gets angry of frustrated after meals. This upsets the Spleen's transforming and transporting and
leads to diarrhoea. Zhang Jing Yue says in the "Complete Book of Jing Yue": "... if anger occurs
during or after eating it injures Stomach and Spleen ... it affects both Liver and Spleen and Wood
invades Earth ...".5(402)

Overwork, Chronic Illness

Working long hours associated with irregular eating or physical overwork (including excessive
exercise) weakens the Spleen and often leads to diarrhoea. Any chronic illness also inevitably
weakens the Spleen and may lead to diarrhoea.

Overwork, Excessive Sexual Activity

Working long hours without adequate rest under conditions of stress may weaken the Kidneys. If
a person has a tendency to Yang deficiency, it will lead to Kidney-Yang deficiency. When
Kidney-Yang fails to nourish Spleen-Yang, the Spleen lacks the warmth necessary to transform
and transport and this may result in diarrhoea.

Zhang Jing Yue in the "Complete Book of Jing Yue" says:

The Kidneys are the gate of the Stomach and they control the two [lower]

orifices. Thus the opening and closing of the two [lower] orifices depends on the

Kidneys. If Kidney-Yang is deficient and the Fire of the Gate of Vitality is

declining ... Yin Qi is victorious and diarrhoea results.6(403)

Thus diarrhoea is most of all related to the Spleen among the internal organs, and, of the
pathogenic factors, it is most of all related to Dampness. Of the internal organs, the Liver and
Kidneys also play a role. For this reason, Zhang Jing Yue says in the "Complete Book of Jing
Yue": "The root of diarrhoea cannot not be in the Spleen and Stomach".7(404) In any type of
diarrhoea there is always an inversion in the movement of Spleen-Qi, i.e. Spleen-Qi descending
instead of ascending. The Simple Questions in chapter 5 says: "When clear Qi descends ... and
turbid Qi ascends, there is diarrhoea".8(405)

Diagnosis

Acute diarrhoea with exterior symptoms such as fever and aversion to cold indicates invasion of
Damp-Cold or Damp-Heat.

Foul-smelling diarrhoea accompanied by abdominal pain and borborygmi indicates retention of
food.