Zang-Fu: The San Jiao

The functions of the San Jiao

In TCM, there are three divisions of the body and The San Jiao functions as a unit to integrate the workings of the three Jiao’s harmoniously.

1. The Upper Jiao consists of the Heart and Lungs and serves to distribute fluids all over the body by way of the descending and dispersing function of the Lungs.
2. The Middle Jiao consists of the Spleen and Stomach. It is responsible for the digestion and distribution of nourishment from food drink, and also for transporting this nourishment to all parts of the body.
3. The Lower Jiao consists of the Kidney and Bladder, but some texts include the Large Intestine and Small Intestine as part of the Lower Jiao. The Lower Jiao is responsible for the separation of essences into clean and dirty parts.

San Jiao patterns of disharmony

• There is no pathology of the San Jiao as such. However the pathology of the individual organs within each Jiao can affect the function of each Jiao and therefore affect the overall functioning of the San Jiao as a complete unit.