cognition, which other organs do not have, this is another reason that it is the "emperor" of the
organs. For this reason, the Heart is also called the "root of life" as in chapter 9 of the "Simple
Questions": "The Heart is the root of life and the origin of mental life ...".7(171) Apart from the
above mental functions, the Mind also plays a role in the senses of sight, hearing, smell, taste
and touch.
The eyes and sight are obviously related to the Liver, especially Liver-Blood, and the Ethereal
Soul. The book "The Essence of the Convergence between Chinese and Western Medicine"
(1892) says: "When the Ethereal Soul swims to the eyes they can see".8(172) However, although
the eyes rely on the nourishment from Liver-Blood, blood flows to the eyes through blood
vessels which are under the control of the Heart. On the other hand, the Mind "gathers" the
Ethereal Soul and, in this way, it has an influence on sight. The "Simple Questions" says in
chapter 10: "Blood vessels influence the eyes".9(173) In fact, the "Simple Questions" also lists
excessive use of the eyes as harmful to the blood vessels and Heart. It says in chapter 23:
"Excessive use of the eyes injures Blood [i.e. the Heart]".10(174) Ren Ying Qiu in "Theories of
Chinese Medicine Doctors" says: "The Heart governs the Mind ... sight is a manifestation of the
activity of the Mind".11(175) Wang Ken Tang in "Standards of Diagnosis and Treatment" (1602)
says: "The eye is an orifice of the Liver ... but a function of the Heart".12(176) From the point of
view of channels, both the Heart main and connecting channels flow to the eye.
Hearing depends on the Kidneys but the Heart also has an influence on it in so far as it brings Qi
and Blood to the ears. The "Simple Questions" in chapter 4 says: "The colour of the Southern
direction is red, it is related to the Heart which opens into the ears ...".13(177) Some types of
tinnitus are due to Heart-Qi being deficient and not reaching the ears.
The sense of smell is also dependent on the Heart and Mind besides the Lungs. The "Simple
Questions" in chapter 11 says: "The five odours enter the nose and are stored by Lungs and
Heart; if Lungs and Heart are diseased, the nose cannot smell".14(178) The "Classic of
Difficulties" in chapter 14 says: "The nose pertains to the Lungs but its function depends on the
Heart".
The sense of taste naturally depends on the Heart and Mind as the tongue is an offshoot of the
Heart.
The sense of touch is also dependent on the Heart and Mind as this is responsible for the
cognition and organization of external stimuli sensations.
To sum up, all sensations of sight, hearing, smell, taste and touch depend on the Mind in much
the same way as they depend on the brain in Western medicine.