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Table 1 General characteristics of the four Sasang constitutional types

From: Suggestion of new possibilities in approaching individual variability in appetite through constitutional typology: a pilot study

 

TY type

SY type

TE type

SE type

Hyperactive organ system

Lung*

Spleen*

Liver*

Kidney*

Hypoactive organ system

Liver*

Kidney*

Lung*

Spleen*

Insidious greed and deviations

Indiscipline, Ignobility

Pretentiousness, Frivolity

Acquisitiveness, Avarice

Stealthiness, Prevarication

Personality

Communicative, decisive

Forceful, strong-willed

Consistent, reliable

Prudent, composed

Sign of health

Plentiful urination

Brisk perspiration

Easy defecation

Comfortable digestion

Sign of illness

Restricted urination

Obstructed perspiration

Hindered defecation

Strained digestion

  1. * These represent the functional and structural conceptualization of organs specific to the Sasang constitutional typology that are completely different from their namesake organs in Western medicine. In Sasang constitutional medicine, the variegated functions of the human body is summarized into the interactions of the four organ systems that represent the following roles in the body: the Lung system is involved in the process of dispersing the energy-fluid material, the Liver system in concentrating the energy-fluid material, the Spleen system in the containing of the water-food material, and the Kidney system in discharging of the water-food material.
  2. [adapted from Kim et al.[8]].