[On "the heart also governs Qi"]

As the organ of supreme superiority over any other organ of the body, the heart controls the function of the whole body. The lung governs the motions of Qi(vital energy), as have long been established in the basic theories in traditional Chinese medicine, but in this paper, the authors attempt to define the close relations between the heart and Qi by proposing that the heart also governs Qi, through either immediate and indirect actions. The heart plays an important role in the motion, generation and function regulation of Qi, with also impact on the changes of Qi ji, it is therefore of great importance to obtain a thorough comprehension of the associations between the two facets of Qi government by the lung and the heart, for the purpose of accurate clinical identification of the diseases and consequently appropriate treatment.