Diseño de Red NGN y de Paquetes de la Empresa Eficiente

The lung, including two lobes on the left and right, is situated in the tho- rax, and is compared to a “canopy” because of the uppermost position among all the viscera. The lung is tender, frail and finicky, and is suscep- tible to pathogenic invasions; hence it is called the “delicate organ.” The main physiological functions of the lung are to dominate qi and control respiration, govern ascent, dispersion, purification and descent as well as regulate water passage. It also governs management and regulation because it is associated with various vessels. It communicates with the

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throat, opens into the nose, and is associated with the skin and hair in the exterior. In five emotions it is related to worry and in fluids to snivel. Moreover, its meridian is internally and externally related to the large intestine.

The Main Physiological Functions of the Lung 1. The lung controls qi and governs respiration

It controls the qi of the whole body, or general qi, and the air it inhales and exhales. The reason why it controls qi of the whole body is that all kinds of qi belong ultimately to the lung, which is mainly reflected in the pro- cess of qi production, particularly the thoracic qi. The thoracic qi is mainly composed of the fresh air inhaled by the lung and the cereal nutri- ents transformed by the spleen and stomach. Hence the normal respiratory function of the lung is critical for the production of thoracic qi and the general qi. The respiration is actually a dynamic process of ascending, descending, entering and exiting of qi, thus the lung is capable of regulat- ing qi activities of the whole body.

The lung governing the inhaled and exhaled qi means that the lung is the location where the external air and the internal qi exchange. Through this process, the external fresh air is inhaled and internal turbid qi is exhaled, thus promoting the production of qi, regulating the ascending, descending, entering and exiting motions of qi, and facilitating the metabolism of the body. Both of these two functions of the lung can ultimately be traced back to the respiratory function of the lung. The normal function of respiration is prerequisite to the production and smooth movement of qi. Otherwise, the production of thoracic qi and the movement of qi will be affected, debilitating the basic function of the lung in controlling qi and may ulti- mately lead to the termination of life activities. Therefore, the function of the lung in controlling general qi relies mainly on the respiratory function of the lung. The shortage of qi, the abnormal movement of qi, and the abnormal distribution and circulation of blood and body fluid, however, may also be detrimental to the respiratory function of the lung.

2. The lung manages ascent and dispersion as well as descent and puri- fication. Ascent and dispersion mean that the lung qi can move upward

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and disperse outward; descent and purification means that the lung qi can move downward and clear the foreign body away from the respiratory tract. The lung managing ascent and dispersion is mainly reflected in three aspects: a. Discharging the turbid qi within the body by dispersion and qi transformation. b. Distributing the body fluid and cereal nutrients trans- formed by the spleen to the whole body as well as the skin and hair in the exterior. c. Diffusing defensive qi to warm and nourish the skin and mus- cles, to regulate the opening and closing of the skin striae, and to dis- charge the metabolized body fluid in the form of sweat. Hence, the dysfunction of the lung in ascent and dispersion may lead to inhibited air tube, nasal obstruction, sneezing, unconsistent respiration, chest distress and cough, etc. Besides, if the lung qi is obstructed and fails to disperse the defensive qi, there will be stagnation of defensive qi, closing of the skin striae, absence of sweat, aversion to cold and sensation of fever, etc.

The descent and purification of the lung can also be discussed in three aspects: a. inhaling the fresh air from nature; b. distributing downward the inhaled fresh air as well as the body fluid and nutrients from water and cereal transformed by the spleen; c. purifying the foreign bodies inside the respiratory tract, and keeping it clean. Thus, if the lung fails to function properly in this regard, there will be frequent coughing and wheezing aggravated on exertion, or chest oppression and breathing obstruction, etc.

The ascent-dispersion and descent-purification of the lung are insepa- rable. They are a unity of opposites. That is why they are mutually affected pathologically. Without normal ascent and dispersion, there will be no regular descent and purification, and vice versa. Only when both function properly can the air tube be smooth, respiration be rhythmic, and the exchange of qi between the interior and exterior be normal. Otherwise, there will be syndromes such as “the lung failing to disperse and ascend” and “the lung failing to purify and descend,” resulting in wheezing and coughing, etc.

3. The lung is in charge of dredging and regulating waterways, which are passages within the body for circulating and discharging water and fluid. This aspect of the pulmonary function relies on the ascent-dispersion and descent-purification of the lung to regulate the distribution, circulation and excretion of water and fluid. The ascent and dispersion of the lung cover three aspects: dispersing the body fluid and the essence from water

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and cereal to all parts of the body, controlling the opening and closing the skin striae, and regulating the secretion and excretion of sweat. In contrast, the descent and purification of the lung enable the inhaled lucid qi to reach the kidney and make water and fluid within the body transported down- ward to the urinary bladder where they transform into urine. This process is assisted by the qi transforming action of the kidney. Besides promoting the smoothness of the urination, the lung can also distribute water and fluid downwards to all parts of the body because of its supreme location above all the other viscera (The water and fluid are taken from the external environment and then transported to the lung via the spleen and stomach). That is why it is called “the upper source of water.” If the function of the lung in regulating waterways is abnormal, there will be retention of water, fluid and phlegm, etc.

4. The lung opens into various vessels and is in charge of regulation and management. Almost all vessels are convened in the lung which means that all the blood within the body is transported to the lung through different vessels, and after exchange of qi via respiration, the fresh blood is sent back to the whole body. It is thus evident that the lung is closely linked to the vessels and blood circulation. The theory of visceral manifestation holds that the motive power of blood circulation lies in the dispersion and regulation of lung qi as well as the propelling action of heart qi. The circu- lation of visible blood relies on the propelling action of invisible qi, which is inseparable from the lung with the functions of governing respiration and qi of the whole body. The lung opening into myriad vessels, in this sense, means that the lung qi can facilitate and promote blood circulation.

The lung in charge of regulation and management refers to that the lung can regulate and manage the physiological functions of the whole body. It is largely manifested in four aspects: a. The lung controls respiration through which the fresh air is inhaled for physiological activities, and the turbid qi, produced in the process of metabolism, is exhaled out of the body; b. The respiration of the lung regulates the ascending, descending, entering and exiting of qi; c. The lung propels and regulates blood circula- tion for the reason that it can manage and regulate qi activities of the whole body; d. With the function of descent and purification, the lung can manage and regulate the distribution, circulation and excretion of body fluid. That is why it is likened to a prime minister in Su Wen.

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The Relationship of the Lung to Emotions, Fluids,