The Five Major Organs theory is one of the oldest theories that explains how the universe operates. In Chinese medicine, we apply this theory to medical practice. The five element chart explains the theory in detail:
| Wood | Fire | Earth | Metal | Water |
| Liver | Heart | Spleen | Lung | Kidney |
| Gallbladder | Small Intestine | Stomach | Large Intestine | Bladder |
| Eye | Tongue | Mouth | Nose | Ear |
| Tendon | Blood Vessel | Muscle | Skin and Hair | Bone |
| Anger | Joy | Over thinking | Grief | Fear |
| Spring | Summer | Late summer | Autumn | Winter |
| Wind | Heat | Dampness | Dryness | Cold |
| Yelling | Laughing | Singing | Crying | Sighing |
| Green | Red | Yellow | White | Black |
| Sour | Bitter | Sweet | Spicy | Salty |
| East | South | Middle | West | North |
These five elements are interrelated and inseparably connected to each other. If the five elements are in harmony, the organs operate smoothly. According to the Five Major Organ System: water helps wood, wood helps fire, fire helps earth, earth helps metal and metal helps water. This is a “generational” relationship. Water controls fire, fire controls metal, metal controls wood, wood controls earth, and earth controls water. These are “control” relationships.
Next we’ll discuss each organ system.
