心積
しんしゃく

Translation: heart shaku (a type of infection)
Alternate names: bukuryō
Habitat: the heart

Appearance: Shinshaku look like a red hear with black head and limbs, and a dotted belly.

Behavior: Shinshaku infect the torso between the belly button and the heart, right behind the solar plexus.

Interactions: People infected by shinshaku develop a fondness for burnt smells and bitter flavors. They smile and laugh thoughtlessly. They often have flushed cheeks. Their force of will and emotional strength become very weak. Chinese medicine holds that the consciousness exists in the chest, around the solar plexus–right where the shinshaku is found.

Treatment is possible using secret acupuncture techniques passed down orally. Early treatment is important; after shinshaku reach maturity they become much more difficult to treat.