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Kidney governs fear
肾主恐 〔腎主恐〕 shèn zhǔ kǒng
Fear is related to the kidney. In regard to the correspondences between the five phases and five minds (five mental states or emotions), is fear among the five minds.
In the traditional understand, the essential qì of all five viscera is dependent on the kidney, and that insufficiency of kidney channel qì or kidney water could cause liver, heart, and stomach disease with fear figuring among the signs. More importantly, when kidney water is ample, liver blood is sufficient and the gallbladder (which governs decision) is vigorous; insufficiency of kidney water can cause insufficiency of liver blood and weakness of the gallbladder, which can manifest in the tendency to experience fear. Fear is not only the result of illnessbut may cause it: fear causes qì to precipitate
and damages kidney essence. Fear can damage kidney qì, causing urinary incontinence, seminal emission, and efflux diarrhea. The terms fear and fright denote distinct concepts. Compare fright. See five minds.