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Module 2   Lesson 7   Wei

The Stomach

Why is the Stomach called the origin of all the Fu, and what happens when its Qi does not descend?

After this lesson you can name the four functions, explain why the Stomach wants moisture and the Spleen dryness, and read Stomach-Qi from the tongue and the pulse.

Heart and Shen channel to the chest Heat agitates the Shen Tongue and pulse coating: a product of ripening pulse with Stomach-Qi: supple Earth, with Spleen yellow, sweet, Damp opening: mouth (Spleen) Spleen 脾 partner, Yin organ makes Qi ascend likes dryness Large Intestine Yang Ming partner takes over descent Heat: dry stools Stomach 胃 wei 1 rots and ripens food 2 transports food essences 3 makes Qi descend 4 origin of fluids Yang organ; likes moisture Liver helps it descend or invades the Stomach Kidneys gate of the Stomach Stomach-, Kidney-Yin Sea of Water and Grain origin of the six Fu (Su Wen 11) with Spleen: root Post-Heaven Qi
Four functions from Maciocia ch. 13 (pp. 193 to 200). The relationships are textbook knowledge; the Sea of Water and Grain returns with the Four Seas in lesson 11 of this module. Schematic.

Know by heart

  • Four functions. Rots and ripens food; transports the food essences; controls the descending of Qi; is the origin of fluids. mnemonic: the pot, the conveyor belt, the slide down, the water in the pot.
  • Stomach and Spleen. The Spleen ascends, the Stomach descends; the Spleen likes dryness, the Stomach likes moisture; together the root of Post-Heaven Qi. mnemonic: a lift and a slide in one kitchen.
  • What goes wrong. Ripening fails: Retention of Food or Stomach-Qi deficiency; descending fails: Qi stagnates or rebels (nausea, belching, vomiting, hiccups); fluids fail: Stomach-Yin deficiency; too much fire: Stomach-Heat.
  • Stomach-Qi made visible. The tongue coating comes from the ripening; a pulse with Stomach-Qi is supple; peeled or rootless: Yin deficiency of the Stomach or Kidneys.
  • Two sayings. The Stomach is the Sea of Water and Grain and the origin of the six Fu (Su Wen 11); the Stomach and Spleen are the officials of the granary (Su Wen 8).
  • Three neighbours. The Liver helps the descending or invades the Stomach; the Kidneys are the gate of the Stomach; the Large Intestine is its Yang Ming partner. mnemonic: who pushes, who guards the gate, who takes over.

The rest of this lesson is reference.

Stomach: Why is the Stomach called the origin of all the Fu, and what happens when its Qi does not descend?
The chart as an image, to save or share

Three practice questions from this lesson

Which of these is not a function of the Stomach in Maciocia ch. 13?
  1. Rotting and ripening
  2. Making Qi ascend
  3. Origin of fluids

Answer: Making Qi ascend. Ascending belongs to the Spleen. The Stomach rots and ripens, transports the essences, makes Qi descend and is the origin of fluids.

What does the Stomach want, and what does the Spleen want?
  1. Stomach dryness, Spleen moisture
  2. Stomach moisture, Spleen dryness
  3. Both dryness

Answer: Stomach moisture, Spleen dryness. The Stomach has to stay moist to be able to ripen; the Spleen hates Dampness. A textbook saying.

In TCM language, nausea, belching and hiccups are...
  1. Qi deficiency of the Stomach
  2. Stomach-Qi rebelling upwards
  3. Stomach-Yin deficiency

Answer: Stomach-Qi rebelling upwards. Qi that should descend goes up: rebellion (module 1, lesson 3).

The rest of this lesson

In the course you get the step-by-step explanation, 14 case-based practice questions, 18 spaced-repetition flashcards, the pitfalls and the bridge to physiology with evidence grades. This lesson belongs to module 2: Organs.

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