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Shengshengzi said: The similarity between humans and all things in heaven and earth lies in sharing the same "Li" (Principle) and "Qi" (Vital Energy). Zhu Xi stated: Humans and all things originate from the same Qi of heaven and earth, belonging to the same body of heaven and earth; thus, they can stand alongside heaven and earth, forming the "Three Powers" (Heaven, Earth, and Humanity). *Huangji Jingshi* states: Heaven has four seasons, and earth has four limbs. Each limb has its own pulse, with one pulse divided into three positions, and each position having three observations, corresponding to the patterns of heaven. Spirit is governed by the Heart, Qi by the Kidney, and form by the head. When form and Qi interact, Spirit presides within, which constitutes the way of the Three Powers. *Yingning Shengzhiyan* states: Without the stirring of great Qi, heaven and earth could not have timely changes of cold and heat, regular tides, or seasonal frost, dew, ice, and snow; similarly, without this stirring Qi in the human body, body fluids cannot circulate, respiration cannot proceed smoothly, blood vessels cannot flow freely, and waste cannot be transported. *Huangdi Neijing: Yin Yang Yingxiang Dalun* states: "The Qi of Heaven connects with the Lung, the Qi of Earth connects with the throat, Wind Qi connects with the Liver, Thunder Qi connects with the Heart, Grain Qi connects with the Spleen, and Rain Qi connects with the Kidney. The Six Meridians are like rivers, the intestines and stomach are like seas, and the nine orifices are where Qi of water flows." *Zhiyan* states: The human head is noble, and the feet are humble. Once heaven and earth establish their positions, the Spleen and Lung act as mother and child, akin to the ventilation between mountains and marshes; the Liver and Gallbladder govern anger and movement, akin to the collision of thunder and wind; the Heart is high and the Kidney is low, with Water and Fire not encroaching upon each other. This is why humans can correspond with heaven and earth to become the Three Powers.

Shengshengzi said: The principle of consistency between Heaven and Humanity does not go beyond Yin-Yang and the Five Elements. Generally, humans take form through Qi transformation, which can be described in terms of Yin and Yang. The essence of Yin and Yang subtly combines and condenses; before male and female distinctions are made, two Kidneys are formed first. Like a bean pod or fruit, when it emerges from the soil, the two halves separate, but the root stalk growing in the middle contains a point of True Qi, serving as the mechanism for endless generation. This is named Dongqi (Moving Qi), also called Yuanqi (Source Qi), endowed at the beginning of life, emerging from non-existence to existence. This Source Qi is the substance of Taiji (Supreme Ultimate). It is named Moving Qi because movement generates Yang; this is the dynamic aspect of Yang, through which the function of Taiji operates. The two Kidneys are static objects; stillness leads to transformation, which is the static aspect of Yin, through which the substance of Taiji is established. There is no gap between movement and stillness; Yang transforms and Yin combines to generate Water, Fire, Wood, Metal, and Earth. This is what is meant by Mingmen (Gate of Life).
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*Suwen* states: "The Kidney stores the Qi of bone marrow." It also states: "North corresponds to the color black, internally connecting to the Kidney, opening into the two lower orifices, and storing Essence in the Kidney." *Nanjing* states: "Males store Essence therein," but this does not mean all Essence is stored there; rather, the Brain is the Sea of Marrow, and the Kidney orifice connects through the spine to the Brain, hence the statement.

Shengshengzi said: Chapter 36 of *Nanjing* states that the Kidneys consist of two organs: the left is the Kidney, and the right is the Mingmen. Mingmen is the residence of various spirits and essences; in males, it stores Essence, and in females, it anchors the Uterus (Bao Gong); thus, we know there are two Kidneys. Chapter 39 states: "There is also the concept of six Zang organs among the five, referring to the two Kidneys. The left is the Kidney, and the right is the Mingmen. Mingmen is the residence of spirit and essence. In males, it stores Essence; in females, it anchors the Uterus; its Qi communicates with the Kidney." Upon careful examination of *Lingshu* and *Suwen*, the two Kidneys were never discussed separately. Therefore, the separation began with Qin Yue-ren (Bian Que). Tracing back, when Yue-ren twice referred to Mingmen as the residence of spirit, the attachment of Source Qi, storing Essence in males, and anchoring the Uterus in females, was it merely casual talk? No, this emphasizes the importance of the Kidney. It posits that the Source Qi between the Kidneys is the root of human life, so it must be valued. *Huangting Jing* states: The Kidney Qi passes through the Upper Jiao, circulates in the Middle Jiao, and guards the Lower Jiao. *Zhonghe Ji* states: The closing and opening of breath constitute the Gate of Xuanpin (Mysterious Female), the root of heaven and earth. What is meant by closing and opening is not mouth and nose breathing, but True Respiration. Yue-ren also said: The Moving Qi between the Kidneys is human life, the root of the five Zang and six Fu organs, the root of the twelve meridians, the gate of respiration, and the source of the Sanjiao (Triple Burner). The meaning of Mingmen likely originates here, just as Taiji in Confucianism or Xuanpin in Daoism. Observing the bronze acupuncture man, the Mingmen acupoint is not on the right Kidney but in the center between the two Shu points of the Kidneys, which makes this clear.

Although *Nanjing* mentions Mingmen, it does not distinguish between left/right or Water/Fire. Why did later generations arbitrarily speculate that Mingmen belongs to Minister Fire (Xiang Huo)? In *Lingshu* and *Suwen*, the pairing of the Three Yin and Three Yang, and the hand-foot twelve meridians, has fixed pairs, symbolizing the twelve hours, months, and musical pitches. If Mingmen is now attributed to Fire, which meridian should it be unified under? If the twelve meridians have no unification, then both Kidneys clearly belong to Shaoyin Water. *Huangting Jing* states: The two parts of Kidney Water face the Birth Gate (the left Kidney is Ren Water, the right Kidney is Gui Water. The Birth Gate refers to the umbilicus). Some ask: Then why does *Maijue* say Mingmen pairs with Sanjiao and belongs to Minister Fire? I reply: This is an error by Gao Yangsheng, which Dai Tongfu has detailedly refuted. Sanjiao is the Hand-Shaoyang meridian, paired with the Hand-Jueyin (Pericardium) meridian as exterior-interior, a hand-to-hand pairing, fire-to-fire as a fixed pair. How could there be a hand-to-foot pairing or fire-to-water pairing?! Hua Bo-ren, in his commentary *Nanjing Benyi*, notes: Since the Qi of Mingmen communicates with the Kidney, it does not depart from the Kidney; this is what is called "Xi Kan" (Repeated Kan). Kan represents Water. The *I Ching* states that two Kan trigrams stacked represent Yin over Yin, hence "Xi Kan". The Hand-Jueyin (Pericardium) is the intercalary position of Fire, while Mingmen is the same Qi as Water. Thus, Mingmen cannot be Minister Fire, and Sanjiao does not pair with Mingmen, which is evident. Yu Shu also stated: Various schools claim Mingmen is Minister Fire and pairs with Sanjiao as exterior-interior. However, checking *Nanjing*, only the Pericardium pairs with Sanjiao as exterior-interior; there is no mention of Mingmen and Sanjiao being exterior-interior. Based on this, we understand that the confusion among various schools stems from Wang Bing's commentary on *Jinkui Zhenyan Pian*, citing *Zhengli Lun* which says "Sanjiao has name but no form, upper connects to Pericardium, lower connects to the right Kidney," leading to the theory of Mingmen-Sanjiao exterior-interior pairing. Human organs follow a fixed Yin-Yang pairing; how can one meridian pair with two organs? The phrase "upper connects to Pericardium" indicates their exterior-interior relationship; "lower connects to the right Kidney" refers to Sanjiao acting as the special envoy of Source Qi. Understanding this reveals that Mingmen communicates with the Kidney, Sanjiao has no dual pairing, and the theories of others become self-evident. Someone asks: According to your words, does Mingmen belong to Water? I reply: The right Kidney belongs to Water. Mingmen is the Moving Qi between the two Kidneys, neither Water nor Fire, but the pivot of creation and the root of Yin-Yang, i.e., the Pre-heaven Taiji. The Five Elements arise from this, and the Zang-Fu organs follow. If it were classified as Water or Fire, Zang or Fu, it would be a material object with physical form, implying external meridians and arteries visible in diagnosis, which *Lingshu* and *Suwen* would certainly record. Someone asks: Then why did Yue-ren define Mingmen not as Source Qi but as the right Kidney? I reply: This is Yue-ren's subtlety—a wordless statement. By saying right Kidney, the Source Qi is included. What is precious in the human body is nothing but Qi and Blood, with Blood on the left and Qi on the right. *Huangdi Yinfu Jing* states: The Kidneys of humans belong to Water. The left Kidney is generated first, symbolizing the source of the Great Abyss in the North; the right Kidney is generated next, containing True Essence, governing the righteous Qi of the Five Elements. Thus, Yue-ren's statement about the attachment of Source Qi is indeed verified.

Someone asks: Is there evidence for Mingmen in *Lingshu* and *Suwen*? I reply: *Yin Yang Lihe Pian* states: "The Taiyang meridian roots at Zhiyin and knots at Mingmen" (Zhiyin is an acupoint located on the lateral side of the little toe). Qixuanzi (Wang Bing) commented: "Mingmen is where Essence is stored and light shines; it refers to the two eyes." *Lingshu* also states: "Mingmen is the eye." Because Taiyang is the exterior counterpart of the Kidney, and the eyes are the gathering place of the essence of the Zong Mai (Gathering Vessels), the place where essence gathers is specifically named Mingmen. (Above explains Mingmen)