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The Heart and Lung are located above the diaphragm, with the Lung being the highest, corresponding to the realm of Heaven, thus belonging to Metal. The Liver and Kidney are located below, with the Kidney being the lowest, corresponding to the realm of Yellow Springs (the underworld), thus belonging to Kan Water. Kan is Yin on the outside and Yang on the inside; Yang Qi hides within the Yellow Springs. When stillness reaches its extreme, it moves again; thus, at the Winter Solstice, one Yang is born, and at Jingzhe (Awakening of Insects), thunder emerges from the earth. Kidney Water, steamed by the Fire of the Gate of Life (Mingmen), transforms into Qi and ascends. The Liver receives this Qi and rises vigorously. Therefore, in terms of seasons, the Liver corresponds to Spring; in terms of imagery, it corresponds to Wood; and in terms of trigrams, it corresponds to Zhen Thunder and Xun Wind. (When the Liver is angry, its Qi becomes vigorous like this.) Yang Qi ascends and becomes vigorous upon reaching the Heart. Extreme Yang becomes Fire, so the Heart belongs to Fire. In terms of trigrams, it corresponds to Li. Li is the trigram of the South. Sages govern facing the brightness. The Heart is located below the Lung, corresponding to the Nine-Five line of the Qian trigram. It acts as the Sovereign, from which Divine Intelligence (Shenming) arises. The Li trigram is a variation of the middle line of the Qian trigram. The Dui trigram is a variation of the top line of the Qian trigram. The Lung is located above the Heart, corresponding to the top line of Qian. When the top line changes to Dui, it corresponds to Autumn in season, and Metal in imagery. Metal has the nature of sinking and descending; Autumn Qi is convergent and肃 (solemn/clear). Yang Qi rises to its peak and then descends, descending through the Lung; thus, the Lung also belongs to Dui Metal. (Heart Fire flares upward, Kidney Water moistens downward; this is the fixed position of Kan and Li. Fire descends from above, Water ascends from below; this is the intercourse of Kan and Li. Kidney Water ascends, drawn up by Liver Wood, following the Earthly Path rotating counter-clockwise to reach Heaven. Heart Fire descends, restrained by Lung Metal, following the Heavenly Path rotating clockwise to enter the Earth.) The Spleen is located in the center, serving as the pivot for ascending and descending. Food enters the Stomach, and the Spleen transports its Qi to the upper/lower and interior/exterior, just as Earth distributes and transforms throughout the four seasons; thus, it belongs to Earth. In terms of trigrams, it corresponds to Kun and Gen. Metal, Wood, and Earth each correspond to two trigrams, while Water and Fire each govern one trigram; therefore, among the Five Elements, only Water and Fire have exclusive functions.

Male and female essence combine to form the embryo. Essence is Water, and the Qi within essence is Fire. Water and Fire essence and Qi miraculously combine and condense, forming the Fetal Origin (Taiyuan). Essence forms the physical structure, and Qi forms the Spirit. Since they originate from parents, they are called Pre-heaven (Xiantian). However, all five senses and hundred bones are based on this essence as substance, and none are not filled by this Water. Respiration and movement are based on this Qi as mechanism, and none are not circulated by this Fire. The reason the Kidney alone is designated as Pre-heaven is that essence and Qi first knot to form the placenta, growing a single stem in the middle, shaped like a lotus stamen. This single stem is the umbilical cord. The lotus stamen refers to the two Kidneys. The two Kidneys are Water, wherein the Fire of the Gate of Life resides. One Yang hides within two Yins, corresponding to the Kan trigram. Because the initial formation of the zang-fu organs occurs here, the Water and Fire within the Kidney alone are considered Pre-heaven. If Pre-heaven Water is sufficient, the fetus is plump and lustrous; if Pre-heaven Fire is sufficient, the fetus is strong and sharp. Water receiving Fire keeps Qi warm and prevents cold; Fire receiving Water keeps form moist and prevents dryness. If Pre-heaven Water or Fire has any excess, the endowment loses its harmony, making Post-heaven cultivation indispensable. A person who does not eat for a day feels hunger, thus relying on diet, which is managed by the Spleen and Stomach. The Stomach primarily accepts and receives, while the Spleen primarily transforms and transports. The flavors and essences of food are distributed throughout the body by the Spleen and Stomach. As Qi grows daily and the body fills out, Pre-heaven Water and Fire rely on this nourishment to generate endlessly; thus, the Spleen and Stomach are regarded as the Root of Post-heaven. In summary, the moistening Qi in the human body is Water, and the warming Qi is Fire. Once there is an imbalance, if it stems from diet, regulation is easy; if it stems from fetal Qi (Pre-heaven), treatment is difficult, hence Pre-heaven is prioritized. However, one should not abandon treatment due to difficulty; relying entirely on diet to remedy defects and correct deviations makes Post-heaven essential.

Fire originates in the Kidney but is attributed to the Heart. Why? The answer is: The Kidney corresponds to the Kan trigram, Winter season, and North direction, being the residence of Water. Yet Yang roots in Yin, generating Fire, which sinks and then ascends. The Heart corresponds to the Li trigram, Summer season, and South direction, being the residence of Fire. It flourishes once it reaches its residence, so it is attributed to the Heart based on its flourishing nature. It is said: The Heart is Ministerial Fire (Jun Huo), and the Kidney is Assistant Fire (Xiang Huo). It is also said: Ministerial Fire manifests as clarity (Ming), and Assistant Fire manifests as position (Wei). Why? The answer is: The "Minister" (Jun) is the ruler, governing facing the brightness. The Heart is the master of the body, from which Divine Intelligence arises, hence called Minister. The "Assistant" (Xiang) exhausts their talent to serve the Minister in governance. The Kidney is located below, transmitting Fire to the Heart for the use of Divine Intelligence, just as an assistant minister exhausts their ability to serve the ruler; hence called Assistant. "Position" refers to official duties, while "Clarity" refers to function. Fire is the mild/warm Qi in the human body. All five zang and six fu organs possess this mild Qi. Each returns to its region, having its own position; each performs its function, having its own clarity. The Assistant Fire in the Kidney is not without clarity, but because Yang is hiding, its light has not yet spread to the four directions. Its duty is sealing and storing; the dragon does not leave the deep abyss. Thus, it speaks of "Position" rather than "Clarity." Losing its position leads to the danger of soaring and usurping. The Ministerial Fire in the Heart is not without position, but the sovereign acts without action, not competing with ministers over duties. Divine Intelligence has awareness, manifesting emptiness and spirituality from the heart/mind. Thus, it speaks of "Clarity" rather than "Position." Losing clarity leads to the worry of confusion and obscurity. Therefore, both Ministerial and Assistant Fires are the righteous Qi of Yang and warmth in our bodies and cannot be absent. Some point to them as pathogenic fire, saying Ministerial Fire can be directly suppressed, but Assistant Fire cannot. Why? The answer is: Losing righteousness becomes pathogenic; losing harmony becomes heat. Thus, when referring to Ministerial/Assistant Fire as pathogenic fire, it refers to the pathogenic heat of these fires, not that their essence is pathogenic. "Direct suppression" implies orthodox treatment: treating heat with cold is orthodox. Ministerial Fire belongs to the Heart, residing in the Upper Jiao. Its pathology does not affect the lower part. Not affecting the lower part means the True Yang of the root is unharmed; only the fire flaring above is excessively intense. Thus, cooling herbs can treat the excess pathogenic factor, returning it to orthodoxy without damaging the origin. If it is the Assistant Fire in the Kidney, residing in the Lower Jiao, pathology must affect the upper part. Regardless of whether the Lower Jiao is cold or hot, heat certainly flares upward, and cold also floats up. Since Water and Fire in the Kidney share the same root and originally have no excess, if Heat is excessive and Water is deficient, Fire will inevitably flare upward; if Cold is excessive and Fire is deficient, Fire will be forced by Cold, unable to remain in its residence, and float upward. Therefore, speaking of Assistant Fire disease involves probing the root below due to the heat above. Since the disease roots in the lower part, one cannot treat it using methods for the upper part. Why? Treating deficient Fire with cold herbs further aids the cold in the Lower Jiao, forcing Fire to float higher. Moreover, Fire forced by cold is a rootless remnant flame; suppressing it with cold will surely extinguish it. If Water is deficient and Fire flares, it may seem unaffected by cold herbs. However, Fire flaring stems from Water deficiency. Without using moistening agents to tonify Water, and merely using bitter-cold to control Fire, is this not like flattening a horse to match missing gold/silver? It will inevitably damage the Fire itself. Hence, it is said that Assistant Fire cannot be directly suppressed. When Assistant Fire is quiet and stored, it belongs to the Kidney; when active and emitted, it belongs to the Liver and Gallbladder. This Fire spreads through the Sanjiao (Triple Burner), and the Pericardium is the zang organ of the Sanjiao. Since the Liver pairs with the Gallbladder, it is also said: Liver, Gallbladder, Sanjiao, and Pericardium constitute Assistant Fire.