Su Wen Chapter 8

As always in Chinese medicine, the yang paired Organ has a much simpler description
than the yin Organ. In Su WenChapter 8, it says:

The Large Intestine is responsible for transit. The residue from transformation stems
from it.

In Chinese medicine texts, this function is broken into three separate functions: the Large
Intestine:

- receives transformed food and drink from the Small Intestine;

- absorbs the remaining pure food and nourishment;
- excretes the dirty wastes

Another shorthand description used in Five Element Constitutional Acupuncture is that

the Large Intestine is the drainer of the dregs.

The drainer of the dregs

The ‘drainer of the dregs’ works by eliminating physical matter and fluids from the body
as faeces. In the same way as the Lung works on the mind and spirit as well as the body,
so the Large Intestine also works on all three levels. It also drains the dregs from the mind
and spirit. This Organ can be compared to dustmen or garbage collectors who regularly
empty people's bins. They receive very little recognition for the important work that they
do. If the dustmen go on strike, however, people begin to appreciate what they do. After a
few days overflowing bags of rubbish fill the streets.

This builds up and in time the rubbish starts to rot and the smell starts to pervade the area.
If this waste isn't cleared it rapidly becomes a health hazard, creating yet more illness and
disease. We can compare the situation arising when the dustmen strike to what happens if
the Large Intestine becomes imbalanced and no longer ‘lets go’ of rubbish inside us.
Instead of being evacuated the waste matter starts to physically build up inside the body
and cause internal pollution. This may result in many symptoms especially in areas such
as the bowels, skin and hair. It is also reflected at the level of the mind and spirit. People
start to become congested and‘mentally constipated’ and unable to let go and move on in
their lives. They may also become increasingly negative in their thoughts and feelings.

As J. R. Worsley says:

We are surrounded in our modern society by all kinds of sordid and unpleasant material… Many
people with sick Large Intestines may literally become foul mouthed, the bad language, dirty jokes
and nasty comments about friends and colleagues all point to the garbage piling up inside.
Deciding what to discard and let go of is therefore the role of the Large Intestine. Some
people find it difficult to fully access their grief. For others the struggle is to come to terms
with the loss, accept that the situation is now changed and be prepared to move on and
form new attachments. When a patient appears to be struggling to ‘let go’ in this way this
may indicate that the Large Intestine is in need of treatment.

The time of day for the Organs

Each Organ in the body has a 2-hour period of the day connected to it. During this time
the Organ is at its peak and it has extra qi flowing through it. The 2-hour period for the
Lung is 3–5 a.m. and for the Large Intestine is 5–7 a.m. Impaired breathing that
consistently occurs around 3 a.m. may point to a weakness of the Lung, but does not
necessarily point to Metal as the CF. It is interesting that 3 a.m. has traditionally been the
time in many monasteries and convents throughout the world for the monks and nuns to
rise. At this time they may meditate, pray or focus on their breathing. This time is
favoured as the time when people can most easily receive inspiration from the Heavens
and concéntrate awareness on the rhythms of breathing and of the body. On a more
mundane level, it is striking that, in countries where people rise with the sun, between 5
and 7 a.m. is the time when people generally open their bowels.

How the Lung and Large Intestine relate

The Lung takes in both air and inspiration from the heavens and the Large Intestine lets go
of the dregs. There are many ways to describe the relationship between taking in and
letting go.

• Both Organs, although predominantly either taking in or letting go, do some of both.
The Lung exhales as well as inhales. It lets go of toxins in the process of exhaling. The
Large Intestine absorbs fluids and thus takes in.

• The Lung contacts Heaven. The Large Intestine, as the final stage in the digestive
process, contacts the Earth.

The practitioner can often observe the relationship between the Lung and Large Intestine
by the ways in which the people relate to change in their lives. The tendency to
withdrawal is common in Metal CFs. For some this is predominantly due to their
difficulties in receiving. This may manifest, for example, in regard to intimacy, taking on
board new ideas, accepting praise or receiving gifts. Some, however, struggle to take on
something new because they cannot find a way to let go of what is no longer relevant to
them. They cling to what they feel they might lose.
This may be a belief or a relationship, and it is as though there is no room for something
new to be created. On the other hand some people are reluctant to let go of their
attachment to something until a replacement has been found. For example, when a much-
loved pet dies, some people immediately obtain a new pet in order to help them come to
terms with their loss. They choose to receive in order to help them let go.

Others feel that getting a replacement is almost disloyal to the memory of their beloved
pet and may continue to feel the loss for an extended time. It is inappropriate for them to
receive until they have managed to let go. Sometimes it is difficult to understand these
kinds of processes, but if the practitioner can gain insight into how the process of taking in
and letting go operates much can be revealed about the nature of a patient's Metal
Element.

The character for the po

The Lung houses the ‘po’ or physical (corporeal) soul. The character for the po has two
parts (see Weiger, 1965, lessons 88A and 40). On the left is the character for ‘white’, the
colour resonating with Metal. On the right is the radical for gui or spirit or ghost. So the po
is a White ghost (see discussion of the po in Maciocia, 2008, pp. 264–272). This ‘corporeal
soul’ is linked to the body and might be described as the organisational principle of the
body.

The functions of the po

The po and physical activity

With reference to movement, the corporeal soul ‘Gives the capacity of movement, agility,
balance and co-ordination of movements’ (Maciocia, 2008, p. 265). Any physical activity
that is designed to improve the alertness of the senses, develop awareness of the body and
promote the ability to move in a co-ordinated way, helps to develop the po. Martial arts
training is one example of this so it is not surprising that many martial and meditation
traditions include breathing exercises. Two other functions of the po are of particular
importance.

The po and psychic protection

This function is similar to the ‘Defensive’ (wei) qi referred to above. On a physical level the
Lung gives us the ability to ward off infections like coughs and colds. Because they are
vulnerable to these ‘attacks’ by infections they are called the ‘fragile’ Organ. On a mental
and spiritual level we are also fragile and the po gives people protection from attack on
these levels. People who have strong Lung qi often have a natural ability to protect
themselves. People with weak Lungs, however, are often more sensitive to criticism or
emotional assault. This is often hidden by the fact that many Metal CFs appear to cope
well and be very competent in many areas of their lives. Their somewhat deadened spirit
is often capable of lessening the intensity of the feelings to the extent that they can avoid
revealing much to others and possibly to themselves.

The po and psychic protection

This function is similar to the ‘Defensive’ (wei) qi referred to above. On a physical level the
Lung gives us the ability to ward off infections like coughs and colds. Because they are
vulnerable to these ‘attacks’ by infections they are called the ‘fragile’ Organ. On a mental
and spiritual level we are also fragile and the po gives people protection from attack on
these levels.

People who have strong Lung qi often have a natural ability to protect themselves. People
with weak Lungs, however, are often more sensitive to criticism or emotional assault. This
is often hidden by the fact that many Metal CFs appear to cope well and be very
competent in many areas of their lives. Their somewhat deadened spirit is often capable of
lessening the intensity of the feelings to the extent that they can avoid revealing much to
others and possibly to themselves.

The balanced Element

People with a healthy Metal Element can both feel loss and move on. They take in the
richness of life in order to feel satisfied and accept that when something is over they must
let go. The Lungs allow people to take in qi from the heavens. The Large Intestine allows
them to let go of all that they have accumulated and that is no longer of use. When a
person is able to take in and let go, their life has quality and meaning. If they don't take in,
they feel empty inside. If they don't let go they become congested with waste. People form
attachments as they move through their lives. They become especially attached to the
things that are important and nourishing to them. The attachment may be to people, such
as parents, friends and partners, but can also be to a beloved pet or possession, to a
religious belief, or to certain beliefs or ideas. The Metal Element allows people to connect
with these aspects of life and to experience their significance and value. This connection
allows people to fully participate in life.

At different stages of life people change their attachments. They must be able to let go and
move on. For instance, when children leave home both the parents and children may
experience sadness and a sense of loss. Experiencing the sadness allows them to loosen the
bonds of their attachment. They can grow and mature from the experience and move on to
become connected to whatever becomes significant in the next stage of their life.