The position and nature of the liver and spleen in Chinese medicine have not been clearly defined and fully explained. The position of the spleen has not been clearly defined in the “Internal Canon”, and later generations of medical practitioners have had many interpretations of the position of the spleen, which are difficult to be standardized. Through studying and thinking about the classical and modern medical theories, as well as studying and summarizing the literature, we have come to the conclusion from the study of the physiological functions and physiological characteristics of the liver and spleen that the liver and spleen are one and the same, and that the spleen in traditional Chinese medicine is essentially the liver of the portal vein system. The spleen in Chinese medicine is essentially the liver of the portal vein system. I. Overview of the position of the spleen: Each of the five organs has its place, but the spleen is difficult to understand. Modern medical interpretation of Chinese medicine confuses the “spleen” with the “spleen” of Chinese medicine, which is really a misunderstanding, because there is a fundamental difference between the two types of medicine in the definition of the role and intrinsic properties of the spleen. About the location of the “spleen”. Chinese medicine also has a lot of hypotheses, now detailed as follows: 1, on the Chinese medicine “spleen” position, the examination of literature, respectively, there are “left, center, right” or “stomach above and below” and so on. Such as the “Su wen / stabbing forbidden theory” “liver born in the left”. “The Spleen and the Stomach are connected by the membrane”, says Su Wen, Treatise on Taiyin and Yangming. The Spleen is located in the center and irrigates the four sides of the body” in Ling Shu Jing Shui (The Spiritual Pivot). Regarding the color of the Spleen: “Yellow is the color of the Spleen” and “It is like wrapping Juniperus communis in onyx” in Suwen Wuzang zang zheng zhi (The Essay on the Generation of the Five Tibetans). In the Yellow Emperor’s Classic of Internal Medicine, there is no morphological record of the spleen, let alone a clear entity. 2. The Basic Theory of Traditional Chinese Medicine summarizes that later medical doctors attributed the “spleen” in the theory of Tibetan phenomena to the spleen and/or pancreas in modern anatomy. However, it is difficult to explain the physiological functions and characteristics of the spleen. 3, yin and yang theory, the Tibetan theory of the five viscera and bowels of the yin and yang attributes and location are determined. The five viscera are yin in the human body above, six bowels are yang in the human body below. And heaven and earth up and down the yin and yang division of the opposite, which also reflects the human body yang rise and yin fall, the transformation of qi, and the characteristics of the level. Therefore, the spleen should be on the top, the stomach in the bottom. 4, Zhu Lingling et al. through the “Chinese medicine spleen anatomical entity of the ancient literature study” [1] concluded that: through the collation of ancient literature, summarization, the author believes that the Chinese medicine spleen is its anatomical morphology basis, that is, including: modern anatomy of the spleen and pancreas. The spleen in TCM includes the entities and functions of the spleen and pancreas in modern medicine; however, the holistic concept of TCM determines that the functions of the spleen system in TCM are by no means limited to those of the spleen and pancreas in modern medicine, and modern research has confirmed that it also involves multiple organs and systems, such as digestive, hematological, immunological, neurological, and endocrinological organs. 5. Throughout the ages, from the “Neijing” downwards, all schools of thought on the “spleen” where the understanding of a wide range of opinions, more far-fetched, difficult to garden, not to repeat. Second, from the physiological functions and characteristics of the liver and spleen to explore the two organs as a whole (a), the physiological functions of the spleen spleen main transportation and transformation: transport, that is, transfer. Chemistry, i.e., digestion and absorption. The spleen is the master of transportation, meaning that the spleen has the function of digesting food, absorbing the fine substances therein, and transferring them to the heart and lungs for distribution throughout the body. The Spleen’s function of transporting and transforming includes transporting and transforming grains and liquids, so the Spleen’s function of transporting and transforming is often categorized into two aspects: transporting and transforming essence, and transporting and transforming liquids. Transportation of essence refers to the absorption of nutrients based on the digestion of food and drink and their transfer to the heart and lungs to reach the whole body. Because these nutrients are the main raw materials for the production of qi and blood, the spleen is also known as the source of qi and blood, and “the spleen is the main source for the stomach to carry out its fluids”. Transporting and transforming water and fluid means that on the basis of digesting food and drink, it absorbs some of the water and fluid therein, transforms it into fluid, and transfers it to the heart and lungs. However, the functions of transporting and transforming essence and water and liquid are closely related and difficult to separate. Because the absorption of nutrients in food and drink is mostly in liquid form, the transportation of essence and water are carried out simultaneously in the process of digestion, absorption and transfer. The spleen is responsible for the transportation of water and grain essence: what are the main substances included in the water and grain essence? Chinese medicine does not have a clear answer. Combined with modern medical knowledge, we believe that the water and grain essence mainly includes: sugar, protein, fat, vitamins, hormone metabolism; albumin, coagulation factors, fibrinogen, antifibrinolytic enzyme synthesis; poisons, drugs, hormones, metabolic waste detoxification; killing bacteria, viruses, endotoxin removal; regulation of blood volume and water electrolyte balance. But these subtle substances and their functions are “liver parenchymal cells” function. In other words, the so-called physiological function of the spleen is essentially the main physiological function of the liver in modern medicine. That is to say, the essence of the spleen in Chinese medicine is part of the liver in modern medicine. Meridians and Vessels Part XXI: “Drinking in the stomach, overflowing essence, up to the spleen, the spleen scattered essence, up to the lungs, through the waterway, down to the bladder, the water essence of the four cloths, the five meridians in parallel. Combined in the four seasons, the five viscera, yin and yang, premise that the norm is also.” From the production of essence and water, transfer, to dissemination, all completed by the “spleen”. The way of transmission is through the portal vein and its branches, i.e., the portal vein system of the liver is where the spleen is located in Chinese medicine. The liver and sugar metabolism: sugar belongs to the spleen transportation and decomposition of one of the important substances produced by the essence of water and grain, monosaccharide absorbed by the mucosa of the small intestine, from the portal vein to the liver, in the liver into hepatic glycogen and storage. This transportation movement from the bottom to the top, and the liver is the main rise, the spleen is the main clear relationship, in modern medicine belongs to the liver’s physiological function, modern medicine of the spleen does not have this function. In Chinese medicine, it belongs to the function of the spleen, which is in line with the theory that the liver and spleen are one and the same. In general, adult liver contains about 100g of liver glycogen, which is only enough for 24 hours of fasting. Hepatic glycogen plays an important role in regulating blood glucose concentration to maintain its stability. When labor, hunger, fever, blood sugar consumption, liver cells and liver glycogen can be decomposed into glucose into the blood circulation, can also partially explain the “liver for the fight pole of this” meaning. Liver and protein metabolism: protein is mainly synthesized in the liver of the subtle substances, may be related to the body’s positive energy. The process is related to the physiological function of the small intestine. The small intestine is the main acceptance of Sheng化物 is further completed under the role of the spleen and stomach down, including two aspects: First, the small intestine to accept the stomach from the lower part of the food mince and Sheng Na, i.e., acceptance of Sheng role; Second, it means that the food mince in the small intestine must be stayed a certain period of time, by the spleen and the small intestine’s joint action of its further digestion into the essence of the dregs of the two parts of the dregs of the dregs of the dregs of the dregs of the dregs of the dregs of the dregs of the dregs of the dregs of the dregs, i.e., the role of the化物. In this process, the decisive role is played by the extension of the function of “spleen transportation and main ascension of the clear”. Amino acids, one of the subtle substances produced by the chemical function of the small intestine, enter the liver through the portal vein to carry out protein synthesis, deamination, transamination and other roles, and the synthesized proteins enter the blood circulation for the needs of organs and tissues of the whole body. The liver is the only organ that produces albumin in the human body, and the liver is involved in the synthesis, maintenance and regulation of globulin, plasma albumin, fibrinogen and plasminogen. Amino acid metabolism such as deamination reactions, urea synthesis and ammonia processing all take place in the liver. Amino acids from the small intestine to the spleen and then in the liver to synthesize plasma proteins are in fact accomplished by the liver and spleen. Therefore, we believe that the liver and spleen are one and the same. Liver and fat metabolism: Modern medicine considers the liver to be the hub of fat transportation. After digestion and absorption, part of the fat enters the liver and is later transformed into body fat and stored. When hungry, stored body fat can first be transported to the liver and then broken down. In the liver, neutral fats can be hydrolyzed to glycerol and fatty acids, a reaction that can be accelerated by hepatic lipase. Glycerol can be utilized through the gluconeogenic pathway, while fatty acids can be completely oxidized to carbon dioxide and water. The liver is also one of the major organs in the body for the synthesis of fatty acids, cholesterol, and phospholipids. From the process of lipid metabolism: 1, fat and its decomposition in the liver to produce glycerol and fatty acids are fine substances. 2. The transfer and transportation of fats are completed by the spleen. 3. The process of fat decomposition is accomplished jointly by the liver and spleen. Therefore, the integration of the liver and spleen is objective. Calorie production: The spleen is responsible for the transportation of grains and water. From Chinese medicine’s understanding of the process of water metabolism, as well as from modern medicine’s conclusions, the spleen is the regulatory center for water and electrolyte balance, but the liver is involved in its coordination. Water and electrolytes are also subtle substances transported by the spleen, and their channels of operation are the same, i.e., the spleen’s main function of dispersing essence. The supply of calories to the human body is mainly the digestion, transportation, decomposition and absorption of subtle substances. This process is dominated by the spleen and is related to the liver’s storage of blood. The body’s heat is mainly supplied by the internal organs of the body when it is quiet. The principal organs that produce heat during labor and exercise are the muscles. Among the various internal organs, the liver is the body’s metabolism of the organ, quiet, liver blood flow temperature than the aorta is 0.4-0.8 degrees Celsius, such a temperature is related to the spleen master transportation, therefore, we believe that the two organs of the liver and spleen as one. Vitamin and hormone metabolism: Vitamins and hormones are an important part of the subtle substances. Liver can store fat-soluble vitamins, 95% of the body’s vitamin A are stored in the liver, the liver is vitamin C, D, E, K, B1, B6, B12, niacin, folic acid and other vitamins storage and metabolism of the place. Among them, A, D, etc. to maintain the normal physiological function of the liver is more closely related, such as “the liver opens the orifices in the eyes” and “the liver main tendons (claws)” and so on. Others are related to the physiological function of the spleen. The liver has a corresponding regulatory effect on human hormones, under normal circumstances, various hormones in the human blood and its content are maintained in a certain dynamic balance, more by the liver to deal with inactivity. The liver maintains the dynamic balance of hormone metabolism, which is very important for the maintenance of human life activities. It may be related to “the liver is the master of growth and development” and/or “the liver is the master of excretion” and “the liver is a rigid organ”. When liver disease occurs, there may be impaired inactivation of estrogen, aldosterone and antidiuretic hormone; depression, dilatation of the liver palms and capillaries, or even coma, among other clinical manifestations. Detoxification function: this function should belong to the function of the liver. The liver is the master of blood storage, the blood stored by the five chemical Xuanping and Qi Xiu as well as the completion of the angry Chunhua, that is, the chemical can not be replaced. Its detoxification function should be the process of liver and spleen “chemistry”. In the process of body metabolism, portal vein collection from the abdominal flow of blood, blood in the harmful substances and microbial resistance to sexual substances, will be detoxification and removal in the liver. There are four main ways of liver detoxification: 1, chemical methods: such as oxidation, reduction, decomposition, binding and deoxygenation. 2, secretion: some heavy metals are detoxified by the liver, but not by the liver. 2, secretion: some heavy metals, such as mercury, and bacteria from the intestines, can be excreted with bile secretion. 3, Accumulation; 4, Phagocytosis. The liver is the main detoxification organ of the human body, it can protect the body from damage, so that the poison becomes non-toxic or soluble substances, with bile or urine excreted out of the rest. Therefore, we believe that the liver and spleen are one and the same. Defense function: the defense and detoxification functions of the liver are the functions of the liver and spleen. Modern medicine believes that the liver is the largest reticuloendothelial cell phagocytosis system. The endothelial layer of hepatic venous sinusoids contains a large number of Kupffer’s cells with strong phagocytosis, 99% of the bacteria in the portal blood are phagocytosed when passing through the hepatic venous sinusoids. The process is essentially completed by the spleen first and the liver later. This further indicates that the liver and spleen are one and the same. The above metabolism, synthesis, detoxification and defense functions belong to the physiological functions of the liver in Western medicine, but they also belong to the physiological functions of the spleen in Chinese medicine. And the completion of the above physiological functions, through the main pathway is the portal vein system. Therefore, we believe that part of the functions of the “liver” governed by the portal vein system are in fact the functions of the “spleen” in Chinese medicine. Based on this, we dare to assume that the spleen in TCM is the liver of the portal vein system. Since the liver and spleen are one and the same, it is difficult to separate them, so we will designate them as “the liver and spleen are one and the same”. The liver is responsible for storing blood and the spleen is responsible for regulating it. The liver is responsible for storing blood and regulating its volume. The liver stores blood and regulates blood volume, while the spleen regulates blood circulation and prevents bleeding, which is a function of the liver in modern medicine. There is an intersection of functions, which is difficult to separate, so that the so-called storing blood, regulating blood volume and preventing bleeding, regulating the volume of blood circulation, so we believe that the liver and spleen are essentially two organs in one. (1) Storage of blood: the liver stores a certain amount of blood in the liver and the collateral veins for the body’s functional activities, and the main part of its blood storage originates from the portal vein system. (2) Regulating blood volume: the liver regulates the distribution of blood volume in all parts of the body according to physiological needs. Under normal circumstances, the blood volume of each part of the body is relatively constant. However, with the increase or decrease of the body’s activity, the change of emotion, the change of external climate and other factors, the blood volume of each part of the human body also changes. This change is realized through the liver’s collection of blood, the spleen’s control of blood and the liver’s main function of dressing and and occurring. When the body activity is intense or emotional excitement, the liver will be stored blood to the periphery of the incremental output, when the body is in a quiet or emotional stability, the periphery of the body of the relative reduction in the demand for blood, part of the blood will be returned to the liver, mainly in the hepatic venous sinusoids, and the spleen related. From the above, it can be seen that the liver and the spleen are the main organizers of blood in certain functions, and it is difficult to separate them, so the liver and the spleen are one and the same. The Spleen is the master of blood (1) Preventing bleeding: unity, i.e., the meaning of unity and control. The spleen is the master of blood control, which means that the spleen has the function of controlling the popularity of blood in the veins and preventing it from escaping out of the veins. Therefore: “the blood of the five viscera and six bowels, all rely on the spleen to regulate”. Spleen blood mechanism, mainly the spleen qi and liver blood role. As the liver and spleen main blood, so the blood runs in the veins, not to escape out of the veins. Secondly, there is also a close relationship with Spleen-Yang. Combined with the physiological understanding of the liver, the liver is the main place for many kinds of coagulation factors in the human body, and there are 12 kinds of coagulation factors in the human body, 4 of which are synthesized in the liver. Liver disease can cause coagulation factor deficiency resulting in prolonged clotting time and bleeding tendency. In Chinese medicine, the function of “spleen” and the function of liver in modern medicine are so consistent, so the liver and spleen are one and the same. (2) Regulating the amount of blood circulation: when normal, the venous sinusoids of the liver can store a certain amount of blood, and when the body loses blood, more blood is discharged from the venous sinusoids of the liver to make up for the insufficiency of the peripheral blood circulation. Portal blood stays longer in the liver than hepatic arterial blood, and this time difference has important physiological significance. First, there is some hiding, and then there is some regulation, belonging to the liver and the spleen, the form is two, and the reality is one. To summarize, the spleen is the main blood regulator of the range, that is, under the transporting effect of the spleen, from the stomach, the small intestine transfer to the portal vein system of the subtle substances and then chemically generated liquid components, the site in the portal vein system – liver. That is to say, there is a constant supply, the liver is the main blood storage. This accomplishes the functions of storing blood, regulating blood volume and preventing bleeding. As the liver is responsible for storing blood and the spleen is responsible for regulating blood, we have come to the conclusion that the liver and spleen are one and the same. Physiological characteristics of the liver and spleen (1) Liver and spleen main ascension and clearing: the liver to rise as a normal, the spleen movement to rise as healthy, the liver to rise the main governance and regulation of the body’s normal movement of qi in and out of the liver’s ascension to command the spleen’s ascension and clearing. The ascension of the Liver governs the ascension of the Spleen and the maintenance of the stability of the position of the internal organs. Qing refers to the essence of water and grain. The so-called “ascending and clearing” means that the spleen absorbs and transfers nutrients such as water and grain essence to the heart, lungs, head and eyes, and generates qi and blood through the role of the heart and lungs to nourish the whole body. The so-called elevation of internal organs means that the rising of spleen qi can play a role in maintaining the relative stability of the position of internal organs. The elevation and coordination and balance between the spleen and stomach are mainly due to the function of the spleen ascending and stomach descending under the functional norm of the liver, which is the master of birth and ascension. Spleen’s absorption of nutrients such as water, grain and essence: water, grain and essence mainly come from the stomach’s acceptance and maturation of food. Under the action of stomach qi, the food and drink are broken down into essence and minced food, and the essence is absorbed and digested through the transmission of spleen qi. Under the action of gastric qi, under the action of spleen qi in the small intestine, the food is subjected to the sheng compounds, and the clear and the turbid are segregated. The clear, that is, the water and grain essence and fluid, absorbed by the small intestine, through the spleen qi transfer transmission role of the whole body, that is, the so-called “central earth to irrigate the four sides”. From this, we can imagine: the so-called essence is sugar, amino acids, fat, vitamins and water electrolytes. Through the spleen’s clearing effect (active transportation), through the portal vein, converge in the liver and spleen, further complete metabolism, synthesis, detoxification and blood fluid regulation. From the digestion, absorption and transportation of food, the spleen is involved in the whole process, which is summarized as the physiological function of the liver in Western medicine. From this, we conclude that the spleen in Chinese medicine is the same as the liver in modern times, and the portal vein system of the liver is the spleen in Chinese medicine. (3) the liver for the extreme nature of the warrior: Li Jinyong “read the ancient medical books essay” cloud: “‘Warrior extreme nature’ of the ‘warrior’ when the ‘can’ word, and read as The word ‘bear’ of ‘bear’ is the word ‘can’ and is read as ‘bear’ and the word ‘pole’ is trained as ‘fatigue and sleepiness’. The so-called ‘can pole’ is ‘enduring fatigue’. The human movement, lies in the tendon force, liver main tendon, and the division of the human body movement, so the liver is ‘able to pole of this'” (this statement is still controversial). Liver own qi, blood, yin and yang sufficient state, fatigue tolerance still need the continuous supply of micro-organisms, can be timely supply of dirty is “spleen – portal vein system of the liver”. Liver for the extreme nature of the fight is essentially “spleen – portal vein system of the liver” physiological characteristics. (4) The use of yin and yang in the body: When we study the theory of “the use of yin and yang in the body”, we always have the feeling that the explanation of the basic theory is not complete. The theory of “body yin and yang” is a high level generalization of the functions of the liver and spleen. In addition to the functions of the liver as the main drainer and the liver as the main reservoir of blood, there are also the meanings of the spleen as the main transporter and the spleen as the main regulator of blood, as well as the difference between yin and yang between the liver and the spleen as a whole. Liver and spleen, liver belongs to yang, spleen belongs to yin; five organs, but the liver and gallbladder have both the complex, more and more connected; liver main excretion, regulating the qi, and promote the spleen’s function of transportation. Based on this theory, we also believe that the liver and spleen are one and the same, and the spleen is the liver of the portal vein system. From the physiological functions and characteristics of the liver and spleen, combined with modern medicine, we conclude that the position of the spleen in Chinese medicine is the liver of the portal vein system, and that the liver and spleen are one. In other words, the liver of the hepatic artery belongs to the “liver” of Chinese medicine.