ABSTRACT
The unique conception of the “heart” has played an important role in major aspects of Chinese life from governance of the state to acupuncture. While moderns define the human heart as a rhythmic blood-pumping organ that manages blood circulation in the human body, the ancient Chinese valued the heart as the organ that generated and connected all our bodily functions, not only physical but also mental activities – perceptions, intelligence, thought and moral sense. The heart also synchronizes human functions with the outside world. These and other activities lifted the Chinese “heart” beyond simply a biological organ – it was the hub of all intrinsic and extrinsic relationships critical to the wellbeing of a person. Such well-known ancient thinkers as Mencus, Xunzi and Laozi were all active in the discussions of how the “heart” related to consciousness, emotions and perceptions of reality. This ancient Chinese “heart” can still be seen today. In schools of traditional Chinese medicine, the concept of the “heart” is still taught as the major cause of illness and viable treatments. Modern psychology is translated as “xinli xue,” “the study of patterns of the heart.” Along the same line of thinking, psychopathology was “xinbing,” “illness of the heart,” and so forth.
