This is a note I wrote in December 2014 relating to my awareness to connection between the physical state, the temperament, language and theories of East and West.
One November weekend late at night, I was in agony from a severe stomachache so was taken to the emergency room. Blood test, x-ray, CT, ultrasonic echo - various tests only checking me and not making me any better - revealed that my gall bladder was “sludged” with biliary sludge. Whatever was that? I had no clue, so the doctor explained to me what was happening in me.
Gall bladder is a place where bile secreted from the liver is stored, and bile helps digest the fat. The pain attack was due to the biliary sludge that obstructed the biliary duct, the bile could not flow into duodenum, hence unable to digest the fat from the dinner that I had that night.
The doctor suggested of surgically removing the gall bladder completely – she said it would solve the problem for good, and I would be functionally fine without that organ. I am very cautious about being physically ‘cut up’, I have always wanted to be buried in the grave with most of my physical parts that I was born with, so I carefully and politely refused her professional suggestion and thought of seeking for second opinion elsewhere.
Several days later, a friend of mine who is an acupuncturist commented on the gall bladder attack I had. It is said in the Chinese medicine that the pain in the gall bladder is caused by stress, especially from repressing anger.
Anger, this word was an eye-opener.
It reminded me of “The Four Temperaments” of the Greek physician Hippocrates. The theory suggests that our health state is controlled by the balance of four kinds of bodily fluid – blood, yellow bile, black bile and phlegm –and excess or lack of these fluids can also affect the personality trait and behaviour. There are no medical grounds that support the theory today, but the four personality categories are still used. The temperamental categories are "sanguine", "choleric", "melancholic" and "phlegmatic".
The temperament concerned with yellow bile is choleric, and this trait tends to be egocentric and extroverted. They may be excitable, impulsive, and restless, with reserves of aggression, energy, and/or passion, and try to instill that in others. The one related to black bile is melancholic, and people with this temperament appear serious, introverted, cautious or even suspicious. They can become preoccupied with the tragedy and cruelty in the world and are susceptible to depression and moodiness. They may be focused and conscientious. They often prefer to do things themselves, both to meet their own standards and because they are not inherently sociable (info from wiki).
I am very melancholic. Since I can remember, I have always had some kind of anger within me, anger towards the world, towards me, but was always very reluctant to verbalize it. To have displeasure, unhappiness, irritation was a normal state. When I had very strong anger which could not be pacified with reason, I would contemplate carefully on the anger, and then with a deep breath, inhale and seal the whole matter.
"Gall bladder", "anger" and "temperament" were all linked with a beautiful clear string, and everything seemed to make sense. It was clearer than the explanation that the doctor gave me. I have always had anger within me, anger that could not find any exit. Through extreme pain caused by accumulated anger, I physically understood the ancient Greek theory.
When I was talking this to my Canadian friend (in English), I once again saw the matter clearer. The words "gall" and "bile" are used when expressing displeasure and temper - "vent his gall on ...", "gather his bile together".
It is all very coherent, I suffering from gall bladder attack.
There is a line from a poem written by Soseki Natsume:
"Yet every drop in her is turning gall now."
The blood and tears, and all other bodily fluid in this girl is turning into gall, and she is unable to shed even a drop, and dies very slowly. Imagine all the bodily fluid turning into gall and not being able to shed even a drop. From the pain I suffered while I was taken to the hospital that night, it is easy to see what hell it would be, like the fluid slowly eating yourself.
The pain teaches me the greatness of Hippocrates, English and Soseki. The Four Temperaments Theory, English and the poem by Soseki all contain the essence and nature of human being.
