夫人身经络手足十二经岂有间断传足不传手乎盖足之六经所属水土木(太阳膀胱水阳明
胃土少阳胆木太阴脾土少阴肾水厥阴肝水)水遇寒则涸木遇寒则落土遇寒则崩此足经受克于
寒也手之六经所属金与火(太阳小肠火阳明大肠金少阴心火少阳三焦火太阴肺金厥阴包烙
火)
金遇寒而愈坚火遇寒而愈炽此手经不为寒所克故传足不传手也言虽近理实则不然大抵人身半
以上天气主之身半以下地气主之是以上体多受风热下体多受寒湿其六节之气前三气时值春夏
其气升浮万物生长人身半以上应之后三气时值秋冬其气降沉万物收藏人身半以下应之自十二
月小雪之后为六气之终太阴寒水用事房劳辛苦之人寒水之气乘虚入于足太阴膀胱之经是以邪
入久而次第传入于阳明少阳以及于三阴之经皆从足经传始而渐及于手经也此天地之理不期然
而然岂有独传于足经者哉
足太阳脉起于目内 上额交巅上从巅入络脑还出别下项循肩膊内夹脊抵腰中入循膂络肾
属膀胱 故头痛身热腰脊强痛浑身疼或发热恶寒或恶风脉浮缓或浮紧
足阳明脉起鼻交额中中下循鼻外去挟口还唇下至颔颅下循喉咙下隔属胃络脾 故身热目
疼鼻干不得卧尺寸脉俱长
足少阳脉起目锐 上抵头角下耳后入耳中又下胸中循胁里出气冲 故胸胁痛耳聋或口苦
咽干或往来寒热而呕脉弦
足太阴脉起大指之端上循膝入腹上膈侠咽连舌本散舌下又注心中故腹满咽干脉微细手足
自温或自利不渴或腹时痛面黯唇青
足少阴脉起小趾之下贯脊属肾上贯肝膈入肺循喉咙夹舌本又络心注胸中 故口燥咽干而
渴
足厥阴脉起大趾聚毛循股入阴毛环阴器抵小腹夹胃上贯膈布胁肋循喉咙后上入项颡连目
丝出额会于巅又下还唇内 故唇青舌卷卵缩烦满脉微缓
Generally speaking, the human body possesses twelve meridians of the hand and foot. Could it be that transmission occurs only in the foot meridians and not in the hand meridians? This is because the six foot meridians are associated with Water, Earth, and Wood (Taiyang Bladder belongs to Water, Yangming Stomach belongs to Earth, Shaoyang Gallbladder belongs to Wood, Taiyin Spleen belongs to Earth, Shaoyin Kidney belongs to Water, Jueyin Liver belongs to Wood). When Water encounters cold, it freezes and dries up; when Wood encounters cold, its leaves fall and branches wither; when Earth encounters cold, it collapses. This explains why the foot meridians are constrained by Cold pathogenic factors. The six hand meridians are associated with Metal and Fire (Hand Taiyang Small Intestine belongs to Fire, Hand Yangming Large Intestine belongs to Metal, Hand Shaoyin Heart belongs to Fire, Hand Shaoyang Sanjiao belongs to Fire, Hand Taiyin Lung belongs to Metal, Hand Jueyin Pericardium belongs to Fire). Metal becomes harder when encountering cold, and Fire burns more fiercely when encountering cold. Therefore, the hand meridians are not constrained by Cold, leading to the notion that *Shanghan* (Cold Damage) transmits only through the foot meridians and not the hand meridians. Although this statement seems reasonable, it is actually incorrect. Broadly speaking, the upper half of the human body is governed by Heaven Qi (Heavenly Energy), while the lower half is governed by Earth Qi (Earthly Energy). Consequently, the upper body is more susceptible to Wind-Heat, whereas the lower body is more susceptible to Cold-Dampness. Regarding the Six Qi (Six Atmospheric Factors), the first three correspond to Spring and Summer, where Qi ascends and floats, promoting the growth of all things; the upper half of the human body corresponds to this phase. The latter three correspond to Autumn and Winter, where Qi descends and sinks, promoting the storage of all things; the lower half of the human body corresponds to this phase. After the Minor Snow solar term in the twelfth lunar month, marking the end of the cycle of the Six Qi, Taiyin Cold Water dominates. Individuals who engage in excessive sexual activity or suffer from hard labor allow Cold Water Qi to enter the Foot Taiyang Bladder Meridian due to deficiency. Thus, after the pathogen enters, it transmits sequentially to the Yangming, Shaoyang, and the three Yin meridians. Transmission begins in the foot meridians and gradually extends to the hand meridians. This follows the natural principles of Heaven and Earth, occurring spontaneously. How could transmission occur exclusively in the foot meridians?
The Foot Taiyang Bladder Meridian originates at the inner canthus of the eye, ascends to the forehead, and intersects at the vertex. From the vertex, it enters to connect with the brain, emerges again, separates, and descends down the neck, following the medial aspect of the shoulder blades, flanking the spine, reaching the middle of the waist, entering along the muscles, connecting with the Kidneys, and belonging to the Bladder. Therefore, symptoms such as headache, fever, stiffness and pain in the waist and spine, general body ache, or fever with aversion to cold, aversion to wind, floating-slow or floating-tight pulse may occur.
The Foot Yangming Stomach Meridian originates beside the nose, intersects at the center of the forehead, and descends along the lateral side of the nose, passing around the mouth, returning to the lips, descending to the chin, then following the throat, crossing internally through the diaphragm, belonging to the Stomach, and connecting with the Spleen. Therefore, symptoms such as body heat, eye pain, dry nose, inability to sleep, and long pulses in both cun, guan, and chi positions may occur.
The Foot Shaoyang Gallbladder Meridian originates at the outer canthus of the eye, ascends to reach the temporal angle, descends behind the ear, enters the ear, and then descends into the chest, following the interior of the hypochondrium, emerging at the Qichong point. Therefore, symptoms such as hypochondriac pain, deafness, bitter taste in the mouth, dry throat, alternating chills and fever with vomiting, and a wiry pulse may occur.
The Foot Taiyin Spleen Meridian originates at the tip of the great toe, ascends along the knee, enters the abdomen, ascends through the diaphragm, flanks the pharynx, connects with the root of the tongue, scatters under the tongue, and then pours into the Heart. Therefore, symptoms such as abdominal fullness, dry throat, faint and thin pulse, naturally warm hands and feet, spontaneous diarrhea without thirst, or occasional abdominal pain with dark complexion and cyanotic lips may occur.
The Foot Shaoyin Kidney Meridian originates below the little toe, penetrates the spine, belongs to the Kidney, ascends through the Liver and Diaphragm, enters the Lungs, follows the throat, flanks the root of the tongue, connects with the Heart, and pours into the chest. Therefore, symptoms such as dry mouth, dry throat, and thirst may occur.
The Foot Jueyin Liver Meridian originates at the pubic hair on the great toe, follows the thigh, enters the pubic region, circles the external genitalia, reaches the lower abdomen, flanks the Stomach, ascends through the diaphragm, distributes in the hypochondrium, follows the throat posteriorly, ascends into the nasopharynx, connects with the visual system, emerges at the forehead, intersects at the vertex, and then descends back to the interior of the lips. Therefore, symptoms such as cyanotic lips, curled tongue, retracted testicles, irritability and fullness, and a faint and slow pulse may occur.