The relationship between the heart and the liver is signified by circulation of blood and regulation of mental activities. The heart governs blood and is the motivation of blood circulation; the liver stores blood and is a very important factor in the storage and regulation of blood. So the heart and the liver coordinate with each other in blood circulation. The heart governs the mind and regulates mental activities; the liver governs dredging and dispersing and adjusts emotional activities. They are closely related to each other in maintaining mental and emotional activities.

Clinically insufficiency of liver-blood and deficiency of heart-blood may affect each other, leading to deficiency of both liver-blood and heart-blood with the symptoms of pale complexion, palpitation and dizziness. Disorder of heart-spirit and failure of the liver to dredge and disperse and emotional upset frequently affect each other, leading to dysphoria, insomnia, irritability and susceptibility to rage due to exuberance of heart-fire and liver-fire.