Library

Difficulty 43 asks: Why does a person who consumes no food or drink die after seven days? The answer is: Normally, the stomach contains two dou of retained grain and one dan five sheng of water. Therefore, a healthy person defecates twice daily, with each bowel movement discharging two and a half sheng, totaling five sheng per day. Over seven days, this amounts to three dan five sheng (3.5 dan), exhausting the water and grain. Thus, a healthy person dies after seven days without food or drink because both water, grain, and Jin-Ye (body fluids) are exhausted.

Difficulty 44 asks: Where are the Seven Rush Gates located? The answer is: The lips are the Flying Gate (Feimen), the teeth are the Household Gate (Humen), the epiglottis is the Inhaling Gate (Ximen), the upper opening of the stomach is the Receiving Gate (Benmen), the lower opening of the Tai Cang (Stomach) is the Secluded Gate (Youmen), the junction of the large and small intestines is the Curtain Gate (Lanmen), and the anus is the Corporeal Spirit Gate (Pomen). Hence, they are called the Seven Rush Gates.

Difficulty 45 asks: What are the Eight Hui (Meeting) Points mentioned in the classics? The answer is: The Hui Point of the Fu organs is Zhongwan (CV12, located in the Tai Cang); the Hui Point of the Zang organs is Zhangmen (LR13, located in the costal region); the Hui Point of the tendons is Yanglingquan (GB34); the Hui Point of the marrow is Xuanzhong (GB39, also known as Juegu); the Hui Point of the blood is Geshu (BL17); the Hui Point of the bones is Dazhu (BL11); the Hui Point of the vessels is Taiyuan (LU9); and the Hui Point of Qi is the Sanjiao (Triple Burner), specifically referring to the area between the sternum and the nipples. For heat diseases with pathogens inside, the Hui points are selected for treatment.

Difficulty 46 asks: Why do the elderly lie down but fail to sleep, while the young sleep soundly and do not wake easily? The answer is: The classics state that the young have abundant Qi and Blood, smooth muscles, unobstructed Qi pathways, and normal circulation of Ying (Nutrient) and Wei (Defensive) Qi; thus, they are energetic during the day and sleep peacefully at night. The elderly have declining Qi and Blood, rough muscles, and sluggish Ying-Wei circulation; thus, they lack energy during the day and cannot sleep at night. This explains why the elderly suffer from insomnia.

Difficulty 47 asks: Why is the face uniquely capable of resisting cold? The answer is: The head is the convergence point of all Yang meridians. All Yin meridians ascend only to the neck and chest before returning, whereas all Yang meridians ascend to the head and ears. This distribution allows the face to resist cold.

Difficulty 48 asks: What are the three types of Deficiency (Xu) and Excess (Shi) in humans? The answer is: There are pulse Deficiency/Excess, disease Deficiency/Excess, and diagnostic symptom Deficiency/Excess. Regarding pulse: a soft (Ru) pulse indicates Deficiency, while a tight (Jin) or firm (Lao) pulse indicates Excess. Regarding disease nature: outward progression indicates Deficiency, inward progression indicates Excess; ability to speak indicates Deficiency, inability to speak indicates Excess; a slow pulse rhythm indicates Deficiency, a rapid/tense rhythm indicates Excess. Regarding diagnostic symptoms: softness indicates Deficiency, hardness indicates Excess; itching indicates Deficiency, pain indicates Excess; pain on the exterior with comfort inside indicates Exterior Excess and Interior Deficiency; pain on the interior with comfort outside indicates Interior Excess and Exterior Deficiency. These constitute the concepts of Deficiency and Excess.