The Relationship of the Lung to Emotions, Fluids,

Body Constituents and Orifices

1. The lung is associated with worry in emotions. Worry and sorrow may vary in degree but they
have similar effects on physiological activities of the body. For this reason, they both pertain to the
lung. Besides, sorrow and worry are both adverse stimuli to the body and may result in persistent
qi consumption. Since the lung controls qi, sorrow and worry are liable to impair the lung.
Conversely, when the pulmonary function declines, the lung may be susceptible to external
adverse stimulation, and produce sorrow and worry.

2. The lung is associated with snivel in fluids. Snivel, a sort of nasal discharge from the mucous
membrane, can moisten the nasal cavity.

Under normal conditions, the snivel will moisten the nasal cavity without flowing out. However,
dysfunction of the lung may lead to various abnormalities such as lung-cold with clear nasal
discharges, lung-heat with yellow, thick and turbid discharges, and lung-dryness with dry nasal
cavity and absence of discharges.

3. The lung is associated with the skin and hair in body constituents.

The skin and hair, including the cutaneous covering, the sweat glands and

the vellus hair, constitutes the superficies of the body. Warmed, nourished

and moistened by the defensive qi and body fluid, they are the first barricade

for resisting exogenous pathogenic factors. The lung controls qi

and pertains to the defensive qi, and can disperse defensive qi and distribute

the essence to the skin and hair. Thus, it is said in Su Wen that: the

lung is associated with the skin and can nourish the hair. If the physiological

functions of the lung are normal, the skin will be compact and

smooth, the hair will be lustrous, and the resistance against pathogenic

factors will be strong. On the contrary, if the lung qi is deficient, there will

be weakness of the defensive qi, profuse sweating, susceptibility to common

cold, or dry, brittle and withered hair. Since the lung is associated

with the skin and hair, if the exogenous pathogenic factors invade the skin

and hair, the lung will also be involved, marked by closure of the skin

striae, stagnation of defensive qi, and obstruction of the lung qi. Likewise,

when the lung qi is obstructed, there will also be closure of the striae and

stagnation of defensive qi, etc.

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4. The lung is associated with the nose in body constituents. The lung

opens into the nose and the throat, and they are the gateway for respiration.

Thus there are some sayings about them such as the nose is the

orifice of the lung and the throat is the doorway of the lung. The smelling

function of the nose and the sounding function of the throat are both

attributed to the lung qi. So when the functions of lung qi are normal, there

will be smooth respiration, keen sense of smell, and clear and loud voice.

Because the lung opens into the nose and connects to the throat, the nose

and throat become the first station of external invasion. The dysfunction

of the lung is also frequently manifested on the nose and throat, such as

nasal obstruction, nasal discharge, sneezing, itching throat, and hoarseness

or loss of voice.

Daily Exercises

1. What does the statement that the lung is in charge of dispersion means?

2. What does the statement that the lung is in charge of purification and

descent?

3. Why it is said that the lung can dredge and regulate waterways?

4. Why it is said that the lung governs regulation and management?