Blood vessels include blood and blood vessels. Blood vessels are the channels through which blood runs, and blood is the contents of blood vessels. The heart communicates with blood vessels to form a closed system. The heart keeps beating, pushing blood to flow or circulate all over the body. Chinese medicine believes that heart qi is the driving force of heart beating. Only when the heart is full can the normal heartbeat, heart rate and rhythm be maintained. The strength of the heart and the ups and downs of the heart can be reflected from the pulse.
Man's spirit, consciousness, thinking, etc. Higher nerve activity, Chinese medicine believes that it is mainly the function of the heart. If the function of mind control consciousness is normal, people will be full of energy, clear consciousness and Zhi Min thinking; If the function of the heart governing the gods is disturbed, there will be abnormal consciousness, such as mania caused by phlegm-fire disturbing the heart, insomnia, dreaminess, palpitation and other symptoms caused by deficiency of qi and blood.
Sweat is produced by body fluid, which is an important part of blood, and the heart governs the blood vessels, so there is a saying that "sweat and blood are homologous" and "sweat is the fluid of the heart". Traditional Chinese medicine believes that hyperhidrosis is easy to consume sad blood and qi, leading to palpitation. Excessive sweating will further damage the heart yin and cause the crisis of "sweating to death". People with heart-yang deficiency are prone to spontaneous sweating, while people with heart-yin deficiency are prone to night sweats.
Traditional Chinese medicine believes that "the tongue is known from the heart", "the tongue is the seedling of the heart", "the collateral of the heart meridian is tied to the tongue" and "its beauty lies in the face". Because of the rich blood vessels in the face, the color of the face can reflect the functional state of the heart. Therefore, Chinese medicine often measures the relationship between intimacy and blood by observing the tongue surface. If the heart function is good and the qi and blood are full, the complexion is ruddy and shiny, and the tongue coating is ruddy; If qi and blood are insufficient, the face is pale and the tongue is pale. If there is blood stasis, the face is blue and the tongue is dark, or there are petechiae and ecchymosis. In addition, the nutrition of hair comes from blood, so there is a saying that "hair is blood". If qi and blood are insufficient, hair may wither and so on.
Pericardium is the peripheral tissue of the heart and has the function of protecting the heart. When exogenous pathogens invade the heart, they often invade the pericardium first.
Judging from the physiology and pathology mentioned above, the "heart" of traditional Chinese medicine basically includes the functions of the heart and part of the brain of western medicine.