《渊源道妙洞真继篇》

When asked about the body’s meridians, Master Liu said: The human body is exceedingly precious. The course of the Hand Shaoyang Triple Burner meridian, the origins of its disorders, and the methods for treating them all deserve careful study.

The workings of the Great Dao are mysterious, and have been so from ancient times to the present. Thus, those skilled at speaking of antiquity can always find evidence in the present; those skilled at speaking of the heavens can always see their correspondences fulfilled in the human body. The heavens have twelve seasonal divisions, to which the body’s meridians correspond; the celestial circuit has 365 degrees, to which the body’s Qi points correspond. The body has nine orifices, five Zang organs, and twelve meridians. These twelve meridians comprise three Yin meridians and three Yang meridians in each of the hands and feet. They are all connected with the seasons of Heaven.

When the Big Dipper’s handle turns to the Yin position, it corresponds to the Tai hexagram and the Taicu pitch standard, marking the first month of spring. In ancient times, the Zi month was taken as the beginning of the year; later, the Yin month became the beginning. At this time, the Way of Heaven moves southward. Its celestial symbol is the constellation Sagittarius, and its earthly counterpart is the land of Yan. The Qi of this season chiefly corresponds to the Triple Burner in the human body. The Triple Burner is the passage through which fluids circulate in the body, and from which the waterways emerge. It is connected with the bladder and is a Fu organ without a paired organ.

The heart and lungs are both in the Upper Burner, which is like mist. The liver and spleen are both in the Middle Burner, which is like a marsh. The kidneys are in the Lower Burner, which is like a channel. The Triple Burner is also the route by which food and drink circulate, and the place where Shen and Qi move, begin, and come to rest.

The Upper Burner lies below the heart, above the diaphragm, and above the opening of the stomach. It governs intake but not expulsion. Its treatment point is Shanzhong, the hollow between the breasts. The Middle Burner lies between the upper and lower regions of the stomach. It is neither above nor below, and governs the digestion of food and drink. Its treatment point is beside the navel, called Tianshu. The Lower Burner lies below the navel, at the upper opening of the bladder. It separates the clear from the turbid and governs expulsion rather than intake, sending food and drink downward. Its treatment point, called the Triple Burner, lies one body-inch below the navel. The Triple Burner Fu organ is near the Qichong point. Qichong lies on the abdomen, below the navel and at the two ends of the transverse pubic bone, above the groin. It is about one body-inch from the body’s midline, where the pulse can be felt beneath the hand.

The Qi of the Triple Burner has six transformations. The point where the meridian’s course emerges is called a “Well” point. It belongs to Metal and is Guanchong, near the nail at the tip of the ring finger. The point where the meridian Qi flows is called a “Spring” point. It belongs to Water and is Yemen, in the hollow between the ring and little fingers. The point where the meridian Qi pours in is called a “Stream” point. It belongs to Wood and is Zhongzhu, in the hollow behind the knuckle of the ring finger. The Triple Burner Shu points lie on either side below the thirteenth vertebra; its Mu point lies two body-inches below the navel and is called the Dantian.

The point through which the meridian Qi passes is called the “Source” point. This is Yangchi, in the hollow on the back of the wrist. In other meridians, the Shu point also serves as the Source point. Source Qi arises between the kidneys below the navel. It is the foundation of the body’s vital activity and the root of all the meridians, which is why it is called the “Source.” The point through which the meridian Qi travels is called the “River” point. It belongs to Fire and is Zhigou, about three body-inches behind the wrist, between the two bones. Each night, at the Qian hour, the body’s Qi moves through the Hand Shaoyang Triple Burner meridian; at the Xuan hour, it moves through the Triple Burner network vessels. The main vertical pathways are called “meridians,” and their branching transverse pathways are called “network vessels.”

On a Jia day, the left Hand Shaoyang meridian corresponds to the gallbladder and belongs to the Middle Burner. The Yin month is the first month of the year; then the left Foot Shaoyang meridian governs, and the body’s Qi is also on the left side, corresponding to the liver. The point where the meridian Qi converges is called a “Sea” point. It belongs to Earth and is Tianjing, in the hollow behind the large bone on the outside of the elbow, one body-inch above the elbow.

The Hand Shaoyang Triple Burner meridian begins at the tip of the ring finger, passes between the ring and little fingers, and travels upward along the back of the hand and between the two bones on the outer forearm. It crosses the elbow, follows the outer upper arm to the shoulder, then meets the Foot Shaoyang Gallbladder meridian behind it. From there it enters the supraclavicular fossa, spreads through Shanzhong, branches into the Pericardium, and descends through the diaphragm to connect with the Triple Burner.

When the Triple Burner is diseased, symptoms may include abdominal fullness, unusual hardness in the lower abdomen, and inability to urinate. If the condition becomes urgent or fluids overflow, they may become retained. The Upper Burner lies below the heart, above the diaphragm, and above the opening of the stomach. It governs intake but not expulsion. Its treatment point is the hollow between the breasts, about one and six-tenths body-inches below Yutang in Shanzhong. The Middle Burner lies at Zhongwan, governs the digestion of food and drink, and is treated beside the navel. The Lower Burner lies below the navel, at the upper opening of the bladder. It separates the clear from the turbid and sends them downward; its treatment point is one body-inch below the navel, called the Triple Burner. The Triple Burner Fu organ is near Qichong. The Dantian lies two body-inches below the navel, where the Triple Burner’s Mu point is located.

Upper-Jiao deficiency and cold refers to weakness and coldness in the Qi of the upper Jiao, the upper region of the body associated with the heart, lungs, and breathing. The Three Jiaos (the areas through which Qi circulates in the body, divided into the upper, middle, and lower Jiaos) spread like mist. Qi in the upper Jiao rises from the upper opening of the stomach, travels up along the throat, and passes through the diaphragm. When this Qi is deficient and cold, a person may feel mentally unsettled and find it difficult to concentrate. As the flow of Qi affects the lungs, coughing or an inability to produce a speaking voice may also occur; these symptoms are attributed to cold in the diaphragm.

Upper-Jiao heat binding refers to heat pathogens becoming congested in the upper Jiao. The upper Jiao lies below the heart; Qi rises from the upper opening of the stomach and passes through the throat and diaphragm. Heat in this area may cause dryness of the throat and tongue, bad breath, a flushed complexion, and a distended, oppressive feeling in the chest and diaphragm.

Middle-Jiao deficiency and cold refers to insufficient Yang Qi and an excess of cold in the middle Jiao, the middle region of the body associated mainly with the Spleen and Stomach’s transformation and transportation functions. The middle Jiao is compared to a riverbank. It lies in the middle of the stomach, neither above nor below, and is chiefly responsible for warming and transforming food and drink. The stomach’s Yang Qi must provide warmth for food to be digested, its fine essence to be produced, and nourishment to be distributed throughout the body. If cold enters the middle Jiao, the stomach becomes cold and food is difficult to digest. This may lead to abdominal pain, undigested food passing in the stool, diarrhea, and cholera-like vomiting and diarrhea. According to the text, treatment should use warming and tonifying methods.

The Middle Burner, the central part of the three Burners—Upper, Middle, and Lower—lies in the middle of the stomach and is primarily associated with the functions of the spleen and stomach. It is neither high nor low, and is responsible for ripening and digesting food. When the Qi of the Middle Burner is balanced, it can send food residues downward and transform fluids through steaming, so that their refined substances rise to the lungs and are then distributed as nutritive and defensive Qi and Blood, which flow within and outside the vessels and nourish the body. If pathogenic heat lodges in the Middle Burner, the movement of Qi becomes congested and firm. When the Qi of the Middle Burner is excessive, it can become blocked, cutting off communication between the upper and lower parts of the body. Symptoms may include heaviness of the body, yellowing of the eyes, and a sweet taste in the mouth. These conditions belong to a category of spleen disorders known as pi zhang.

The Lower Burner, the lower part of the body associated with functions such as urination and defecation, is like a drainage channel. Qi issues from the lower part of the stomach, passes through the ileum, and flows into the bladder. The Lower Burner is chiefly responsible for discharging rather than receiving, and for conveying waste out of the body. When its Qi is deficient and cold, fluids cannot be retained, so urine and stool may be passed involuntarily. There may also be pain in the lower abdomen and an unwillingness to listen to others.

If all three Burners—the Upper, Middle, and Lower—are weak, weakness in the Upper Burner can affect Lung Qi; weakness in the Middle Burner can generate cold, causing abdominal pain, diarrhea, difficulty controlling urination or defecation, or cholera-like symptoms; and weakness in the Lower Burner can cause persistent discharge of urine and stool. If fluids are depleted and Qi has also declined, accompanied by signs of cold, the kidneys should be warmed and tonified. The three Burners are channels through which food and fluids move, and places where Qi circulates and passes back and forth. Though the three Burners occupy different regions, their underlying mechanisms are connected. They may therefore all become weak together, in which case treatment should focus on warming and tonifying them.

A heat bind in the Lower Burner refers to heat in that region accompanied by stagnation of Qi. The Lower Burner lies below the navel, near the upper opening of the bladder. It separates the clear from the turbid and expels waste. Like a drainage channel, if its Qi becomes congested while excess heat is present, the body’s fluids are depleted and the passage for elimination is obstructed. This may lead to upward surging of Qi, difficulty passing stool, distention and fullness in the stomach, and vomiting.

The “General Treatise on the Three Burners” states: The Three Burners (Sanjiao), the pathways through which Qi circulates in the body according to Chinese medicine, have a name but no fixed physical form. They govern the Qi of the whole body and express the workings of the Three Powers of Heaven, Earth, and Humanity. For this reason, breathing, the ascent and descent of Qi, and the transformation of food and drink within the body all depend on the Three Burners.

The upper burner lies below the heart and governs receiving inward without expelling outward. The middle burner lies in the region of the stomach and governs the ripening and digestion of food. The lower burner lies below the navel and governs the separation of clear from turbid, expelling rather than receiving. In general, the Three Burners correspond above with the Shaoyang channel, and their Qi issues from Guanchong, an acupuncture point on the Hand Shaoyang Sanjiao channel. Guanchong is located at the tip of the finger next to the little finger. It belongs to the Hand Shaoyang channel and is also linked with the Taiyang channel.

When the Qi of the Three Burners is excessive, Qi may become distended, making the skin feel full and swollen, yet light and insubstantial. Urination may sometimes be clear and prolonged, while bowel movements are difficult. Difficulty passing stool arises when the Five Zang organs are out of balance, Yin and Yang and deficiency and excess are uneven, the Three Burners are disharmonized, and cold and heat become entangled. This is a pattern of excess in the Three Burners. It may be addressed by using the “Xi Che” method to regulate and guide the Qi of the Three Burners.

When the Qi of the Three Burners is deficient and cold invades, symptoms may include involuntary urination, diarrhea, abdominal distension, or undigested food. This is a pattern of deficiency in the Three Burners. It may be addressed by warming and nourishing the two Laogong points, located in the centers of the palms, while concentrating the mind and guarding the One, and keeping the Guanyuan point warm and protected. At the same time, close the mouth, curl the tongue, and swallow the saliva in the mouth. Laogong belongs to Fire and lies beneath the artery in the center of the palm; curl the ring finger to locate the point. Guanyuan is the Front-Mu point of the small intestine, where the Qi of an organ gathers at the body’s surface. It lies three cun below the navel, at the meeting place of the three Yin channels of the foot and the Ren vessel.

Heaven and Earth possess immense beauty, yet do not speak of it. The seasons follow clear patterns, yet do not discuss them. All things have their own principles of formation, yet no explanations are offered. Thus, although Heaven does not speak, the seasons still turn and all things still grow. Only the sage can perceive the beauty of Heaven and Earth and understand the principles of all things.

The climate changes continuously through spring, summer, autumn, and winter; the four seasons are not entirely alike. When Yang Qi is in command, all things grow and unfold, and people likewise seek and follow Yang Qi. When Yin Qi is in command, all things contract and gather, and people likewise become calm and settled. The changes of the six Qi, the distribution of the five flavors, the formation of the five colors, and what is suited to each of the five zang organs are all connected with the waxing and waning, fullness and depletion, of Qi.

The Yin, Mao, and Chen months each year—the first through third lunar months—belong to spring. Spring Qi moves through the channels, and a normal pulse should be supple yet strong, like a bowstring bearing a weight. This is the pulse commonly seen in spring. A pulse that goes against this pattern may indicate illness. Spring Qi rises from below and moves to the left; another account says it begins at the front. In the first and second lunar months, spring Qi corresponds to the liver. The liver is in command during spring and on Jia and Yi days, and its transport points are located around the neck.

The liver is like the body’s “official of the general”: it is responsible for planning and deliberation, and is also where the Hun (ethereal soul) resides. The liver governs growth and emergence, belongs to Lesser Yang, and is the organ in which Yang Qi first begins to increase. From the first through the third lunar month, Qi in the body tends toward the left. Springtime health cultivation centers on nurturing Yang Qi; foods should be cool in nature to help regulate it. The liver fears wind and is also averse to cool Qi; cool Qi corresponds to the Metal phase, which governs that climate. If wind perniciousness attacks in spring, symptoms such as undigested food in the stool and diarrhea may appear in summer. Thus, spring illnesses are often associated with the liver, the head, transport points, and the Yin aspect, and may also begin at the front of the body.

Those skilled in cultivating life regulate their spirit in spring: they should not go to bed too early at night and should rise early in the morning. They should stroll leisurely in the courtyard, wear their hair loose, relax the body, and let their intentions expand. This is how to follow spring Qi and nurture the Qi of growth and emergence. In spring, the clear and austere Qi should be used to treat the liver, but instead it becomes warm. The warmth between Heaven and Earth can be avoided. Following spring Qi preserves the spirit; going against it harms the liver.

According to traditional theories of the Five Movements and Six Qi and the channels and collaterals, mid-spring falls in the Mao month and corresponds to the circulation of Qi in the Large Intestine Channel. The text also links this season with “the Scorpio official,” the state of Song, and the human large intestine; these are correspondences within ancient systems of divination and cosmology.

The large intestine is called the “official in charge of transmission,” responsible for conveying and expelling the waste left after food is digested. The text lists points along the Hand Yangming Large Intestine Channel: Shangyang lies near the inner side of the index fingernail; Erjian and Sanjian are located before and after the index finger’s main knuckle; Hegu is at the fork between the thumb and index finger, also known as the tiger’s mouth; Yangxi is between two tendons at the wrist; and Quchi lies in the hollow on the outer side of the elbow when it is bent. Dachangshu is located on either side below the sixteenth vertebra of the back. “Well Metal, Spring Wood, Stream Wood, River Fire, and Sea Earth” are classifications of channel points, reflecting the way ancient practitioners used Five Phases theory to explain channels and acupuncture points.

The Hand Yangming Large Intestine Channel begins at the tip of the index finger and runs along the finger, the back of the hand, and the outer forearm and upper arm. It passes over the shoulder, reaches the junction of the neck and shoulder, then enters the supraclavicular fossa—the hollow above the collarbone—where it connects with the Lung before descending to link with the large intestine. The text also says that, according to the traditional system of timekeeping, the body’s Qi at Mao hour corresponds to the Large Intestine Channel. It relates disorders of the large intestine to the Lung, Liver, and the channel Qi of the left and right limbs.

Disorders of the large intestine may cause severe intestinal pain, rumbling in the intestines, diarrhea, abdominal pain, or an inability to stand for long. Exposure to cold again in winter can readily bring on diarrhea. Overeating can damage the intestines and stomach and may also lead to hemorrhoids. In traditional theory, the large intestine belongs to Metal and corresponds to autumn; it is internally and externally paired with the Lung. When the Qi of the large intestine is excessive or affected by an excess pathogen, symptoms may include stabbing intestinal pain, abdominal distension, constipation, and cold, painful sensations in the lower back. The recommended treatment is “draining”—a traditional acupuncture method for dispersing excessive Qi. When Qi is deficient and cold has entered, diarrhea is more likely; the recommended treatment is “tonifying,” a method for supporting insufficient Qi.

In pulse diagnosis, ancient practitioners assessed the Hand Yangming Large Intestine Channel by examining the pulse at the right wrist. A floating pulse was classified as a Yang pulse, and excessive Yang Qi could indicate an excess pattern of the large intestine. The signs of deficiency and cold in the large intestine described in the text include labored breathing and tightness in the chest, rumbling in the intestines, thirst, dry lips, tight or uncomfortable sensations around the eyes, being easily startled, diarrhea, and joint pain.

When the Qi of the large intestine is excessive and dry or hot, bodily fluids are readily depleted, causing stools to harden or become difficult to pass. Abdominal distension and pain, a heavy sensation in the lower back, shortness of breath, and chest tightness may also occur. Traditional health advice recommends walking a hundred steps after meals and regularly massaging the abdomen by hand to aid digestion and reduce discomfort. For elderly and frail people whose bodily fluids are insufficient and who are constipated, the text cautions against using cold purgatives too freely. It records a method for making pills from tangerine peel, apricot kernels, and honey, called “Qi-Release Pills,” intended to regulate Qi and moisten the intestines while minimizing harm to the body’s upright Qi. Overall, the text holds that treatment of the large intestine follows the same principles as treatment of the Lung: tonify or drain according to whether Qi is deficient or excessive.

When the Dipper’s handle, formed by the Northern Dipper’s Tiangang stars (a Daoist asterism), points toward the Jian position, it is the third month of spring. This time corresponds to the hexagram Guai and to the pitch standard Guxian. According to the ancient system that links astronomy, the Five Phases (Wood, Fire, Earth, Metal, Water), and the human body, the movement of the heavens proceeds northward. In the sky, this corresponds to the “Palace of Heavenly Balance”; on earth, to the land of Zheng; in the human body, it corresponds to the Qi of the small intestine.

The small intestine is the organ that receives and holds food, transforms it, and conveys it onward. The following describes the acupoints of the small intestine meridian. The Jing-Well point of the Hand Taiyang Small Intestine Meridian belongs to Metal and is called Shaoze. There is one point on each side, at the tip of the little finger, about one fen from the corner of the nail. The Ying-Spring point belongs to Wood and is called Qiangu. There is one on each side, in the hollow on the outer side of the little finger, just in front of the metacarpophalangeal joint. The Shu-Stream point also belongs to Wood and is called Houxi. There is one on each side, in the hollow on the outer side of the little finger, just behind the metacarpophalangeal joint. The Small Intestine Back-Shu point lies on both sides below the eighteenth vertebra. Guanyuan lies three cun below the navel. It is the Front-Mu point of the small intestine—a point that corresponds to the Qi of an organ and is used in diagnosis and treatment—and a meeting point of the Foot Taiyin, Foot Shaoyin, and Foot Jueyin meridians with the Ren vessel. It is known as the “Lower Guideline.” The Yuan-Source point, where source Qi gathers, is at the wrist bone. There is one on each side, in the hollow below the bony prominence on the outer wrist. The Jing-River point belongs to Fire and is called Yanggu. There is one on each side, in the hollow on the outer wrist below the styloid process of the ulna.

According to the system that links the hours of day and night with the movement of Qi through the body’s meridians, at the Ding hour a person’s Qi moves through the Hand Taiyang Small Intestine Meridian; at the Wei hour, it moves through the small intestine collateral. Bing corresponds to the left Hand Yangming Meridian, whose Qi is associated with disorders of the small intestine. The third lunar month governs the left Foot Yangming Meridian; at this time, the body’s Qi is also concentrated more on the left and corresponds to the spleen. The He-Sea point belongs to Earth and is called Shaohai. There is one on each side, in the hollow at the end of the inner elbow crease, between two tendons.

The small intestine is paired with the heart, and the two are Interior-Exterior counterparts: their meridians are connected and their functions correspond. The Hand Taiyang Small Intestine Meridian begins at the tip of the little finger and travels upward along the outer side of the hand, passing the wrist. It continues up along the forearm bones, passes between the two tendons on the inner side of the elbow, and follows the outer back of the upper arm to the shoulder. It circles the shoulder blade, meets the meridians at the top of the shoulder, then enters the supraclavicular fossa, the hollow above the collarbone, and connects with the heart. It descends along the throat, passes through the diaphragm to the stomach, and finally belongs to the small intestine.

When the small intestine is diseased, symptoms may include pain in the small intestine, pain that pulls into the lower back, and tightening in the abdomen behind the site of pain during an attack. There may also be heat in front of the ear or pronounced sensitivity to cold. Marked heat over the shoulder, or heat between the little and ring fingers accompanied by a sunken pulse, may also indicate small intestine disease.

The small intestine belongs to Fire and is at its height in summer. Its meridian is the Hand Taiyang, and the small intestine is the organ paired with the heart. Fluids flow downward to become urine, and they pass through the small intestine. When the small intestine’s Qi is excessive, it becomes overfull and causes illness, with symptoms such as heat in the small intestine, depleted and dry body fluids, or abdominal distension. This is a condition of replete small intestine Qi and should be treated with draining. When the small intestine is deficient and cold invades, symptoms may include intestinal illness, sudden jerking movements, inability to speak, and symptoms that come and go. This is a condition of deficient small intestine Qi and should be treated with tonification.

When Qi in the small intestine is deficient and its movement is impaired, the small intestine becomes distended and full. This indicates that Qi in the small intestine is congested and excessive, and should be treated with a reducing method. If Qi in the small intestine is insufficient, cold will invade. When intestinal illness brings on fright, convulsions, and an inability to speak, with symptoms that come and go, this indicates that Qi in the small intestine is deficient and should be treated with a tonifying method.

“On Small Intestine Deficiency” says: The small intestine is the organ that receives and transports food and drink, and it is the bowel paired with the heart. Its meridian is the Hand Taiyang channel. When Qi in the small intestine is weak, there is a lack of strength. Thus, when examining the left wrist pulse at the cun position and the Renying position, if the pulse forward of the cun position shows Yang deficiency, this indicates weakness of the small intestine. Deficiency gives rise to cold, causing pain along the edge of the skull or at one side of the forehead, deafness or impaired hearing, fright and convulsions, and frequent urination. Treatment should tonify Qi in the small intestine.

“On Small Intestine Excess” says: The small intestine is the organ that receives and transports food and drink, and it is the bowel paired with the heart. Its meridian is the Hand Taiyang channel. When Qi in the small intestine is vigorous, there is an excess. Thus, when examining the left wrist pulse at the cun position and the Renying position, if the pulse forward of the cun position shows Yang excess, this indicates excess in the small intestine. Excess gives rise to heat, causing fever that comes and goes, sores in the mouth, restlessness in the heart, heaviness of the body with no sweating, and difficulty urinating. Treatment should follow the tonifying or reducing method as appropriate; the specific methods are the same as those used for the heart.

After the Dipper mansion comes the Si position, associated with the first month of summer. It corresponds to the Qian trigram, and its pitch pipe corresponds to Zhonglü. The Qian course moves westward. In the heavens, its image corresponds to the Palace of the Double Maidens; on earth, to the region of Chu; and in the human body, to the Hand Jueyin Pericardium channel and network vessels.

The Jingjin point is Zhongchong, with one point on each side. It lies at the Si position, corresponds to the Qian trigram, and its pitch pipe corresponds to Zhonglü. The Qian course moves westward. In the heavens, its image corresponds to the Palace of the Double Maidens; on earth, to the region of Chu; and in the human body, to the Hand Jueyin Pericardium channel and network vessels.

The Jing Metal point (a Jing-Well point, where the Qi of the channel emerges) is Zhongchong. There is one on each hand, at the tip of the middle finger, about the width of a leek leaf from the edge of the nail. The Rong Wood point (where the Qi of the channel flows) is Laogong. There is one on each hand, in the center of the palm, where the tip of the ring finger touches when the hand is curled. The Shu Wood point (where the Qi of the channel is infused) is Daling. There is one on each wrist, in the hollow between the two tendons at the back of the wrist. The Jing Fire point (where the Qi of the channel passes) is Jianshi. There is one on each wrist, about three cun above the wrist, in the hollow between the two tendons. At the hour of Xin, the body’s Qi moves through the Hand Jueyin Heart Protector Channel; at the hour of Xu, it also moves through the network vessels of the Heart Protector.

The fourth lunar month, the month of Si, belongs to summer and governs the right Foot Yangming Channel. At this time, the body’s Qi is also concentrated more on the right side and corresponds to the Spleen. The He Earth point (where the Qi of the channel converges) is Quze. There is one on each side, in the hollow below the crease on the inner side of the elbow, which can be found by bending the arm.

The area known as Shanzhong is sometimes called the “office of the minister and envoy”; joy arises from it. Shanzhong refers to the chest between the breasts, which is regarded as the sea of Qi. The Heart Protector is like a ruler, conveying commands through the channels and network vessels; Shanzhong governs Qi, which spreads between Yin and Yang. When Qi is harmonized and the mind is at ease, joy arises. Shanzhong connects upward to the areas above and below the collarbones and forward to the Renying point, beside the carotid artery in the neck. For this reason, it is also called the palace of the Heart Protector. Another account describes Shanzhong as an acupuncture point: it lies in the hollow midway between the breasts and is located while lying on one’s back. It is where the Qi of the Ren Channel emerges. The ancient immortals’ saying, “If you wish to make the body secure, cook the fluids in the central hall,” means that to steady the body, one may cultivate the Qi and fluids in Shanzhong, the central area of the chest.

Proceeding in sequence, the months of Si, Wu, and Wei all still belong to summer. As summer Qi moves through the heavens, it travels north. Thus rainbows, clouds and mist, and the seasonal changes of wind and rain in the sky all form from accumulated Qi; mountains, rivers and seas, as well as metal, stone, fire, and wood, are things on earth formed from accumulated substance. The earth supports and nourishes all things with form, while the empty space above arrays and reflects the vital essences of the heavens. The movement of form and vital essence is like the mutual connection between root and branches. Those with limited understanding see only Qi appearing above, forms arranged below, and the seasons moving in between; they do not understand that Heaven, Earth, and humanity run through one another and form a single whole. The Qi of the Five Phases corresponds upward to the five planets and connects inward to the five zang organs.

People often say that the Medicine Palace contains cloud script—Daoist talismans shaped like clouds—as well as Flower Terraces and profound discussions of the Dongzhen (Cavern of Perfection) tradition. Water’s De corresponds to Chenxing (Mercury); Wood’s De to Suixing (Jupiter); Fire’s De to Yinghuo (Mars); Earth’s De to Zhenxing (Saturn); and Metal’s De to Taibai (Venus). The Qi of these Five Phases corresponds to the body’s five viscera, in order: the kidneys, liver, heart, spleen, and lungs.

In summer, Qi and blood circulate from the middle of the body toward the front, though some accounts say they begin at the back. Summer Qi flows through the Sunluo, the finest collateral vessels: the main channels branch outward, their transverse branches are called collateral vessels, and the finer vessels beyond those are called Sunluo. A forceful, full pulse is normal in summer. If the pulse departs from its usual pattern, it may indicate illness.

Beginning in the fourth lunar month of summer, the body’s Qi is on the right side and in the spleen. In the fifth and sixth months, it is likewise on the right side and also rises to the head. In midsummer, people are prone to illnesses of the chest and flanks. The sixth month is called late summer; Qi is in the muscles, and diarrhea and cold conditions are common. In the middle of summer, illness may involve Yang Qi, the heart, and the viscera. In summer, the stomach Qi is the foundation, as it is in late summer as well; the associated acupoints are in the chest and flanks. Summer is governed by the heart, which can be affected by the heat of summer. Treating the heart with cold methods may instead intensify internal heat.

Summer health practices focus on nourishing Yang, and eating some cooling foods can help regulate it. Yet although cool foods are suitable in spring and summer, moderation is safer, in accordance with the teaching of the Master. Summer heat affects the heart and can also harm the body. So although the heart dislikes heat, it must also be protected from cold. Cold belongs to Water and governs the season; at times, using warmth appropriately can help ward off summer heat. Medicines and foods should both be adjusted accordingly. Those who understand how to care for themselves do not persist in using heat when heat is already excessive. If summer heat is not avoided, it can invade the body and bring on fever; vomiting and diarrhea; cholera; abscesses, boils, and sores; confusion; diarrhea; convulsions; swelling; vomiting; nosebleeds; headaches; joint and muscle pain; bleeding; urinary disorders; and difficulty passing urine.

One account describes a condition in which the heart spirit and pulse Qi are excessive, while the Qi of the body is deficient. If a person shows five outward signs, the condition is dangerous: the whole body is hot as charcoal; the neck and front of the chest feel constricted, as if blocked; the carotid pulse is rapid and strong; breathing is labored; and the breath rises in counterflow. This is neither an exterior nor an interior pattern, and the prognosis is often grave.

Exposure to summer heat may bring on intermittent malaria in autumn. Sages do not suffer this way, because they gather their spirit, follow the seasons, and communicate with the divine. By cultivating themselves in this way, they avoid illness. Thus there is a method for cultivating the spirit in summer: go to bed late and rise early, do not resent the sunlight, and keep emotions from becoming agitated so that Qi can flow freely. This follows the Qi of summer and nurtures the energy of growth; to go against it harms the heart.

The handle of the Northern Dipper points directly toward the Wu position. This is midsummer, corresponding to the Gou Hexagram, and its pitch matches Ruibin. The Wu position lies on the north-south axis. At this time, the first six of the Gou Hexagram appears, symbolizing the first emergence of Yin energy. The Way of Heaven moves toward the northwest; the constellation above it is called the Roaring Lion, symbolizing how summer’s Qi unfolds and disperses, allowing Qi to flow freely. This is how summer’s Qi accords with the way of nurturing growth. To go against this pattern harms the Qi of the heart.

The handle of the Northern Dipper points directly toward the Wu position. This is midsummer, corresponding to the Gou Hexagram, and its pitch matches Ruibin. The Wu position lies on the north-south axis. At this time, the first six of the Gou Hexagram appears, symbolizing the first emergence of Yin energy. The Way of Heaven moves toward the northwest. The constellation above it is called the Palace of the Lion; below it corresponds to Zhou. In the human body, it corresponds to the heart, which is connected with the Five Zang organs.

The heart belongs to Fire among the Five Phases. It is housed within the body and is internally paired with the small intestine. Its nature corresponds to summer heat, its sound corresponds to the zhi tone, and its image is Li. Fire Qi is strongest in summer and wanes in winter; on Ren and Gui days, it occupies the position of death. From this we can understand that a person’s intentions correspond to the winds of the eight directions.

The wind from the east is called “Infant Wind.” When it harms a person, it affects the sinews and vessels externally and invades the liver internally. The wind from the southeast is called “Weak Wind”; it harms the muscles externally and invades the stomach internally. The wind from the south is called “Great Weak Wind”; it harms the vessels externally and invades the heart internally. The wind from the southwest is called “Scheme Wind”; it harms the muscles externally and invades the spleen internally. The wind from the west is called “Firm Wind”; it harms the skin externally and invades the lungs internally. The wind from the northwest is called “Breaking Wind”; it harms the Hand Taiyang meridian externally and corresponds internally to the small intestine. The wind from the north is called “Great Firm Wind”; it harms the bones externally and invades the kidneys internally. The wind from the northeast is called “Fierce Wind”; it harms the armpits and flanks externally and invades the large intestine internally. That a person’s intentions correspond to the winds of the eight directions shows that the Qi of life and the forces of Heaven and Earth are connected—a relationship of no small consequence.

The heart governs the storage of Shen (spirit), which favors quiet, simplicity, stillness, and Wuwei (non-action). The heart is the body’s sovereign official and is also like the root of Yang Qi; the body’s outer aspect governed by the heart belongs to Yang. The heart is the root of life, and the clarity of Shen manifests from it. Its flourishing is reflected in the complexion, and its nourishment is expressed in the blood vessels. The vessels are where blood gathers and circulates, and all the blood is governed by the heart. Looking at things for a long time consumes blood, showing that the heart and Shen have become fatigued. A fatigued heart may cause confusion and forgetfulness, difficulty passing stool or, at times, loose stools, and sores in the mouth. Grief and excessive thought also harm the heart. When the heart is damaged, a person may become fearful and forgetful, with moods that swing unpredictably between joy and anger.

The heart belongs to Yang and is the “greater Yang within Yang.” Heart disorders often affect the blood, and since the heart governs the blood vessels, the vessels are considered the root of all five viscera. The vessels governed by the heart run through the arms. The heart is connected with the ears and with the two lower orifices. When Jing (essence) and Qi gather in the heart, a person feels joy; excessive joy, however, harms Yang, Shen, and Qi. The heart’s fluid is sweat, and the heart’s Qi connects with the tongue, which serves as a site for observing it. When heart Qi is harmonious, the tongue can distinguish the five flavors. The heart’s associated odor is scorched. A supple tongue indicates that heart Qi remains; a rough, stiff, or shortened tongue is a grave sign.

The heart favors bitter flavor, which acts first upon it; too much bitter flavor can dry the skin and cause the hair to fall out. The heart needs gentle nourishment, and a moderate amount of salty flavor can soften it. If heart Qi is too slack, sour flavor can restrain it. The heart dislikes heat and also fears cold, which belongs to Water Qi. Too much bitter flavor deprives the spleen of nourishment and makes stomach Qi excessive, so dietary restrictions are necessary. Salty flavor enters the blood, and should not be eaten in excess when the blood is diseased. What the heart avoids is wearing overly warm clothing and eating food that is too hot. The sages choose among sounds, colors, foods, and flavors according to whether these benefit their nature: they take what is beneficial and leave what is harmful.

Food enters the stomach and can nourish the heart. When heart Qi is abundant, it shows in the complexion, as sunlight shines on a surface. When the heart is hot, the forehead and face redden first. A person with heart heat has a red complexion and abundant collateral vessels. A bluish complexion often indicates pain; a dark complexion, obstruction; yellow-red, heat; pale white, cold; and a mixture of the five colors, a combination of cold and heat. Although red and yellow are often associated with heat, abnormal coloration in blue, white, or black should not be overlooked.

The south belongs to Fire and is abundant in red Qi, so when Qi is sufficient the voice is resonant. The sound produced by the heart is laughter; cheerful laughter indicates harmonious heart Qi. When heart Qi is disharmonious, the voice changes, and hiccups, belching, or sorrow may also occur. The heart is the sovereign and governs the five Qi, so the Qi and vessels, voice, and complexion are all related to it. The heart can bring about many kinds of change: the growth of things is called “transformation,” while a change that comes when development reaches its extreme is called “mutation.”

The Hand Shaoyin meridian is the Heart Meridian. Its Jing-Well point is Shaochong, at the tip of the little finger on its inner side, about the width of a leek leaf from the nail. Its Ying-Spring point is Shaofu, in the hollow behind the base of the little finger. Its Shu-Stream point is Shenmen, in the hollow near the wrist bone at the back of the palm. The Heart Meridian’s Yuan-Source point is Daling, which belongs to the Pericardium Meridian. Its Jing-River point is Lingdao, about one to one and a half cun behind the palm. Its He-Sea point is Shaohai, in the hollow at the end of the transverse crease on the inner side of the elbow. The text also records the Heart Meridian’s Back-Shu point as lying beside the fifth thoracic vertebra, about one and a half cun from the spine. These names and locations belong to the system of meridian points; some point names and location descriptions are repeated in the source, and a few passages are unclear.

The Hand Shaoyin Heart Meridian begins in the heart, connects with the heart system, descends through the diaphragm, and links with the small intestine. The Heart Meridian’s pulse is generally strong and full; a deep pulse is considered abnormal and may indicate an acute illness. If pathogenic Qi enters the heart, it can cause heart pain, sorrow, dizziness, and even fainting. Heart disease can also affect the Qi of the vessels and the five viscera.

Common symptoms of heart disease include pain in the chest, fullness or pain in the flanks, pain in the chest, back, and between the shoulder blades, and pain along the inner sides of both arms. The heart symbolizes Fire, flourishes in summer, and corresponds to a strong, full pulse. Among the five viscera it governs Shen; in the emotions it governs joy; among bodily changes it is associated with sorrow; its fluid is sweat; its color is red; and its meridian is the Hand Shaoyin Heart Meridian, which is paired with the small intestine. The small intestine is a Fu organ and governs the exterior, while the heart is a Zang organ and governs the interior.

When heart Qi is excessive, there may be pain in the chest, fullness in the flanks, pain in the chest, back, shoulder blades, and arms, or uncontrollable laughter. These are signs of excess heart Qi, which generates heat. When heat is strong, Yang becomes excessive and the movement of nutritive and defensive Qi is obstructed, causing agitation of the heart and Shen, a flushed face and hot body, sores in the mouth and on the tongue, dry throat, and headache. If the heat becomes more severe, the sinews and vessels may contract and the bones and flesh may waste away. Excess Yang and insufficient Yin can also cause internal heat and easy hunger.

When heart Qi is deficient, pain may pull from the chest and flanks toward the lower back, and a person may be prone to palpitations, confusion, a dull complexion, stiffness at the root of the tongue, and grief. In summary, the Heart Meridian and Small Intestine Meridian are paired internally and externally. The heart belongs to Fire, flourishes in summer, corresponds to a strong, full pulse, and stores Shen. Its associated emotion is joy, though its disorders may manifest as sorrow; its fluid is sweat. When heart Qi is weak, sorrow may be unceasing; when heart Qi is excessive, laughter may be uncontrollable.

A person with deficient heart Qi may dream of putting out a fire. When Yang Qi is seasonally flourishing, they may dream of being scorched by flames. When heart Qi is abundant, they may readily dream of laughter or fear; when pathogenic Qi lodges in the heart, they may dream of hills or smoke and fire. Heart decline makes a person prone to forgetfulness, while heart heat causes profuse sweating. In the days before an attack of heart heat, a person may feel low, then develop a fever. As the heat intensifies, sudden heart pain, agitation, and vomiting may occur, with a flushed face and head but no sweat. The upward counterflow of Qi is called reversal: it is a sudden collapse and disordered movement of Yin and Yang Qi. When Yin Qi collapses below, heat reversal results; when Yang Qi collapses below, cold reversal results.

Deficiency gives rise to cold. Cold patterns may bring low spirits, unceasing sorrow, sudden pain in the heart and abdomen, vomiting of clear fluids, forgetfulness, and frequent fright. Severe cold can also cause the sinews and vessels to spasm, bone pain, and stagnation of the blood vessels. If Shen and the Qi of the vessels are deficient while the Qi of the body appears excessive, the ancients regarded this as a grave sign. Insufficient Yang and excessive Yin can produce internal cold, intestinal rumbling, and abdominal pain. If both Yin and Yang are excessive, or both are deficient, cold and heat may occur together.

Classical medical theory attributes many kinds of illness to Fire and heat. Pain, itching, and sores are often associated with the heart. Fever, clouded consciousness, convulsions, trembling, upward surging of Qi, agitation and frenzy, swelling and pain, and fright are generally attributed to Fire. Abdominal distention, drumlike sounds during illness, abnormal movement of the body, cloudy urine, vomiting of sour fluid, and sudden urgent diarrhea are generally attributed to heat. Excessive heat leads to swelling and accumulation. When Yang heat is excessive, the limbs may also swell, since the limbs are considered the root of the Qi of the various Yang channels.

When a warm-heat illness occurs, the ancients advocated inducing sweat to release the heat pathogen outward. If the heat pathogen further stirs the wind, it may lead to Heart Wind, with symptoms such as red lips and peeling skin. Illness caused by exposure to wind on Bing or Ding days in summer is called Heart Wind. Heart Wind belongs to heat; its symptoms include profuse sweating, aversion to wind, dry and scorched lips, erratic shifts between joy and anger, and a flushed face. In severe cases, speech becomes impaired. The mouth should be examined, and the complexion is often red.

When heart Qi is deficient, sour flavor can be used to regulate it; when heart Qi is excessive, sweet flavor can be used to treat it. The text also mentions using a particular breathing method together with exhalation as treatment, but the relevant wording is damaged. If a rash occurs, excessive treatment should be avoided after recovery.

The final month of summer corresponds to the hexagram Before Completion (Wei Ji), and its pitch matches Linzhong. This means that a person’s breathing corresponds to musical pitch, as does the harmonizing of Yin and Yang energies within the body. The Dao of Heaven moves eastward: in the heavens, this corresponds to the sign of Cancer; on earth, to the region of Qin; and in the human body, to Lung Qi.

The lungs are the body’s Zang, the organs that store essence and Qi. The large intestine is their paired Fu, the organ that works in an interior-exterior relationship with the Zang and is responsible for transformation and transmission. The lungs belong to Metal and have a cool, clear nature; their corresponding musical note is Shang. They are strongest in autumn and weaken in summer. On Bing and Ding days, their Qi declines, and they are nourished through the skin and body hair. The lungs prize clarity, stillness, and openness. They are the source of harmonious breathing, and all the body’s various forms of Qi correspond to them.

The lungs are a zang organ, and the large intestine is their paired fu organ. In the Five Phases, the lungs correspond to Metal. Their nature is clear, still, cool, and moist. They correspond to the Shang tone, flourish in autumn, and decline in summer; on Bing and Ding days, their Qi activity weakens. They receive nourishment through the body hair. The lungs prize emptiness, stillness, and unobstructed flow. They are the source that harmonizes the breath throughout the body and the foremost of the zang organs. Like a canopy over the heart, they are the foundation of Yin. They belong to lesser Yin within Yin and are the first of the Yin organs to distribute Qi. The lungs are also like an official responsible for assisting in governance, overseeing the regulation of Qi throughout the body. Thus, the lungs are the root of Qi and the dwelling place of the Po, the corporeal soul.

The lungs circulate nutritive Qi and defensive Qi: nutritive Qi travels through the vessels and nourishes the blood, while defensive Qi moves outside the vessels and protects the body. The lungs’ flourishing is seen in the hair, and their nourishment fills the skin. The Qi in a person’s vessels resonates with the skin and hair. The skin covers the whole body, while Qi also nourishes the five zang organs. Because Qi is connected with the skin and hair, pathogenic Wind can readily invade. When it injures the fu organs and zang organs, Qi and blood grow weak. If someone sweats heavily after physical exertion, or loses fluids through severe purging, the body’s fluids may be depleted. The lung Qi then becomes congested and cannot carry the breath freely to the other organs, which may lead to lung atrophy. Lung atrophy is a category of illness in which the lungs lose moisture and their function weakens. It manifests as coughing, expectoration of phlegm and saliva, retching, and frequent urination.

Prolonged bed rest injures Qi and can also strain the lungs. A person with lung strain may be short of breath, have a swollen face, and be unable to distinguish pleasant from foul odors. Exposure to cold, or eating and drinking cold foods, also injures the lungs. Once injured, they may produce little Qi, coughing, and noisy breathing through the nose. The lungs open into the nose, and their fluid is nasal mucus; the mouth and nose are both gateways through which breath enters and leaves. Only when lung Qi is harmonized and the nose and lungs are unobstructed can the nose distinguish pleasant from foul odors. The rank odor corresponds to the lungs, so their condition can be observed through the nose.

The lungs favor pungent flavors, which first enter the lungs, but when the Qi mechanism is already diseased, pungent foods should not be eaten in excess. Too much pungency can slacken the sinews and harm the spirit; it may also cause the sinews to contract and the nails to become withered. When the lungs need astringing, sour flavor can be used in moderation to help them gather in. When they need dispersing, pungent flavor can be used in moderation to help release and spread. When lung Qi rebels upward, bitter flavor can help drain it. The lungs are vulnerable to both cold and heat, since cold belongs to Yin and heat to Fire. Joy can also injure lung Qi; when a person’s mental activity is concentrated excessively in the lungs, grief likewise harms them.

The lungs are averse to cold foods and thin clothing that leaves the body exposed to cold, and they also disfavor drinking too much alcohol at once. Excessive drinking makes lung Qi rebel upward. The ancients believed that the lung lobes would lift and Qi would surge upward. Drinking alcohol and engaging in sexual activity should both be avoided in windy conditions. Shao Yong spoke of drinking with refinement and ease, saying that although he sometimes drank for several days in succession, he never exceeded half his capacity. Elder Wang also said that dietary injury to the lungs can cause phlegm and fluid to surge upward and Qi to stagnate, even producing sores on the face. When lung Qi is congested, the large intestine may also become blocked. The lungs therefore prize Qi that is clear, cool, and unobstructed; their corresponding color is white.

The lungs govern the voice. When lung Qi is disordered, it may produce a weeping sound; illness also often manifests as coughing. The Hand Taiyin Lung Channel is a channel connected to the lungs. Its Jing-Well point is called Shaoshang, beside the inner corner of the thumbnail, about the width of a leek leaf from the nail. Its Ying-Spring point is called Yuji, on the inner side behind the base of the thumb, where the vessels branch. Its Shu-Stream point, which is also the Yuan-Source point, is called Taiyuan and lies in the hollow on the palm side of the wrist. The Jing-River point is called Jingqu and lies at the wrist’s cun pulse position; the He-Sea point is called Chize and lies in the crease of the elbow. The text also mentions the lung Back-Shu point, located on either side below the third thoracic vertebra, and Tianfu, on the inner side of the upper arm about three inches below the armpit.

The Hand Taiyin Lung Channel begins in the middle burner, descends to connect with the large intestine, then circles back to the opening of the stomach. It rises through the diaphragm and belongs to the lungs. From the lung system it emerges horizontally below the armpit, travels down the inner upper arm, passing in front of the Hand Shaoyin Heart Channel and the Hand Jueyin Pericardium Channel. At the elbow it continues down the inner forearm, enters the cun pulse position at the wrist, reaches Yuji, and finally emerges at the tip of the thumb. The lung pulse is normally floating and short; this is its healthy state. If the pulse is abnormally forceful and large, an acute illness may be present. The lungs are the source of Qi, and when Qi and blood are out of balance, various disorders arise. Qi and blood favor warmth and dislike cold, just as snow falling into water clumps together instead of dispersing.

Lung illness may involve wheezing, coughing, rebellious Qi, pain in the shoulders and back, and pain in the buttocks, lower back, knees, calves, and feet. The lungs belong to Metal and flourish in autumn. The normal shape of the lung pulse is like a hair: light, floating, and fine. The lungs correspond to the nose, the sound of weeping, rank odors, pungent flavor, nasal mucus, the skin and hair, and the color white. What the lungs store is Qi, and the spirit they govern is the Po. The Hand Taiyin Lung Channel is paired with the large intestine: the large intestine is a fu organ and governs the body’s exterior, while the lungs are a zang organ and govern its interior.

When lung Qi is excessive, there is an excess that gives rise to illness. Symptoms may include wheezing and coughing, Qi surging upward, pain in the shoulders and back, and pain in the buttocks, abdomen, knees, calves, and feet. This is a pattern of excess lung Qi and should be treated by draining the excess. When lung Qi is insufficient, a person may be short of breath and unable to draw one breath smoothly into the next. Coughing, wheezing, pain in the shoulders and back, sweating, deafness, and dryness of the mouth and throat may also occur. This is a pattern of deficient lung Qi and should be treated by supplementing what is insufficient.

A general account of the Lung: Each of the five viscera has its own position, but only the Lung sits at the highest point, so it connects with the Qi of Heaven. The Lung governs the skin and body hair and serves as the “canopy” of the five viscera, like an umbrella covering and protecting them. In the Five Phases, the Lung corresponds to the Corporeal Soul (Po); the Po is a spiritual activity that enters and leaves the body alongside Jing and Qi. Among the five virtues, the Lung corresponds to righteousness: the standard by which one can overcome external things, make judgments, and reach decisions.

The Lung’s opening is the nose, so its fluid appears as nasal discharge. This discharge is the mucus that flows from the nose after crying. The Lung corresponds to weeping in sound and to grief in emotion. Grief is a state in which Yin Qi descends with a somber force and the emotions become sorrowful. The Lung corresponds to white because it is paired with Metal among the Five Phases; it corresponds to the pungent flavor because pungency is characteristic of things as they ripen. The Lung is also associated with dryness in Heaven, Metal on Earth, the Shang note among the five tones, and the rank odor among the five smells. These correspondences all arise through resonance among seasons, the cycles of Qi, and things of the same kind.

Considered through the relationship between paired channels, the Hand Taiyin is the Lung channel, and the Hand Yangming is the Large Intestine channel. The Lung and Large Intestine are interiorly and exteriorly related and form a matched pair of viscera and bowels. The course of the Hand Taiyin Lung channel was described earlier. A branch leaves it behind the wrist and runs along the inner side of the hand to the tip of the index finger. When Yin and Yang are balanced and the channels flow freely, fluctuations in the abundance and depletion of the body’s Qi and Blood do not become excessive in either direction. Once balance is lost, illness arises. Excess Qi is a surplus, and a surplus can cause illness; deficient Qi is an insufficiency, and an insufficiency can also cause illness. Illness caused by surplus is called Lung excess; illness caused by insufficiency is called Lung deficiency.

Signs of Lung excess include wheezing, coughing, Qi surging upward, pain in the shoulders and back, and pain along the inner thigh, knee, and course of the channel when sweating. When Lung excess is accompanied by heat, there may be labored, upward breathing and tightness in the chest, with breathing possible only while the head is raised. This results from heat affecting the Hand Taiyin Lung channel. In severe cases, the mouth gapes, the lips become red, drinking becomes uncontrolled, sores appear on the back, and the thighs, calves, and lower legs all hurt.

When Lung heat flares up, a person may feel waves of cold, have the body hair stand on end, fear wind and cold, and develop a yellow coating on the tongue and fever. As pathogenic heat struggles against the body’s upright Qi, wheezing and coughing occur, with pain in the front of the chest, difficulty breathing freely through the back, severe headache, and a feeling of cold after sweating. When Qi rebels upward, the condition may become critical on a Bing or Ding day. If dryness becomes dominant, dryness develops. Various forms of Qi blockage and impaired flow are mostly associated with the Lung; weakness and atrophy, wheezing, and vomiting are mostly associated with the upper part of the body.

When the Lung has heat, the right cheek first turns red, after which the complexion becomes pale and the hair falls out. When the Lung is affected by Wind, the eyebrows turn white. If a person is exposed to pathogenic influences in autumn on a Geng or Xin day, this is called Lung Wind. Its signs include profuse sweating, aversion to wind, a pale complexion, and sometimes coughing and shortness of breath. The symptoms ease somewhat during the day and worsen toward evening. In examination, the area above the eyebrows may appear white, and the hair may also fall out.

If Lung Qi is excessive, it can be treated with medicine, with pungent foods used to help drain the Lung. The text also mentions administering a particular Qi-regulating formula and treating the condition by raising the head and exhaling, while ensuring that the ears do not hear it. The relevant passage is damaged, so the formula’s name and the precise method cannot be established. If the Lung is weak and harmed by Wind, cold, clear Qi invades upward and causes clear nasal discharge. This is because the Lung opens into the nose and its fluid appears as nasal discharge. Lung deficiency is supplemented with sour flavor. The general method is to drain excess conditions and supplement deficient ones: reduce what is in surplus and replenish what is insufficient. These are only broad principles.

This concludes the first part of The Continuation of the Daoist Subtleties from Their Origins: Dongzhen.

The Continuation of the Daoist Subtleties from Their Origins: Dongzhen, middle part.

Compiled and annotated by Li Jingyuan, a disciple of the Zhenyuan School.

Regarding the directions indicated by the Northern Dipper’s handle and their correspondence with the seasonal cycle: the first month of autumn (the seventh lunar month) corresponds to the earthly branch Shen, the Pi hexagram, and Yize, one of the twelve pitch standards. At this time, the Dao of Heaven moves northward. In celestial configurations, this corresponds to the Yin-Yang Palace; in the imagery of the hexagrams, to the Jin hexagram; and in the human body, to the gallbladder.

The gallbladder is called the “official of central correctness” because a person’s decisions issue from it. It is therefore also known as the “storehouse of central essence.” The Foot Shaoyang Gallbladder Channel likewise corresponds to the first month of autumn, the Shen position, the Pi hexagram, and the seasonal markers and symbolic numbers represented by Yize.

In traditional medicine, the gallbladder is called the “upright official,” because it is believed to generate decisiveness. It is also a bowel organ that stores the essence of Jing and Qi. The Well point of the Foot Shaoyang Gallbladder Channel is Zuqiaoyin, at the tip of the fourth toe, about the width of a chive leaf from the edge of the nail. The Spring point, Xiaxi, lies in the cleft between the fourth and fifth toes, in front of their joints. The Stream point, Linqi, is in the hollow behind the base joint of the fourth toe, one and a half cun from Xiaxi. Another account places Danshu, the Gallbladder Back-Shu point, on either side below the tenth vertebra.

The gallbladder channel’s Yuan-Source point is Qiuxu, below the outer ankle, three cun from Linqi. The River point, Yangfu, is in a hollow in front of the fibula, four cun above the outer ankle. The Sea point, Yanglingquan, is in the hollow on the outer side below the knee. These names and locations belong to the system used to locate points in channel and acupuncture theory.

The scripture also describes the movement of Qi through the body in terms of the hours, the Heavenly Stems and Earthly Branches, and the months. It says that at night during the Ren hour, Qi moves through the Foot Shaoyang Gallbladder Channel, and at midnight it also moves through the gallbladder network. Jia corresponds to the Left Hand Shaoyang and disorders of the gallbladder; Shen corresponds to the seventh lunar month and the Right Foot Shaoyin, and is also associated with the right side and the lungs. Part of the scripture is repeated here in the original. It also says that the Gallbladder Channel’s vessel connects with the kidneys.

The Foot Shaoyang Gallbladder Channel begins at the outer corner of the eye and ascends to the temple. It then descends behind the ear, travels along the head in front of the Hand Shaoyang Channel, and, after reaching the shoulder, turns behind that channel and enters the supraclavicular fossa, the hollow above the collarbone.

Gallbladder disorders may involve frequent sighing, a bitter taste in the mouth, vomiting clear fluid or bitter bile from the previous night, inner unease as if fearing pursuit, a sensation of something lodged in the throat, and frequent spitting. When Gallbladder Qi rises counterflow, it causes vomiting.

According to the Five Phases theory, the gallbladder belongs to Wood and flourishes in spring. The Foot Shaoyang Channel is the Gallbladder Channel; the gallbladder is regarded as the bowel organ of the liver and governs planning and decision-making. The scripture holds that the decision-making of all the bowel organs derives from the gallbladder. If Gallbladder Qi is excessive, this is a repletion pattern and may cause abdominal discomfort and bodily restlessness; draining should be used. If Gallbladder Qi is insufficient, it may overflow upward and cause a bitter taste in the mouth, frequent sighing, vomiting fluid from the previous night, inner unease, throat discomfort, and frequent spitting. This is a deficiency pattern and should be treated with tonification.

The gallbladder is the fu organ paired with the liver and belongs to the Foot Shaoyang channel, a Yang channel. When the gallbladder’s Qi is insufficient, it is called gallbladder deficiency. Deficiency gives rise to cold, and cold brings on illness. Symptoms include alarm and fear, inability to sleep alone, discomfort in the mouth, dizziness and blurred vision, weakness in the legs and feet, inability to move the toes, difficulty rising from a seated position, bodily stiffness and falling, a fixed stare, and a dazed expression. When the gallbladder is deficient, the spirit cannot settle. Its Qi then rises and overflows, causing corresponding ailments along the course of the gallbladder channel.

When the gallbladder’s Qi is full and excessive, it is called gallbladder repletion. Excess gives rise to heat, which unsettles the spirit. Symptoms include tightness and fullness in the chest, agitation, dryness of the throat, bitter fluid rising into the mouth, and drowsiness day and night. There may also be abdominal distension, difficulty swallowing food, pain around the pit of the stomach and along the ribs so severe that turning over is impossible, and heat along the outer edge of the foot. This is called “Yang reversal” (a disorder caused by impaired circulation of Yang Qi). Headache, pain at the outer corner of the eye, swelling and pain in the hollow above the collarbone, swelling in the armpit, and pain and swelling along the side of the neck are also attributed to excessive gallbladder Qi and obstruction of Qi in the Foot Shaoyang channel. The tonifying and draining methods and prescriptions used to treat deficiency and repletion disorders of the gallbladder fu organ are the same as those for the liver, its interior-exterior counterpart.

When the Shaoyue moves through the directions of Shen, You, and Xu, it is still autumn. Autumn Qi moves eastward and occupies the Yang position.

Autumn is governed by the lungs, and the Qi of the Geng and Xin days also corresponds to the lungs. Geng corresponds to the right-hand Shaoyin channel, while Xin corresponds to the right-hand Taiyin channel. Thus, autumn Qi first arises in the upper part of the body and then affects the right side. Some accounts say it first arises in the front or back. In the seventh and eighth months, the body’s Qi is mainly in the right side and the lungs; in the ninth month, it is also in the right side and corresponds to the heart. Autumn Qi affects the skin and pores, and its associated transport points—where channel Qi flows to the body’s surface—are on the shoulders and back.

Illnesses in autumn are often related to the lungs. If a person is exposed to Dampness in autumn and it surges upward, it can cause coughing and may also lead to weakness and cold reversal. Wind disorders and malaria are common in autumn; exposure to Dampness then may bring on coughing in winter. To nourish lung Qi in autumn, warmth should be the guiding principle; avoid relying solely on cold methods. Nourishment should also be rooted in stomach Qi, since the stomach is the foundation of the five viscera. In autumn, one should nourish Yin and favor warm foods. Indulging in cold foods or conditions at the wrong time may invite Dampness and bring on coughing in winter.

Following the Qi of autumn brings harmony to the body; going against it makes illness more likely. With proper care in autumn, the pulse should feel light and floating, like a feather; this is normal. An irregular pulse may signal illness. Those who understand how to preserve health in accord with the seasons go to bed early and rise early, waking with the light like a chicken. They gather in their spirit and do not let their intentions scatter outward, keeping lung Qi clear and pure. This is how to follow autumn Qi and preserve its quality of contraction and inward gathering.

Further, the seasonal period associated with the River Chief falls in mid-autumn, the second month of the season. You corresponds to the Hexagram of Viewing; its pitch is Nanlü. The Way of Heaven moves toward the northeast. In the heavens, it corresponds to the Taurus Palace; on earth, to the land of Zhao; and in the human body, to stomach Qi.

The stomach has the function of "storing" and receiving nourishment. The spleen and stomach are like the government office in charge of grain storage, from which all the nutrients the body needs are supplied. The spleen is responsible for storage and the stomach for reception. The qi of the spleen and stomach are interior and exterior to each other, and together they form the foundation for storing the five grains and digesting food and drink. The stomach governs the reception of food, while spleen qi grinds and digests what is eaten. When spleen qi is normal, a person can eat. When the qi of both the spleen and stomach is weak, a person cannot take in food. Eating too much injures the intestines and stomach.

Those who understand health preservation (yangsheng) follow the changes of the four seasons, nourish the five zang organs, and take stomach qi as their root. If the Chongyang pulse (chongyang mai, the pulse on the dorsum of the foot that reflects stomach qi) is cut off, the illness is critical and difficult to cure.

The points of the Foot Yangming Stomach Channel (zu yangming wei jing) include: the Jing-Well point Lidui (jing xue Lidui), located at the tip of the second toe, about one chive-leaf width from the edge of the toenail; the Ying-Spring point Neiting (ying xue Neiting), in the depression on the outer side of the second toe; the Shu-Stream point Xiangu (shu xue Xiangu), in the depression between the second and third metatarsal bones, close to the joint and two cun from Neiting; the Back-Shu point Weishu (Weishu), located on both sides below the twelfth vertebra; the Yuan-Source point Chongyang (yuan xue Chongyang), in the pulsating place of the interosseous artery on the dorsum of the foot, three cun from Xiangu; the Jing-River point Jiexi (jing xue Jiexi), one and a half cun behind Chongyang and above the ankle joint in a depression; and the He-Sea point Zusanli (he xue Zusanli), in the depression three cun below the knee, between the muscles on the outer side of the tibia. Jing-Well, Ying-Spring, Shu-Stream, Jing-River, and He-Sea are the names of the categories of points along the channels.

According to the account of the circulation of channel qi, during the day, at the yi hour, the body's qi moves through the Foot Yangming Stomach Channel; at the chen hour, it also moves through the luo (connecting) vessel of the stomach. Wu corresponds to the Right Hand Taiyang Channel and is also related to diseases of the stomach viscus. You corresponds to the eighth month and governs the Right Foot Taiyin Channel, where the body's qi is likewise on the right side and is associated with the lungs.

The course of the Foot Yangming Stomach Channel begins near the root of the nose and the middle of the forehead, connects with the Taiyang channel beside it, descends along the outer side of the nose, and enters the upper teeth. It then returns to the side of the mouth, encircles the lips, and descends to meet at the point Chengjiang beneath the lower lip. It then follows the posterior border of the lower jaw downward to the point Daying, ascends along the jawbone to the front of the ear, passes the point Kezhuren, and follows the hairline to the forehead.

The stomach belongs to Earth and flourishes in late summer (changxia). The Foot Yangming Stomach Channel is the channel of the stomach and is also the fu (bowel) of the spleen, with which it is interior and exterior. The stomach is the sea of food and drink, and all the five zang and six fu organs obtain the qi of food and drink from it. When stomach qi is excessive and the condition is one of excess, abdominal distension appears, and the drainage method should be used. When stomach qi is insufficient and the condition is one of deficiency, a person feels hungry yet cannot take in food, and there may also be diarrhea with undigested grain and vomiting; the tonifying method should be used.

The Treatise on Stomach Deficiency and Cold says: The foot Yangming stomach channel and the foot Taiyin spleen channel are interiorly and exteriorly related. Stomach qi (Qi, vital energy) delights in warmth and dislikes cold, and only when it is warmed can it transform food and drink. If stomach qi is insufficient and cold invades through the gap, the person may experience cold lower legs, inability to sleep soundly, aversion to wind, tightness of the eyes, frequent abdominal pain, fullness and gurgling in the hypochondria, alternating chills and fever, dry lips, swelling of the face and eyelids, and loss of appetite. All of these are caused by cold in the stomach.

The Treatise on Stomach Excess Heat says: When stomach qi is excessive and accumulation is obstructed, prolonged stagnation generates heat. This causes dry mouth and thirst, a yellowed complexion, confusion or mania, and loss of appetite. The passage ends with the phrase "all due to stomach cold," but given the preceding account of stagnation generating heat, the meaning should be that these symptoms arise from real heat in the stomach.

Another passage of the Treatise on Stomach Excess Heat says: When stomach qi is excessive and accumulation is blocked, prolonged stagnation generates heat. This causes dry mouth and thirst, a yellowed face, disordered mind or frenzy, and it may also bring fever with sweating, hardness and distension of the abdomen and hypochondria, and stubborn constipation. These are the corresponding symptoms.

Stomach qi is rooted in food and drink. The five grains, fruits, and vegetables can all nourish the body, but diet should be moderate and not excessive, lest it harm the body's original correct qi. Meat is not mentioned here because Daoists abstain from eating meat. Master Liu says: "The Dao (the Way) lies in the gourmand: fill the belly, let the waters flow freely, and the qi is harmonious and calm." This means that the way of nourishing life lies in eating to fullness, in free passage of excretion, and in a calm breath. Diet serves to nourish the stomach, and the stomach communicates with the kidney, which is the gateway of the stomach. The Yi (Nourishment) hexagram of the Book of Changes discusses nourishing life, and the gentleman, following its teaching, is careful in speech and restrained in eating. This is the principle it intends.

When the handle of the Dipper points to the Xu position, it is the late autumn season (the ninth lunar month). It corresponds to the Bo (Splitting) hexagram of the Book of Changes and to the pitch Wuyi among the twelve pitch-pipes. The Way of Heaven moves southward. In the heavens it corresponds to the Aries lodging (Baiyang gong), on earth to the state of Lu, and in the human body to the bladder.

The bladder is the "Zhoudu official," the officer responsible for gathering, storing, and discharging fluids.

When the handle of the Dipper points to the Xu position, it is late autumn, corresponding to the Bo hexagram and the pitch Wuyi. The Way of Heaven moves southward. In the heavens it corresponds to the Aries lodging, on earth to the state of Lu, and in the human body to the bladder.

The bladder governs the collection of bodily fluids (jinye) and stores water. Urine can be expelled only when its qi transformation (qihua) functions normally, and the bladder is like a storehouse that holds and transports fluids. The kidney and the bladder are paired (xianghe), and together they govern the fluids. The Classic says that the bladder stores fluids. If they are transformed by the qi of the Sea of Qi (Qihai, the force that drives the circulation of qi throughout the body), urine flows smoothly. If the qi of the Sea of Qi is insufficient, fluids stagnate and cannot pass.

The points on the Foot Taiyang Bladder Meridian include the Well point Zhiyin (jingxue, the point where the meridian begins), located on the outer side of the little toe, about a leaf of garlic chive's width from the edge of the nail. The Spring point Tonggu (yingxue) lies in the depression on the outer side of the little toe, in front of the root joint. The Stream point Shugu (shuxue) lies in the depression on the outer side of the little toe, behind the root joint. The Back-Shu point Pangguangshu lies two cun below the nineteenth vertebra, on either side. The Source point (yuanxue) of the bladder is Jinggu, located on the outer side of the foot, below the large bone, at the junction of red and white flesh. The River point Kunlun lies in the depression behind the outer ankle, above the heel bone. The Sea point Weizhong (hexue) lies at the center of the crease behind the knee, in the depression where the arterial pulse can be felt.

According to the correspondence between the meridians and the hours of the day, during the Kun hour (in the daytime), the qi of the body circulates in the Foot Taiyang Bladder Meridian. At the Shen hour, it circulates in the bladder's collateral vessel. Ren corresponds to the Left Hand Taiyin and is also associated with bladder diseases. Xu corresponds to the ninth month and governs the Right Foot Jueyin, and it is also linked to the right side of the body and to the heart. The Classic also mentions how points such as Kunlun and Weizhong are coordinated with these hours and body regions.

The Foot Taiyang Bladder Meridian begins at the inner corner of the eye, rises across the forehead, and meets at the crown of the head. A branch runs from the crown to the upper corner of the ear. The straight branch enters the brain from the crown, connects to the back of the head, then emerges and descends to the neck. It follows the inner border of the shoulder blade and runs along both sides of the spine to reach the lower back, where it connects with the kidney.

The bladder and the kidney are interior-exterior related (biaoli). When the bladder is diseased, swelling and pain may appear on one side of the lower abdomen. Pressing on it produces the urge to urinate, yet urine cannot be passed. If the shoulder feels hot and the pulse is sunken, and if the outer side of the little toe, the shin, and the area behind the ankle also feel hot, this indicates that the bodily fluids may already be exhausted.

The bladder belongs to Water and governs in winter, and its associated meridian is the Foot Taiyang Bladder Meridian. It is also the fu organ of the kidney. The fluids from food and drink all gather in the bladder. Some of them enter the blood vessels through qi transformation and form marrow, while the surplus fluids enter the bladder and become urine.

When the qi of the bladder is excessive, it is a repletion pattern. It may cause fever, difficult urination, and swelling and pain on one side of the lower abdomen. In this case, the draining method (xie fa) should be used. When the qi of the bladder is deficient, it is a deficiency pattern. Cold invading the body can cause the bladder to lose its ability to retain fluids, producing frequent urination in large amounts and a dark complexion. In this case, the tonifying method (bu fa) should be used.

The bladder is the organ that stores fluids, and it relies on Qi (vital energy, qi) to expel urine. When bladder Qi is deficient, the organ grows weak. Once it is weak, cold can invade through the gap, causing fluids to flow too quickly and become difficult to control. This produces frequent urination, severe lower abdominal pain, and pain in the neck, back, waist, buttocks, and behind the knees. When the bladder fails to restrain urine and bedwetting occurs, this is the cause. This pattern is called bladder deficiency cold, and it presents as frequent urination.

The bladder governs the gathering and discharge of water and fluids. Body fluids (jinye) are stored within it, and Qi is needed to expel them. When bladder Qi is excessive, a repletion pattern forms, and heat lingers and obstructs the flow. Internal symptoms include urinary retention, an inability to pass urine, and chest and abdominal fullness with irritability. External symptoms include fever, lower back pain, and dizziness. When the bladder is blocked and strangury (difficult or obstructed urination) results, this is the reason. The supplementing and draining methods used in treatment are the same as those used for the kidney channel.

Turning to the heavenly timing: Meng Dong, or early winter, is the first month of winter. It corresponds to the month of Hai, the Kun hexagram, and the pitch pipe Yingzhong (Ying Zhong) in the musical scale. The Way of Heaven moves eastward. Its celestial phenomenon corresponds above to the "Double Fish Officer" (Shuangyu Guan) and below to "Wei." Its Qi corresponds in the human body to the liver.

The liver is the "storing" organ (zang), and its paired "palace" (fu) organ is the gallbladder. Both belong to Wood in the Five Phases (wuxing). The liver's nature is mild, the qi it governs is warm, and its corresponding sound is the jue tone. The liver is strong in spring and on the jia and yi days, weak in autumn, and suffers restraint on the geng and xin days. Like a general in the body, it is responsible for planning and deliberation, and it is the dwelling place of the hun and po souls. Its glory appears in the nails. It nourishes the sinews and fascia and takes part in producing blood and qi.

Walking for too long injures the sinews, and this is a sign of liver overexertion. When the liver is damaged, the complexion and eyes become dry and dark, the mouth tastes bitter, the spirit cannot settle, fear arises, one cannot sleep alone, and vision blurs. Another view holds that great anger drives qi upward against its normal flow, which injures the liver. When the liver is injured, blood becomes deficient and the eyes grow dim. Liver qi easily gives rise to anger, and anger in turn harms the liver, so violent rage damages yin qi and the movement of qi. Liver disease may appear as pain under the ribs that extends to the lower abdomen, along with a readiness to become angry. Anger that makes qi rush upward and fail to descend also injures the liver.

The liver connects with the eyes, so its illnesses can be observed through them. The liver corresponds to the color green, its fluid is tears, its odor is rank, and among the five flavors it corresponds to sour. Sourness acts first on the liver, and the liver favors sour, but excessive sourness hardens the muscles and cracks the lips. When the liver suffers spasmodic tightness, sweetness should be used in moderation to ease it. For this reason, pungent foods are to be avoided in liver disease.

When the organs are about to fall ill, changes often show in the appearance, color, and voice. If the liver is hot, the left cheek will flush first. A greenish complexion and withered nails are signs of liver illness, and liver wind causes the eyes to take on a bluish tint. At the inner corner of the eye, near the bridge of the nose, lies the point Jingming (Bright Eyes), one on each side. Here the Hand Taiyang, Foot Taiyang, and Foot Yangming channels meet with the Yin Qiao and Yang Qiao vessels, five channels in all. If reversal (jue) of qi occurs, one may lose sight: when yang qi gathers in the upper body, the eyes seem filled with fire, and when yin qi gathers below, the feet turn cold, and if the cold is severe they swell. When kidney water is insufficient to restrain the fire of the five organs, the inner corners of the eyes may go blind. Here the "one water" refers to the water of the eyes, and the "five fires" refer to the yang qi of the five organs rising in reversal.

All the sinews are related to the eyes, which is why the liver can nourish the sinews. The knee is called the gathering place of the sinews, all the sinews converge at the genitals, and the channels terminate at the root of the tongue. Changes at the root of the tongue may also reflect liver disease. When the liver is ill, the voice may take the form of shouting, whistling, or murmuring, and may be accompanied by sighing, pulling, and clenching of the fists.

The well point of the Foot Jueyin liver channel is Dadun (Great Mound), a Wood point, located at the tip of the big toe, about the width of a leek leaf from the edge of the nail. The ying (spring) point is Xingjian (Moving Between), a Fire point, beside the big toe. The shu (stream) point is Taichong (Great Surge), an Earth point, about two cun (some say one and a half) behind the base of the big toe, at the arterial pulse. When the pulse is cut off, the condition is critical and difficult to save. The Liver Shu point lies on both sides below the ninth vertebra. The source point of the liver channel comes out of Taichong. The jing (river) point is Zhongfeng (Middle Seal), a Metal point, one cun in front of the inner ankle, located with the foot extended. The he (sea) point is Ququan (Spring at the Bend), a Water point, in the depression below the inner condyle of the knee, above the large tendon and below the small tendon.

According to the account of the times when qi moves through the channels, each night at the gui hour the human qi moves in the Foot Jueyin liver channel, and by the chou hour it moves into the liver network as well. The yi day corresponds to the Hand Taiyang channel and is also related to liver disease. The hai hour, which governs the tenth month, corresponds to the Left Foot Jueyin channel, and at this time the human qi is on the left side and is also related to the heart. The Foot Jueyin liver channel begins at the hair tuft of the big toe, runs up along the top of the foot, passes the inner ankle, and ascends the inner side of the lower leg. After crossing the Foot Taiyin channel, it continues up the back of the knee and the inner thigh, enters the pubic area, wraps around the genitals, reaches the lower abdomen, and, flanking the stomach, belongs to the liver and connects with the gallbladder.

The normal pulse of the liver and gallbladder is the taut (xian) pulse. The so-called "thief pulse" is a floating pulse. The liver's qi is mild and governs the qi of the sinews and fascia. When pathogenic qi invades the liver, pain may occur in both sides of the ribs, cold in the abdomen, and blood may stagnate. It may also affect the joints of the hands and feet and cause swelling of the feet. Liver disease can also cause fright and affect the sinews and channels. The liver dislikes wind and also fears cold, clear qi, which belongs to Metal, and Metal overcomes Wood.

The liver governs spring, and its pulse is taut and long, which is the pulse of a calm liver qi. If the pulse is deep and also floating and slippery, it is called the "thief pulse," indicating weak liver qi. Liver deficiency produces cold, with hardness under the ribs, blurred vision, dark spots before the eyes, twitching of the sinews of the legs and feet, a greenish complexion, and withered nails. There may also be sadness, fear, and an inability to breathe deeply and freely. In severe cases one becomes panicky, as if someone were about to seize them. These are signs of liver deficiency.

Liver excess produces heat, with yang qi in excess. It may appear as fullness and distension beneath the heart, eye pain, reddening of the inner corners of the eyes, a stiff neck, a rigid back, and tight sinews that cannot bend or straighten. In severe cases one becomes resentful and quick to anger. These are signs of liver excess.

The liver belongs to Wood among the Five Phases (Wuxing), corresponds to spring, and its pulse presents a taut, string-like image. The spirit it stores is the Hun (ethereal soul). Its external signs appear in the eyes, its vitality is manifested in the nails, and it nourishes the sinews. Its sound is a shout, its odor is rank and fishy, its flavor is sour, its fluid is tears, and its color is green. The liver stores blood and corresponds to the Foot Jueyin channel (the liver channel). It is paired with the gallbladder, which is a fu organ, since the liver governs the interior and the gallbladder governs the exterior. When liver Qi is vigorous, it can transform and generate blood, but if blood and Qi are in excess, illness may also arise.

When liver Qi is in excess, the eyes may be red, there is pain beneath the ribs that radiates to the lower abdomen, and the person is prone to anger. When Qi rises against its normal course, there may also be dizziness, deafness or poor hearing, and swelling of the cheeks. This is an excess of liver Qi and should be treated with draining methods.

When liver Qi is deficient, vision may be blurred, the ribs may feel tight, the sinews and vessels may cramp, deep breathing cannot be carried out comfortably, the nails may become dry and withered, the complexion turns green, and the person is easily saddened and often fearful, as if someone were about to seize them. This is a weakness of liver Qi and should be treated with tonifying methods.

In liver heat disease, the urine first turns yellow, the abdomen aches, and the person often feels drowsy. Afterward the body becomes feverish. As the heat intensifies, there may be delirium, fright, distension and pain in the flanks, restless movement of the hands and feet, and an inability to sleep. The hands and feet are where the Qi of all the yang channels begins. When Qi rushes upward, there may also be headache, as though the vessel pulses were spinning the head. The "rebellion" described here refers to the reversal of Qi's movement (qiji juensu).

Jueyin belongs to Wood, Wood corresponds to Wind, and the nature of Wind is movement, so when Wind is in excess it readily brings about shaking and change. Wind pathogens harm the body by wandering without fixed position and changing swiftly. When the interstices of the skin (the skin's texture and sweat pores) are open, the person feels chills in waves; if cold closes the interstices, there will be fever and vexation in the chest. When a person is harmed by Wind on the jia or yi days of spring, this is called liver Wind.

When liver Wind arises, one commonly sees profuse sweating, aversion to wind, easy sadness, a slightly green complexion, hoarseness or dryness of the throat, easy anger, and at times aversion to women. In diagnosis, one may observe the area beneath the eyes; if it appears green, this is the corresponding sign.

The Treatise on Liver Disease and Sinew Tension states that when liver disease produces sinew spasms, this is because the liver corresponds to the sinews. When the Qi of the Foot Jueyin channel is deficient, the channels also…

Liver disease causes the sinews and vessels to contract because the liver is paired with the sinews. When the Qi and blood of the Foot Jueyin Liver Channel are insufficient, the sinews and vessels cannot be nourished, so wind pathogens readily take advantage of the weakness, invade, and strike the sinews and vessels, causing them to tighten and contract. When wind toxin is stored in the liver, the disease Qi may also flow to the arms, head and neck, shoulders and back, waist, and feet, causing the sinews to curl tightly and producing stabbing pain. It may also cause swelling of the limbs, dizziness, blurred or darkened vision, nausea and vomiting, and loss of appetite.

Facial swelling is called "wind" because wind belongs to yang Qi. Various convulsions and dizziness are mostly attributed to the liver, while sudden stiffness and rigidity of the body are mostly attributed to wind. What is called "zhongfeng" (being struck by wind) means that wind Qi has invaded the body. Wind is the Qi of the four seasons, distributed across the eight directions, and it originally governs the growth and nourishment of all things. When wind arrives from the direction corresponding to the season, people who are attacked rarely fall into critical illness; when wind comes from a direction out of season, the sick are more likely to reach a critical condition.

When wind pathogens cause illness, they may linger between the skin and flesh, obstructing the free movement of internal Qi, and the external pathogen cannot be expelled. If they invade the channels and affect the five zang organs, different symptoms arise according to the organ attacked. A person with liver wind can often only squat and cannot lower the head. The disease seems to encircle the eyes and rise to the forehead, and the complexion takes on a slightly greenish hue. Those whose lips are blue and whose complexion is yellow can still be treated.

Some say that wind blowing through gaps can also invade the channels and affect the five zang organs, causing illness according to the organ affected, but such wind harms people only lightly. Some wind-cold pathogens remain in the channels for a long time without leaving; these are called "li feng" (malign wind) and are also called "han re" (chills and fever). Therefore, all wind diseases are related to liver wind, and wind is regarded as the beginning of a hundred diseases. When thief-winds attack frequently, empty pathogens may appear at any time, morning or evening, and one should choose the timing to avoid them. A person of the Dao avoids pathogenic influences as one dodges flying arrows and falling stones.

For liver excess patterns, sour-flavored substances may be used to drain the liver, combined with "xu qi" (a breath-regulating practice of exhalation for health). For liver deficiency patterns, pungent-flavored substances may be used to tonify the liver. In daily life, one should avoid exposure to wind; this is the method of nourishing life.

When the sequence of the seasons and solar terms changes, the months of Hai, Zi, and Chou still belong to winter, but the winter Qi moves toward the south.

In the tenth month, the body's Qi (vital energy) lies mainly on the left side and corresponds to the heart. If liver Qi is excessive, sourness may be used to drain it. If liver Qi is deficient, one should nourish it by the method of exhaling with a hiss (xu), and supplement it with pungent flavors. One must avoid facing the wind and catching cold. This is the method of nurturing life.

The seasons and the Qi-mechanism of the body change together. The months of Hai, Zi, and Chou all belong to winter, when winter Qi moves southward.

In the tenth month, the body's Qi lies on the left and corresponds to the heart. In the eleventh and twelfth months, Qi also lies on the left but corresponds to the kidneys. Winter Qi begins to move from the body's surface, which is both its starting point and, one may say, its endpoint. Some hold that it begins at the front of the body. Winter Qi penetrates to the marrow, and the relevant acupoints lie around the lower back and thighs, since the lower back is the dwelling place of the kidneys. Winter Qi corresponds to the kidneys, and related illnesses may appear in the inner body and extend to the limbs. Winter is prone to Bi (impediment) syndrome, in which Qi and blood are obstructed and the limbs become numb and painful, and to Jue (reversal) syndrome, in which the limbs turn cold and Qi moves in disorder. Yang-related illnesses may therefore also arise in winter.

In the eleventh month, the body's Qi lies on the left and corresponds to the kidneys. Winter is the season when kidney Qi is at its height, and it corresponds to the heavenly stems Ren and Gui. Ren corresponds to the left-hand Taiyin channel, and Gui to the right-hand Shaoyin channel. Winter nurturing takes stomach Qi as its root, so one should protect yin Qi and eat warm foods. If, in winter, one treats the kidneys with warming methods but thereby causes the body to catch cold, this violates the principle of seasonal nurturing.

The method of nurturing spirit and body in winter is to go out early, rise late, and wait for the sun to rise before becoming active. One should avoid the cold, draw near warmth, and not let the skin sweat. This accords with the principle that winter Qi stores and protects the body. If one does not avoid the cold, the cold Qi invades and stagnates the body's Qi-mechanism, producing abdominal distension, pain, and urgent diarrhea. At such a time the pulse should be deep and firm, like stone. If it is otherwise, the condition may be pathological. Since cold holds sway in winter, one should actively avoid it. Following this rule preserves life, while violating it damages kidney Qi. The kidneys fear both dryness and dampness, and dampness belongs to the Earth Qi.

Catching cold in winter may develop into warm disease (wenbing) in spring. Among all diseases, cold damage (shanghan) is especially harmful. According to the sequence of transmission given in the scripture, the pathogen first invades the Taiyang channel on the first day, passes to the Yangming channel on the second day, the Shaoyang channel on the third, the Taiyin channel on the fourth, the Shaoyin channel on the fifth, and the Jueyin channel on the sixth. The disease then recedes in the same order: the Taiyang illness subsides on the seventh day, Yangming on the eighth, Shaoyang on the ninth, Taiyin on the tenth, Shaoyin on the eleventh, and Jueyin on the twelfth. This describes how the pathogen passes among the twelve channels and how each channel's illness turns from excess to decline. If the illness recurs, it takes three rounds of transmission to subside, and the "three cycles" here refer to the transmission within each of the hand and foot Three Yin and Three Yang channels.

Those of ancient times who attained profound cultivation did not suffer warm disease in spring, because they were able to store their essence (Jing) and Qi in the kidneys. Essence is the root of the body. The scriptures say that essence, blood, nature, and life are one with the Dao, so the sages treasured essence because it is real and subtle. Those called "true persons" since antiquity were those skilled at remaining unbound by the transformations of generation and change, and at uniting with the Dao. "Not becoming a person through transformation" means not being governed by change so as to take on an ordinary form. One who knows how to nourish and cherish life can avoid warm disease. A principle this deep and subtle is called Miaozhen (Wondrous Truth).

The sun, moon, stars, and planets move on schedule, and the Big Dipper points to the middle month of winter. This is the month of Zi, which corresponds to the Return hexagram (Fu). In its first line, the yang qi begins to stir, revealing the original heart of Heaven and Earth, in which life renews itself without end. The season is still winter, and this is the northern direction represented by the Kan trigram, where the Mysterious Heavenly Emperor (Xuantian Shangdi, the Daoist deity also known as the True Warrior Emperor, Zhenwu Dadi) resides. The Mysterious Heavenly Emperor manifests in countless forms and presides over the rewards and punishments of human affairs, which follow their deeds as closely as a shadow follows a body. This period corresponds to Huangzhong, the first of the twelve pitch pipes (lüli). The Way of Heaven moves on toward the southeast, which in the heavens is marked by the Aquarius lunar mansion (Baoping Gong) and on the earth by the state of Qi. Its qi corresponds to the kidneys in the human body.

The kidneys are the organ that stores Jing (essence) and Qi, and the bladder is the fu-organ paired with them. Both belong to the Water phase. The kidneys are cold in nature, and excessive cold Qi will injure the body. They correspond to the yu note among the five tones, flourish in winter, and decline toward the end of the season. On the wu and ji days, they are considered a critical time.

The kidneys govern strength and skill, and Jing is stored within them. Their glory shows in the hair, and they nourish the marrow. There are two kidneys. The left kidney stores the Zhi (will) and governs volition. The right kidney is called the Gate of Life (Mingmen) and stores Jing. The kidneys belong to Yin and are the root of the five organs. They govern the marrow and teeth throughout the body. Teeth are the root of the bones, and some say they are the surplus of the bones. Standing for long periods injures the bones, because it fatigues the kidneys.

When the kidneys are depleted, there are often symptoms such as difficulty bending or turning the back, poor urination, urine that is red or yellow and dribbles, pain in the penis, dampness in the genitals, sores on the scrotum, and fullness and urgency in the lower abdomen. Heavy lifting and sitting for long periods in damp places also harm the kidneys. Once the kidneys are injured, Jing diminishes, and the patient experiences lower back and spinal pain and cold hands and feet.

The kidneys open into the ears and connect with the anterior and posterior yin orifices. The state of the kidneys can be observed through the ears. Among the five colors, the kidneys correspond to black. Their fluid is saliva, its smell is like decay, and its flavor is salty. The salty flavor enters the kidneys first, and the kidneys favor it. However, salty flavors also affect the blood vessels, so people with blood disorders should not eat much salt. Eating too much salt causes the vessels to stagnate and alters the complexion. It may also cause muscle atrophy, disorder of the heart Qi, and disturbance of the Qi of the bones.

After kidney depletion, one should give particular attention to nourishing the bones. Illnesses in the Yin aspect of the kidneys often show up in the bones. If a person cannot walk or stand for long, and the body sways, this indicates that the strength of the bones is about to fail. Forcing further exertion will then damage kidney Qi and injure the bones. The scripture states, "One who keeps strength lives; one who loses strength dies," to show that a robust body has vitality, while a weakened one faces mortal danger.

The kidneys prefer firmness, so bitter flavors may be used to consolidate and nourish them, and salty flavors may be used to drain them. If the kidneys are dry and agitated, pungent flavors may be used to moisten them. The kidneys dislike dryness and also fear dampness, which is related to the Earth Qi. When Jing gathers in the kidneys, it produces fear, and excessive fear also harms the kidneys. In treating illness, one may ask the patient which flavors they prefer in order to determine the cause.

Outward signs of kidney disease can be read from the complexion. A blue-black hue is often associated with pain, and a white hue is often associated with cold. When the kidneys are hot, the chin may turn red; the chin is the area below the mouth. Kidney heat may also darken the complexion and cause dry, withered teeth. Kidney wind can darken the flesh or skin. Kidney Qi connects with the ears; when kidney Qi is harmonious, the ears can hear all sounds clearly. In kidney disease, the voice changes, and there may be yawning, sneezing, moaning, and trembling.

The scripture also says that the Jing of each of the five organs pours into the kidneys as the organs carry out their activities. The kidneys function as a pivot where Jing gathers and is regulated.

The points of the Foot Shaoyin Kidney Channel (the meridian that runs through the foot and connects with the kidneys) include the Well point Yongquan, located in the hollow at the center of the sole; the Ying point Ranggu, located in the hollow in front of the large bone below the inner ankle; the Shu point Taixi, located in the hollow behind the inner ankle, above the heel bone; and the He point Yingu, located on the inner side of the knee, behind the auxiliary bone, between the tendons. The scripture also mentions the Shenshu point, located two cun beside the fourteenth vertebra. The Yuan source point of the kidneys is Taixi, and there is also the Jing point Fuliu, located two cun above the inner ankle. When the meridian pulse ceases, this is considered a critical sign that is difficult to treat.

The scripture explains how the Qi of the human body circulates through the channels according to the hours of the day. During the Geng hour in the daytime, Qi moves through the Foot Shaoyin Kidney Channel. At the You hour, it also moves through the luo-connecting vessel of the kidneys. The Gui correspondence is linked to the Left Hand Shaoyin Channel, and its Qi is also related to kidney disease. The channels and Qi circulation associated with the Zi hour are also said to relate to the kidneys.

The Foot Shaoyin Kidney Channel is called the channel of winter. It begins beneath the little toe, runs obliquely to the center of the sole, passes below Ranggu, and enters the heel by way of the back of the inner ankle. It then ascends along the inner side of the lower leg, the inner side of the knee, and the back of the thigh. It runs through the spine, belongs to the kidneys, and connects with the bladder.

When the kidney pulse is calm, it is deep and has a gentle, moderating quality. If the body and breath show no obvious signs of illness, yet the pulse Qi is abnormally excessive, this may be a dangerous sign. If the body and breath are weak but the pulse Qi still has vitality, recovery can still be hoped for. The scripture concludes by stressing that the pulse bears on the safety of life and is of great significance. The general principles of pulse diagnosis list twenty-four pulse types.

The floating pulse belongs to yang and often signals heat patterns, pain, vomiting, abdominal distension, oppression in the chest and epigastrium, panting, cold hands and feet, internal stagnation, and abdominal fullness with loss of appetite. Under the fingers, a floating pulse is like duckweed on the surface of water or a cloud drifting in the wind.

The choppy pulse (kou mai) cannot be felt under firm pressure but can be sensed with light touch. The Classic holds that dribbling, painful urination may be caused by blood loss.

The surging pulse (hong mai) may appear with distension, pain, fever, and restlessness. Its force is like a rushing current, with waves rising.

The slippery pulse may appear with vomiting, abdominal fullness, cough, and fever, and it may also relate to hidden phlegm, food retention, blood stasis, amenorrhea, and the conditions the Classic describes as "ghosts" and "blood-qi." Here, "ghost" is an ancient disease name or etiological concept. The Classic calls these conditions "all excess," so the pulse feels smooth and rounded, like beads rolling.

The rapid pulse (shu mai), meaning a pulse with a faster rate, may appear with fever, weakness, vomiting, pain, thirst, and oppression in the chest and abdomen.

The hurried pulse (cu mai) may relate to qi, blood, retained fluid (yin, meaning water held within the body), food, and phlegm. The Classic states that when yang qi predominates, the pulse is often hurried, and when yin qi predominates, it is often knotted.

The wiry pulse (xian mai) may appear with cold patterns, pain, retained fluid, malaria, water qi, insufficient central qi, cold hands and feet, sinew tightness, and cold accumulation. It feels like a taut bowstring. The Classic also notes that when the pulse is pressed or lifted, it seems almost impossible to feel.

The tight pulse (jin mai) is mostly associated with cold patterns, and it may also appear with pain in the head, bones, and muscles, as well as with cough and panting. It is like a rope drawn tight.

The deep pulse (chen mai) may appear with excess patterns, water qi, cold patterns, and panting, as well as with zheng jia (abdominal masses, a class of conditions in which lumps form inside the abdomen).

The hidden pulse (fu mai) may appear with cholera, shan jia (hernial masses), water qi, diarrhea, phlegm and food stagnation, qi rushing upward, and festering sores that have penetrated deep into the flesh.

The soft pulse (ru mai) may appear with weakness, bi (painful obstruction) syndrome, spontaneous sweating, weak qi, and heaviness in the lower limbs. The Classic also mentions that a soft, weak pulse may accompany internal heat with external cold, spontaneous sweating, and difficult urination.

The leathery pulse (ge mai), whose form is firm and whose outer edge feels tight, was thought by the ancients to relate to deficiency and cold in qi and blood (qi xue) and to tightness in the pulse channels (mai dao). It may appear with fullness, acute tension, or a clash between deficiency and cold. The word ge carries the sense of discarding the old and changing, and it also describes a pulse that feels knotted and does not shift under the fingers.

The full pulse (shi mai) reflects a vigorous pathogenic qi, while the empty pulse (xu mai) appears when jing qi (essential qi) is depleted.

The minute pulse (wei mai) is faint and weak. It often accompanies weakness, nosebleeds, vomiting, diarrhea, excessive sweating, tight sinews, internal cold, and scanty qi. The choppy pulse (se mai), whose movement is slow and labored, belongs to yin and may appear with blood deficiency, excessive sweating, insufficient qi, qi rising against cold, diarrhea, and heart pain. If a person does not drink enough water and fluids are insufficient, the pulse channels move poorly, and the pulse will naturally become choppy.

The fine pulse (xi mai) is extremely thin and soft. When it is so faint as to be barely perceptible, it is called the minute pulse; when it is only slightly more apparent, it is generally called the fine pulse. It is associated with a scarcity of zhen qi (true qi) and may accompany aching calves, cold in the marrow, fatigue, and depletion of jing qi.

The soft pulse (ruan mai) is extremely pliant, floating, fine, and moist, like thin silk drifting on water, which can be felt with light pressure. The ancients linked it to blood deficiency and a pulse that lacks fullness.

The weak pulse (ruo mai) is feeble and empty and may appear in wind-heat and spontaneous sweating. It is governed by yin and is also associated with weakness and palpitations. Its form is soft, floating, fine, and moist, like silk in water, detectable with light pressure. The ancients attributed this to blood deficiency and a pulse that lacks substance.

The empty pulse (xu mai) may appear in cold patterns, weakness, timidity, frailty, difficulty digesting food, and heat stroke. If the body's original qi (yuan qi) is not secured, and the nutrient qi (ying qi) and defensive qi (wei qi) lose their protection, and qi and blood are depleted, these conditions show in the pulse, which naturally feels soft and empty.

The scattered pulse (san mai) signals danger. If the qi of the six fu organs collapses at the surface, there may be cold hands and feet and qi rushing upward. If the qi of the five zang organs collapses within, there may be persistent diarrhea and, in severe cases, numbness and loss of sensation. A pulse that is disordered and fails to gather points to a serious condition.

According to this account, the slow pulse (huan mai), when it appears in the lower part of the body, may be associated with wind, cold, weakness, bi syndrome (obstruction of qi and blood causing numbness and pain in the limbs), pain, dulled sensation, qi deficiency, and dizziness.

The tardy pulse (chi mai), whose beats come slowly, may appear in cold patterns. The text also lists the slow pulse among those that may be associated with wind, cold, weakness, bi syndrome, pain, dulled sensation, qi deficiency, and dizziness.

The slow pulse (chi mai), in which the pulse beat comes slowly, indicates cold patterns and also pain. Many yin-type cold conditions may present with it. When cold pathogens impede the smooth flow of qi and blood and cause fluid to stagnate, swelling (edema) can appear.

The knotted pulse (jie mai), in which the pulse pauses at times and then resumes, indicates phlegm, retained fluid (accumulations of water), blood stasis, and qi stagnation. A person breathes about 13,500 times in a day and night. If the pulse stops partway and then continues beating, it may be called a knotted pulse. Some hold that a pulse that comes and goes, gathering and then receding, is also a knotted pulse. When qi movement is blocked in the limbs and continuous pain frequently occurs, this also belongs to the conditions governed by the knotted pulse.

The intermittent pulse (dai mai), in which the pulse regularly pauses and is then taken up by the pulse of another organ, reflects the exhaustion of one organ's breath, which is replaced by the breath of other organs. People who show this pulse are often thin and weak, and may even be unable to speak, indicating that their innate primordial qi has become extremely depleted.

Moving pulses (dong mai, pulses with pronounced throbbing) can be seen in pain, fright, convulsions, and diarrhea. When yang qi tries to descend but is blocked by yin qi, and yin qi tries to ascend but is blocked by yang qi, the two contend with each other. The movement of qi (qi ji) cannot rise or fall, so the pulse surges as if struck by a drumbeat, and the form of the moving pulse appears. Therefore, when the yang pulse stirs, it indicates insufficient yang qi, and when the yin pulse stirs, it indicates insufficient yin qi.

The classic says that pulse diagnosis serves to judge life and death, to distinguish and treat the hundred diseases, and to regulate repletion and deficiency, and that physicians must not fail to understand it. If a repletion pattern is tonified as though it were deficient, or a deficiency pattern is drained as though it were repletion, one harms what is already deficient and feeds what is already excessive. The reason this leads to death is then plain.

The character for "pulse" (mai) is explained as follows. The human pulse corresponds to the phases of the moon and takes its image from the Kan trigram of the Bagua (Eight Trigrams), which symbolizes water and the moon. The water within the pulse can be divided into three places. The upper part is like the water of the Upper Pool (shangchi), the middle part is like the water of the Middle Pool, and the lower part is like the pulse of the Surging Multitude (yong zhong). These waters circulate and pour into one another, like water flowing into the xing (spring) points and pouring into great streams. One who understands that the waters of the three places interconnect can nourish life and extend longevity. This inexhaustible fluid comes close to the Dao (the Way). The former master said, "The kidney channel belongs to water. A single drop of water from the Upper Pool has sustained me until now." The key to nourishing life lies in harmonizing the breath.

The kidney stores the qi of the marrow, and kidney qi is cold. Cold belongs to yin. If cold pathogens invade the kidney, bone pain and yin bi (an impediment pain that cannot be detected even by pressing on the area) may arise. Yin bi may show as abdominal distension, lumbar pain, difficult bowel movements, and pain in the shoulders, back, neck, and nape, and it sometimes causes dizziness. Kidney disease may also present as swelling of the abdomen and neck, panting and cough, heaviness of the body, sweating during sleep, and aversion to wind. The disease may further involve the small joints between the muscles and the marrow.

The kidney belongs to water and is most vigorous in winter. Its pulse is deep and firm, like a stone. The external sign of the kidney appears at the ears. Its associated sound is groaning, its odor is rotten, its taste is salty, its fluid is saliva, and it nourishes the bones. Its color is black, and its associated mental faculty is zhi (will). The Foot Shaoyin Kidney Channel (zu shaoyin shen jing) is paired with the bladder. The bladder is a fu (hollow organ) that governs water on the body's surface, while the kidney is a zang (solid organ) that governs water within the body.

When kidney qi is in excess, there may be abdominal distension, undigested food passing in the stool, edema, panting and cough, sweating, aversion to wind, a dark complexion, and yellow urine. This is kidney qi repletion, and draining (xie fa) should be applied. When kidney qi is deficient, there may be cold limbs, cold lower back and back, chest pain, and tinnitus or diminished hearing. This is kidney qi deficiency, and tonifying (bu fa) should be applied.

The general discussion of the kidneys holds that the Foot Shaoyin Kidney Channel and the Foot Taiyang Bladder Channel are interiorly and exteriorly related. The kidneys correspond to winter and belong to the Water phase of the Five Phases (Wu Xing). Their pulse is deep and submerged, and they nourish the marrow and bones. They store Jing (essence) and Zhi (will), and their external signs appear in the ears. The sound they produce is a groan, the odor is rank and putrid, the flavor is salty, the fluid is saliva, and the color is black. They govern the closing and storing of Qi (vital energy).

Accordingly, in winter one should go to bed early and rise late, waiting for the sun to come out before becoming active. One should avoid the cold, seek warmth, and not disturb the body's yang qi, in order to accord with winter's pattern of closing and storing. If one goes against the winter qi, yin cannot be stored and nourished, and kidney qi will stagnate on its own. When kidney qi is in excess, the signs include distension and fullness in the lower abdomen, dark yellow urine, residual dribbling after urination, or frequent urination accompanied by pain.

When the kidneys are affected by heat disease, the initial symptoms are lower back pain, aching calves, thirst, frequent drinking, and fever. Cold pathogens contracted in winter may develop into seasonal warm epidemics by spring and into heat diseases by summer. When heat pathogens contend within the body, the neck becomes stiff and painful, the calves feel cold and ache, the lower body is hot, and the patient does not want to speak. When the disease progresses in a reversed, chaotic direction, the neck remains painful and the body becomes restless. Excess kidney heat may be triggered by wind pathogens, and both the flesh and the skin may turn black.

Being struck by pathogens on the days Ren and Gui in winter is called kidney wind (shen feng). Kidney wind commonly presents with profuse sweating, aversion to wind, facial swelling, back pain that prevents straightening, a dark complexion, and blockage in urination, defecation, and the genitals. In diagnosis, one may observe black changes in the skin. The kidney belongs to Water, and water qi is cold, a yin cold qi. When kidney pathogens invade the liver, the tears become cold. In severe cases the tears stagnate, the sinews and vessels contract tightly, the complexion darkens, urination, defecation, and genital function are impaired, and bone pain accompanies these symptoms.

When the kidneys pass cold pathogens to the liver, the result may be abscess-like swelling and shortness of breath. The liver governs the storage of blood. Once cold pathogens invade, yang qi cannot disperse, so blood becomes congested and qi movement is obstructed. When pathogens lodge in the kidneys, bone pain and yin bi (obstructive pain caused by yin cold) may appear. In yin bi, pressing on the affected area often makes the site of disease hard to locate. Other signs include abdominal distension, lower back pain, difficulty defecating, pain in the shoulders, back, and neck, and occasionally dizziness.

When wind, cold, and damp pathogens attack together, they form bi syndrome (bi zheng, painful obstruction). When cold predominates, the movement of fluids is obstructed and edema appears. Insufficiency of the kidney's will may cause qi to rise in chaotic counterflow. After pathogens strike the kidney qi, fluids cannot be distributed properly downward, the body becomes dry and parched, and defecation becomes difficult. Spasm and contraction caused by cold pathogens are mostly related to the kidneys. Reversal disorders, blockage, and diarrhea mostly relate to the lower part of the body. Fluids discharged during illness that are thin, clear, and cold generally indicate a cold pattern.

When using cold-natured medicines or methods, one should avoid cold seasons. If this principle is violated and cold pathogens intensify, the body becomes congealed and obstructed, producing abdominal fullness and pain, and even urgent diarrhea. Cold pathogens also injure the body's structure, leading to guange (blockage of the upper and lower gates), stiffness of the lower back and spine, reduced appetite, and fatigue. These belong to kidney deficiency.

When a person has two deficiencies at once, the condition can be extremely critical. One is inability to pass urine, and the other is urinating dozens of times a day. If the Taiyin pulse (the pulse of the Hand Taiyin Lung Channel) becomes as fine as a hair, this signals that the body is about to fail. For deficiency of physical form, one should nourish with warm qi. For deficiency of Jing, one should supplement with food and drink. Taking remedies that combine qi and flavor can replenish Jing and qi. Kidney deficiency may be treated with bitter flavors, while kidney excess is drained with salty flavors. Following the methods for regulating kidney qi, one adjusts the breath using the character chui (blow), aiming to restore tranquility and health. The above is the general outline of kidney nourishment.

The twelfth lunar month, the last month of winter, corresponds to the hexagram Lin (Approach) and the earthly branch Chou. Its pitch pipe is Dalü (Great Pitch). In the heavens, the Way turns westward, and the corresponding celestial lodging is Mojie. On earth, the corresponding region is the state of Wu. In the human body, this seasonal qi corresponds to the spleen (pí).

The spleen is a zang organ, and the stomach is its paired fu organ. The spleen belongs to Earth, governs the final month of each season, is constrained in spring, and weakens on the days of the Jia and Yi stems. It corresponds to the gong note and the color yellow. Its nature combines stillness with gentleness. It nourishes the muscles, its external indicator is the lips, its flavor is sweet, its fragrance is aromatic, its secretion is saliva, and its sound resembles singing. The spleen stores intention (yì), and when mental activity arises from intention it produces pondering. Excessive pondering injures the spleen. The spleen resembles the official who manages the granary, and it is the root from which nourishment and transformation arise. When spleen qi is harmonious, the five flavors can be properly transformed and assimilated.

The spleen's glory is manifested around the lips and is sustained in the muscles. The human muscles correspond to the earth. Prolonged sitting injures the flesh and also strains the spleen. When the spleen is strained, the root of the tongue becomes bitter and stiff, and swallowing saliva becomes difficult. Another view holds that overeating injures the spleen. When the spleen is damaged, one is prone to belching and a desire to lie down, the complexion turns yellow, and speech is affected. Irregular diet and excessive fatigue also harm the spleen. The spleen opens into the mouth, and only when its qi is harmonious can one discern the flavors of the five grains.

The spleen is the most yin within yin, and the Earth of the spleen is located in the southwest. It governs the final month of each season. In winter, one should not massage or guide the limbs through daoyin exercises, and the months of Chen, Wei, and Xu carry their own regimen restrictions. Those who cultivate life should take special care to nourish the spleen. The spleen delights in sweetness: sweet flavors enter the spleen first and nourish the muscles. When the muscles are diseased, one should not eat much sweet food, since excess causes bone pain and hair loss. When the spleen needs relaxation, sweet foods may be eaten to harmonize it. When the spleen suffers from dampness, bitter flavors should be taken in moderation to dry it. The spleen dislikes excessive warmth in clothing, overeating, dwelling in damp places, and damp garments. It dislikes dampness and also fears wind. Wind belongs to Wood, and Wood qi can disturb the spleen, which belongs to Earth. When essence-qi gathers in the spleen and heat is present within it, the complexion turns yellow, the muscles twitch, and the nose reddens first. The nose sits at the center of the face, and Earth occupies the center. Abnormal changes of the spleen may also appear as singing, laughing, hiccups, belching, or a low, choked voice.

The Well point of the Foot Taiyin Spleen Channel is Yinbai, located on each side, at the inner corner of the big toe, about the width of a leek leaf from the nail. The Ying point is Dadu, in the depression behind the joint at the base of the big toe. The Shu point is Taibai, in the depression on the inner side of the foot, below the head of the first metatarsal. The back-shu point Pishu lies beside the eleventh thoracic vertebra. The Yuan point is also Taibai. The Jing point is Shangqiu, in the depression slightly forward and below the inner ankle. The He point is Yinlingquan, on each side, below the inner condyle of the tibia, on the inner side of the knee.

During the daytime, at the Xun hour (roughly 9 to 11 a.m.), the body's qi moves into the Foot Taiyin Spleen Channel. At the Si hour (also roughly 9 to 11 a.m.), qi moves into the spleen's collateral. Si corresponds to the Right Hand Shaoyang, and its qi is also associated with diseases of the spleen. Chou corresponds to the twelfth month and is linked to the Left Foot Shaoyin, so the body's qi is also on the left side and corresponds with the kidney.

The Foot Taiyin Spleen Channel begins at the tip of the big toe and runs forward along the boundary between red and white flesh on the inner side of the big toe. It passes behind the wrist bone and along the front of the inner ankle, then ascends along the inner side of the lower leg, behind the tibia. It crosses in front of the Jueyin channel, continues up past the knee, and along the front edge of the inner thigh, entering the abdomen. It belongs to the spleen, connects with the stomach, and then rises through the diaphragm, flanks the throat, connects to the root of the tongue, and spreads beneath the tongue.

When the spleen's pulse is calm, it is slow. If the pulse is taut and tense, it is considered unfavorable. When the pulse is abnormal, the body's qi also becomes abnormal. The spleen governs the qi of the muscles, and when spleen qi is disordered, the stomach also falls ill and the muscles ache. Spleen disease commonly causes discomfort at the root of the tongue, so the relevant shu points for spleen disorders lie along the spine on the back.

Spleen disease may manifest as heaviness of the body, weak muscles, weak legs that cannot be lifted or controlled, cramping while walking, and pain in the soles of the feet. The spleen belongs to Earth, governs the Late Summer season, has a slow pulse, shows its external signs at the mouth, has a singing voice, a fragrant aroma, and a sweet taste, secretes saliva, nourishes the body and its muscles, is yellow in color, and stores intention. Its channel is the Foot Taiyin Spleen Channel. The spleen is paired with the stomach: the stomach is a fu organ and governs the exterior, while the spleen is a zang organ and governs the interior.

When spleen qi is in excess, the body shows abnormalities. If spleen qi is in surplus, one may experience abdominal distension, difficult urination, heaviness of the body, constant hunger, weak legs that cannot be lifted, cramping while walking, and pain in the soles of the feet. This is spleen repletion, and the drainage method should be used. When spleen qi is deficient, the limbs lack strength, and there may be diarrhea, undigested food, vomiting, abdominal bloating, and borborygmi. This is spleen vacuity, and the tonifying method should be used.

The spleen occupies the center of the body and governs midsummer and the final month of each season. A spleen pulse that comes forcefully yet gently indicates that spleen Qi (qi) is normal, while a pulse that is deep, fine, and soft indicates spleen deficiency. When the spleen is deficient, one experiences fullness and distension in the chest and abdomen, inability to digest food, vomiting and diarrhea, weak limbs, shortness of breath, and an aversion to hearing voices. One may also dream of eating without ever feeling satisfied. These are all manifestations of spleen deficiency.

A soft pulse at the right hand guan position likewise indicates spleen deficiency, with the same symptoms as above. If the pulse at the right guan position is taut and firm, it indicates spleen repletion. In spleen repletion, a person feels heavy in the body and finds it difficult to turn over. There is oppressive heat and fullness in the chest, dry and cracked lips, pain in the cheeks, irritability, obstruction in the throat, stiffness or sores at the root of the tongue, a low and muffled voice, dreams of singing and music during sleep, and listlessness in the limbs.

When the spleen suffers from a heat disease, the head at first feels heavy, the cheeks ache, the person is irritable, the complexion turns greenish, and there is nausea with fever. If the heat is severe, the sinews slacken, the bones weaken, and the muscles waste away. The original text is missing a character at this point. A later passage states that when heat evils contend, there is pain in the lower back, inability to bend or lean forward, abdominal distension with diarrhea, and pain beneath both sides of the jaw. If the illness reverses its course, death may occur on a jia day or a yi day.

The spleen governs the physical form. Excess pathogenic influence affecting the body causes abdominal bloating and difficulty with defecation and urination. The spleen dislikes dampness, and excessive dampness produces watery diarrhea and, in severe cases, blocked excretion of fluids and swelling of the limbs. Therefore, swelling caused by various dampness patterns is mostly related to the spleen.

When spleen Qi is in excess, it may also generate wind. Invasion by pathogenic Qi on a wu or ji day in late summer is called "spleen wind." Spleen wind commonly presents with profuse sweating, aversion to wind, bodily fatigue, unwillingness to move the limbs, a sallow yellow complexion, and loss of appetite. In diagnosis, one examines the nose, and a yellow nasal color is a sign of spleen wind. The nose lies at the center of the face and symbolizes the yielding nature of Kun earth. The classic holds that people of the central region eat a varied diet and labor little, and so they are prone to flaccid limb disorders. When they are sensitive to cold or heat, treatment with daoyin (guided movement and breathing) and anqiao (pressing and stretching) is suitable. The above explains the principles behind yellow complexion in spleen disease and yellow nose in spleen wind.

When spleen disease is excessive, bitter medicinals are suitable for draining the excess Qi. Specific treatment should follow the regular patterns of Qi movement, using breathing to clear the channels of Qi. On inhalation, Qi enters with yin; on exhalation, Qi exits with yang.

If the spleen's function is weak, sweet flavors are suited to tonifying it. One may also raise the shoulders and draw in the neck, while pressing and treading on the body to assist regulation.

Yuanyuan Daomiao Dongzhen Jipian (Continuation of the Wondrous Dao of the Source, Dongzhen Section), First Part, concludes here.

Yuanyuan Daomiao Dongzhen Jipian, Second Part. Compiled and annotated by Li Jingyuan, a disciple of the Zhenyuan Gate.

In his study of the five viscera, Master Lu explains that the human throat contains three passages, through which food, air, and water respectively pass, working in coordination and in sequence. Food and water share one passage and enter the stomach together. Another passage leads to the lungs and connects with the Hand Taiyin Lung Channel (shou taiyin fei jing, a channel name). The lung channel descends through the abdomen, reaches the spine, turns below the navel, and joins the Conception, Penetrating, and Governing Vessels at the Dantian (dantian), the Sea of Qi below the navel, an important site in traditional health cultivation and Neidan (neidan, internal alchemy). The Dantian is where the body's vital qi gathers. It lies three cun below the navel, measures about four cun square, sits between the spine and the kidneys, and is also called the "Great Sea." The text describes the breath-qi stored within the Dantian as a "divine turtle in water."

When the primordial qi (yuanqi) moves upward, it passes beside the navel, connects with the stomach, pierces the liver and the diaphragm, and enters the lungs. The rising and falling of lung qi governs the coming and going of breath, which reflects the principle by which qi moves through the body. The author holds that breathing depends precisely on the airway that leads to the lungs.

After food and water enter the stomach, the Dantian's qi alone drives digestion and transforms them into dregs. Once the grain and fluids separate into clear and turbid, they are conveyed through the small and large intestines, and Yin and Yang qi play a role in this process. When Yang qi is sufficient, the food and fluids are dissolved and transformed. When Yin qi predominates, the dregs are hard to digest and may form cold pain. Through this the author explains the disharmony of rising and falling Yin and Yang: when Yang qi is obstructed, Yin cannot descend, and when Yin lacks the propelling force of Yang, it cannot ascend either.

Below the throat, the two lobes of the lungs can be seen, covering the other organs like a canopy. Beneath the lungs lies the heart, enclosed in a fatty membrane tinged with reddish yellow. Human hearts differ in shape, appearing pointed, long, round, or flat, and their colors vary among black, red, blue, and yellow, while their surface patterns and openings also differ. Below the heart is the diaphragm, and beneath it lies the stomach. The stomach is curved and coiled, can hold several sheng of food, and is wrapped in yellow fat that resembles a banner's flame.

On the left side of the stomach are two lobes of the liver, and the shorter lobe bears the gallbladder. The spleen lies on the left of the stomach and shares a membrane with it. Its shape resembles the liver of a reddish-purple horse. Below the spleen is the small intestine, which coils fifteen times, is clean and unobstructed, and is responsible for digesting food and conveying it onward. On the right is the large intestine, which coils sixteen times. It contains dregs, is wrapped in yellow fat on the outside, and forms a single connected whole with the small intestine. Further down is the bladder, the sac that stores urine. The bladder itself is clean, and urine does not enter directly through an external opening. Instead, through the transforming action of qi, fluids gather within it and become urine. The Inner Canon states: "The bladder is the official responsible for gathering water and fluids, and the fluids are stored within it. Only after qi transformation can urine be expelled."

The large intestine is the passage through which dregs are discharged. The root of the five viscera is the kidney. When a person's kidney is deficient, the kidney water is insufficient. Many people treat this with drying, heating medicines without realizing the harm this causes, and it would be better to nourish the body with suitable flavors. The text also states that "the lung is the mother of Yin," which expresses the relationship between the lungs and Yin qi.

The author holds that once one understands the organs, one should also observe the back points that correspond to the five viscera (shu xue, points in acupuncture linked to the organs) and use them to examine the body's vigor or decline and its changes toward life or death. This is called the sage's method of "carrying the Yellow River upstream," a practice of reversing the flow of qi. According to the text, two kidneys lie one and a half cun to each side below the fourteenth vertebra. Each is wrapped in yellow fat, and each connects with two important channels. After the channels pass the Pingyi point, they run down along the spine. At the end of the spine is a large bone, about the size of half a palm, and between its joints are two points belonging to the Kidney Channel. The Kidney Channel ascends along the back to reach the Niwan (niwan, Mud Pellet) and Naohu (naohu, Door of the Brain) region. The brain is where the marrow gathers.

If a practitioner masters this method of moving qi, does not carelessly leak essence, and causes the qi to flow upward against its course until it reaches the Niwan, then the practitioner can complete the "Great Elixir" (da dan), an important achievement of Neidan practice, and thereby attain long life and enduring vision. The text says that the Yellow Emperor practiced this Dao and ascended to immortality. Afterward, Anqi Sheng is recorded in the Biographies of Immortals as living three thousand years, and Peng Zu as living eight hundred years. In the author's view, ascending to immortality and remaining in the world for a long time are therefore both states that can be attained.

Langranzi, in cultivating Waidan (external alchemy), comprehended the essential principle of the indistinct and the profound; in practicing internal Qi, he also understood its circulation pathways and the source of embryonic breathing (the cultivation method of regulating the breath to nourish Qi). Before his cultivation had reached ten full years, people marveled that his face did not age; his age had already passed sixty, yet he himself felt as if newly renewed. Within the human body there is inherently a road leading to the heavenly realm, and on the back there are patterns for transcending the mundane world. Along both sides of the spine, from the Weilü (tailbone) up to the crown gate at the top of the head—this is the fundamental path of cultivation. One should constantly swallow the jade liquid produced in Huachi (the saliva in the mouth); Zifu Yuanjun (the Original Lord of the Purple Mansion, a spirit residing in the body’s Purple Mansion) will guide it upward. By constantly causing the Qi to penetrate the joints, Jing and Qi will naturally become abundant, and Gushen (the mysterious Qi that sustains life) will endure. In Waidan one must understand the changes of fire phases; in Neidan (internal alchemy) one must constantly operate according to the principle of reverse upward flow. Even if one meets again after a thousand years, one’s appearance would be as renewed as it is now. Do not say the Great Dao (the Way) is difficult to comprehend; it is only that dull people refuse to learn immortality.

When Master Liu spoke of the Supreme Qi Formula (a superior method of Qi), someone suddenly laughed at it because it concerned matters of suffering and spirits. In fact, this was because they had not grasped the profound cultivation method and made errors in applying it; thus it did not prove effective, and they criticized it instead.

Recently, a woman was possessed by a ghost. The Junior Preceptor performed a ritual to drive it out, but the ghost turned and pursued him, so the Junior Preceptor had no choice but to flee. As he passed the Hall of the Perfected Lord, the teacher happened to see it and promptly seized the ghost. After dealing with it, the teacher explained the reason in detail: that day was a Jiazi day, and the Junior Preceptor had mistakenly used the divine generals and troops of the Yichou day, which was why the ghost pursued him; the teacher, by contrast, used the divine generals and troops belonging to the Jiazi day itself, and only then captured the ghost. This shows that even a very slight error in Zhengyi (Orthodox Unity) ritual methods (the ritual procedures of the Zhengyi Dao) can produce consequences like this; how much more so if Qi methods are improperly applied—they will naturally fail to be effective, and it is no wonder that some people laugh at them. The various classics are vast and profound, and when one wishes to identify the cause of an illness, it is often difficult to find the thread quickly; if the key contents were distilled and the manifestations of various illnesses explained, opening the volume would make consultation easy. In this way, practitioners of self-cultivation could eliminate illness and restore health, and then proceed to cultivate the subtle true Dao—is this not deeply meaningful?

A member of the Zhenyuan Gate said to Mingtong: If one wishes to accord with the Heavenly Dao and punish evil deeds, there is nothing more suitable than transmitting the teachings.