The theory of visceral manifestation is a unique systematic theory of human physiology and pathology in traditional Chinese medicine (TCM), and it is also the core part of the theoretical system of TCM, which has important guiding significance for health preservation, longevity, disease prevention and diagnosis, treatment, and rehabilitation.
“Visceral” refers to the internal organs stored in the body, including the five yin organs (liver, heart, spleen, lung, and kidney), six yang organs (gallbladder, small intestine, stomach, large intestine, bladder, and triple burner), and the extraordinary fu organs (brain, marrow, bone, pulse, gallbladder, female cells). Since the five yin organs are the center of all organs, the meaning of “visceral” actually refers to five physiological and pathological systems with the five yin organs as the center.
“Manifestation” refers to the external phenomenon and analogy of these five physiological and pathological systems. It has two meanings: One refers to the external physiological and pathological signs. The other refers to the result obtained by the analogy between things and phenomena in the external natural environment.
Chinese medicine discerns the functioning of internal organs by observing external signs, adhering to the TCM principle that “seeing the exterior signs allows insight into the internal organs.”
Hence, the theory of visceral manifestation regards the five zang organs as the core, utilizing the meridian system to interconnect the six organs, five body parts, five sense organs, nine body orifices, four limbs, and numerous bones, creating a holistic and interconnected unity within the body.
The “five zang organs” represent the “five physiological systems” of the human body, and all the tissues and organs of the body can be included in these five systems. For example, the system structure of its specific connection is as follows:
