FONG WAN - Library

today can still learn from it. However, just as there are differences
in intelligence, so are there differences in herbalists. To eliminate doubt,
people should consult Fong Wan, a scholarly and reliable herbalist.
In the beginning of Chinese civilization, there was an emperor
known as Shin Nong. He not only classified the herbs under five nat-
ural elements, according to their color and taste, but he also classified
the five vital organs of the body under the five principal elements.
1 The stomach is yellow like the earth.
2 The heart is red like the sun.
3 The kidneys are dark colored like the ocean water.
4 The lungs are white like the minerals.
5 The secretions of the liver are greenish like vegetation.
Each of these organs has related organs.
The kidneys are those organs of the human system that resemble
the water in the ocean. They distribute nourishment through the body
by means of the nerves. The nerves of the lower limbs come through
the kidneys and pass up the back, through the*neck, and over the head
and eyes. All these nerves depend on the kidneys for their strength
and nourishment, just like the earth depends on the water element of
the oceans for its rains and moisture.
When the kidneys fail to function properly because of inflammation,
or by reason of weakness, they become the source of numerous ail- )
ments. In case of inflammation, people sometimes have Slight's dis-
ease, floating kidneys, etc. The tendency of inflammation (the fire
element) is to cause swelling, especially of the lower limbs, which fre-
quently develops into dropsy. Sometimes inflammation of the kidneys
causes the lower limbs to cramp. This is accompanied by burning pain
from the small of the back down to the toes, and is commonly known
as Rheumatism, or Neuritis. When it gets a strong and lasting grip,
the sufferer is crippled for life.
Inflammation of the kidneys also causes constipation, because it
dries up the moisture of the blood circulation in the bowels. In inflam-
mation of the kidneys, or prostatic trouble, the urine is dark colored,
and there is frequent voiding of small quantities.
In cases where kidneys are weak and inactive, they cause dizziness,^,
weakness, backache, headache, stiffness and pain
in the back of the -,
neck, which continues up into the nerves of the head, ringing or buzz- j
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