少师曰：胆寄于肝，而木必生于水。肾水之生肝即是生胆矣，岂另来生胆乎?岐伯曰：肾水生木必先生肝，肝即分其水以生胆。然肝与胆皆肾子也，肾岂有疏于胆者乎。惟胆与肝为表里，实手足相亲，无彼此之分也。故肾水旺而肝胆同旺，肾水衰而肝胆同衰。非仅肝血旺而胆汁盈，肝血衰而胆汁衰也。少师曰：然亦有肾水不衰，胆气自病者何也?岐伯曰：胆之汁主藏，胆之气主泄，故喜通不喜塞也。而胆气又最易塞，一遇外寒，胆气不通矣；一遇内郁，胆气不通矣。单补肾水不舒胆木，则木中之火不能外泄，势必下克脾胃之土，木土交战多致胆气不平，非助火以刑肺，必耗水以亏肝，于是胆郁肝亦郁矣。肝胆交郁，其塞益甚。故必以解郁为先，不可徒补肾水也。少师曰：肝胆同郁，将独鲜胆木之塞乎?岐伯曰：郁同而解郁，乌可异哉。胆郁而肝亦郁，肝舒而胆亦舒。舒胆之后济之补水，则水荫木以敷荣，木得水而调达，既不绝肝之血，有不生心之液者乎。自此三焦得木气以为根，即包络亦得胆气以为助，十二经无不取决于胆也。何忧匮乏哉!少师曰：善。
陈士铎曰：肝胆同为表里，肝盛则胆盛，肝衰则胆衰，所以治胆以治肝为先。
膀胱水篇
少师曰：水属阴，膀胱之水谓之阳水，何也?岐伯曰：膀胱之水，水中藏火也。膀胱无火，水不化，故以阳水名之。膀胱腑中本无火也。恃心肾二脏之火相通化水，水始可藏而亦可泄。夫火属阳，膀胱既通火气，则阴变为阳矣。少师曰：膀胱通心肾之火，然亲于肾而疏于心也。心火眉阳，膀胱亦属阳，阳不与阳亲，何也?岐伯曰：膀胱与肾为表里最为关切，故肾亲于膀胱。而膀胱亦不能疏于肾也。心不与膀胱相合，毋怪膀胱之疏心矣。然心虽不合于膀胱，而心实与小肠为表里，小肠与膀胱正相通也。心合小肠，不得不合膀胱矣。是心与膀胱其迹若远而实近也。少师曰：然则膀胱亲于心而疏于肾乎?岐伯曰：膀胱阳水也，喜通阴火而不喜通阳火，似心火来亲未必得之化水。然而肾火不通心火，则阴阳不交，膀胱之阳火正难化也。少师曰：此又何故欤?岐伯臼：心火下交于肾，则心包三焦之火齐来相济，助胃以化膀胱之水。倘心不交肾，心包三焦之火各奉心火以上炎，何敢下降以私通于肾。既不下降，敢代君以化水乎。少师曰：君火无为，相火有为，君火不下降，包络相火正可代君出治。何以心火不交，相火亦不降乎?岐伯曰：君臣一德而天下治。君火交而相火降，则膀胱得火而水化。君火离而相火降，则膀胱得火而水干。虽君火恃相火而行，亦相火必藉君火而治。肾得心火之交，又得包络之降，阴阳台为一性，竟不能分肾为阴、心为阳矣。少师曰：心肾之离合，膀胱之得失如此乎?岐伯曰：膀胱，可寒而不可过寒，可热而不可过热。过寒则遗，过热则闭，皆心肾不交之故也。此水火所以重既济耳。少师曰：善。
陈士铎曰：膀胱本为水腑。然水中藏火，无水不交，无火亦不交也。
故心肾二脏皆通于膀胱之腑。膀胱不通，又何交乎!交心肾，正藏水火也。
大肠金篇
少师曰：金能生水，大肠属金，亦能生水乎?岐伯曰：大肠之金，阳金也。不能生水，且藉水以相生。少师曰：水何能生金哉?岐伯曰：水不生金而能养金，养即生也。少师曰：人身火多于水，安得水以养大肠乎?岐伯曰：大肠离水实无以养，而水苦无多。所异者，脾土生金，转输精液庶无干燥之虞。而后以肾水润之，便庆濡泽耳。是水土俱为大肠之父母也。少师曰：土生金，而大肠益燥何也?岐伯曰：土柔而大肠润，土刚而大肠燥矣。少师曰：土刚何以燥也?岐伯曰：土刚者，因火旺而刚也。土刚而生金更甚，然未免同火俱生，金喜土而畏火，虽生而实克矣。安得不燥哉。少师曰：水润金也，又善荡金者，何故欤?岐伯曰：大肠得真水而养，得邪水而荡也。邪正不两立，势必相遇而相争。邪旺而正不能敌，则冲激澎湃倾肠而泻矣。故大肠尤宜防水。防水者，防外来之水非防内存之水也。少师曰：人非水火不生，人日饮水何，以防之?岐伯曰：防水何若培土乎。土旺足以制水，土旺自能生金。制水，不害邪水之侵。生金，无愁真水之涸，自必火静而金安可传导而变化也。少师曰：大肠无火，往往有传导变化而不能者，又何故欤?岐伯曰：大肠恶火又最喜火也。恶火者，恶阳火也。喜火者，喜阴火也。阴火不同，而肾中之阴火尤其所喜。喜火者，喜其火中之有水也。少师曰：肾火虽水中之火，然而克金，何以喜之?岐伯曰：肺肾子母也。气无时不通，肺与大肠为表里，肾气生肺，即生大肠也。大肠得肾中水火之气，始得司其开阖也。倘水火不入于大肠，开阖无权，何以传导变化乎!少师曰：善。
陈士铎曰：大肠无水火何以开阖。开阖既难以传导变化乎。可悟大肠必须于水火也。大肠无水火之真，即邪来犯之，故防邪仍宜润正耳。
小肠火篇
少师曰：小肠属火乎?属水乎?岐伯曰：小肠与心为表里，与心同气，属火无疑。其体则为水之路，故小肠又属水也。少师曰：然则小肠居水火之间，乃不阴不阳之腑乎。岐伯曰：小肠属阳，不属阴也。兼属之水者，以其能导水也。水无火不化，小肠有火，故能化水。水不化火，而火且化水，是小肠属火明矣。惟小肠之火代心君以变化，心即分其火气以与小肠，始得导水以渗入于膀胱。然有心之火气、无肾之水气则心肾不交水火不合，水不能遽渗于膀胱矣。少师曰：斯又何故乎?岐伯曰：膀胱，水腑也，得火而化，亦必得水而亲。小肠之火欲．通膀胱，必得肾中真水之气以相引，而后心肾会而水火济，可渗入亦可传出也。少师曰：肠为受盛之官，既容水谷，安在肠内无水，必藉肾水之通膀胱乎?岐伯曰：真水则存而不泄，邪水则走而不守也。小肠得肾之真水，故能化水谷而分清浊，不随水谷俱出也。此小肠所以必资于肾气耳。少师曰：善。
陈士铎曰：小肠之火，有水以济之。故火不上焚，而水始下降也。火不上焚者，有水以引之也，水不下降者，有火以升之也，有升有引，皆既济之道也。
命门真火篇
少师曰：命门居水火中，属水乎?属火乎?岐伯曰：命门，火也。无形有气，居两肾之间，能生水而亦藏于水也。少师曰：藏于水以生水，何也?岐伯曰：火非水不藏，无水则火沸矣。；水非火不生，无火则水绝矣。水与火盖两相生而两相藏也。少师曰：命门之火，既与两肾相亲宜与各脏腑疏矣。岐伯曰：命门为十二经之主。不止肾恃之为根，各脏腑无不相合也。少师曰：十二经皆有火也，何藉命门之生乎?岐伯曰：十二经之火，皆后天之火也。后天之火非先天之火不化。十二经之火得命门先天之火则生生不息，而后可转输运动变化于无穷，此十二经所以皆仰望于命门，各倚之为根也。少师曰：命门之火气甚微，十二经皆来取资，尽为分给，不虞匮乏乎?岐伯曰：命门居水火中，水火相济，取之正无穷也。少师曰：水火非出于肾乎?岐伯曰：命门水火虽不全属于肾，亦不全离乎肾也。盖各经之水火均属后天，独肾中水火则属先天也。后天火易旺，先天火易衰。故命门火微，必须补火，而补火必须补肾，又必兼水火。补之正，以命门之火可旺，而不可过旺也。火之过旺，水之过衰也。水衰不能济火，则火无所制，必焚沸于十二经，不受益而受损矣。故补火必须于水中补之。水中补火则命门与两肾有既济之欢，分布于十二经亦无未济之害也。少师曰，命门之系人生死甚重，《内经》何以遗之?岐伯曰：未尝遗也。主不明则十二官危。所谓主者，正指命门也。七节之旁有小心。小心者，亦指命门也。人特未悟耳。少师曰：命门为主，前人未言何也，岐伯曰：广成子云：窃窈冥冥，其中有神。恍恍惚惚，其中有气。亦指命门也。谁谓前人勿道哉。且命门居于肾，通于任督，更与丹田神室相接。存神于丹田，所以温命门也。守气于神室，所以养命门也。修仙之道无非温养命门耳。命门旺而十二经皆旺，命门衰而十二经皆衰也。命门生而气生，命门绝而气绝矣。少师曰：善。
陈士铎曰：命门为十二经之主。《素问》不明言者，以主之难识耳。然不明言者，未尝不显言之也。无如世人不悟耳。经天师指示而命门绝而不绝矣。秦火未焚之前，何故修命门者少，总由于不善读《内经》也。
凌波按：以何处为命门，是颇值得研究的，有说此有说彼，其实命门一处本无定处。在人与天地同其德时，自可见命门，其他一切都是空谈。若只说长生，则立鼎之处即是命门，即在脐后肾前。
外经微言五卷
命门经主篇
雷公问于岐伯曰：十二经各有一主，主在何经?岐伯曰：肾中之命门为十二经之主也。雷公曰：十二经最神者，心也。宜心为主，不宜以肾中之命门为主也。岐伯曰：以心为主，此主之所以不明也。主在肾之中，不在心之内。然而离心非主，离肾亦非主也。命门殆通心肾以为主乎。岂惟通心肾哉。五脏七腑无不共相贯通也。雷公曰：其共相贯通者，何也?岐伯曰：人非火不生，命门属火，先天之火也。十二经得命门之火始能生化，虽十二经来通于命门，亦命门之火原能通之也。雷公曰：命门属火，宜与火相亲，何偏居于肾以亲水气耶?岐伯曰：肾火，无形之火也；肾水，无形之水也。有形之火，水能克之，无形之火，水能生之。火克于水者，有形之水也．火生于水者，无形之水也。然而无形之火偏能生无形之水，故火不藏于火，转藏于水。所谓一阳陷于二阴之间也。人身先生命门而后生心。心生肺，肺生脾，脾生肝，肝生肾，相合而相生，亦相克而相生也。十二经非命门不生，正不可以生克而拘视之也。故心得命门，而神明应物也；肝得命门，而谋虑也；胆得命门，而决断也；胃得命门，而受纳也；脾得命门，而转输也；肺得命门，而治节也；大肠得命门，而传导也；小肠得命门，而布化也；肾得命门，而作强也；三焦得命门，而决渎也；膀胱得命门，而畜泄也。是十二经为主之官，而命门为十二官之主。有此主则十二官治。无此主则十二官亡矣。命门为主，供十二官之取资。其火易衰，其火亦易旺，然衰乃真衰，旺乃假旺。先天之火非先天之水不生，水中补火，则真衰者不衰矣。火中补水，则假旺者不旺矣。见其衰，补火而不济之以水则火
益微；见其旺，泻火而不济之以水则火益炽．雷公曰：何遭之渺乎，非天师又孰能知之．
陈士铎曰：命门在心肾之中，又何说之有无。如世人隶知也。此篇讲得畅快，非无主之文。
五行生克篇
Shao Shi said: The Gallbladder (Dan) is attached to the Liver (Gan), and Wood (Mu) must be born from Water (Shui). When Kidney Water generates Liver Wood, it is generating the Gallbladder; how could there be another source to generate the Gallbladder? Qi Bo said: When Kidney Water generates Wood, it must first generate the Liver, and the Liver then distributes its water to generate the Gallbladder. However, both the Liver and Gallbladder are children of the Kidney; how could the Kidney be neglectful of the Gallbladder? It is only that the Gallbladder and Liver are exterior-interior pairs, truly close like hands and feet, with no distinction between self and other. Therefore, when Kidney Water is abundant, both Liver and Gallbladder are abundant; when Kidney Water is deficient, both Liver and Gallbladder are deficient. It is not merely that when Liver Blood is abundant, Gallbladder Juice is full, and when Liver Blood is deficient, Gallbladder Juice is scant. Shao Shi said: Yet there are cases where Kidney Water is not deficient, but the Qi of the Gallbladder becomes diseased on its own. Why is this? Qi Bo said: The juice of the Gallbladder is primarily for storage, while the Qi of the Gallbladder is primarily for excretion/dissemination; thus, it prefers unobstructed flow rather than stagnation. Moreover, Gallbladder Qi is most prone to stagnation; upon encountering external Cold, Gallbladder Qi becomes obstructed; upon encountering internal constraint, Gallbladder Qi also becomes obstructed. If one only tonifies Kidney Water without soothing Liver Wood, the Fire within the Wood cannot disseminate outward, inevitably suppressing the Earth of the Spleen and Stomach downwards. The conflict between Wood and Earth often leads to imbalance in Gallbladder Qi, either assisting Fire to punish Lung Metal or consuming Water to impair Liver Yin, thereby causing Gallbladder constraint and Liver depression. When Liver and Gallbladder mutually constrain each other, their obstruction becomes even more severe. Therefore, resolving constraint must come first; one cannot merely rely on tonifying Kidney Water. Shao Shi said: If Liver and Gallbladder are simultaneously constrained, is it sufficient to only unblock the Gallbladder Wood? Qi Bo said: Since the constraint is the same, how can the method of resolution differ? When the Gallbladder is constrained, the Liver is also constrained; when the Liver is soothed, the Gallbladder is also soothed. After soothing the Gallbladder, supplementing with Water will allow Water to nourish Wood to promote flourishing. Wood, receiving Water, becomes harmonious and smooth. Since Liver Blood will not be exhausted, how could Heart Fluid not be generated? From this point on, the San Jiao (Triple Burner) takes Wood Qi as its root, and the Pericardium (Bao Luo) also receives Gallbladder Qi as assistance; all Twelve Meridians depend on the Gallbladder. Why worry about insufficiency! Shao Shi said: Excellent.
Chen Shiduo said: The Liver and Gallbladder are exterior-interior pairs; when the Liver is excess, the Gallbladder is excess; when the Liver is deficient, the Gallbladder is deficient. Thus, treating the Gallbladder should prioritize treating the Liver.
The Liver is prone to depression, and how could the Gallbladder's propensity for depression be different from the Liver's? Therefore, treating the Gallbladder necessitates treating the Liver.
Bladder Water Chapter
Shao Shi said: Water belongs to Yin, yet the water in the Bladder is called Yang Water. Why? Qi Bo said: The water in the Bladder contains Fire. Without Fire, Water cannot transform, hence it is named Yang Water. The Bladder Fu organ inherently lacks Fire; it relies on the mutual connection of Fire from the Heart and Kidney to transform Water, allowing Water to be stored and excreted. Fire belongs to Yang; since the Bladder communicates with Fire Qi, Yin transforms into Yang. Shao Shi said: The Bladder communicates with Heart and Kidney Fire, yet it is closer to the Kidney and distant from the Heart. Heart Fire is Yang, and the Bladder is also Yang; why do Yang entities not亲近 (approach/intimate)? Qi Bo said: The Bladder and Kidney are exterior-interior pairs and are most closely concerned with each other, so the Kidney is close to the Bladder. And the Bladder cannot be distant from the Kidney. The Heart does not combine with the Bladder, which explains why the Bladder is distant from the Heart. However, although the Heart does not combine with the Bladder, the Heart is actually an exterior-interior pair with the Small Intestine, and the Small Intestine is directly connected to the Bladder. The Heart combines with the Small Intestine, and thus necessarily combines with the Bladder. Thus, the Heart and Bladder appear distant in trace but are actually close. Shao Shi said: Then is the Bladder close to the Heart and distant from the Kidney? Qi Bo said: The Bladder is Yang Water; it prefers communicating with Yin Fire and dislikes communicating with Yang Fire. It seems that if Heart Fire approaches, it may not necessarily transform Water. However, if Kidney Fire does not communicate with Heart Fire, then Yin and Yang do not intersect, and the Yang Fire in the Bladder finds it difficult to transform Water. Shao Shi said: What is the reason for this? Qi Bo said: When Heart Fire descends to communicate with the Kidney, the Fire of the Pericardium and San Jiao comes together to assist, helping the Stomach to transform the water in the Bladder. If the Heart does not communicate with the Kidney, the Fire of the Pericardium and San Jiao, each following Heart Fire, flares upward; how would they dare to descend to privately connect with the Kidney? Since they do not descend, how could they dare to act on behalf of the Sovereign Fire to transform Water? Shao Shi said: Sovereign Fire is non-action (Wu Wei), Ministerial Fire is action (You Wei). If Sovereign Fire does not descend, the Ministerial Fire of the Pericardium can justly take over governance. Why, if Heart Fire does not communicate, does Ministerial Fire also not descend? Qi Bo said: When Sovereign and Ministerial hearts are united, the world is governed. When Sovereign Fire communicates and Ministerial Fire descends, the Bladder receives Fire and Water transforms. If Sovereign Fire separates and Ministerial Fire descends [note: text implies pathological separation], the Bladder receives Fire but Water dries up. Although Sovereign Fire relies on Ministerial Fire to act, Ministerial Fire must also rely on Sovereign Fire to govern. When the Kidney receives the communication of Heart Fire and the descent of Pericardium Fire, Yin and Yang merge into one nature, making it impossible to distinguish Kidney as Yin and Heart as Yang. Shao Shi said: Is the separation and union of Heart and Kidney, and the gain and loss of the Bladder, like this? Qi Bo said: The Bladder can be cold but not excessively cold; it can be hot but not excessively hot. Excessive cold leads to enuresis; excessive heat leads to urinary retention. Both are due to the lack of communication between Heart and Kidney. This is why Water and Fire emphasize Jiji (Mutual Completion). Shao Shi said: Excellent.
Chen Shiduo said: The Bladder is originally a Water Fu organ. However, Fire is hidden within Water; without Water, there is no communication; without Fire, there is also no communication. Thus, both the Heart and Kidney organs communicate with the Bladder Fu. If the Bladder is not unobstructed, how can there be communication! Communicating with Heart and Kidney is precisely storing Water and Fire.
Large Intestine Metal Chapter
Shao Shi said: Metal can generate Water. The Large Intestine belongs to Metal; can it also generate Water? Qi Bo said: The Metal of the Large Intestine is Yang Metal. It cannot generate Water; rather, it relies on Water to mutually generate. Shao Shi said: How can Water generate Metal? Qi Bo said: Water does not generate Metal but can nourish Metal; nourishing is generating. Shao Shi said: In the human body, Fire is more abundant than Water; where is there enough Water to nourish the Large Intestine? Qi Bo said: The Large Intestine cannot be nourished without Water, yet Water is scarce. The difference lies in the fact that Spleen Earth generates Metal, transporting Essence and Fluids, thus avoiding dryness. Then, moistened by Kidney Water, it enjoys moisture. Thus, both Earth and Water are parents of the Large Intestine. Shao Shi said: Earth generates Metal, yet why is the Large Intestine even drier? Qi Bo said: If Earth is soft, the Large Intestine is moist; if Earth is rigid, the Large Intestine is dry. Shao Shi said: Why does rigid Earth lead to dryness? Qi Bo said: Rigid Earth is caused by vigorous Fire making it rigid. Rigid Earth generates Metal even more intensely, but inevitably generates along with Fire. Metal likes Earth but fears Fire; although it is generated, it is actually controlled. How can it not be dry? Shao Shi said: Water moistens Metal, but it also agitates Metal. Why is this? Qi Bo said: The Large Intestine is nourished by True Water but agitated by Evil Water. Evil and Righteous cannot coexist; they inevitably meet and contend. If Evil is vigorous and Righteous cannot resist, the surge causes diarrhea. Therefore, the Large Intestine especially needs to guard against Water. Guarding against Water means guarding against external incoming Water, not internal stored Water. Shao Shi said: Humans cannot live without Water and Fire; humans drink water daily, why guard against it? Qi Bo said: To guard against Water, what is better than cultivating Earth? If Earth is prosperous, it can control Water; if Earth is prosperous, it naturally generates Metal. Controlling Water prevents invasion by Evil Water; generating Metal prevents depletion of True Water. Naturally, Fire will be calm and Metal secure, allowing conduction and transformation. Shao Shi said: The Large Intestine has no Fire, yet often fails in conduction and transformation. What is the reason? Qi Bo said: The Large Intestine dislikes Fire yet loves Fire. Disliking Fire means disliking Yang Fire. Loving Fire means loving Yin Fire. Among Yin Fires, the Yin Fire in the Kidney is particularly loved. Loving Fire means loving the Water within Fire. Shao Shi said: Kidney Fire is Fire within Water, yet it controls Metal; why is it loved? Qi Bo said: Lung and Kidney are mother and child. Qi is always flowing; Lung and Large Intestine are exterior-interior pairs. When Kidney Qi generates Lung, it also generates the Large Intestine. Only by receiving the Qi of Water and Fire from the Kidney can the Large Intestine manage its opening and closing. If Water and Fire do not enter the Large Intestine, opening and closing lose power, how can conduction and transformation occur! Shao Shi said: Excellent.
Chen Shiduo said: How can the Large Intestine open and close without Water and Fire? If opening and closing are difficult, how can conduction and transformation occur? One can realize that the Large Intestine must rely on Water and Fire. Without the truth of Water and Fire in the Large Intestine, Evil attacks; thus, preventing Evil requires nourishing Righteousness.
Small Intestine Fire Chapter
Shao Shi said: Does the Small Intestine belong to Fire? Or to Water? Qi Bo said: The Small Intestine is exterior-interior with the Heart, shares the same Qi as the Heart, and undoubtedly belongs to Fire. Its form is the pathway for Water, so the Small Intestine also belongs to Water. Shao Shi said: Then, residing between Water and Fire, is the Small Intestine a Fu organ that is neither Yin nor Yang? Qi Bo said: The Small Intestine belongs to Yang, not Yin. It additionally belongs to Water because it can guide Water. Water does not transform without Fire; the Small Intestine has Fire, so it can transform Water. Water does not transform into Fire, but Fire transforms into Water; thus, it is clear that the Small Intestine belongs to Fire. Only when the Fire of the Small Intestine acts on behalf of the Sovereign Heart to transform, and the Heart distributes its Fire Qi to the Small Intestine, can it guide Water to seep into the Bladder. However, if there is Heart Fire Qi but no Kidney Water Qi, Heart and Kidney do not communicate, Water and Fire do not match, and Water cannot immediately seep into the Bladder. Shao Shi said: What is the reason for this? Qi Bo said: The Bladder is a Water Fu organ; it transforms upon receiving Fire and becomes intimate upon receiving Water. For the Fire of the Small Intestine to connect with the Bladder, it must receive the Qi of True Water from the Kidney to attract it, so that Heart and Kidney meet, Water and Fire complete each other, and it can seep in and transmit out. Shao Shi said: The Intestine is the Official of Reception and Fulfillment; since it holds water and grain, how can there be no Water in the intestine? Must it rely on Kidney Water connecting to the Bladder? Qi Bo said: True Water is stored and not leaked; Evil Water flows and does not stay. The Small Intestine receives True Water from the Kidney, so it can transform water and grain, separating the clear from the turbid, not expelling them together with water and grain. This is why the Small Intestine must rely on Kidney Qi. Shao Shi said: Excellent.
Chen Shiduo said: The Fire of the Small Intestine is assisted by Water. Thus, Fire does not burn upwards, and Water descends. Fire does not burn upwards because Water guides it; Water does not descend because Fire lifts it. With lifting and guiding, this is the way of Jiji (Mutual Completion).
Mingmen True Fire Chapter
Shao Shi said: Mingmen resides within Water and Fire; does it belong to Water? Or to Fire? Qi Bo said: Mingmen is Fire. It is formless but has Qi, residing between the two Kidneys; it can generate Water and also hide within Water. Shao Shi said: Hiding within Water to generate Water, why? Qi Bo said: Fire cannot be hidden without Water; without Water, Fire boils. Water cannot be generated without Fire; without Fire, Water perishes. Water and Fire mutually generate and mutually hide. Shao Shi said: The Fire of Mingmen, being close to the two Kidneys, is distant from the various Zang-Fu organs. Qi Bo said: Mingmen is the master of the Twelve Meridians. Not only does the Kidney rely on it as a root; all Zang-Fu organs combine with it. Shao Shi said: All Twelve Meridians have Fire; why rely on Mingmen to generate it? Qi Bo said: The Fire of the Twelve Meridians is Postnatal Fire. Postnatal Fire cannot transform without Prenatal Fire. When the Fire of the Twelve Meridians receives the Prenatal Fire of Mingmen, it generates endlessly, enabling infinite transmission, movement, and transformation. This is why all Twelve Meridians look up to Mingmen and rely on it as a root. Shao Shi said: The Qi of Mingmen Fire is very weak; all Twelve Meridians draw resources from it. Will it not be depleted? Qi Bo said: Mingmen resides in Water and Fire; Water and Fire complement each other, so drawing from it is inexhaustible. Shao Shi said: Are Water and Fire not originating from the Kidney? Qi Bo said: Although the Water and Fire of Mingmen do not wholly belong to the Kidney, they do not completely depart from the Kidney. Generally, the Water and Fire of each meridian belong to the Postnatal, while only the Water and Fire in the Kidney belong to the Prenatal. Postnatal Fire easily becomes vigorous; Prenatal Fire easily becomes deficient. Therefore, if Mingmen Fire is weak, one must tonify Fire; tonifying Fire requires tonifying the Kidney, and must include both Water and Fire. Tonifying correctly allows Mingmen Fire to become vigorous, but not excessively vigorous. Excessive Fire indicates deficient Water. If Water is deficient and cannot assist Fire, Fire has no restraint and will boil in the Twelve Meridians, causing harm rather than benefit. Thus, tonifying Fire must be done within Water. Tonifying Fire in Water brings Jiji joy to Mingmen and the two Kidneys, distributing to the Twelve Meridians without the harm of Weiji (Non-completion). Shao Shi said: Mingmen is crucial for life and death; why did the Nei Jing omit it? Qi Bo said: It was not omitted. "If the Master is unclear, the Twelve Officials are in danger." The so-called Master refers precisely to Mingmen. "Beside the seventh vertebra, there is a small heart." "Small heart" also refers to Mingmen. People simply have not realized it. Shao Shi said: Mingmen is the Master; why did predecessors not speak of it? Qi Bo said: Guang Cheng Zi said: "Deep and dark, there is Spirit within. Vague and indistinct, there is Qi within." This also refers to Mingmen. Who says predecessors did not speak of it? Moreover, Mingmen resides in the Kidney, connects with Ren and Du meridians, and further connects with the Dantian Shen Shi. Storing Spirit in the Dantian warms Mingmen. Guarding Qi in the Shen Shi nourishes Mingmen. The Dao of Immortality is nothing but warming and nourishing Mingmen. When Mingmen is vigorous, all Twelve Meridians are vigorous; when Mingmen is deficient, all Twelve Meridians are deficient. When Mingmen lives, Qi lives; when Mingmen perishes, Qi perishes. Shao Shi said: Excellent.
Chen Shiduo said: Mingmen is the Master of the Twelve Meridians. The Su Wen does not state it explicitly because the Master is hard to recognize. However, not stating it explicitly does not mean it is not stated clearly. It is just that people do not realize it. Through the instruction of the Heavenly Master, Mingmen is neither extinct nor extant. Before the burning of books by Qin, why were few people cultivating Mingmen? It is entirely due to not reading the Nei Jing well.
Ling Bo noted: Determining the location of Mingmen is worth studying. Some say here, some say there. Actually, Mingmen has no fixed location. When a person's virtue aligns with Heaven and Earth, one can see Mingmen; otherwise, everything else is empty talk. If speaking only of longevity, the place where the tripod is established is Mingmen, located behind the navel and in front of the Kidneys.
Waijing Miyan, Volume 5
Mingmen Master of Meridians Chapter
Lei Gong asked Qi Bo: Each of the Twelve Meridians has a Master. Which meridian is the Master in? Qi Bo said: The Mingmen in the Kidney is the Master of the Twelve Meridians. Lei Gong said: The most miraculous of the Twelve Meridians is the Heart. The Heart should be the Master, not the Mingmen in the Kidney. Qi Bo said: Taking the Heart as the Master is why the Master is unclear. The Master is in the Kidney, not inside the Heart. However, apart from the Heart, it is not the Master; apart from the Kidney, it is not the Master. Perhaps Mingpen serves as the Master by connecting Heart and Kidney. It does more than connect Heart and Kidney. All Five Zang and Seven Fu organs mutually connect. Lei Gong said: How do they mutually connect? Qi Bo said: Humans cannot live without Fire. Mingmen belongs to Fire, which is Prenatal Fire. The Twelve Meridians can only generate and transform after receiving Fire from Mingmen. Although the Twelve Meridians connect to Mingmen, it is the Fire of Mingmen that originally connects them. Lei Gong said: Mingmen belongs to Fire; it should be close to Fire. Why does it reside in the Kidney to approach Water Qi? Qi Bo said: Kidney Fire is Formless Fire; Kidney Water is Formless Water. Formless Fire can be overcome by Water, but Formless Fire is generated by Water. Fire overcome by Water is Formless Water; Fire generated by Water is Formless Water. However, Formless Fire can specifically generate Formless Water. Thus, Fire does not hide in Fire but turns to hide in Water. This is called "One Yang trapped between Two Yins." The human body forms Mingmen first, then the Heart. Heart generates Lung, Lung generates Spleen, Spleen generates Liver, Liver generates Kidney. They combine and generate, and also control and generate. The Twelve Meridians cannot be born without Mingmen; one must not view them strictly through generation and control. Thus, the Heart receives Mingmen and responds to objects with Spirit; the Liver receives Mingmen and plans; the Gallbladder receives Mingmen and decides; the Stomach receives Mingmen and receives; the Spleen receives Mingmen and transports; the Lung receives Mingmen and regulates; the Large Intestine receives Mingmen and conducts; the Small Intestine receives Mingmen and distributes; the Kidney receives Mingmen and strengthens; the San Jiao receives Mingmen and drains; the Bladder receives Mingmen and stores/empties. These are the Twelve Officials who are masters, and Mingmen is the Master of the Twelve Officials. With this Master, the Twelve Officials are governed. Without this Master, the Twelve Officials perish. Mingmen is the Master, providing resources for the Twelve Officials. Its Fire easily becomes deficient, and its Fire easily becomes vigorous. However, deficiency is true deficiency, and vigor is false vigor. Prenatal Fire cannot be born without Prenatal Water; tonifying Fire in Water makes true deficiency not deficient. Tonifying Water in Fire makes false vigor not vigorous. Seeing deficiency, if one tonifies Fire without assisting with Water, Fire becomes weaker. Seeing vigor, if one purges Fire without assisting with Water, Fire becomes stronger. Lei Gong said: How profound! Who but the Heavenly Master could know this?
Chen Shiduo said: Mingmen is within the Heart and Kidney; why speak of existence and non-existence? As known by the world. This chapter speaks freely; it is not a text without a Master.
Five Elements Generation and Control Chapter