8. The Human Body Can Be Compared to a Nation 人身猶一國 한 사람의 몸은 한 국가와 같다
Written By Jun Heo(許浚, 1539~1615), Translated by Namil Kim, Wung Seok Cha et al., Published by Ministry of Health & Welfare (Korea)
① It is said in the Baopuzi (抱朴子):
“The body of a human being is like a nation. The chest and abdomen is the royal palace, and the four limbs are the boundaries at the outskirts of the country. Joints imply how the tasks of all the officials are divided. The spirit is the king, blood is the servant, and qi is the civilians; this is why one can control the country, if one knows how to control the body.
The body becomes healthy if qi is taken care of well, just as the country is peaceful if the civilians are taken care of well; the body cannot maintain its life if qi is depleted, just as the country cannot exist if civilians scatter. A dead person cannot be brought back to life, and a perished country cannot rebuild itself once it perishes.
Therefore, a wise person should settle problems before they erupt, treat illnesses before they occur, subdue arguments, and not pursue arguments once they have already broken out. It is difficult to nurture the life of a person while it is easy to put it into danger; it is difficult to clear one’s qi while it is easy to cloud one’s qi.
Therefore, preserving one’s blood and qi is possible only when the person does not waver over one’s emotions; just as preserving the government is possible only when the throne remains under dignity and virtue. Only after this does genuine qi remain intact and save the spirit, blood, and qi. Also, only then is the person able to overcome the diseases and live long.
② It is said in the Basic Questions (素問):
“The heart is the organ equivalent to the king where the bright spirit is emitted. The lungs are the organ equivalent to the prime minister where the rules of regulation are emitted. The liver is equivalent to the general where schemes and considerations are emitted. The gallbladder is equivalent to unbiased neutrality where resolution is emitted. The chest center is equivalent to the office where happiness and joy are emitted. T
he spleen and stomach are equivalent to the storage where the five tastes are emitted. The large intestine is equivalent to the messenger where transformation is emitted. The small intestine receives and stores and thus changes the food. The kidneys are organs of great power where technical skills are emitted. The triple energizers are equivalent to the gully where the way of water flow is emitted.
The bladder is the organ where water is gathered and fluid and humor are stored; the fluid and humor can be emitted by the force of the transformation of qi. The twelve organs are all necessary. Therefore, civilians can live peacefully when the king is bright; if one nurtures one’s life with a bright mind, one will live long and one’s life will not be in danger. Also, the country will prosper if the ruler is bright.
If the ruler is not bright, the twelve organs would be in danger, the ways would be blocked and unable to flow through, and the shape would be harmed greatly. If one nurtures the life with a dark mind, disaster will come, and the country will be in danger if the ruler does not control with a bright mind. Therefore, one must beware all the time.”
