The concept of blood

• Circulating in blood vessels• Strong nourishing effect• Blood is a Yin substance• Depends on Qi to be generated and

distributed

1. Formation of blood

• Mainly composed of Nutritive Qi and Body Fluids• Come from the refined food transformed and transported

by the Spleen and Stomach• Spleen and Stomach are also known as "the source of Qi

and Blood“• The Essence stored in the Kidney can also be transformed

into Blood by two methods– First, Kidney Essence and Liver Blood can be transformed into

each other so that the Blood of the whole body is supplemented– Second, Kidney Essence supplies bones with marrow, which not

only nourishes the bones but also generates Blood

2. Function of blood• Blood is carried to Zangfu Organs internally and to the skin, muscles,

tendons and bones externally• It serves as a Nutritive substance of the body • When the Blood is sufficient, there is a rosy and bright face, strong and

well-developed muscles, and lustrous skin and hair• Deficiency of Blood will lead to withered hair and skin, atrophy and

convulsion of tendons, thin muscles and weak Zangfu Organs• As the Heart is in charge of Blood and vessels, the mental activities

controlled by the Heart mainly take Heart Blood for their material basis.• Sufficient Blood often exhibits as full vigor, perfect consciousness, keen

perception, etc.• Deficiency of Blood usually leads to listlessness, insomnia, dream-

disturbed sleep, dysphoria, or even vagueness of the Mind and other mental disorders

3. Circulation of blood• Blood, pertaining to Yin, is motionless in nature. It depends on Qi for its movement. But the circulation of

Blood also requires the controlling of Qi in order to avoid extravasation. Therefore, coordination between the pushing action and controlling action of Qi maintains the normal flow of Blood. When the pushing action is excessive or the controlling action is too weak, the flow of Blood will be accelerated, or even will cause bleeding. Conversely, when Qi fails to propel or the controlling action of Qi is too excessive, the flow of Blood will become sluggish, or even develop into Blood Stasis.

• The circulation of Biood is related to the functional activities of all Five Zang Organs. • The Heart controls the Blood of the whole body both by beating to give impetus to the Blood flow and by

linking up the vessels. • The Lung, which has the function of controlling Qi, helps the Heart to propel the Blood flow. In other words.

the descending effect of the Lung can help send down Blood and the dispersing effect of the Lung can assist the outward flow of Blood.

• The Liver can maintain the free flow of Qi, so it also acts as one of the forces for the circulation of Blood. As for the control of the Blood flow, Spleen Qi and the Liver's Blood storage play an important role. Therefore, when Spleen Qi is deficient, bleeding will ensue as a result, while when the Liver fails to store Blood and regulate the distribution of Blood, bleeding will also occur.

• The Cold and Heat of Blood also influence its circulation. Free flow of Blood depends on a certain temperature. Blood Heat, for example, may cause bleeding because the Heat will speed up the Blood flow, or cause Blood Stasis because the Heat may consume Body Fluids of the Blood and give rise to increased viscosity of Blood. Blood Cold, as a result of the contracting nature of Cold, will also impede the flow of Blood, causing Blood Stasis.