[The kidney] The five zang-organs[肾脏]五脏

快乐宝贝

The kidney is located in the waist. That is why it is said in Huangdi Neijing that "the waist is the house of the kidney". The kidney stores essence and the essence transforms qi and produces blood. Besides, the kidney is the source of genuine yin and genuine yang. So the kidney is closely related with the essence, qi, blood, yin and yang. Since the kidney-essence comes from parents and is the primary substance for constituting human body and conceiving new life.
肾脏位于腰部。所以，黄帝内经上说，腰为肾脏的处所。肾藏精，而精能转化为气和血液。此外，肾也是阴阳之本。所以说，肾精禀受于父母，并且是构成人体的主要物质，并能孕育新的生命，
The physiological functions of the kidney
肾脏的生理作用
The physiological functions of the kidney are composed of six parts: to govern growth and development, to govern reproduction, to govern water, to govern reception of qi, to produce marrow to enrich the brain and transform blood and to nourish and warm the internal organs.
肾脏的生理作用由六个方面：促进机体的生长和发育、主生殖繁衍、主水液、主纳气、化生血液、为体内其他器官输送养分。
To govern growth and development
促进机体的生长和发育
The kidney stores essence, qi, yin and yang. The growth and development of the body mainly depend on the kidney-essence, kidney-yin and kidney-yang. After birth, the kidney-essence gradually becomes abundant with the development of the body. During the childhood, the abundance of the kidney-essence is marked by dental transition, growth of hair and body. During youth period, the kidney-essence is further enriched, marked by full development of all organs and maturity of reproductive function. During the mid-age and prime period of life, the kidney-essence has developed to its peak, characterized by sturdy build, rich vitality and strong tendons and bones. After the mid-age and during the old-age, the kidney-essence gradually declines, and so are the functions of the five zang-organs and six fu-organs, leading to a series of signs of senility, such as loss of hair and teeth, hunch-back, poor hearing and gradual loss of reproductive function. At different stages of life process, the body and its physiological functions vary with the changes of the essence in the kidney. That is to say that the essence, qi, yin and yang in the kidney decide the growth and development of the body. If these substances in the kidney are deficient, the growth and development of the body will be affected, leading to a series of pathological manifestations, such as hypoevolutism, feeblemindedness, atrophy and flaccidity of tendons and bones as well as senilism.
肾藏精、气、阴阳。人体的生长和发育主要依靠肾精、肾阴和肾阳。人在出生以后，随着身体的发育，肾精会越来越多。在幼年时期，肾精的量可以根据牙齿、头发，以及身体的其他部位来做出判断。在青年时期，人身体的各个部位及生殖系统都发育成熟。在生命的不同时期，人的身体素质会随着肾精的改变而改变。也就是说，肾里的精液、气、阴、阳决定了人体的成长和发展。如果肾里的这些物质不足，就会影响身体的发展和成长，会导致病理表现，例如：发育迟缓、智力低下、虚脱、肌肉和骨骼松弛、早衰。
To govern reproduction
主生殖繁衍
The reproductive function includes the development of sex organs, maturity and maintenance of sex as well as fertility which are all closely related with the kidney-essence, kidney-yin and kidney-yang. When the body develops to the period of youth, the essence in the kidney enriches to a certain degree and produces a kind of reproductive substance known as tiankui which can promote the development of sex organs and maintain normal sex function. Consequently man has sperm and experiences seminal emission, and woman has menarche. These physiological changes indicate genitality. Man and woman maintain such a sex function and genitality after their middle age. At the period of old age, the kidney-essence gradually declines.
生殖系统由六个器官组成，他们的健康都与肾精、肾阴、肾阳有密切的关系。当在青年时期，肾精是最充足的时候，可以很好的滋养生殖器官，并维持很好的性功能。普遍男子会出现遗精的现象，而女子会出现初潮。这些身体上的改变都说明了生殖力的旺盛。这种状态会维持到中年后。到了老年时期，肾精会衰减，最终会消失。
To govern water
主水液
To govern water means that the kidney controls the metabolism of water.
The metabolism of water is related to many organs like the lung that regulates water passage, the spleen that transports and transforms water, the liver that promotes the metabolism of water. However, the function of the kidney to govern water is key to the metabolism of water. When taken into the stomach, the water is transmitted to the kidney with the collective action of the spleen, the lung, the liver and the triple energizer. The kidney regulates the whole process of transporting and excreting water, playing a very important role in maintaining a holistic balance of water metabolism.
主水液就是说，肾控制着水的新陈代谢。
水的新陈代谢同许多器官有关系，比如肺，肺规定了水路，脾运化水，肝促进了水的新陈代谢。然而，在水的新陈代谢方面，肾起到了关键的作用。当水到胃里的时候，伴随着脾、肺、肝、三焦的共同作用，传输到肾里。肾规定了水的整个运输过程和排泄过程，在维护水的新陈代谢平衡方面起到了非常重要的作用。
To govern reception of qi
主纳气
To govern reception of qi means that the kidney can receive fresh air inhaled by the lung to assist the lung to govern respiration.
主纳气的意思就是说，肾可以帮助肺来呼吸，可以接受新鲜的空气。