Library

(Seven Categories in Total)

(Treatise One)
The treatise states: The Small Intestine Fu (Hollow Organ) is primarily associated with the Heart, and the tongue is its external indicator. The Heart harmonizes with the Small Intestine. The Small Intestine is the fu organ responsible for receiving and storing, nicknamed the "Supervisor of Granaries." It weighs two jin and fourteen liang, is two zhang four chi long, and two cun four fen wide (The *Nan Jing* and *Jia Yi Jing* state: two zhang two chi long, two cun and a half in diameter, and eight fen plus one-third fen in inner diameter.) It attaches to the posterior aspect of the spine, looping left and stacking upon itself. Its connection to the Ileum is externally linked above the umbilicus, circling back with sixteen curves. It typically retains two dou four sheng of food and water, of which one dou two sheng is water and one dou two sheng is grain, corresponding to the Twenty-Four Solar Terms. (*Nan Jing* states sixteen curves, holding two dou four sheng of grain and six sheng three he plus more than half a he; *Jia Yi Jing* states it holds three dou three he plus more than half a he.) Thick lips and a long philtrum are characteristics of the Small Intestine.

Patients with Small Intestine disease experience pain in the lower abdomen, with the lumbar spine radiating to the testicles causing a sense of urgency and distress, and heat in front of the ears. If the cold is severe, there is heat only on the shoulder and between the little finger and the ring finger of the hand. If the pulse is slippery (the *Mai Jing* reads "sunken," as does the *Jia Yi Jing*), this is its sign.

Pain in the lower abdomen radiating to the testicles and rushing up to the lumbar spine indicates pathogenic factors in the Small Intestine connecting to the testicular ligaments attached to the spine, penetrating the Liver and Lungs, and linking to the Heart system. Excess Qi leads to Jue Ni (reversal flow), rushing upward to attack the Stomach and Intestines, disturbing the Liver and Lungs, spreading to the Blind Membrane (San Jiao/Mingmen area), and knotting at the umbilicus. Therefore, select the Blind Origin point (Mangyuan, CV12 or related points depending on interpretation, often referring to Shenque or surrounding areas in specific contexts, but here likely referring to a specific point near the umbilicus or blind membrane origin) to dissipate it. Acupuncture the Taiyin meridian to tonify it, select the Jueyin meridian to drain it, select Jiuxu Xia Lian (ST37) to remove the pathogen, and press along the meridians it traverses to regulate them.

If the Yang position at the Cun Kou (radial artery) before the Guan position on the left hand is absent (Yang Jue), there is no Small Intestine pulse. The patient suffers from Bi syndrome at the umbilicus, hernias or masses in the lower abdomen, and monthly episodes of cold Qi rushing up to the heart. Treat by acupuncture at the Xin Shou Zhong (Pericardium 8) point. The Xin Shou Zhong point is located one fen deep from the transverse crease of the palm.

If the Yang position at the Cun Kou before the Guan position on the left hand is excess (Yang Shi), it indicates Small Intestine Excess. The patient suffers from urgent heat-Bi below the heart, internal heat in the Small Intestine, and dark yellow urine. Treat by acupuncture at the Hand Taiyang meridian for Yang syndromes. The Hand Taiyang meridian is located in the depression lateral to the proximal interphalangeal joint of the little finger.

Cold in the Small Intestine causes a sensation of heaviness in the lower body and pus-blood in the stool; Heat in the Small Intestine inevitably leads to hemorrhoids.

Retained food in the Small Intestine causes fever in the evening, which subsides by the next morning.

Small Intestine distension presents as lower abdominal fullness and pain radiating to the abdomen.

Disease originating in the Heart transferring to the Small Intestine: if Heart Cough persists, Qi and cough are expelled together.

Jue Qi lodging in the Small Intestine causes dreams of gathering in city streets.

The Heart corresponds to the skin. Thick skin indicates thick pulses, and thick pulses indicate a thick Small Intestine. Thin skin indicates thin pulses, and thin pulses indicate a thin Small Intestine. Lax skin indicates slow pulses, and slow pulses indicate a large and long Small Intestine. Thin skin with weak pulses indicates a small and short Small Intestine. When all Yang meridians are tortuous and curved, it indicates knotting in the Small Intestine.

Bian Que said: The Hand Shaoyin and Hand Taiyang are exterior-interior pairs. Thus, the exterior is clear and the interior is turbid; clarity is solid and turbidity is deficient. Therefore, after eating, the intestines become solid while the stomach becomes deficient. Thus, the Fu organs are solid but not full. Solidity injures with Heat, causing the mouth to open and sores to form. Deficiency injures with Cold, causing purulent bloody diarrhea or Li Shui (internal water retention). The root lies in the Small Intestine, starting from the abdomen (See formulas in the Water Treatment chapter).

Small Intestine exhaustion is untreatable; death occurs in six days. How do we know? The hair stands straight like dry hemp and cannot bend or stretch, accompanied by incessant spontaneous sweating.

When the Hand Taiyang meridian is disturbed, it causes swelling and pain in the throat and mandible, inability to look back, shoulders feeling as if pulled out, and elbows/arms feeling as if broken. This governs diseases generated by fluids, including deafness, yellow eyes, cheek and mandibular swelling, and pain along the posterior-lateral border of the neck, shoulder, elbow, and arm. (Meridian branches were already seen in the Heart section.)