Stomach (Wei)
Functions of the Stomach
The Stomach is responsible for " reception and ripening" of the food. The Stomach begins the transformation of food by separating the food into pure and impure aspects. The pure parts, the "essence" (nutrients) are sent to the Spleen, the impure parts are passed on to the Small Intestine. Since food, after decomposing in the Stomach, passes on to the intestines, it is said that the Stomach governs the downbearing of the turbid. This downward action stands in complementary opposition to the Spleen's function of extracting the "essence". It can also be described as the Spleen governing the upbearing of the clear. Stomach and Spleen stand in an exterior-interior relationship and are the basis for the Postnatal Qi. The Stomach is sometimes referred to as the source of Fluids, "the Stomach is the sea of grain and water". It requires fluids to prepare the food for the Spleen. Fluid Deficiency (Body Fluid Deficiency, Yin Deficiency) impairs the production of liquids (fluids); all the organs involved in fluid production can be affected.