Concept

Liver

肝gan

1 source

In Chinese medicine, the liver (gan) is a functional zang system, not the biomedical organ. The Neijing calls it the root of endurance and the dwelling of the ethereal soul (肝者，罷極之本，魂之居也); its bloom shows in the nails, it fills the sinews, stores the blood and governs the free coursing of qi.

Source

Huangdi Neijing (Inner Canon of the Yellow Emperor)《素问·六节藏象论》（内经选读下篇·藏象·脏腑·原文2102）

References

《内经》五藏别论/六节藏象论/太阴阳明论等综合理解（藏象=功能系统，非西医解剖器官）

Full definition

Classical source text (Chinese) — English summary above.

肝者，罷極之本，魂之居也；其華在爪，其充在筋，以生血氣，其味酸，其色蒼，此爲陽中之少陽，通於春氣

Citations

Huangdi Neijing (Inner Canon of the Yellow Emperor) · 托名黄帝/岐伯（先秦—西汉医家辑） · 《素问·六节藏象论》（内经选读下篇·藏象·脏腑·原文2102）Cited from Huangdi Neijing (Inner Canon of the Yellow Emperor) for its definition.