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In the autumn of the Jiyu year, after the completion of the commentary on the *Huangdi Neijing* (Yellow Emperor's Inner Canon), I felt a desire to tour mountains and rivers. After the full moon in the eighth month, accompanied by two or three close friends, we boated at night along the Xiling area. At that time, the moon was bright and clouds had cleared; the sky was high and the air crisp. We called out for wine and drank heartily, almost forgetting sleep and wakefulness.

Occasionally, our conversation turned to the Sanjiao (Triple Burner). Some claimed it was formless Qi (vital energy), while others argued it was a tangible meridian system. The debate continued without resolution, so they consulted me. I said, "Both 'formless' and 'tangible' are correct, but each side is biased in their view and fails to integrate them." The *Ling Shu* (Spiritual Pivot) states: "The Sanjiao and Bladder correspond to the Couli (interstices of skin and muscle) and body hair." The *Jin Gui Yao Lue* (Essential Prescriptions of the Golden Cabinet) says: "Cou refers to the place where the Sanjiao meets Yuan Zhen (original true Qi); Li refers to the texture of the skin and organs." Generally, the Sanjiao is Shaoyang Ministerial Fire (Ministerial Fire of the Shaoyao channel), which is the Yuan Yang (original Yang) generated from essence and water. (When vigorous, it manifests as fire; when harmonious, it becomes Yuan Qi.) It travels between the Upper, Middle, and Lower Jiao, meeting within the Couli, and is indeed formless Qi. If it were merely traveling Qi, it would not belong to a single Fu organ with meridians and acupoints. The *Mai Jing Pian* (Meridian Chapter) states: "The Sanjiao meridian enters the Keyuan (collarbone fossa), spreads in the Danzhong (chest center), scatters and connects with the Pericardium, descends through the diaphragm, and follows the Sanjiao." ('Descends through the diaphragm' refers to the boundary of the Stomach. 'Follows' means traversing the three sections.) The *Rong Wei Hui Pian* (Chapter on the Convergence of Nutritive and Defensive Qi) states: "The Upper Jiao originates from the upper opening of the Stomach; the Middle Jiao also runs alongside the Stomach; the Lower Jiao separates from the Ileum." The *Ping Mai Pian* (Chapter on Equal Pulse) states: "If the Qi of the Sanjiao does not return to its proper sector: if the Upper Jiao does not return, there will be belching and acid regurgitation; if the Middle Jiao does not return, one cannot digest grain and food; if the Lower Jiao does not return, there will be urinary incontinence." Thus, the Qi of the Sanjiao originates from the Kidneys and settles between the upper and lower parts of the Middle Jiao/Stomach. The origin described in the *Ling Shu* corresponds to the settlement described in the *Ping Mai Lun*. Having a tangible settlement implies the existence of meridians and acupoints, thereby constituting one Fu organ. The generation, beginning, entry, and exit of blood and Qi in the Zang-Fu organs were extensively discussed by ancient sages in various classics. Why could later generations not read widely across the classics nor achieve integrated understanding? Hence, they each held a partial view, resulting in biased statements. Alas! The principles of the Sanjiao have been debated endlessly for thousands of years; no wonder your gentlemen argue so vigorously.