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A questioner asked: People all say that the right kidney belongs to Ministerial Fire (Xianghuo, 相火), and Ministerial Fire is Lesser Fire (Shaohuo, 少火). Observing the image of Kan (Kan, 坎), one can know that the kidneys possess the way of Water and Fire. One Yang line situated between two Yin lines forms Kan; Water and Fire combine to constitute the Kidney, hence only the concept of "Kan adding Xi" (Chong Kan, 重坎) applies. You argue that the right kidney belongs to Water; therefore, is their theory incorrect?

I replied: It is precisely because they rely on the concept of "Kan adding Xi" that their theory is flawed. Kan represents Water. When Kan appears above and below, the *Book of Changes* (*Yijing*, 易经) calls it "Xi Kan" (Repeating Kan, 习坎). Observing the Prior Heaven arrangement, Qian is in the South and Kun is in the North. In the Post-Heaven arrangement, Li is in the South and Kan is in the North. In the Five Elements (Wuxing, 五行), Fire rises high and Water flows low. Therefore, Daoists adopt the method of "extracting Kan to fill Li," causing Water to ascend and Fire to descend, achieving Ji Ji (Ji Ji, 既济, Already Fording/Crossed) as the Way. This refers to harvesting the single Yang within Kan to fill the single Yin within Li, which embodies the intention of returning to the original source of Qian and Kun. Kan and Li represent a mutual relationship akin to Dui (Dui, 兑). If, as they claim, the single Yang resides between two Yin lines, does this not imply that the single Yang is Fire? Then, how should we explain that Li consists of a single Yin residing between two Yang lines? All things possess the Five Elements; the Five Elements reduce to Yin and Yang; Yin and Yang reduce to Taiji. The Five Zang Organs (Zangfu, 脏腑) each contain Metal, Wood, Water, Fire, and Earth. Why point to the Yang within Kan as Fire, and the right kidney as Lesser Fire? The Yang within Kan is actually the Motile Qi (Dongqi, 动气) between the two kidneys; it is the root of the Five Zang and Six Fu organs and the root of the Twelve Meridians. Calling it Yang is acceptable, but calling it Fire is not. Thus, stating that the Yang within Kan is also Fire is incorrect. The two Yin lines refer to the two kidneys. Since both kidneys belong to Yin, viewing them as one Water and one Fire existing together is also incorrect. Otherwise, if the Yang within Kan cannot even be termed Fire, how can the right kidney be attributed to Water?!

The questioner asked: Your words are indeed sound, but what is the explanation for the image of the Black Emperor (Xuandi, 玄武/玄帝) under whom there are a turtle and a snake? Moreover, Cheng Kejiu from Shasuo once said: The North often pairs with two creatures, hence only "Kan adding Xi" manifests in animals as the turtle and the snake.

I replied: How can this prove the fallacy that Water and Fire coexist in the kidneys? The turtle and snake are merely symbolic meanings employed by Daoists. They assert that the snake belongs to Heart Fire (Xinhuo, 心火) and the turtle belongs to Kidney Water (Shenshui, 肾水). By subduing these two creatures and preventing them from moving recklessly, Kan and Li can interact and exchange, allowing the Golden Elixir (Dan, 丹) within the body to form. However, the Kidney is the foundation of sealing and storing, and the residence of Essence (Jing, 精). How can one drag in the turtle and snake to view them as similar to the Kidneys and observe them together? This is absolutely impossible.