Organ Systems
心包 Xīn Bāo / Pericardium
Last Updated: October 5, 2026This is one of the 12 organ systems in Chinese medicine. Pericardium organ system overview The Pericardium is known as 心包 xīn bāo in Chinese. In conventional anatomy the pericardium is the membrane that surrounds the heart. In Chinese medicine the Pericardium is an organ system in its own right, and it is closely bound…
腎 Shèn / Kidney
Last Updated: October 5, 2026This is one of the 12 organ systems in Chinese medicine. Kidney organ system overview The Kidney is known as 腎 shèn in Chinese. In conventional medicine the kidneys filter blood and make urine. In Chinese medicine the Kidney is the deepest organ system we have. It holds what you were born with, governs the…
膀胱 Páng Guāng / Bladder
Last Updated: October 5, 2026This is one of the 12 organ systems in Chinese medicine. Bladder organ system overview The Bladder is known as 膀胱 páng guāng in Chinese. Of the twelve organ systems, the Bladder is probably the one whose Chinese medicine version differs most sharply from the one you already know. In conventional terms it is a…
小腸 Xiǎo Cháng / Small Intestine
Last Updated: September 11, 2026In this article, we’ll explore another of the 12 organ systems of Classical Chinese Medicine. Small Intestine organ system overview The Small Intestine represents one of the more humble yet profound fu (yang/hollow) organ systems in Chinese medicine. Like its paired partner the Heart, the Small Intestine operates within the realm of Imperial Fire. But…
脾 Pí / Spleen
Last Updated: October 5, 2026This is one of the 12 organ systems in Chinese medicine. The information below is intended to enhance and expand your experience of the Spleen & Stomach podcast, but can of course be used on its own to understand your treatment at Watershed Wellness more deeply. Spleen organ system overview The Spleen is known as…
心 Xīn / Heart
Last Updated: October 5, 2026This is one of the 12 organ systems in Chinese medicine. Heart organ system overview The Heart is known as 心 xīn in Chinese. The Heart is one of the 5 most frequently referenced organ systems in Chinese medicine, along with the Liver, Spleen, Kidney & Lung. While the holistic system of physiological understanding we’ve…
胃 Wèi / Stomach
Last Updated: October 5, 2026This is one of the 12 organ systems in Chinese medicine. The information below is intended to enhance and expand your experience of the Spleen & Stomach podcast but can of course be used on its own to understand your treatment at Watershed Wellness more deeply. Stomach organ system overview The Stomach is called 胃…
大腸 Dà Cháng / Large intestine
Last Updated: October 5, 2026This is one of the 12 organ systems in Chinese medicine. Large Intestine organ system overview The Large Intestine is a fu / yang organ system like the Triple Burner and Gallbladder. As such, it’s somewhat less studied in the Chinese medicine literature as compared to the more popular zang / yin organ systems such…
肺 Fèi / Lung
Last Updated: October 5, 2026This is one of the 12 organ systems in Chinese medicine. The information below is intended to enhance and expand your experience of the Lung organ system podcast, but can of course be used on its own to understand your treatment at Watershed Wellness more deeply. Lung organ system overview The Lung is known as…
肝 Gān / Liver
Last Updated: October 5, 2026This is one of the 12 organ systems in Chinese medicine. The information below is intended to enhance and expand your experience of the Liver organ system podcast, but can of course be used on its own to understand your treatment at Watershed Wellness more deeply. Liver organ system overview This is the first time…
膽 Dǎn / Gallbladder
Last Updated: October 5, 2026This is one of the 12 organ systems in Chinese medicine. The information below is intended to enhance and expand your experience of our Gallbladder podcast, but can of course be used on its own to understand your treatment at Watershed Wellness more deeply. What if you don’t have a Gallbladder? The little pear-shaped organ…
三焦 Sān Jiāo / Triple Burner / Triple Heater
Last Updated: October 5, 2026This is one of the 12 organ systems in Chinese medicine. You can access the podcast we recorded about the Triple Burner here. The information below is intended to enhance and expand your experience of that podcast, but can of course be used on its own to understand your treatment at Watershed Wellness more deeply….