A middle-aged psychology professor carried decades-long resentment toward his mother.
He believed his feelings were justified, so he let them remain—but over time he realized that his resentment had seeped into him, to the point that it was affecting every aspect of his life.
Psychologically, he experienced chronic anxiety, depression, and insomnia. Physically, he developed intense gastric pain and ulcers. His condition became so severe that he often could not eat normally and survived mostly on porridge. He grew extremely thin, weak, and visibly ill.
I gave him a prescription: Silently recite the word “forgive” each time resentment surfaced.
Three days later, he told me that he felt the resentment inside him was dissolving. He then experienced a profound emotional release.
Sun Simiao, the renowned Tang Dynasty physician, also known as the “Medicine King,” established a treatment method rooted in virtue. He believed that without virtue, even the most potent drugs would fail to heal, whereas a virtuous lifestyle could heal naturally.
I often inform my patients that traditional Chinese medicine (TCM) does not separate who you are from how healthy you are. Through the lens of TCM, your habits, emotions, and moral character are seen as continuously shaping your overall health.
The Organ-Virtue Connection
The cause of the professor’s ailments was the resentment he carried, which stagnated his liver energy flow.
The Liver
In TCM, the liver is linked to compassion (仁), meaning to be loving, kind, and considerate to people.“Compassionate people love and cherish life,” it is said in the Chinese historical official text “Comprehensive Discussions in the White Tiger Hall.”
When liver qi is obstructed, one will feel easily anxious and angry, and it can also lead to digestive issues.
The Heart
The virtue of the heart is propriety (禮)—the foundation of appropriate conduct, respect, and harmonious social interactions. In TCM, the heart does more than circulate blood; it is the home of Shen, the Chinese concept of mind-spirit and consciousness. Embracing the virtue of propriety supports the heart’s function and fosters inner clarity.The Spleen
The spleen is associated with sincerity (信), or integrity.According to the five-element theory, the spleen is represented by earth.
“Earth nurtures and sustains all things, embodying the principle of bearing and nourishing life without partiality—this is the utmost expression of sincerity,” the official text reads.
The Lungs
The lungs represent righteousness or letting go (義).“Yi means making decisive judgments,” the text reads.
The Kidneys
The kidneys are associated with the virtue of wisdom (智).“Wisdom means to advance and halt without hesitation or doubt,” the text reads.
The kidneys correspond to water, which also flows forward without confusion. The kidneys govern the foundation of life and store essence. A person who cultivates wisdom has greater reserves and longevity.
At the same time, negative emotions—or vices—can create physical tensions that block the flow of qi. If this blockage happens in organ systems, it can gradually weaken them.
For example, compassion boosts the liver, while opposing emotions such as anger and resentment can disrupt it. Pent-up emotions stagnate the liver’s qi, raising stress hormones and impairing liver function. That’s why the professor’s long-term resentment led to a variety of symptoms.
Cultivating compassion allows one’s soft, genuinely kind self to prevail, and it helps release liver stagnation, promoting emotional and physical flow.
Simple Practices
A calm mind is the first step toward harmonizing the internal body state.Smiling
The simplest trick is to start your day with a gentle smile.The psychologists found that when people’s faces were stimulated to smile, they felt happier and more positive—and when stimulated to frown, they felt less positive. The stronger the muscle movement, the bigger the mood shift.
Acts of kindness
Kindness and compassion are natural antidotes to anger, resentment, and emotional stagnation, so another way to practice virtuous living is to engage in random acts of kindness. Kind acts broaden your mind and heart, helping qi to flow more freely.Journaling
You can also try journaling before sleep. Journaling can help with removing stagnant emotions. When thoughts are written down, the mind no longer needs to keep repeating and carrying them internally, reducing rumination and transforming mental looping into clear processing.Recitation
You can also recite certain words, as the professor did. If you have resentment toward someone, every time it arises, recite the term “forgive.” When you are about to lose your temper, recite the term “compassion” or “be kind.”Practicing virtue has broader benefits—it can change your lifestyle. Ancient wisdom upholds that one’s lifestyle follows one’s character. A person who cultivates virtue is more likely to eat a balanced diet, sleep regularly, avoid stimulants, and practice moderation.
“Therefore, those who cultivate life should not rely solely on medicines,” the Medicine King Sun Simiao wrote in his essential medical text “Thousand Gold Prescriptions for Emergencies.” “They must also cultivate virtue in all their conduct.”
“When all virtues are fully practiced, even without medicinal remedies, one can attain longevity,” he wrote.