The Seven Emotions (Qi-Qing)

pathology / etiology

The seven emotions—joy, anger, thoughtfulness, sadness, grief, fear, and fright—are considered internal causes of illness when they become excessive or prolonged. Each is associated with a specific organ: anger harms the liver, excessive joy—the heart, pensiveness—the spleen, sadness and grief—the lungs, and fear—the kidneys. Strong emotions disrupt the flow of qi: anger pushes it upward, fear pulls it downward, and brooding “stagnates” it. Thus, one’s psycho-emotional state directly affects the organs and the flow of qi, making it an important part of diagnosis.