Reference: SC: Psychology
The Conception of Shen
Chinese medicine, systematized in the Huangdi Neijing (Yellow Emperor’s Inner Canon, 4th-2nd century BCE), developed a sophisticated psychology centered on Shen (spirit/mind). Unlike the Greek emphasis on the brain, Chinese medicine located Shen in the Heart, conceived as the “emperor of organs” and the seat of consciousness, thinking, emotions, memory, and awareness.
Shen formed one of the “Three Treasures” alongside Jing (essence) and Qi (vital energy). The Heart-Shen governed not just individual consciousness but coordinated the Five Spirits—distinct aspects of psychic life associated with different organs:
- Shen (Heart): supreme consciousness, integration, self-awareness
- Hun (Liver): ethereal soul providing dreams, intuition, creativity, movement
- Po (Lungs): corporeal soul governing instincts, sensations, feelings
- Yi (Spleen): thought, intention, concentration
- Zhi (Kidneys): willpower, determination, long-term memory
Mental health depended on the harmonious cooperation of these five spirits under Shen’s governance. When the Heart-Shen “loses its governance,” disorder spreads throughout the psyche, just as chaos arises in a state when the sovereign fails.
Mental Illness Categories
The Huangdi Neijing described two major categories of mental illness:
Dian: marked by unhappiness, headache, red eyes, and a troubled mind—resembling what we might call depression or melancholic states
Kuang: characterized by manic forgetfulness, flying into rages, and wild activity—corresponding to manic or psychotic presentations
The Atharva Veda’s Chinese parallel distinguished between mild conditions (neurosis-like deviations from normal mental functioning) and severe disruptions (psychosis-like states).
The Five Emotions and Organ Pathology
Perhaps the most distinctive feature of Chinese medical psychology was its systematic theory linking specific emotions to particular organs through the Five Phases (Wu Xing) cosmological framework:
- Anger (nu) → Liver/Wood: causes Qi to rise excessively, leading to headaches, red face and eyes, irritability, and eventual Liver damage
- Joy (xi) → Heart/Fire: excessive elation makes Qi “loose” and scattered, impairing concentration and Heart function
- Worry/Pensiveness (si) → Spleen/Earth: causes Qi to “bind” or knot, creating digestive problems, obsessive thinking, and exhaustion
- Sadness/Grief (bei) → Lungs/Metal: makes Qi “disappear” or descend excessively, depleting vitality and weakening the Lungs
- Fear (kong) → Kidneys/Water: causes Qi to descend or withdraw, potentially leading to involuntary urination, weak knees, and Kidney depletion
The Huangdi Neijing taught: “When anger abounds and does not end, then it will harm the mind”. Emotions weren’t merely psychological phenomena but “movements of Qi” with direct physiological consequences. Each emotion in moderation represented a healthy response, but excess transformed natural propensities into pathological states—vigor becoming rage, ecstasy becoming hysteria, contemplation becoming worry.
Treatment Philosophy
Chinese medicine emphasized prevention over cure, regulation over correction. The therapeutic goal was restoring the smooth, balanced flow of Qi and harmonizing the Five Spirits. Methods included:
- Acupuncture at points like HT-7 (Shenmen, “Spirit Gate”) to calm the mind and nourish Heart Blood
- Herbal formulas to nourish organs and regulate Qi flow
- Dietary therapy following seasonal principles
- Emotional interventions using the principle of “winning with emotions”—using one emotion to counterbalance another (e.g., joy to overcome sadness)
- Lifestyle modifications including meditation, proper sleep, and seasonal regimens
- Calming the Heart and settling Shen, while soothing the Liver and relieving constraint
The approach was fundamentally holistic, recognizing that “human mental activity is not merely the electrochemical activity of the cerebral cortex, but an outward projection of the flourishing or decline of the essential qi of the five zang and six fu organs”.
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