activities of the five

zang organs. In this description, you can safely relate the zang organs to the similarity of the Chakra

system.

Here is a break down the organs and their functions:

1. Heart – to regulate

The heart controls and regulates blood flow throughout the body in vessels. In Traditional Chinese

Medicine, the heart is considered the chief administrator of all mental and physiological activities. It

rules the spirit (shen) which is an important aspect of mind or spirit in Chinese medicine; it refers to

thought, state of consciousness or mental health. The heart influences the organs through the

monarch-fire (it cooperates with the prime minister fire to promote the functional activities of the

organs), also called the heart fire. The prime minister fire (a yang-energy that originates from the

vital gate and which is stored in the liver, gallbladder and triple-burner) assists the heart to promote

the functional activities of the other organs.

The heart also possesses our Western understanding of the brain’s role in regulating the nervous,

cardiovascular and endocrine functions. In addition, meridians are the pathways of qi and blood

circulation, as well as the channels where the immune functions take effect, the triple burner, which is

actually a collective term for the upper, middle and lower burner, (the upper burner is located above

the diaphragm and includes the heart and lungs. The middle burner is located in the region above the

belly button and below the diaphragm and includes the spleen and stomach. The lower burner is

located below the belly button, and it includes the liver, kidneys, large intestine, small intestine and

bladder) directs the various types of qi, and they act as the channel stations for body fluids to

circulate. They have an important effect on immune activities.

2. Liver – to maintain

According to TCM, the liver is responsible for part of the functions of the endocrine, digestive,

circulatory and immune systems. The liver promotes flowing and spreading movements; by

stimulating flow, the liver adjusts and ensures the smooth flux of qi, blood and body fluids throughout

the body. The Chinese believe emotional activity(The five yin organs of the human body produce five

kinds of essential qi, which bring forth joy, anger, grief, worry, and fear) is an outer manifestation of

the physiological status of the internal organ system, and is considered the major internal cause for

diseases (endogenous evils in extreme conditions). Normal emotional health depends on the balance

of qi and blood flow. Once the liver is flowing, diseases are kept out.

3. Kidneys – at the basis/root

TCM say the kidneys are the “congenital foundation of life”, the root of healthy energy. The stored

kidney essence (jing) is the material basis for the entire body’s yin and yang (Yin yang theory is a

kind of logic, which views things in relation to its whole and is based on two basic components: yin

and yang, which are neither materials nor energy. They combine in a complementary manner and

form a method for explaining relationships between objects) forces, which make the body’s physical

form and functions, become balanced. The modern understanding of TCM kidneys not only regulates

the urinary system, they also exercise control over the reproductive, hematological, endocrine and

nervous systems. The kidneys work closely with the neural-endocrine immune regulating network.

4. Spleen – to promote

Western physiology defines the spleen as a large, vascular, lymphatic organ. TCM’s regard it as the

“acquired foundation of life”; the source of blood and qi (vital energy) production. The spleen is a

multi- functioning unit. It covers functions of the western anatomical spleen and pancreas and

promotes activities of the digestive, endocrine, nervous and blood systems. The spleen governs

transportation and transformation of body fluids and nutrient essences (also referred to as acquired

essence, it is derived from foods and is necessary for the constitution of the human body and the

maintenance of health and physical activities. It can be converted to essence, an essential substance

needed for reproduction that is stored in the kidneys) and also controls blood flow. The spleen
determines the abundance and depletion of healthy energy, assuring the body’s protection against

diseases.

5. Lungs – immune-barrier

The lungs administer qi (vital energy). They connect externally with the skin and hair and disseminate

protective qi (kind of qi regulated by the lungs. It flows between the skin and the muscles in order to

guard against invasion by exogenous evils) over the body’s surface. The lungs’ protective qi belongs to

part of the healthy energy (zheng qi); because it forms the first barrier against the invasion of exogenous

pathogens (Exogenous evils or environmental pathogens are the six natural climatic factors: wind,

cold, summer-heat, dampness, dryness, and fire that represent the natural conditions within which all

living things exist and are not harmful under normal conditions - becoming pathogenic or disease

factors when they are excessive or when sudden changes occur that cause an imbalance of yin and

yang inside the body). Protective qi provides warmth and nourishment to the skin, subcutaneous

tissues and muscles; it also regulates opening and closing of skin pores. When protective qi is
abundant, muscles are smooth, skin is tender and subcutaneous tissues are firm.
 Today, in theory, our body’s self defense against

various infections from bacteria, microbes, viruses, toxins and parasites, is the immune system.

Normal functioning of the immune system maintains the body’s health. The malfunctioning of the

immune system results in disharmony within the body, giving rise to illness.

In the history of traditional Chinese medicine (TCM) plague was a common term used by the ancient

Chinese to refer to infectious diseases affecting mass population. TCM already knew about the theory

and practice of immunology and infectious diseases from prior dynasties. TCM regards immunology as

the “healthy energy“ which is the general defense mechanism against infectious diseases.

Since ancient times, TCM harnessed holistic approaches. It sees the human body as an organic whole.

The correlations between the organs and tissues, as well as the human itself and its living

environments, are organized according to specific orders, which create a mutual balance between each

physiological function. This fundamental balance is the root of disease defense and health

maintenance.

Every part of the body, such as qi (vital energy), blood, body fluids, organs and the meridians has its

own particular function. These combine to build up the body’s natural defense system and also bring

out their protective strengths, mutually. TCM concepts affirm that the body’s natural resistance

against diseases is described as a flow of energy that circulates the entire body. This is called the

healthy energy (zheng qi).

 Similar to Western medicine, TCM also holds that the

body has its own disease defense ability due to the existence of healthy energy (zheng qi). In fact,

The Book of Plain Questions states that “when healthy energy is well stored inside the body, no evils

can cause interference. Whenever the evils are gathered inside, a deficiency of healthy energy must

be present”. So basically, healthy energy is the body’s natural resistance against disease, and disease

is seen as the result of the imbalance of healthy energy within us.

In Traditional Chinese Medicine, when healthy energy (zheng qi) is abundant, evil forces (disease and

other imbalance) cannot prevail.

According to the yin yang theory, the body’s yin and yang are regulated and adjusted continuously.

Keeping yin and yang in balance, is an essential factor to channel normal life activities. Once this

harmony is disturbed, disease will result.

Promoting the yin and yang harmony is the universal treatment goal of TCM. The overall therapeutic

strategy is to replenish deficiencies and remove excesses of yin or yang. These approaches are usually

focused on holistic regulation and possession of dual modulation effects; to remove excesses and

replenish deficiencies, and are similar to Western medicine’s understanding of our body’s immune

modulation effects.
Dual Modulation characteristic effects of TCM:

• TCM focuses on activating our own innate healing power; working mostly on the whole being,

not just specific systems. Their healing powers are far beyond the physical level; they can also work

on the level of qi (vital energy), which empowers us. Even when the body seems healthy and there

are no visible or recognizable symptoms, our immune function can be affected by symptoms

present within. According to TCM, herbal remedies can locate and regulate these imbalances even

when they are not apparent to us.

• TCM uses different modulation methods (to balance the process), for example adjusting the

body’s yin and yang, qi (vital energy), blood or organ functions. These methods can rehabilitate the

body from a hyper-functioning state to a normal state or from an under-functioning level back to

normal. TCM has unique theories categorizing the regulating properties into four actions; “to

depress when stimulated”, “to rise when collapsed”, “to subdue when overwhelming” and “to

nourish when deficient.”

• Normal immune functions are enhanced and the internal pathogenic factors are eliminated

with dual modulation effects. A complementary relationship is formed that reinforces healthy energy

and repels evils.