Design Description

Zang-xiang (visceral manifestation) refers to the functional manifestations displayed by the five zang organs, namely the heart, liver, spleen, lung and kidney.

The chapter Linglan Midian Lun (On the Secret Canon of the Orchid Chamber) of Suwen (Plain Question) in Huangdi Neijing (Yellow Emperor’s Inner Canon) uses the official posts of the imperial court as metaphors to vividly illustrate the functions of the zang-fu organs. The heart is “the monarch organ”, like the supreme commander of the state, governing spirit and thought; the lung is “the prime minister organ”, like a chancellor assisting the monarch, regulating qi movement and respiration; the liver is “the general  leadershiporgan”, governing strategy and making timely decisions to resolve the state’s problems; the spleen and stomach are “the granary organ”, the source of qi and blood transformation, serving as the body’s treasurer and granary keeper; the kidney is “the organ of strenuous work”, building palaces and constructing the body’s structure.

The text concludes by emphasising that “all twelve officials must not fail one another; thus when the sovereign is clear, those below are at peace”, pointing out that the key to health lies in the overall coordination among the zang-fu organs rather than the strength of any single function. If the monarch is clear and bright, that is, the spirit, thought and emotions governed by the heart are normal, the other organs each fulfil their duties and work in harmony, and the body can enjoy peace and wellbeing. This theory profoundly embodies the core concepts of “holistic concept” and “unity of form and spirit” in Chinese medicine, reminding people that health preservation must attend to both body and mind and harmonise the zang-fu organs in order to achieve true health.

The design expresses each official’s role through different costumes and attire, with five colours corresponding to the five zang organs:

Heart — the monarch organ: red court robe;

Lung — the prime minister organ: chancellor attire;

Kidney — the organ of strenuous work: black official robe, robust appearance;

Spleen — the granary organ: yellow official robe, managing the granary, wearing grain-related utensils;

Liver — the general organ: bronze armour with protective gear and weapons.