Listening to the “Five Sounds” to Observe the Five Organs
In Traditional Chinese Medicine (TCM), listening to the “Five Sounds” allows practitioners to observe the health of the five organs. It is often said that sound expresses emotions, and these sounds emanate from the body. A skilled physician can discern which organ is experiencing issues based on these sounds.
For example, the “Five Sounds”. If a person has liver qi deficiency, they may shout loudly, as “the sound of the liver is the shout”; shouting is a sign of release. If someone is feeling suppressed, such as being reprimanded at work, they may not shout but instead let out a soft sigh. In Japan, there are places designed for people to vent their frustrations, where they can throw javelins, break things, or shout insults, often producing an “ah” sound or exclamations. These are all forms of self-release.
The heart’s sound is laughter, and if a person laughs excessively, it may indicate that their heart spirit is scattered.
The spleen’s healthy qi is expressed through singing loudly, while the presence of pathogenic qi is indicated by “singing loudly while climbing high”, similar to individuals with mental symptoms. It is often observed that those with mental symptoms possess great strength and abilities; they can easily scale high walls and act erratically. Generally, a normal person would need special skills to suddenly leap onto a wall, but those with mental symptoms can do so due to an excess of internal yang pathogenic factors.
The lung’s sound is crying, and if a person is constantly sobbing or their voice carries a tone of sadness, it indicates lung issues.
The kidney’s sound is moaning, and if a person is always groaning, it suggests kidney problems.
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Clinical Judgement Standards
A good doctor can discern which organ is problematic just by listening to a patient’s speech, such as whether there is kidney deficiency or lung issues. In clinical practice, there are some interesting judgment standards:
For instance, with lung cough, if a person coughs frequently, a strong cough indicates a “full condition” with a loud sound; if the lung qi is particularly deficient, it is described as “weak and insufficient to breathe”, resulting in a very weak cough, often just a faint sound. Some may think that a loud cough indicates a more severe illness, but in fact, the opposite is true; a loud cough shows that the person still has the energy to cough, while a weak cough indicates a worse condition.
Similarly, for small intestine issues, the small intestine meridian runs from the cheeks to the nostrils. Therefore, if someone has a very resonant voice with a nasal tone, they may have small intestine problems. Some individuals with rhinitis may speak in a “muffled” manner, which actually indicates lung qi stagnation.
People with spleen issues often “belch” frequently, and the sound is usually low and deep.
Those with stomach issues often yawn excessively. Yawning is also a sound that indicates weak stomach qi or coldness in the stomach, and through yawning, the stomach can relax.
Severe kidney cough may produce blood-streaked saliva, resembling asthma, indicating that the kidneys are not receiving qi properly.
Individuals with gallbladder issues often sigh. Why do they sigh? Because they are unable to express themselves, they tend to sigh or exhale deeply. In real life, what can such individuals do? They should engage in arm exercises to stretch the gallbladder meridian, and importantly, ensure they have good sleep to allow the gallbladder qi to rise properly.
Gallbladder issues may also manifest as “belching”, which is a sensation of fullness in the chest, similar to hiccups.
All of the above are examples of diagnosis through sound, where listening to a person’s voice and the emotions expressed can reveal the most prominent organ’s pathology. This is a crucial part of TCM’s listening diagnosis.
In the “Biography of Bian Que”, after asking three questions, Bian Que told the Minister of State that he could cure the illness of Prince Guo. The Minister did not believe him, and Bian Que stated, “By hearing the yang, I can discern the internal condition”; by understanding the external manifestations, one can know the internal conditions and thus treat the prince’s illness. Therefore, TCM’s listening diagnosis is also very effective.
Some people now believe that listening diagnosis refers only to smelling, but in fact, smelling is not the main content of listening diagnosis. However, there are those who do smell; previously, we discussed the “Five Odors”, which correspond to the five organs and have five distinct smells. For example, a person with kidney disease may carry a putrid odor, reminiscent of decay. However, this is not a significant aspect of TCM’s listening diagnosis. The most important part of listening diagnosis is to hear the sounds.
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Listening to the Five Sounds and How to Nourish the Five Organs
In TCM, diagnosis involves observation, listening, inquiry, and pulse-taking, where listening not only refers to smelling but also includes hearing sounds. The “Huangdi Neijing” states that the sounds of shouting, laughing, singing, crying, and moaning correspond to the liver, heart, spleen, lungs, and kidneys respectively. By carefully listening to these five sounds, one can gain insight into the health of the five organs, making these sounds a window into organ health.
Nourishing the Liver
The liver is associated with anger and its sound is the shout. If a person frequently loses their temper and shouts, it may indicate liver issues, typically due to excessive liver fire. Consuming cooling foods that help clear heat, such as chrysanthemum tea, shepherd’s purse, and loofah, can be beneficial for liver detoxification. Those who habitually “sigh deeply” may have liver qi stagnation; herbs like Chai Hu (Bupleurum) and Bo He (Mint) can help relieve liver stagnation and prevent qi blockage. The “Six Character Secret” of breath regulation mentions that frequently producing the sound “xu” can benefit those with excessive liver fire, liver deficiency, or eye diseases. For those on the verge of anger, repeating the sound “xu” several times can help regulate emotions and maintain inner peace to avoid harming the liver.
Nourishing the Heart
The heart is associated with joy and its sound is laughter. A person with sufficient heart qi will laugh heartily, and a cheerful laugh can help smooth heart qi. If someone laughs excessively for no apparent reason, it may indicate heart issues. However, excessive laughter can deplete heart qi. If one laughs too much or talks too much, they may feel palpitations due to insufficient heart qi, indicating a need to nourish heart qi. The key to nourishing the heart is to learn to live slowly. During busy work hours, it is important to deliberately slow down after work. In terms of dietary supplements, longan, lotus seeds, lily bulbs, and black fungus can nourish heart qi and yin. The “Six Character Secret” mentions that frequently producing the sound “he” can replenish heart qi, which is beneficial for treating palpitations, insomnia, and forgetfulness. When experiencing emotional fluctuations or mood swings, consuming dried hawthorn can help as sour foods have astringent properties that can prevent heart qi from becoming too scattered, protecting the heart while also soothing the liver and calming the mind.
Nourishing the Spleen
The spleen is associated with thought and its sound is singing. Therefore, if a person sings loudly, their spleen is likely healthy. Conversely, if someone has spleen or stomach issues, their singing may be weak and lacking resonance. In daily life, irregular eating habits can disrupt spleen qi. The key period for nourishing the spleen is during the late summer (early July to early August), combining methods to strengthen the spleen, dispel heat, and transform dampness. Foods such as mung beans, lotus seeds, loofah, dried tangerine peel, duck meat, and crucian carp can be beneficial. In the “Six Character Secret”, frequently producing the sound “hu” can cultivate spleen qi, which is helpful for spleen deficiency, abdominal distension, spleen-stomach disharmony, and loss of appetite.
Nourishing the Lungs
The lungs are associated with worry and their sound is crying. Similar to the spleen, if a person cries loudly, it indicates strong lung qi. Conversely, if someone is constantly crying softly, it may indicate lung qi deficiency, as seen with Lin Daiyu from “Dream of the Red Chamber”. While crying can release emotions, it is best not to cry excessively, as crying intensely can harm lung qi, and excessive tears can also affect heart qi. The primary task of nourishing the lungs is to maintain a cheerful disposition, avoiding the sorrowful demeanor of Lin Daiyu. Additionally, chewing 1-2 walnut kernels and 2 slices of ginger daily can help nourish lung qi. In the “Six Character Secret”, frequently producing the sound “si” can aid in treating symptoms such as wind-cold, fever, cough, and shortness of breath.
Nourishing the Kidneys
The kidneys are associated with fear and their sound is moaning. If a person is often groaning, it may indicate kidney issues, as the essence is stored in the kidneys, and overall health will not be optimal. However, moaning during extreme pain or joy is a natural expression of the body adjusting its essence. To nourish the kidneys, it is important to care for the lower back; prolonged sitting can harm the muscles, so office workers should frequently move, stretch, and massage their lower back to support kidney health. Foods that nourish the kidneys include lamb, leeks, longan, and yam. In the “Six Character Secret”, frequently producing the sound “chui” can alleviate symptoms such as weakness in the lower back and legs, night sweats, dizziness, tinnitus, and erectile dysfunction.
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