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📖 Donguibogam > Neijing Pian (Chapter of the Inner Canon)
If You're Often Irritable and Your Eyes Feel Constantly Dry (Liver Heat)
Translation Disclaimer
This content is a carefully translated version of traditional Korean medical records (Donguibogam) and its modern interpretations. While prepared by specialized medical translators, it is provided for informational purposes only. Please consult a qualified healthcare professional before making any health decisions.
Modern Symptoms
Why are we experiencing this pain?
"Do you find yourself getting easily irritated or angry, even by minor things these days? And do your eyes often feel dry, blurry, and quite tired? You're not alone. Many modern individuals experience these unfamiliar emotions and persistent fatigue. Have you ever wondered if your liver might be the cause?"
Modern Medical Proof
The Connection Between Chronic Stress and Inflammation: Modern Medicine's Perspective on Liver Heat, Fatty Liver, and Eye Strain
The concept of 'Liver Heat' in Donguibogam (Principles and Practice of Eastern Medicine) and the perspective of modern medicine share a surprisingly large number of commonalities in their manifestations. Especially for modern individuals who experience a lot of stress and irregular eating habits these days, Liver Heat can easily manifest as various symptoms like fatty liver or eye strain.
First, let's connect 'sudden bursts of anger and impulsive emotions' with Liver Heat. Modern medicine views chronic stress as excessively activating our body's sympathetic nervous system. When the sympathetic nervous system is stimulated, cortisol, the stress hormone, increases, which can induce a systemic inflammatory response. Since the liver is also involved in stress hormone metabolism, an increased burden on it makes proper function difficult. Furthermore, chronic stress and inflammation also affect gut health, disrupting the balance of the gut-liver axis. This can, in turn, trigger a vicious cycle that intensifies liver inflammation and its burden. These processes can be meaningfully understood through modern science as an interpretation of 'Liver Qi Stagnation' and 'Liver Heat' as described in Korean Traditional Medicine.
The pathway leading to 'Fatty Liver' is similar. In Donguibogam (Principles and Practice of Eastern Medicine), Liver Heat is believed to disrupt the circulation of blood and Jinye (body fluid) through stagnation of Liver Qi, which can then accumulate and develop into fatty liver. Modern medicine classifies Non-alcoholic fatty liver disease (NAFLD) as a 'lifestyle disease'. Excessive carbohydrate intake, processed foods, lack of exercise, and similar factors raise insulin resistance and cause fat to accumulate in the liver. Insulin resistance and the resulting chronic inflammation increase the stress on hepatocytes and promote fat accumulation. If chronic stress is added to this, hormones such as cortisol can further promote fat synthesis, worsening fatty liver. In essence, the liver's 'overload' state, which induces Liver Heat, is deeply connected to the mechanism of occurrence of fatty liver explained by modern medicine.
Finally, let's discuss 'Eye strain' and 'Stiffness'. Modern eyes are excessively exposed to smartphone and computer screens. This leads to tear film instability, a decrease in blink frequency, and makes 'Dry Eye Syndrome' prone to developing. Furthermore, chronic stress and systemic inflammation worsen superficial inflammation of the eyes and interfere with blood circulation around the eyes, thereby aggravating eye strain. Additionally, if nutrient metabolism and detoxification function, which are closely linked to liver function, decline, the utilization of nutrients like Vitamin A and Omega-3, essential for eye health, will inevitably decrease. If the liver cannot properly perform detoxification function, toxins accumulate, leading to fatigue throughout the body, which can increase the degree of fatigue and sensitivity of the ocular muscles, making the eyes even drier and blurrier.
In conclusion, the Liver Heat concept from Donguibogam (Principles and Practice of Eastern Medicine) demonstrates remarkable insight by organically explaining various symptoms such as chronic stress, inflammation, metabolic disorders, and the resulting fatty liver and dry eye syndrome from a modern medical perspective. Since all parts of our body are interconnected, liver health management can truly be considered the core of overall body health.
Starting Today: Small Habits to Comfort Your Liver
2 steps you can take right now
1
Cooling the Heat of the Mind
When anger flares up, pause what you're doing and try deep breathing. Slowly inhale through your nose, expanding your abdomen, then exhale slowly through your mouth, imagining you're filling yourself with comfort instead of the emotion of 'anger'. Even a short meditation or stretching can be beneficial. It's crucial to release accumulated emotions healthily as they arise.
2
The 20-20-20 Rule for Comfortable Eyes
When looking at a computer or smartphone screen for extended periods, every 20 minutes, take a 20-second break to look at something at least 20 feet (about 6 meters) away to rest your ocular muscles. Applying a warm compress to your eye area for about 5 minutes can also significantly help blood circulation and relieve eye strain. And don't forget to consciously blink your eyes more often than usual.
Traditional Wisdom
When the Liver Feels Stuffy and Oppressive, Both Emotions and Eyes Suffer: The Story of Liver Heat in Donguibogam (Principles and Practice of Eastern Medicine)
In Donguibogam (Principles and Practice of Eastern Medicine), the liver plays a truly vital role in our body. It's considered a crucial command center, much like a 'general' of a nation, responsible for planning, storing energy, and detoxifying blood to send it throughout the body.
However, when the liver becomes strained and stuffy and oppressive due to stress, overexertion or overwork, or an irregular lifestyle, it can no longer perform its functions properly and begins to experience Qi stagnation. It's like a general who cannot command effectively and feels utterly exasperated. In Korean Traditional Medicine, this condition is called 'Liver Qi Stagnation'. If Liver Qi is stagnant, this oppressive sensation accumulates, and like a smoldering ember, 'Heat' begins to arise. This is precisely what we refer to as 'Liver Heat'.
What happens in our body when Liver Heat develops? Donguibogam (Principles and Practice of Eastern Medicine) states, 'The liver governs anger'. This means that when Liver Heat is full, it becomes easy to react with fiery anger even to minor things, or for irritability to erupt. A feeling of stuffiness and oppression leads to emotional changes, where you feel things are not going your way, despite your best efforts. Episodes of irritability become frequent, and you might find yourself directing irritability at those around you for no apparent reason.
Furthermore, the liver is believed to have its 'orifice opening in the eyes (肝開竅於目)'. Therefore, if Liver Heat is present or liver function weakens, the flow of Qi and blood supply to the eyes becomes obstructed. This can lead to symptoms such as constantly dry, stiff, blurry, and tired eyes. In severe cases, they may even feel bloodshot, congested, or stinging. You can imagine it like a liver, acting as a boiler, becoming overheating and emitting smoke that then rises into the eyes.
As you can see, Donguibogam (Principles and Practice of Eastern Medicine) understood centuries ago that Liver Heat is deeply connected not only to physical issues but also to our emotional and eye health. This highlights why it's so important to care for our livers, which often become exhausted in the busy lives of modern people.
Original Donguibogam Record
肝藏血，血舍魂。肝氣鬱結則怒，故怒傷肝。肝開竅於目，故肝病則目眩。
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Author: AI Donguibogam Research Team
We analyze Heo Jun's 'Donguibogam', a UNESCO Memory of the World, using modern data science and AI. Our goal is to reinterpret the wisdom of traditional medicine hidden in ancient texts to suit the lifestyles of busy modern people and deliver it in an easy-to-understand way.
Caution (Disclaimer): This content is for providing health information based on historical literature and cannot replace medical diagnosis and treatment. If you have any health problems, please consult a specialist (doctor/oriental medical doctor).