心乃五脏六腑之大主,其包络为君主之外卫,相火代君主而行事也,所以亦有“主”名
。何以系之以手,盖以手厥阴之脉出属心包,手三阳之脉散给心包,是手与心主合,故心包
络称“手心主”,五脏加此一脏实六脏也。
膀胱属水,为肾之腑。《经》云∶“膀胱者州都之官,津液藏焉,气化则能出矣。”言
其能得气化而津液外出滋润于皮毛也。若水道之专司,则在三焦之腑,故《经》云∶“三焦
者,决渎之官,水道出焉。”言其热气布护,使水道下出而为溺也。《内经》两“出”字,
一为外出,一为下出,千古罕明其旨,兹特辨之。又膀者旁也,胱者光也,言血气之元气足
,则津液旁达不穷,而肌腠皮毛皆因以光泽也。
人之强弱寿夭,全系命门。命门不是右肾,亦非两肾中间,更非督脉十四椎下命门之俞
穴。考之《内经》,太阳根于至阴,结于命门,命门者,目也。《灵枢》“结根篇”、“卫
气篇”、《素问·阴阳离合论》三说俱同。后读《黄庭经》云∶“上有黄庭下关元,后有幽
门前命门。”方悟其处。凡人受生之初,先天精气,聚于脐下,当关元、气海之间。其在女
者,可以手扪而得,俗名产门,其在男者,于泄精之时,自有关阑知觉,此北门锁龠之司
,人之生命处也。又考越人“七冲门”之说,谓飞门,唇也;户门,齿也;吸门,会厌也;
贲门,胃之上口也;幽门,太仓下口也;阑门,小肠下口也;魄门,肛门也。便溺由气化而
出,又增溺窍为气门。凡称之曰门,盖指出入之处而言也。况身形未生之初,父母交会之际
,男之施由此门而出,女之受由此门而入,及胎元既足,复由此门而生,故于八门之外,重
之曰命门也。古人标此名目,欲养生家知所专重,医者若遇元气虚脱之证,或速灸关元,气海
,或速投肉桂、附子、以为起死回生之计,非以命门乎列脏腑之中也。
The Heart is the great master of the five zang organs and six fu organs. The Pericardium (Xinbao, 心包) serves as the external guard for the sovereign (Heart), with the Ministerial Fire (Xianghuo, 相火) acting on behalf of the sovereign to execute functions; therefore, it also bears the title "Master" (Zhu, 主). Why is it associated with the hand? This is because the Hand Jueyin Meridian (Shoujueyin Jing, 手厥阴经) emerges and connects to the Pericardium, and the three Hand Yang meridians disperse to the Pericardium. Thus, the hand and the Heart Master are united, leading to the Pericardium being called the "Hand Heart Master" (Shouxin Zhu, 手心主). With the addition of this organ to the five zang, there are effectively six zang organs.
The Bladder (Pangguang, 膀胱) belongs to Water and is the fu organ of the Kidney. The Classics state: "The Bladder is the official of the prefecture, where fluids are stored; only through qi transformation can they be excreted." This refers to its ability to allow fluids to exit outward via qi transformation to moisten the skin and hair. Regarding the exclusive management of water passages, this function lies with the Sanjiao (Triple Burner, 三焦) as a fu organ. Hence, the Classics say: "The Sanjiao is the official of irrigation, from which water passages emerge." This indicates that its heat qi spreads and protects, causing water passages to flow downward to form urine. The two instances of the character "exit" (Chu, 出) in the Neijing—one referring to exiting outward and the other to exiting downward—have rarely been understood in their true intent throughout history; here, they are specifically clarified. Furthermore, "Bang" (膀) implies lateral sides, and "Guang" (胱) implies brightness/luster. This signifies that when the primordial qi of blood and qi is sufficient, fluids reach the periphery without exhaustion, and the muscle texture, interstices, skin, and hair all become lustrous due to this.
Human strength or weakness, longevity or shortness of life, depends entirely on the Mingmen (Gate of Life, 命门). The Mingmen is not the right kidney, nor is it between the two kidneys, nor is it the Mingmen acupoint (BL47) located below the fourteenth thoracic vertebra of the Du Meridian. Examining the Neijing, the Taiyang meridian roots at Zhiyin (BL67) and knots at the Mingmen, where the Mingmen refers to the eyes. The "Genjie Chapter," "Weiqi Chapter" of the Ling Shu, and the "Yin Yang Li He Lun" chapter of the Su Wen all agree on this interpretation. Later, reading the Huang Ting Jing states: "Above is Huangting, below is Guanyuan; behind is Youmen, before is Mingmen." Only then did I understand its location. At the beginning of human conception, congenital essence and qi gather below the umbilicus, between the Guanyuan (CV4) and Qihai (CV6) points. In females, it can be palpated by hand, commonly known as the birth gate (Chanmen, 产门); in males, during ejaculation, there is naturally a sensation of closure, which governs the locking mechanism of the northern gate and represents the seat of human life. Additionally, examining Yue Ren's (Bian Que's) theory of the "Seven Rushing Gates," Feimen (Flying Gate) is the lips; Humen (House Gate) is the teeth; Ximen (Suction Gate) is the epiglottis; Benmen (Receiving Gate) is the upper opening of the Stomach; Youmen (Secluded Gate) is the lower opening of the Taisui (Stomach); Lanmen (Lan Gate) is the lower opening of the Small Intestine; Pomen (Corpse Gate) is the anus. Excretion occurs via qi transformation, and an additional pore for urine is termed the Qi Gate (Menstrual/Urinary Aperture contextually linked to Qi movement). All are called "gates" generally referring to places of entry and exit. Moreover, before the physical body is formed, during the conjunction of parents, male semen exits through this gate, and female reception enters through this gate; once the fetal origin is complete, birth again occurs through this gate. Therefore, beyond the eight gates, it is emphasized and named the Mingmen. The ancients established this terminology so that those practicing health preservation would know what to prioritize. If physicians encounter conditions of primordial qi deficiency and collapse, they should either rapidly moxa Guanyuan and Qihai, or rapidly administer Rougui (Cinnamon Bark, Cinnamomi Cortex) and Fuzi (Prepared Aconite Root, Aconiti Lateralis Radix Praeparata) as a strategy to revive the dying, rather than listing the Mingmen among the zang-fu organs for anatomical discussion.