The lungs are located in the middle of the chest and are connected to the airway. The main functions of the lungs are to be the master of qi, the division of respiration, the master of propagation and descent, the regulator of the waterways, the master of the surface of the body, and the external integration of the skin and hair. The lung opens its orifices in the nose, and the liquid is snot. The meridians of the lungs are connected to the large intestine, and the large intestine is in contact with it.
1. The lungs are in charge of qi and respiration. The lungs are in charge of qi, which means that the lungs have the function of dominating the production and metabolism of qi. Su wen - six sections of the theory of dirty image” said: ‘the lung, the gas of this’, ‘Anji set - heaven and earth on the five viscera’ also said: ‘the lung for the sea of gas’. The Lung is the master of qi, including both the master of respiratory qi and the qi of the whole body.
The lungs are the main respiratory gas, which means that the lungs are the place of gas exchange between the body and the outside world. Through the respiratory function of the lungs, the body inhales the clear gas of nature and exhales the turbid gas of the body, and exhales the old to bring in the new, so as to realize the gas exchange between the body and the outside world in order to maintain the normal life activities. This is the meaning of the phrase “the weather passes through the lungs” as stated in “Su Wen - Yin and Yang Ying Xiang Da Lun”.
The lungs are responsible for all the qi in the body, which means that the qi of the whole organism is controlled by the lungs, especially related to the generation of zongqi. Zongqi is generated by the action of Yuanqi, which is the essence of water and grain and the clear air inhaled by the lungs. Zongqi is to promote and maintain the body's functional activities of the driving force, on the one hand, it maintains the respiratory function of the lungs, spit out the old and new, so that the internal and external gas can be exchanged; on the other hand, from the lungs into the heart, promote the operation of the blood and sent out to the various parts of the body, in order to maintain the functional activities of the internal organs and tissues, so that there are “lungs towards the veins,” it is said. Although the blood is dominated by the heart, but must rely on the lungs to promote, in order to maintain its normal operation.
Lung main gas function is normal, the airway is smooth, breathing evenly; if the disease and evil injury to the lungs, so that the lung gas congestion, caused by respiratory dysfunction, there is a cough, asthma, respiratory symptoms such as unfavorable; if the lung gas is insufficient, there is tiredness, weakness, shortness of breath, sweating and other symptoms of gas deficiency.
2. The Lung is the main propaganda and purging and descending propaganda, i.e., propagation and dispersal; purging, i.e., purging and descending. Lung main propagation and purging and descending actually means that the movement of lung qi has a two-way effect of upward and outward propagation and downward and inward purging and descending.
Lung main propagation, first, through the propagation effect of the body metabolism of the gas exhaled outside the body; second, the spleen transmitted to the lungs of the essence of the water and grain of the qi spread all over the body, outside the skin and hair; the third is the propagation of the guardian qi, in order to give play to the warmth of the flesh and the Division of couper opening and closing role. The Spiritual Pivot - the decision of the gas chapter “said” the development of the upper focus, declared the flavor of the grains, smoked skin, body, Ze hair, if the fog and dew of irrigation, is called the gas “is the role of the lungs declared. If the lung gas is not declared and congestion, it will cause chest fullness, breathlessness, coughing, hair scorched and other symptoms.
Lung main purging, first, through the descending effect, inhalation of natural clear air; second is the fluid and grain essence downward dispersion of the whole body, and metabolites and excess fluid down to the kidneys and bladder, out of the body; third is to maintain the cleanliness of the respiratory tract. The lungs live in the upper focal point, in order to clear the descending for the smooth; the lungs for the clear and empty organs, its gas should be clear and not turbid, only so as to maintain its normal physiological function. If the lungs can not purge and upward reversal, then cause cough, asthma and other symptoms.
3. Adjust the waterway through, that is, dredge; adjust, that is, adjust; waterway, is the channel of water operation. Lung main through the waterway, refers to the lung's propagation and purging movement of the body's water distribution, operation and excretion of the role of dredging and regulation. Through the lung's propagation, the fluid and grain essence will be dispersed throughout the body, and through the propagation of Wei Qi Division couper's opening and closing, regulating the excretion of sweat. Through the lung's purging, fluid and water and grain essence are continuously transported downward, and the metabolized water is transformed into urine by the kidney's gasification effect and excreted from the bladder. Therefore, “Su Wen - Jing Wei Bie Lun” says: “Drinking in the stomach, overflowing essence, up to the spleen, spleen qi scattered essence, up to the lungs, regulating the waterways, down to the bladder.” The lung's function of regulating water channels is accomplished with the joint cooperation of the lung's declination and purgation, and if the lung's declination and purgation are out of order, the body's water metabolism will be affected, and diseases such as oedema, ascites, pleural fluid, and diarrhea will occur. Because the lungs are involved in the body's water metabolism, so there is a “lung main water” said. And because the lungs in the chest, the position is higher, so there is also “lungs for the water above the source”.
4. The main body of the surface, the outer skin and hair of the surface of the body, including the skin, sweat pores, hair and other tissues, referred to as the skin and hair, is the body's external barrier to resist the invasion of foreign evils. Lung and fur, means that the lung and fur in both physiology and pathology have a very close relationship. Physiologically, first, the skin sweat pores (also known as the “valve”) has the role of dispersal of gas, that is to say, involved in respiratory regulation, and has the function of “declaring the lungs”. Second, the skin depends on the warmth of the lungs to moisturize, otherwise it will be emaciated and withered. As the “Spiritual Pivot - the pulse of the chapter” said: “hand Taiyin gas extinction, the skin and hair burns. The Taiyin is the one that lines the qi and warms the skin and hair, so if the qi is not glorified, the skin and hair will be scorched.” In terms of pathology, the disease of the lung meridian can be reflected in the skin and fur, and the evil of the skin and fur can also be transmitted to the lungs. Such as lung qi deficiency of animals, not only easy to sweat, and after a long time to see the fur scorched or hair loss; and external wind and cold, can also affect the lungs, cough, runny nose and other symptoms. Therefore, “Suwen - cough theory” said: “the skin and hair, the lungs of the joint also, the skin and hair first evil, evil from its joint also.”
5. open orifice in the nose nose for the lung orifices, the Division of respiration and the main olfactory function. If lung qi is normal, then the nostrils will be open and the sense of smell will be sensitive. Therefore, “the spiritual center - pulse degree chapter” said: “lung qi through the nose, lung and the nose can know the aroma and odor carry on.” At the same time, the nose is the external response of the lungs, such as the Anji Collection - Shi Huang Five Viscera Theory, said: “The lungs, external response to the nose.” In terms of pathology, if external evils offend the lungs and the lung qi is inappropriate, it is common to see symptoms such as nasal congestion and runny nose, and the sense of smell is not working. Another example is lung heat, common nasal flap. The nose is the lung orifices, the nose can be the channel for evils to violate the lungs, such as the evils of dampness and heat to violate the lungs, more by the nose and into the orifices. In addition, the larynx is the gateway to breathing and articulation organs, but also the lung pulse through the place, its function is also affected by the lungs, lungs have abnormalities, often causing hoarseness, laryngeal paralysis and other lesions.
