Abstract:
The earliest record of the specific shape of the liver in the "Classic of difficult issues" is "two pieces, with three lobes on the left, four lobes on the right, and all seven lobes". The liver images in the medical texts of the past dynasties, before the influence of Western medicine in the late Qing Dynasty, the liver shape in the whole diagram of the internal organs was mostly drawn as simplified two lobes, while in the liver diagram, it was often drawn as two pieces, "with three lobes on the left, four lobes on the right, and all seven lobes". The basic shape of the ancient liver image, although compared with the actual anatomy has changed, there are still many similarities. The ancient liver image is based on the actual anatomical observation. The overall shape of the two pieces is based on the theory that the liver communicates with spring, and the theory that the liver governs ascent and dispersion. Its "three lobes on the left, four lobes on the right" is related to the view of liver being substantial yin and functional yang, which are hieroglyphic symbols of the liver's physiological functions and characteristics. The drawing of ancient Chinese internal organs is a combination of anatomical observation, Chinese medical theory, and hieroglyphic culture, and is a typical example of the convergence of technology and culture, which should not be regarded as simple.
