The Five Spirits (wushén)

physiology (substances)

TCM describes the psyche through five “spirits” associated with the five solid organs. Shen (consciousness) resides in the heart; hun (associated with plans, dreams, and imagination) — in the liver; po (the corporeal soul, instincts, and sensations) in the lungs; yi (thought, memory, and concentration) in the spleen; and zhi (will and determination) in the kidneys. Each “spirit” depends on the condition of its corresponding organ and its substances: the heart’s blood “grounds” shen, while the kidneys’ jing nourishes zhi. Therefore, in TCM, psycho-emotional symptoms are associated with specific organs.