Traditional Chinese Medicine framework
The Five Elements
Interactive
Wood, Fire, Earth, Metal, Water
Tap an element
Arrows show the generating cycle; dashed lines the controlling cycle.
Traditional Chinese Medicine framework
Wood
Liver · Gallbladder
TCM organ systems — not the same as the biomedical organs of the same name.
Core TCM functions
- Keeps Qi flowing smoothly
- Stores Blood
- Nourishes the sinews (tendons)
- Opens into the eyes
- Gallbladder: decisiveness
Common deficiency patterns
- Liver Blood deficiency
- Liver Yin deficiency
Common excess patterns
- Liver Qi stagnation
- Liver Yang rising
- Liver Fire
Symptoms a TCM practitioner may associate with these patterns
- Irritability or frustration
- Tension in the neck and shoulders
- Sighing
- Breast tenderness or mood changes before a period
- Headaches at the temples
- Dry or tired eyes
These are Traditional Chinese Medicine pattern descriptions, not biomedical diagnoses. Similar symptoms can have many causes, and treatment is individualized.
Recognize some of these symptoms?
Learn how a TCM assessment worksThese are Traditional Chinese Medicine pattern descriptions, not biomedical diagnoses. Similar symptoms can have many causes, and treatment is individualized.
The five elements at a glance
- Wood
- Liver · Gallbladder. Keeps Qi flowing smoothly; Stores Blood.
- Fire
- Heart · Small Intestine. Governs Blood and the vessels; Houses the Shen (mind / spirit).
- Earth
- Spleen · Stomach. Transforms food and fluids into Qi and Blood; Holds Blood in the vessels.
- Metal
- Lung · Large Intestine. Governs Qi and breathing; Spreads and descends Qi and fluids.
- Water
- Kidney · Bladder. Stores Essence (Jing): growth, development and reproduction; The root of the body's Yin and Yang.
TCM organ names describe functional systems in traditional theory. They do not have the same meaning as the biomedical organs, and a TCM pattern is not a medical diagnosis.
Sources
Pattern names follow standard TCM terminology. Content is educational and was prepared for review by Dr. Kristina Gacesa.
- [1]World Health Organization WHO International Standard Terminologies on Traditional Chinese Medicine. World Health Organization, Geneva. 2022. Source (opens in a new tab)· terminology standard
- [2]Jiang M, Lu C, Zhang C, et al. Syndrome differentiation in modern research of traditional Chinese medicine. J Ethnopharmacol. 2012;140(3):634-642. PubMed 22322251 (opens in a new tab) · DOI 10.1016/j.jep.2012.01.033 (opens in a new tab)· review