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The *Nan Jing* (Classic of Difficult Issues), Chapter 44, states: The lips are called the Flying Gate (Feimen); the teeth are called the Household Gate (Humen); the epiglottis is called the Inhaling Gate (Ximen); the upper orifice of the stomach is called the Constricting Gate (Benmen); the lower orifice of the Tai Cang (Stomach) is called the Hidden Gate (Youmen); the junction of the large and small intestines is called the Screen Gate (Lanmen); the anus is called the Corporeal Soul Gate (Pomen): these are known as the Seven Rush Gates (Qichongmen). People only know that food and drink enter through the Flying Gate, and waste excreta exit through the Corporeal Soul Gate. They do not understand that these so-called "gates" have opening and closing mechanisms, and rotating pivots; the entry and exit of Shen Qi (Spiritual Energy) all pass through these gates. For instance, at the Inhaling Gate, one must first exhale before being able to inhale, similar to how a windlass has both ascending and descending motions. Among the things humans rely on for nourishment, nothing is more important than diet. If food and drink cannot be swallowed, and urination and defecation are obstructed, it is often due to the stagnation of Qi mechanism (Qi Ji). People only know about descending but fail to recognize ascending and lifting, much like the rope of a windlass: if the west side cannot descend, it is because the east side is obstructed and cannot ascend. Therefore, it is said: "If you wish to guide downwards, you must first lift upwards." This refers to this principle.

Zhang Zhicong comments: There are factors that hinder ascending, and factors that hinder descending; one should carefully distinguish and treat them accordingly. However, one cannot absolutely assume that ascending must precede descending.

The East generates Wind, which is the Qi of Spring; the Center generates Dampness, which is the Qi of Earth, dominating the transition between Summer and Autumn; hence it is said, "Autumn injury by Dampness." (Master Yu says: Earth governs the seventh and eighth months of the four seasons, i.e., the seventh and eighth lunar months, hence it is said, "Autumn injury by Dampness.") The upper half of the body is Yang, and the lower half is Yin; above the waist is Heaven, and below the waist is Earth. Thus, Yang represents Heavenly Qi and governs the exterior; Yin represents Earthly Qi and governs the interior. Therefore, the throat (Hou) governs Heavenly Qi, and the pharynx/esophagus entrance (Yi) governs Earthly Qi. (The Yi is the gate of Stomach Earth, and the Spleen meridian passes through the Stomach and connects to the Yi.) Yang channels receive Wind Qi, and Yin channels receive Dampness Qi. Wind is a Yang pathogen, so those injured by Wind suffer in the upper part first. Yang diseases, when reaching their extreme, move downward; thus, Spring injury by Wind leads to Sundry Diarrhea (Sun Xie, diarrhea with undigested food) in Summer. Dampness is a Yin pathogen, so those injured by Dampness suffer in the lower part first. Yin diseases, when reaching their extreme, move upward; thus, Autumn injury by Dampness leads to Cough in Winter. These are pathogens of Heaven and Earth's Yin and Yang, changing according to the ascending and descending of human Qi. (Summer Sundry Diarrhea represents Heavenly Qi descending to Earth; the Lung governs Heaven, and Winter Cough represents Earthly Qi ascending to Heaven.)

Zhang Kaizhi comments: Because pathogens received in the upper part generate diseases in the lower part, and pathogens received in the lower part generate diseases in the upper part, the character "Sheng" (generate/produce) is used, meaning disease arises from the upper and manifests in the lower, or arises from the lower and manifests in the upper.