On “Liver not on the Left and Lungs not on the Right”
ZHANG Xiaolei
SHA Yinyin
MA Jiaju
WANG Yuguang
Abstract：The theory of “left liver and right lung” stems from Yellow Emperor’s Inner Classic. Since it is different from the anatomic knowledge that the liver is in the right and lungs are with two lobes ,this theory is criticized by opponent of traditional Chinese medicine(TCM). In fact,“left liver and right lung” and “left ascending right down” embodies the ascending and descending of qi activity ,physiology and pathology the liver and lung. Both are Abstract functional paradigm ,and not the real anatomical concept. In the circular movement paradigm of TCM,this theory is of great importance for the simplifying TCM theory,physiology and pathology,but it does not equal to that liver is located in the left and lung is located in the right. In qi movement,qi ascends on the left and descends on the right. Hence,liver disease(abnormal qi’s ascending) is on the left,lung disease(abnormal qi’s descending) is on the right. The correct understanding of “left liver and right lung” and “left ascending right down”,is the correct understanding of the theory of TCM ,and it could avoid the mechanical anatomical thought.
Keywords：left liver and right lungleft ascending right downyang ascending and yin descendingtradi-tional Chinese medicine theory
Publication Date：2017-01-01
Online Publishing Date：2026-05-22(First online date of this platform, not the publication date of the document)
Pages：3( 6-8 )