The liver is located in the abdominal cavity on the right side of the quarter ribs, with bile attached to it (horses do not have a gallbladder). The main physiological functions of the liver are to store blood, to be the main drainer, and to be the main tendon. The liver opens the orifices of the eyes, and the fluid is tears. The liver has meridians and veins connected to the gallbladder, and the gallbladder and the external and internal.
1. The main function of the liver is to store and regulate blood. When the animal is resting or lying down, the body's need for blood decreases, and part of the blood is stored in the liver; while in the service or movement, the body's need for blood increases, and the liver discharges the stored blood for the body's activities. Therefore, there is a saying that “blood is transported to the meridians when it is moving, and blood returns to the liver when it is quiet”. Liver blood supply is sufficient or not, and the animal's ability to withstand fatigue has a direct relationship. When the animal makes the service or the movement, if the liver blood supply is sufficient, then can increase the fatigue tolerance, otherwise it is easy to produce fatigue, so “Suwen - six sections of the dirty elephant theory” in the “liver for the strike pole of this”. Liver blood dysfunction is mainly two cases: First, liver blood insufficiency, blood does not nourish the eyes, then the occurrence of dizziness, blindness; if the blood does not nourish the tendons, then the tendon contracture or flexion and extension of unfavorable. Secondly, if the liver does not store blood, it can cause animal restlessness or bleeding. Insufficient yin and blood of the liver can also cause yin deficiency and hyperactivity of yang or hyperactivity of liver yang, resulting in liver fire and liver wind.
2. The Liver is the master of evacuation, i.e., dredging; drainage, i.e., dispersal. Liver main sparing, refers to the liver has to maintain the whole body qi unobstructed, through and not stagnant, scattered and not depressed role. Qigong is a generalization of the basic form of the functional activities of the body organs. Qigong smooth, lift normal, is to maintain the premise of the physiological activities of internal organs. “Liver like to reach and evil depression”, the whole body qi smooth reach, and the liver's excretory function is closely related to the liver contains clear Yang Qi is inseparable. For example, it is said in the Treatise on Blood Evidence that “if the liver's clear yang is not elevated, then it cannot be drained”. The liver's function of detoxification is mainly manifested in the following aspects.
(1) Coordination of the spleen and stomach transportation and digestion of liver qi excretion is to maintain the normal digestive function of the spleen and stomach is an important condition, this is because on the one hand, the liver's excretory function, so that the whole body qi open and smooth, can assist the elevation of the spleen and stomach and the coordination of both qi; on the other hand, the liver can infuse bile to help the digestion of food, and bile infusion is directly affected by the function of the liver excretory. If liver qi stagnation, excretion is not normal, affecting the spleen and stomach, can cause jaundice, loss of appetite, belching, abdominal distension and other digestive disorders.
(2) Smooth operation of qi and blood, the liver's excretory function directly affects the qi smooth, and the qi and blood, such as shadow and shadow, qi line is blood line, qi stagnation is blood stagnation. Therefore, the normal function of liver excretion is necessary to maintain the smooth flow of blood. If the liver fails to regulate the flow of blood and liver qi is stagnant, qi stagnation and blood stasis will be seen; if liver qi is too prevalent, blood will follow qi and go against the flow of qi, thus affecting the liver's function of storing blood, and vomiting of blood and epistaxis will be seen.
(3) Maintaining mental activity: In addition to the “heart storing the spirit”, the mental activity of animals is closely related to liver qi. Normal function of liver excretion is also a necessary condition for maintaining normal mental activities. If the liver qi excretion is not normal, the qi is not adjusted, can cause abnormal mental activity, or mental depression, chest and rib pain and other symptoms.
(4) Affecting water metabolism, liver qi excretion also includes the role of dredging the triple jiao and regulating the elevation and elevation of water and fluid pathways. If the function of liver qi detoxification is not normal and the qi is not well regulated, it can affect the circulation of the San Jiao and cause edema, pleural fluid, ascites and other water metabolism disorders.
3. Liver is the main tendon, i.e. fascia (including tendon), is the organization that connects the joints, restrains the muscles, and is in charge of the movement. Tendons are attached to bones and joints, and the contraction and relaxation of tendons make joints move freely. Liver is the master of tendons, which means that liver has the role of providing nutrition for tendons to maintain their normal function, such as “Su Wen - Impotence Theory” says: “Liver is the master of the body's tendon membrane”. The function of the liver is related to the “liver blood”, because the tendons need to be nourished by the liver blood in order to play its normal function, as the “Su Wen - Jing Veins and Veins” said: “food into the stomach, scattered in the liver, obscene gas in the tendons.” Liver blood is abundant, so that the tendons are fully nourished in order to maintain their normal activities. If the liver blood is insufficient, the blood does not nourish the tendons, symptoms such as limb constriction, or atrophy and weakness, extension and flexion do not work, etc. can occur. If the evil heat hijacks the fluid, fluid injury and blood depletion, the blood does not nourish the tendons, can cause twitching of the limbs, the horn, teeth tightly closed and other symptoms.
“Claws for the tendons of the rest”, claws and armor also depends on the nourishment of liver blood, so the blood of the liver, can be caused by changes in claws and armor (hooves) RongDu. Liver blood is sufficient, the tendon is strong, claws and armor (hooves) tough; liver blood is insufficient, the tendon is weak, claws and armor (hooves) more than thin and soft, and even deformed and easy to crack. Therefore, “Su Wen - five organs generation chapter” said: “the liver of the joint tendon, its honor claw also.”
4. Liver orifices in the eye eye main visual, liver has a meridian connected to it, its function depends on the five wins six viscera of the essence, especially the nourishment of liver blood. Suwen - the five viscera generation theory” said: ‘liver blood and can see’, ‘the spirit of the hub - the pulse of the chapter’ also said: ”liver gas through the eye, liver and can identify the five colors carry on.” Because of the close relationship between the liver and the eyes, the normal function of the liver is often reflected in the eyes. If the liver blood is sufficient, then the eyes have God, clear vision; if the liver blood is insufficient, then the eyes are dry, unclear vision, or even night blindness; the liver wind heat, then the eyes are red, itchy and painful; liver fire inflammation, then the eyes are red, swollen and painful cataracts.
