The State of Lu 魯
Lu is the ancient state that is associated with the large intestine. It was the home state of Confucius and the Spring and Autumn Annals were written to record the history of Lu.
During the Western Zhou period, Lu was a powerful state that dominated eastward of the Yellow River plain and conquered many other states. In 589 BC, the Monarch of Qi sent an army to invade Lu, after which Wei (the state associated with the lungs) helped Lu to counterattack Qi.
According to Cai and Liu, Lu was landlocked and depended mainly on agriculture. The people of Lu were more inclined to follow the dictates of form and law and were not easily given over to change. The culture of Lu displayed many of the qualities of a mountain. They were solitary and not gregarious. They were less adaptable than their contemporaries and tended towards the status quo. They had a humanistic culture that advocated respect and concern for its people, which was found in filial piety.
The Large Intestine also loves the status quo, it desires familiarity. It shines when it is replicating the prototype. At the same time, it has the ability to create images out of what is invisible by working with symbols. Confucius transmitted the classics, which were repositories of symbols.
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