The main manifestations of Liver-Qi stagnation are distension of the hypochondrium,
epigastrium, or abdomen, belching, sighing, nausea, depression, moodiness, feeling wound-up, a
feeling of lump in the throat, pre-menstrual tension and irritability with distension of the breasts
and a Wiry pulse.
From an emotional perspective the most characteristic and common signs are mental depression,
alternation of moods, irritability, "snapping" easily and an intense feeling of frustration. Being
due to stagnation of Qi and not affecting Blood, this condition does not affect the Ethereal Soul
much and can be ascribed only to the effects of Qi stagnation on the Mind. However, if the
stagnation of Qi is severe, it will disturb the Ethereal Soul causing insomnia.
Heart and Lung Qi Stagnation
This derives either from worry which knots Qi or from sadness and grief which deplete Qi and
lead to Qi-stagnation in the chest after some time.
It is characterized by a feeling of oppression and tightness in the chest, palpitations, sighing,
slight breathlessness, a feeling of lump in the throat with difficulty in swallowing, a weak voice,
a pale complexion and a pulse which is Weak in both Heart and Lung positions and is without
wave. From an emotional point of view, a person will feel very sad and depressed and will tend
to weep. This state is due to the constriction of the Corporeal Soul by stagnation of Qi. The
person will also be very sensitive to psychic outside influences. Just as the Lungs on a physical
level are responsible for protection from exterior pathogenic factors, the Corporeal Soul is
responsible for protection from external psychic influences. Such people may, for example, tend
to be negatively affected by the problems of people with whom they come into contact.
The effects of emotional causative factors are confined to Qi only in the early stages. After some
time, the disruption in the movement and transformation of Qi necessarily leads to the formation
of pathogenic factors such as Dampness, Phlegm, stasis of Blood, Fire or Wind, all of which
further affect and disturb the Mind and Spirit.
Effects on Blood
The effects of emotional problems on Blood are more important than those on Qi, for it provides
the material foundation for the Mind and Spirit. Blood, which is Yin, houses and anchors the
Mind and Spirit, which are Yang in nature. It embraces the Mind and Spirit providing the
harbour within which they can flourish. The "Simple Questions" in chapter 26 says: "Blood is the
Mind of a person".70(248) The "Spiritual Axis" says in chapter 32: "When Blood is harmonized
the Mind has a residence".71(249)
Blood is also closely related to Mind and Spirit because of its relation with Heart and Liver. The
Heart, which houses the Mind, governs Blood, and the Liver, which houses the Ethereal Soul,