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Spleen, named for its "lowly" (humble and assisting) nature. It is located below the stomach, assisting Stomach Qi to transform grains. Spleen and Stomach belong to Earth, both sharing the character "field" (Tian); Stomach resides in the center, just as the middle of the "field" character; Spleen is on the right, and the "field" character also leans to the right.

The Classics state: Spleen is the official of the granary, from which the five flavors emerge.
The lost chapter *Ci Fa Lun* states: Spleen is the official of admonition, from which comprehensive wisdom emerges.

Hua Shuo said: It covers the Tai Cang (Stomach).
Hua Tuo said: Spleen governs digestion and nourishes the four extremities.

The Classics state: Its shape is like a sickle, connected by the same membrane to the Stomach, attached to the left side of the Stomach. Its Back-Shu point corresponds to below the 11th thoracic vertebra. It moves upon hearing sound; when it moves, it grinds the Stomach and governs transformation and transportation. It governs muscles, its luster manifests in the lips, and it opens into the mouth.

*Nan Jing* states: The Spleen weighs two jin and three liang, is three inches wide and flat, five inches long, with an additional half-jin of loose fat. It primarily envelops blood, warms the five Zang organs, and houses Yi (Intent) and Zhi (Wisdom).

The Classics state: Foot-Taiyin Spleen Meridian.
It further states: This meridian has abundant Qi and scarce Blood.
It further states: At Si hour (9-11 AM), Qi and Blood flow into the Spleen.

*Huang Ting Jing* names the spirit of the body residing in the Spleen as "Spleen Spirit," often staying at "Hun Ting."
It further states: Spleen houses Yi (Intent). Yi refers to memory that is not forgotten.

*Nei Jing* states: The emotion associated with Spleen is Si (Pensiveness).
It further states: Pensiveness causes Qi stagnation. (Note: Because the Heart's focus does not disperse, Qi also stays and knots.)

Huangfu Mi said: Pensiveness originates in the Spleen and completes in the Heart. If excessive, both organs are injured.

*Ling Shu* states: Considering aspirations and making changes is called Si (Pensiveness); due to pensiveness, longing far away is called Lv (Deliberation).
It further states: Fear and pensiveness injure Shen (Spirit). When Shen is injured, fear flows and leaks without stopping.
It further states: Recalling something in the heart is called Yi (Intent). What remains in Yi is called Zhi (Will). Handling matters based on deliberation is called Zhi (Wisdom).
It further states: Spleen Qi connects to the mouth. When Spleen is harmonious, one can discern the taste of grains.
It further states: Lips are the external organ of Spleen. In Spleen disease, lips turn yellow.

Qibo said: Being struck or fallen, having intercourse while drunk, or sweating and exposed to wind will injure the Spleen.

*Nan Jing* states: Improper diet and fatigue injure the Spleen.

*Rumen* states: Spleen is located one cun and two fen below Zhongwan. It is three cun and six fen above the Heart, and three cun and six fen below the Heart; the middle one cun and two fen is named Huang Ting. Since Spleen resides in the center of the body, it is called Huang Ting.

The Classics state: Spleen, in Heaven is Dampness; on Earth is Soil; in Humans is Spleen; in Seasons is the end of each season; in Direction is Center; in Color is Yellow; connecting orifices to lips and mouth.

The Classics state: Spleen pulse belongs to Earth. It is the solitary Zang organ that irrigates the four sides.
It further states: The True Qi of Zang organs moistens the Spleen, manifesting as Qi of muscles. Heart Fire is the Mother, Lung Metal is the Child; it forms a Fu-Zang pair with Stomach, controls Kidney Water, and primarily nourishes muscles. Prolonged sitting injures muscles. It houses Yi (Intent) and Zhi (Wisdom). Its category is Earth, domestic animal is Ox, trigram is Kun, nature is Trustworthiness, luster is in the white area around lips, grain is Ji (Millet), insect is Guoluo, fruit is Jujube, vegetable is Kelp/Celery, corresponds to four seasons, heavenly body is Zhenxing (Saturn), disease location is muscles, musical note is Gong (Center), Gong means Center, Earth resides in the center, establishing the hierarchy of Five Elements. Its number is five, odor is Fragrant, sound is Song, breath is Hu, fluid is Xian (Saliva), taste is Sweet, externally corresponds to four limbs and color Yellow. However, yellow should be like brocade wrapping realgar, not like earth.

*Ling Shu* states: Spleen corresponds to flesh. Flesh with fine texture indicates thick Stomach Qi. Spleen governs Dampness, but excessive Dampness injures Spleen. If Wind pathogen prevails, disease occurs, characterized by yellow complexion, frequent thinking and嗜睡 (somnolence), heavy body, testicular pain, limbs unchanged but feeling lazy. Spleen Excess presents as heavy limbs unable to lift, abdominal distension, urinary retention, and frequent hunger with drowsy fever and thirst. Spleen Deficiency presents as shortness of breath, vomiting and diarrhea generating Wind, indigestion, abdominal swelling and borborygmus, and limb weakness. Spleen Exhaustion presents as protruding umbilicus, everted lips, black ring around mouth, soft sweat, and yellowish hue. Spleen Exhaustion leads to death within twelve days. Normal pulse thrives at the end of each season for eighteen days; the pulse is warm and thick because Qi circulates among Zang-Fu, so peace shows no decline until illness appears. Treacherous pulse is wiry, long, and tight, accompanied by green face, indicating adverse prognosis. Critical pulse resembles a chicken pecking, stopping then coming again.

The Classics state: Spleen governs Late Summer, Central Ji Earth. Center generates Dampness, Dampness generates Earth, Earth generates Sweet taste, Sweet taste generates Spleen.
It further states: Spleen's movement manifests as hiccups.

*Ling Shu* states: Spleen acts as the guard envoy returning provisions, observing lips and tongue to know auspiciousness or inauspiciousness. Small fine texture indicates small Spleen; coarse texture indicates large Spleen; raised lips indicate high Spleen; drooping lips indicate low Spleen; firm lips indicate firm Spleen; large but unfirm lips indicate fragile Spleen; symmetrical lips indicate upright Spleen; slanted lifted lips indicate tilted Spleen. Small Spleen ensures internal peace, hard to injure by pathogens. Large Spleen suffers from hypochondriac fullness and pain, inability to walk quickly. High Spleen pulls costal margin causing pain. Low Spleen presses on Large Intestine, organs suffer pathogens. Firm Spleen ensures internal peace. Fragile Spleen prone to Xiao Dan (wasting-thirst). Upright Spleen is harmonious and hard to injure. Tilted Spleen prone to fullness and distension.

It further states: Abdomen is Yin, Yin among Yin, referring to Spleen. Spleen is a Pin (Yin) organ; Pin means Yin.

*Rumen* states: Spleen is an Admonishing Official. Diet is a great human desire. If the Heart desires food but Spleen cannot transform it, one dares not eat, hence named Admonishing. Si hour belongs to Spleen Earth, Chen hour to Stomach Earth, residing in Center, called Solitary Organ. Shape like horse hoof, internally enclosing Stomach cavity symbolizing Earth form. Qi of all meridians converges in Middle Jiao, using Ying (Nutritive) Qi as the residence of Intent.

It further states: Spleen is a Yin organ, located in Middle Jiao, governing nourishment of four Zang organs. Thus, respiration accepts Grain Qi. With Heart-Lung above and Kidney-Liver below, it is said to be in the Center.

It further states: Earth thrives in four seasons, especially in Late Summer. (June). It is Xiang (Assistant) in Summer, Fei (Abandoned) in Autumn, Qiu (Imprisoned) in Winter, Si (Dead) in Spring. Its thriving days are Wu-Ji; thriving time is Shi Shi (early morning to mealtime); imprisoned days are Ren-Gui; imprisoned time is Ren Ding (midnight); dead days are Jia-Yi; dead time is Ping Dan (sunrise), all based on time.

The Classics state: Spleen, Stomach, Large Intestine, Small Intestine, San Jiao, Bladder are the root of granaries, residence of Ying (Nutritive) Qi, named Qi (Vessel). They transform dregs, transfer flavors, and manage entry/exit. Luster in lip whites,充实 in muscles. This is a type of Extreme Yin, connecting to Earth Qi.

It further states: Central Yellow enters and connects to Spleen, opens into mouth, stores essence in Spleen, so disease is at tongue root.
It further states: Grain Qi connects to Spleen.
It further states: Essence and Qi merging in Spleen causes fear.
It further states: Spleen dislikes Dampness.
It further states: Sweet enters muscles. For muscle disease, do not eat much sweet.
It further states: Prolonged sitting injures muscles, laboring the Spleen.
It further states: Spleen is mother of all things. Stomach is sea of water and grains.

Emperor asked: Why does Spleen disease cause limb immobility? Qibo answered: Limbs receive Qi from Stomach but cannot reach directly; they must rely on Spleen to receive it. Now Spleen disease cannot transport fluids for Stomach; limbs do not receive water-grain Qi. Qi declines daily, meridians become obstructed, sinews, bones, and muscles lack Qi to generate, thus immobility.

Emperor asked: Why does Spleen not govern a specific season? Answer: Spleen is Earth, governing Center. It constantly nourishes four Zang organs during four seasons, ruling for eighteen days at the end of each season, not governing a single season alone.
(Spleen constantly attaches to the essence of Stomach Earth. Earth generates all things following Heaven and Earth, so it does not reach head or feet, nor govern a season alone.)

Emperor asked: Spleen and Stomach are connected only by membrane, yet how does it transport fluids? Answer: Foot-Taiyin is one of the Three Yin meridians. Its vessel penetrates Stomach, belongs to Spleen, and connects to throat. Thus, Taiyin transports Qi to Three Yang. Zang-Fu organs receive Qi from Yangming via their meridians.

It further states: Spleen Shu is beside 11th thoracic vertebra on back; Mu point is Zhangmen on abdomen.
It further states: Yellow should be like brocade wrapping realgar, not like loess.
It further states: Like silk wrapping Trichosanthes fruit indicates life.
It further states: Spleen Heat disease, nose turns red first.
It further states: Spleen Heat patients first have heavy head, cheek pain, vexation, desire to vomit, body heat. Heat struggle causes lower back pain unable to bend/extend, abdominal fullness, diarrhea, bilateral mandible pain. Worsens on Jia-Yi days, profuse sweat on Wu-Ji days. Qi reversal leads to death on Jia-Yi days. Needle Foot-Taiyin and Yangming.

It further states: Pulse coming solid and full, fast like chicken lifting foot, indicates Spleen disease.
It further states: Pulse coming hard and sharp, like bird beak, bird claw, leaking roof, flowing water, indicates Spleen death.
It further states: Spleen Qi excess, body heavy, limbs unable to lift.
It further states: Jue Qi invading Spleen, dreams of hills, marshes, broken houses, wind, rain.
It further states: Spleen weakness disease with white intestinal mucus diarrhea, hard stool, constipation, continuous sweating, or five fluids flowing in five colors. (Constipation: nobles changed clothes for toilet, hence name.)
It further states: Spleen distension involves frequent hiccups, limb stiffness, heavy body unable to bear, restless sleep.
It further states: Spleen Water involves abdominal enlargement, limb heaviness, lack of fluids, shortness of breath, difficult urination.
It further states: Spleen Constraint involves hard stool, free urination, yet no thirst.
It further states: Spleen Malaria causes chills, abdominal pain. Heat causes bowel sounds, followed by sweating. Needle Foot-Taiyin.
It further states: Kidney transferring heat to Spleen transmits to deficiency, Chang Pi (intestinal dysentery) death, incurable.
It further states: Symptoms of Spleen Cough: coughing causes right hypochondriac pain, dull pulling to shoulder/back. Severe cases cannot move; movement worsens cough.
It further states: Symptoms of Spleen Wind: excessive sweating, aversion to wind, body lethargy, limbs unwilling to move, pale slightly yellow complexion, poor appetite. Diagnosis at nose, color yellow.
(Diagnosis color: observing color.)
It further states: Spleen Bi involves limb laxity, coughing with saliva, upper obstruction.
It further states: Spleen Qi Heat causes dry mouth/thirst, muscle numbness developing into Rou Wei (flesh atrophy).

Emperor asked: Four seasons have order and variation. Why does Spleen pulse govern specifically? Qibo said: Spleen pulse is Earth. Solitary organ irrigating four sides. Emperor asked: Can Spleen good/bad be seen? Answer: Good cannot be seen, bad can be seen. Emperor asked: How to see bad? Answer: Coming like flowing water is Excess; disease outside like bird beak is Deficiency; disease inside, Excess causes limb immobility, Deficiency causes nine orifices blockage, named Chong Qiang.

It further states: Esophagus is the origin of the Stomach tube.

*Nei Jing* says: Spleen length one chi covering Tai Cang. *Ling Shu* says: Spleen length five cun. Why unequal?

*Mai Jing* states: Spleen pulse urgent severe, for convulsions. Mild urgent, for diaphragm fullness anorexia.
It further states: Slow severe for Wei Jue (atrophy/cold limbs), mild slow for Feng Wei (wind atrophy), limbs unreceptive.
It further states: Large severe for being struck/fallen, mild large for Pi Qi (lump), containing pus/blood outside intestines/stomach.
It further states: Heart is Spleen Mother, supplement with fried salt.
It further states: Spleen Excess drain with Zhi Shi (Immature Bitter Orange). If no other symptoms, drain with Huang Lian (Coptis Rhizome).
It further states: Spleen governs Dampness. Self-disease causes diarrhea, somnolence, heavy body, fatigue. Urgently use bitter drying herbs.
It further states: Excess drains red-yellow, sleep eyes closed, use Xie Huang San.
It further states: Deficiency drains white, sleep eyes open, use Bai Zhu San.
It further states: Liver overacting Spleen, thief evil wind prevails, diarrhea with vomiting, use Fu Ling Ban Xia Tang.
It further states: Heart overacting Spleen, false evil strong heat, heavy body with diarrhea, use Qiang Huo Huang Qin Cang Zhu Gan Cao Tang.
It further states: Lung overacting Spleen, real evil able to eat, constipation with vomiting/cough, decoct Bing Lang Da Huang Tang, administer Ting Li Wan.
It further states: Kidney overacting Spleen, minor evil, aversion to cold with diarrhea, use Li Zhong Wan.
It further states: Whenever Spleen gets diseased, first examine Liver and Heart Zang deficiency/excess, trace origin and treat. Liver is Spleen Ghost, Heart is Spleen Mother. Liver Qi excess makes Ghost prevail; Heart Qi deficiency makes Spleen Sheng Qi insufficient. Suppress excess to retreat, tonify deficiency to balance. Hence two drugs: Suppress Liver, Benefit Heart. Diagnose pulse: if Liver-Heart harmonious, Spleen self-diseases. Must examine primary meridian deficiency/excess to treat. (This is Noble Method)
It further states: Small severe for cold/heat, minute/small for Xiao Dan.
It further states: Choppy severe for Tui Long (hernia/strangury). Mild slippery for worm toxin, borborygmus, heat.
It further states: Slippery severe for Chang Pi (intestinal hernia), mild choppy for internal hemorrhoids, mostly purulent bloody stool.

The Classics state: Movement disorder causes tongue root stiffness, vomiting after eating, epigastric pain, abdominal distension with belching. After defecation/gas passage, feels relieved, body heavy. This is Master of Spleen. (Qi sounds like fart. Qiang sounds like Jiang)
It further states: Diseases generated include tongue root pain, body unable to shake, inability to eat, vexation, epigastric urgent pain, cold malaria, loose mass diarrhea, water closure, jaundice, inability to lie down, standing forcibly causes thigh/knee inner swelling/jue, big toe useless. Excess: Cun Kou pulse 3x Ren Ying. Deficiency: Cun Kou smaller than Ren Ying.

Foot-Taiyin Splein Channel Guiding Herb Song:
Ji Spleen Dang Gui Su Sha Fang Feng Yi Zhi Ren, Dai Zhe Shi Wu Zhu Yu Chi Fu Ling, Cang Zhu Bai Dou Kou Gan Cao Ma Huang Yi Tang Ban Xia, Yuan Hu Suo Bai Shao Su Sha Xing. (Zhe, sound Zhe, red color.)

The Classics state: Spleen receiving Liver Heat evil, mostly vomiting/reversal; receiving Liver Cold evil, mostly unsifted rice diarrhea.
It further states: Sweet enters muscles. For muscle disease, do not eat much sweet.
It further states: Grain Qi connects to Spleen.
It further states: Prolonged sitting injures muscles, laboring the Spleen.
It further states: Essence and Qi merging in Spleen causes fear.
It further states: To damage Spleen, regulate diet, adjust cold/warmth.

The Classics state: Dampness excess causes loose diarrhea. (Dampness excess attacks Spleen-Stomach internally. Spleen-Stomach receives dampness, water/grain not separated, thus Large Intestine conducts and pours diarrhea.)
It further states: Obtaining grain prospers, losing grain perishes.
It further states: All dampness swelling/fullness belong to Spleen.
It further states: Spleen Excess: body heavy, frequent hunger, flesh atrophy, legs unable to walk, frequent convulsions, sole pain. Deficiency: abdominal fullness, borborygmus, unsifted rice diarrhea, undigested food. Spleen surplus: abdominal distension, urinary/fecal difficulty. Insufficient: limb immobility.

*Ling Shu* states: Evil in Spleen-Stomach causes muscle pain. Yang Qi excess, Yin Qi deficiency causes Heat Middle, frequent hunger. Yang Qi deficiency, Yin Qi excess causes Cold Middle, borborygmus, abdominal pain.
It further states: Spleen stores Ying, Ying houses Yi. Spleen Qi deficiency causes limb immobility, five Zang unrest. Excess causes abdominal distension, urinary/fecal difficulty.
(Note: Jing is stool. Sou is urine.)

*Nan Jing* states: External signs yellow face, frequent belching, frequent thinking, sensitive taste. Internal signs moving Qi at navel, firm painful on pressure. Disease abdominal distension, fullness indigestion, heavy body joint pain, lethargy somnolence, limb immobility. Having these is Spleen, not having is not.

The Classics state: Great bones withered, great flesh sunken, chest Qi full, breathing difficult, internal pain pulling shoulder/neck, body heat, flesh loss, true Zang visible, death within ten months. (Note: This is Spleen Zang. Period death within 300 days.)
It further states: Liver transmitting to Spleen, disease named Pi Feng, develops Dan abdominal heat, vexation eye yellow. Spleen Heat color yellow, muscle twitching.
It further states: Disease in Spleen, heals in Autumn. If Autumn fails, worsens in Spring. If Spring survives, holds in Summer, rises in Late Summer. (All diseases judged by Five Zang times for healing/worsening, very accurate. Qian Zhongyang deeply understood this logic, students should study it. *Gang Mu*)
It further states: Spleen disease heals on Geng-Xin days. If Geng-Xin fails, adds on Jia-Yi. If Jia-Yi survives, holds on Bing-Ding, rises on Wu-Ji.
It further states: Spleen disease, bright at dusk, severe at sunrise, quiet at late afternoon.
It further states: Spleen emotion is Pensiveness. Pensiveness injures Spleen. Anger conquers Pensiveness.

Danxi said: Pensiveness injuring Spleen, conquer with Anger, resolve with Joy. (Fire of five emotions, constrained becomes phlegm, causing mania; should control with human affairs, known as Five Emotions Mutual Conquest treatment. Women with thought Qi knotting syndrome, only not eating, lying down like idiot, no other disease, mostly sit facing inward bed. Spleen governs Pensiveness. Over-pensiveness knots Spleen Qi causing anorexia. Anger belongs to Liver Wood. Anger makes Wood Qi rise and break Spleen Qi knot, hence Anger conquers. Medicine values talent; without talent, how to respond infinitely?)

The Classics state: Zang Qi exhaustion, Shen manifests externally. (A scholar loved reading, forgot to eat. One day a purple-robed man stood before him saying: Sir must not think bitterly, thinking kills me. Asked who he was? Said: I am Grain Spirit. Thus stopped thinking and ate as usual.)

The Classics state: Spleen suffers Dampness, urgently eat bitter to dry it. Spleen desires relaxation, urgently eat sweet to relax it. Spleen suffers Dampness is Excess, suitable Bai Zhu. Spleen desires relaxation is Deficiency, suitable Gan Cao. Sweet tonifies, Ren Shen; bitter drains, Huang Lian. Spleen Deficiency tonify with Gan Cao, Da Zao etc.; Spleen Excess drain with Zhi Shi.

*Ling Shu* states: Foot-Taiyin Qi exhaustion, vessels do not nourish muscles. Lips/tongue are root of muscles. Vessels not nourishing causes muscle softness. Muscle softness causes tongue flaccidity, Ren Zhong fullness. Ren Zhong fullness causes lip eversion. Lip eversion means flesh dies first. Jia day severe, Yi day death.

*Ling Shu* states: Sorrow unresolved injures Yi. Yi is Spleen Spirit.
Thinking causing bleeding belongs to Spleen.

Swelling/Edema has ten types. Limb heaviness is Spleen Water. Generally speaking, Kidney Deficiency cannot move water, Spleen Deficiency cannot control water. Any swelling starting in abdomen spreading to limbs is treatable; starting in limbs returning to abdomen is hard to treat.

The Classics state: Yellow like crab roe lives, yellow like Immature Bitter Orange dies.
It further states: Excess dreams joy/singing/happiness. Deficiency dreams food/drink conflict.
It further states: Taiyin termination involves abdominal distension/closure, inability to breathe, frequent belching/vomiting. Vomiting reverses Qi, reversal causes red face. No reversal means upper/lower blockage. Upper/lower blockage causes black face, dry skin/hair, then death.

*Mai Jing* states: Spleen exhaustion death in twelve days. (One says five days.) How to know? Cold mouth swollen feet, hot abdomen distension, unconscious diarrhea, unlimited discharge.

Zhongjing said: Black ring around mouth, soft sweat yellow, this is Spleen exhaustion.

Tonify: Ren Shen, Huang Qi, Gan Cao, Lian Zi, Bian Dou, Cang Zhu, Bai Zhu, Fu Ling, Shan Yao, Qian Shi, Chen Pi.
Drain: Zhi Shi, Shi Gao, Qing Pi.
Warm: Ding Xiang, Huo Xiang, Hu Jiao, Wu Zhu Yu, Fu Zi, Rou Gui, Liang Jiang.
Cool: Xuan Ming Fen, Hua Shi.