Chinese Medicine – Five Elements – Fire Element

Yin Organs:             Hours:                       Yang Organs:                          Hours:

Heart                          11 am- 1 pm              Small Intestine                     1-3 pm

Pericardium            7-9 pm                       Triple Burner                         9-11 pm

The Fire Element has two pairs of meridians associated with it. One pair is the Heart and Small Intestine; the other pair is the Pericardium (anatomically, the pericardium is the tissue surrounding the heart) and the Triple Burner. The Triple Burner is a conceptual energy system unique to Chinese medical theory. It has hours of activity, specific functions, points of access and control, etc., exactly like the other meridians, but it has no anatomical counterpart.

In Chinese medicine, the Heart is said to rule the blood and blood vessels. While the Liver is said to be the Controller of blood, the Heart is said to be the Governor. This means that the Liver allows blood to move, while the Heart determines where the blood needs to go. The Pericardium refers to the protective tissue of the heart. External pathogenic factors as well as emotions mostly attack the pericardium before they affect the heart.

The heart organ is located in the chest to the left. It is believed in traditional Chinese medicine (TCM)  that the Heart energy is particularly important among all the organs, as it controls the other viscera and bowels. The Heart has Yin and Yang aspects. The Yin refers to the blood controlled by the heart. The Yang refers to the actual function, the heat, and Qi of the heart. The main functions of the Heart are controlling blood circulation, taking charge of mental activities, and producing sweat as the fluid of the heart.  In terms of other body parts, the condition of the Heart is particularly expressed in the tongue and face.

Here is a short video where I describe what the Pericardium does and how its related to Traditional Chinese Medicine.