Heart from the Chinese Medicine
Point of View

The heart [心 xin1] is the center of the five zang organs, so it is called the sovereign official [君主之官 jun1 zhu3 zhi1 guan1], a name that conveys control and supervision with respect to the other organs and physiological functions in the body.

Functions:
1. Governs the Blood Vessels [心主血脉 xin1 zhu3 xue2 mai4]: 

The heart ensures that the whole body receives consistent nourishment and constant circulation. The pulse, the feeling in the chest, and the color of the face and tongue are all related to this function. If heart blood and qi are deficient, the complexion can lack luster and the pulse can be slow, fast or interrupted. Blood can stagnate, producing a cyan-purple complexion and a lack of warmth in the four limbs.

2. Stores the Spirit[心藏神 xin1 cang2 shen2]: 

In Western medicine, consciousness and mental activity are controlled by the brain, but in Chinese medicine, these are the heart's domain. If your heart performs its first function of governing the blood vessels so that blood and qi are abundant, then your spirit is coherent and you can react to your environment. If the heart has a problem, then the spirit is disquieted, leading to restlessness, fear and palpitations, excessive dreaming and loss of sleep.

To continue learning about the viscera, please click on the following Zang:



Lungs Liver Spleen Kidneys