has a strong yin aspect although qi in general is considered to be yang.
Qi distributed in the skin, muscles and tissues in between them is called wei-qi. Its main function is defense and it is yang in nature.
XUE
Xue correlates with physical form, such as the red liquid moving through the blood vessels. Its function is to nourish all parts and tissues of the body, ensuring an adequate degree of moisture, and sustaining and soothing both consciousness and sleep.
Symptoms of lack of xue are: pale-white or withered-yellow complexion, dizziness, flowery vision, palpitations, insomnia, numbness of extremities, pale tongue, and fine pulse.
JINYE
Jinye relates to xue and translates into body fluids, (e.g. lymphatic fluid, etc.). Just like xue, they are considered yin in nature. Their function first and foremost is of nurturing an moisturizing the different structures of the body. Their other functions are to harmonize yin and yang, and help with secretion of waste products,
Jinye are extracted from food and drink and constitute the raw materials for production of xue; conversely, xue can also be transformed into jinye. Their palpable manifestations are all bodily fluids: tears, sputum, saliva, gastric acid, joint fluid, sweat urine, etc.
ZANG-FU
Zang-fu constitute the center piece of TCMs systematization of bodily functions. The organs are primarily defined by their functions. They are not equivalent to the anatomical organs but are primarily defined by their functions.
The term zang refers to the five entities: Heart, Liver, Spleen, Lung, Kidney, which are all yin in nature. The fu refers to the six organs: Small Intestine, Large Intestine, Gall Bladder, Urinary Bladder, Stomach, and Sanjiao, which are yang in nature. The zang’s essential functions consist in production and storage of qi and xue. They regulate digestion, breathing, water metabolism, the musculoskeletal system, the skin, the sense organs, aging, emotional processes, and mental activity, and other structures and processes. The fu organs main purpose is merely to transmit and digest substances such as food and waste.
The zang is paired with a fu and each zang-fu pair is assigned to one of five elemental qualities (e.g. Five Phases), which correspond as such:
Fire= Heart and Small Intestine, and secondary Sanjiao (Tripple Burner) and Pericardium.
Earth = Spleen and Stomach
Metal = Lung and Large intestine
Water = Kidney and Bladder
Wood = Liver and Gallbladder
The zang-fu are also connected to the twelve standard meridians. Each yang meridian is attached to a fu organ, and five of the yin meridians are attached to a zang. Since there are five zang meridians, but six yin meridians, the sixth is assigned to the Pericardium, similar to the Heart zang.
JING-LUO
Meridians (pinyin) are believed to be channels running from zang-fu in the interior of the body to the limbs and joints that transport the qi and xue. TCM identifies 12 regular meridians and 8 extraordinary meridians. There are also a number of less customary channels branching from the regular meridians.