The Characteristics of Visceral Manifestation Theory
The visceral manifestation theory of traditional Chinese medicine is very unique compared to the physiology and splanchnology of modern medicine and consists of four aspects :
Discussions of the zang-and-fu-viscera are expounded through a combination of
physiology and pathology. When pathological changes are involved, it usually results in a change in physiological functions which deduce pathological manifestations. This in turn refutes the western belief of the similarity between physiological functions and pathological changes. Chinese medical theory believes that the two are not formed independently of each other and work simultaneously together.
Zang-and-fu-viscera in traditional Chinese medicine are considered not only anatomical units, but also conceptually are a part of the body's physiology and pathology. During the initial formation stage of the visceral manifestation theory, the main focus of attention was aimed at observing the external symptoms and signs of physiological functions and pathological changes. It was less geared towards observation of the morphology of the viscera. Therefore the modern name for the organs: heart, lung, spleen, liver, kidney, are utilized in TCM today. However, the explanations of their physiological functions are widely different from those of modern medicine. The description of the function of a viscus in TCM's philosophy may include that of several organs if applied in the context of modern medical theory, the reverse being true in the opposite case. Hence, the viscera in TCM is characterized by multi-function. For example, the heart in TCM theory refers as
well to some of the functions of the nervous system, while also referring to the functions of the heart in modern medicine. The functions of the central nervous system in modern medicine are closely related to that of a number of viscera in TCM, those being the heart,liver, spleen, lung, kidney and gallbladder.
Traditional Chinese medicine places much emphasis on the importance of the wholeness of the human body. This "organic whole" reference is taken here to mean a totality of a thing. Because the body acts an organic whole, it shows that there exists inseparable relationships between the zang-and-fu-viscera in both physiology and pathology. In addition, while guided by holistic concepts, it emphasizes the relationship between the internal organs and the external environment, including the social environment and the natural environment. This concept stresses the relationship of the four seasons, the five zang-viscera and yin and yang. The weather changes of the natural world, for example, springwarm, summer-heat, autumn-cool, and winter-cold, exert a great influence on the physiological activities of the viscera of the human body.
The five functional activity systems are formed from the zang-viscera acting as the center organs. In Chinese medicine, much more emphasis is placed upon the role of the zang-viscera in the life activities of the human body. Many kinds of important physiological functions are therefore attributed to these viscera. With the five zang-viscera as the center, the six fu-viscera, five sense organs, and the tissues and organs are all interconnected by the meridian system which form the five functional activities system. This functional activities system is composed of the heart system, the lung system, the spleen system, the liver system, and the kidney system. The viscera in the five systems can be divided into yin and yang aspects, each forming a pair of exterior-interior relationships.The five zang-viscera are also inter-connected with all tissues and openings, thus forming an integrated whole. In addition, there are close connections within the five functional activity systems, which manifest into the inter-promoting and inter-restraining actions of the viscera and tissues. This is the practical application of inter-generation and inter-re-
straint of the five elements in the visceral manifestation theory. Additionally, the visceral manifestation theory expounds upon the physiological functions and pathological changes of the five zang-viscera and six fu-viscera and extraordinary organs, providing more details about the five zang-viscera than about the six fu-viscera.
