The Discussion of Spleen and Stomach

Introduction.

Discussion of Spleen and Stomach:

The Discussion of Spleen and Stomach is a Chinese Medicine book written by Li Dongyuan, a doctor who lived around the era of Ghengis Khan.

This document was not designed for doctors of Chinese Medicine, it was for common people and it was meant as a way that people could learn to take care of themselves and avoid getting sick in the first place.

Li believed that it was often the case that people were injured by their habits and that correction of habits could lead to reduction in illness.

The concept of Spleen and Stomach in Chinese Medicine refers to the inner organs of digestion where food first passes after we eat it.

Spleen in Chinese Medicine may not specifically refer to the Spleen of modern biomedicine, but rather a function of digestion in which food is transformed and nutrition transported.

Some scholars have also suggested it may be the pancreas.

I personally like to think of the Spleen of Chinese Medicine as the function of the Stomach which absorbs nourishment from food, but I understand interpretations may vary.

This text is great for Chinese Medicine practitioners and patients alike since it can empower all of us with the knowledge we need to take care of ourselves.

How our translation will work:

every week Robert and I will translate part of the text which will be available here for free.

We are working together and Robert is organizing the English presentation while I am working to make sure the translation is precise and accurate.

The text is rich in Chinese Medicine theory and I will also do an interpretation of each section according to the modern theory of Traditional Chinese Medicine.

My explanation will be for paid subscribes, so maybe it is a good time to get a subscription...

Now for the introduction of the Discussion of the Spleen and Stomach by Li Dongyuan!

Introduction:

天之邪气，感 则 害人五脏 ， 八 风之中，人之高者也；水谷 之寒热 ， 感 则害人六腑， 谓 水谷入胃，其精气上注于肺，浊溜于肠胃，饮食不节而病者也；地之湿气，感则害人皮肤筋脉，必从足始者也。

The pathogenic Qi in the environment can injure the Five Organs,

The Eight Winds also most effect people.

Water, Grain, Cold and Heat can injure the Six Viscera.

When water and grain enters the stomach their Essential Qi is sent to the lungs, their leftover filth resides in the intestinal tract. If people do not control their food and drink they become ill.

The damp Qi of the Earth can injure people's skin, membranes, tendons and blood vessels, this always begins from the feet.

《内 经》 说 百病皆由上中下三者，及 论 形气两虚，即不及天地之邪，乃 知脾胃不足， 为百病之始，有 馀不足，世医不能辨之者，盖已久矣。往者，遭壬辰之变，五六十日之间， 为 饮 食 劳倦 所 伤而殁者，将百万人，皆谓由 伤寒而殁，后见 明之辨内 外 伤 及饮 食 劳倦伤一论 ， 而后知世医之误 。

The Internal Classic says: “The Hundred Illnesses have upper, middle, and lower levels.” This statement refers to the vacuity of the body and Qi, not to the pathogens of Heaven and Earth.

Thus if the Spleen and Stomach are insufficient the hundred illnesses will take their beginning. If there is sufficient lack, the doctors of the world may differentiate the illness, this has already been taking place for a long time.

Those who go forth must know during the changes of the seasons, approximately in the space of two months there will be millions of people who are injured by their food and drink choices, overwork and exhaustion. They are all injured by (stomach) cold and become sick. Later when you are clear about differentiation you will know how to identify internal, external, injury, food intake, overwork, and exhaustion based illnesses. This way of finding out after you are already sick is the mistake of doctors.

学术不明，误 人乃如此，可不大哀耶！明之既 著论 矣，且惧俗蔽不可以猝悟也，故又著《脾胃论 》 叮咛之。上 发 二书 之微，下祛千载 之惑，此 书 果行，壬 辰药祸，当无从而作。仁人之言，其意博哉

if you do not study properly, you will injure people, you must not be careless!

After becoming aware of the theory and realizing all the injuries which befall the commons, I wrote the Discussion of Spleen and Stomach because I want you to know these things before you get sick.

Thus having published these two books, I want to help people overcome their confusion, so the result of this book will be to save you from eating the wrong medicine.

These words are spoken by a person with humanity and experience,

the meaning is very vast.”

My Explanation:

1:天之邪气，感 则 害人五脏 ，

“The pathogenic Qi in the environment can injure the Five Organs,”

The pathogenic Qi of the environment refers to six external environmental factors which injure the body.

They are:

• Wind,

• cold,

• damp heat,

• dampness,

• dryness,

• fire.

These environmental pathogens can be interpreted both literally and metaphorically, for instance the concept of wind attacking a person can refer to actually being exposed to weather during the windy seasons such as fall, early spring and winter, all of which expose people to a higher risk of becoming ill with the common cold, flu, and now COVID 19etc...

In another way, in the external context Wind often means a pathogen such as a virus which enters the body from outside (for instance by the nostrils or mouth).