chinese cosmology week 3: the lung

This lecture continued the ideas of different symbolic systems of chinese organ classification and began an in depth look at lung symbology and function.

Heiner first described another metaphorical system that is used in Chinese medicine to describe the organ functions; comparing the 12 organs to 12 major rivers in China. For example, the Sheng river is the only river in China that flows East to West and is representative of the liver's characteristic of "going against the flow", and overcoming obstacles. The Ji river is a small river that crosses the murky Yellow river and yet remains pure on the other side and represents the heart's spiritual orientation and function (the murkiness representing the material world).

On the other hand, the lung is represented by the yellow river, which brings water and fertilizer (clay) and distributes it throughout its banks. The river is representative of the lung's function of being the master and distributor of chi.

The lung can be described in many ways- here are some of the overarching phrases Heiner used to describe it:

"master of chi"
"distributor of middle burner energy"
"distributes chi like a shower nozzle"
"responsible for standard setting"
"peace keeper"
"uplifting, expanding energy"
"more concerned with physical body than any other organ"
"invigorator that patches up the system"
"concerned with instincts"

The lung is understood through many different symbolic systems, each of which captures a different aspect / characteristic. The element associated with the lung is metal ("going down", "purity", "money issues"), whereas the conformation is taiyin ("earth", "dampness"). The tidal hexagram for lung is hexagram 11, which represents the intercoursing of heaven and earth (yang is on the bottom and yin is on top).

Although it is commonly understood to be associated with Autumn, according to classical Neijing cosmology, the lung is associated with the first months of spring. Looking at the Chinese understanding of what occurs during this time we can gather more information about the lung's function:

"yang first emerges"
"life is starting to re-awaken"
"fish being drawn to the surface of the ice"
"still cold but beginning to warm up"
"beginning of all circulation of time and space"

more to come...