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According to the "Liu Jie Zang Xiang Lun" (Treatise on the Six Sections and Visceral Manifestations): Heaven uses six cycles of sixty days (six-six jie, referring to the completion of six jia-zi periods) to form one year; humans use nine times nine (eighty-one) to correspond and converge, calculating that the human body also has three hundred and sixty-five joints to correspond with Heaven and Earth, a principle established for a long time. (The "six-six jie" refers to six completions of the six jia-zi days, forming the seasonal limits of a year. The "jiu jiu zhi hui" refers to nine cycles around the number of the nine wilds, used to regulate the convergence of the human form. It means that the three hundred and sixty-five joints of the human body have corresponded to the heaven's six-six jie for a long time.) The principles of the six-six jie and the jiu jiu zhi hui are used to rectify the degrees of Heaven and the numbers of Qi. (The six-six jie is the degree of Heaven. The jiu jiu zhi hui is the number of Heaven. What is meant by the number of Qi is the generating and completing Qi. The circumference of the sky is three hundred and sixty-five and one-quarter degrees. Divided equally by the twelve solar terms, there are three hundred and sixty days for Qi to complete, plus small months, falling short of this number. Therefore, leap months are often placed among the sixty-four Qi. Why? Because of the accumulation of fractional differences. The generation and reproduction of Heaven and Earth originate in Yin and Yang. The operation of human spirit begins and ends with the Nine Qi. Is not the function of "Nine" great indeed! The "Lu Shu" (Book of Music Standards) says: The Huangzhong pitch pipe is nine cun long. On the day of Winter Solstice, Qi responds causing caltrops ash to fly. From this, the birth of all things is due to the Nine Qi. Ancient nine cun is equivalent to seven cun and three fen today; sizes differ because of the ancient system using millet grains.) The degrees of Heaven are used to regulate the movement of the Sun and Moon. The numbers of Qi are used to record the function of transformation and generation. ("Zhi" means standard measurement. "Ji" means guideline. Using the motion of the Sun and Moon as a standard clarifies their speed; recording the function of transformation and generation manifests the response when Qi arrives. If Qi response is without error, the principle of generation does not decline. Measuring speed and slowness, the large and small months arise. Thus, the sun's length changes daily, the moon shifts cold and heat, storage and growth occur without missing the proper timing.) Heaven is Yang, Earth is Yin; the Sun is Yang, the Moon is Yin. Movement has divisions and records, and the cycle has principles. The Sun moves one degree per day, while the Moon moves thirteen degrees and a fraction. Thus, large and small months total three hundred and sixty-five days to form a year, accumulating residual Qi to fill leap months. (The Sun moves slowly, traveling one degree across the sky in a day and night, completing a circuit in three hundred and sixty-five days, yet still having fractional degrees remaining. The Moon moves fast, traveling over thirteen degrees in a day and night, completing a circuit in twenty-nine days. "Having a fraction" means beyond thirteen degrees, it travels seven parts of nineteen degrees, hence "the Moon moves thirteen degrees with a remainder." The "Li Yi" and Han Dynasty "Lü Li Zhi" state: The Twenty-Eight Mansions and other stars all move from East to West along the sky, while the Sun, Moon, and Five Planets move from West to East. However, the current Grand Astrologer states they all move East along the sky, turning from East to West. Various astronomers say: From the 1st to 4th day, the Moon moves fastest, over fourteen degrees daily; from the 5th to 8th, slightly faster, over thirteen degrees; from the 9th to 19th, slower, over twelve degrees; from the 20th to 23rd, slightly faster again, over thirteen degrees; from the 24th to the last day, fastest again, over fourteen degrees. The Grand Astrologer now says the Moon's rate is not so; sometimes it is fast before the 15th and slow after, or slow before and fast after. Roughly dividing the month into four parts, there are always variations in speed, which have no fixed standard. Nevertheless, ultimately the Moon completes a circuit in twenty-seven days, traveling three hundred and sixty-one degrees. In twenty-nine days, the Sun travels twenty-nine degrees, the Moon two hundred and eighty-seven, falling short of the Sun by seven degrees. By the thirtieth day, the Sun advances further; calculating the rate to eight-thirteenths, the Moon catches up. This is a full month. Roughly, calculating to half-thirteenths is also the method for a full month. Calculating to five or six-thirteenths to catch the Sun is a deficient month. Hence, large and small months total three hundred and sixty-five days to form a year. Strictly speaking, three hundred and sixty-five and one-quarter days make a year; since fractions do not form an integer, "six" is cited. If taking six small months as the rule, a year has only three hundred and fifty-four days, lacking eleven days. Taking the missing time of the Moon and adding the residual days outside the year, leap months are filled thirty-two days after the intercalation. The "Shang Shu" says: A period of three hundred and sixty-six days, using leap months to determine the four seasons to form a year, is the meaning. Accumulating residuals to fill leaps is entirely due to the size of months not perfectly matching heavenly degrees.) Establishing the beginning at the start, correcting the middle with major solar terms, and pushing residuals to the end, the degrees of Heaven are complete. ("Establishing the beginning at the start" refers to the ancient kings correcting time. Starting with the Winter Solstice as the beginning of the year. "Correcting the middle" refers to using major solar terms to establish the first month. "Pushing residuals to the end" means if a month has extra days, they are returned to the end, accumulated to form a leap month, thus allowing the degrees of Heaven to be complete.) Heaven uses six-six as its section, Earth uses nine-nine to converge. Heaven has ten Heavenly Stems. The Sun completes six cycles to finish a Jia-Zi cycle; six repetitions of Jia-Zi conclude the year, following the law of three hundred and sixty days. (Ten stems refer to Jia, Yi, Bing, Ding, Wu, Ji, Geng, Xin, Ren, Gui. Ten is the ultimate number of Heaven and Earth. The "Yi Jing · Xi Ci" says: Heaven Nine, Earth Ten, which is the meaning. Sixty days complete a Jia-Zi cycle; six cycles of Jia-Zi restart, concluding the days of a year, which is the law of three hundred and sixty-five days.) Since antiquity, those who connect with Heaven find the root of life in Yin and Yang. Their Qi connects through the Nine Provinces and Nine Orifices, all communicating with Heavenly Qi. (Primordial Qi, i.e., True Innocence. Form is borrowed from Earth to generate, Life is endowed by Heaven. Thus, the Qi sustaining life connects to Heaven, inheriting from Yin and Yang to become the root. Hence it is said: Humans are born from Earth, their fate hangs from Heaven. Heaven and Earth combine Qi, called Human. Earth divides into Nine Provinces, Humans have Nine Orifices. Spirit and Essence reciprocate, Qi participates equally.) Thus, life generates according to the Five Elements, and Qi is divided into Three. (What exists in form relies on the Five Elements for operation; tracing back to the origin, it is generated from Three Qi. Hence "Life generates Five, Qi is Three.") Three constitute Heaven, Three constitute Earth, Three constitute Man. (Not only does Man alone arise from Three Qi; the Way of Heaven and Earth is also like this. Thus, in the "Yi Jing," Qian and Kun hexagrams must all have three lines.) Three multiplied by three combines to Nine. Nine divides into Nine Wilds. Nine Wilds correspond to Nine Zang Organs. (Nine Wilds correspond to Nine Zang Organs to form districts. Outside the district is Jiao, outside Jiao is Dian, outside Dian is Mu, outside Mu is Lin, outside Lin is You, outside You is Ye. This is called Nine Wilds.) Thus, there are Four Xing (Form) Zang and Five Shen (Spirit) Zang, combining to Nine Zang to correspond. (The Four Xing Zang are: 1. Head/Horns, 2. Eyes/Ears, 3. Mouth/Teeth, 4. Chest/Middle. Form combines externally, hence named thus. The Five Shen Zang are: Liver, Heart, Spleen, Lung, Kidney. Spirit hides internally, hence named thus. The so-called Shen Zang are: Liver stores Hun, Heart stores Shen, Spleen stores Yi, Lung stores Po, Kidney stores Zhi.) Heaven feeds humans with Five Qi, Earth feeds humans with Five Flavors. (Five Qi feeding humans: Pungent Qi gathers in Liver, Scorched Qi gathers in Heart, Fragrant Qi gathers in Spleen, Fishy Qi gathers in Lung, Rotten Qi gathers in Kidney. Five Flavors feeding humans: Sour enters Liver, Bitter enters Heart, Sweet enters Spleen, Pungent enters Lung, Salty enters Kidney. Clear Yang transforms into Qi and rises to Heaven; Turbid Yin forms Flavor and descends to Earth. Thus Heaven feeds humans with Qi, Earth with Flavor.) Five Qi enter through the nose, store in Heart and Lung, causing the complexion above to be bright and clear, and voice to be distinct. Five Flavors enter the mouth, store in Stomach and Intestines. Flavors are stored to nourish the Five Qi. When Qi harmonizes, life arises; fluids and Qi mutually complete, and Spirit naturally generates. (Heart nourishes facial color, Lung governs voice/sound. Thus Qi storing in Heart/Lung causes colors to be pure and distinct, voice to be manifest. Qi is the mother of Water. Thus flavors store in Stomach/Intestines, internally nourishing Five Qi. Five Qi combine and transform, Fluids then generate. Fluids and Qi assist each other in transformation, allowing Spirit Qi to generate and disseminate.) What are the Visceral Manifestations? (Manifestation refers to what is seen externally and can be observed.) The Heart is the root of life and the change of Spirit. Its luster appears on the face, its filling is in the blood vessels. It is the Taiyang of Yang, connecting with Summer Qi. (The Heart is the official of the sovereign, where Spirit Ming emerges. All things depend on it for rise and fall. Thus, Heart is the root of life, the change of Spirit. Fire Qi flares upward, so luster is on the face. Heart nourishes Blood, governs vessels, so filling is in blood vessels. Heart governs Summer, Qi combines with Taiyang. As Taiyang resides in the fire of Summer, it is called Taiyang of Yang, connecting with Summer Qi.) The Lung is the root of Qi and the dwelling of Po. Its luster appears on hair, its filling is in skin. It is the Taiyin of Yang, connecting with Autumn Qi. (Lung stores Qi, its spirit is Po, it nourishes hair and skin. Thus, Lung is the root of Qi, dwelling of Po, luster in hair, filling in skin. The Lung organ is Taiyin Qi, governing Autumn above. Daytime is the path of Yang Qi, position is not Yin. With Taiyin residing in Yang division, it is called Taiyin of Yang, connecting with Autumn Qi.) The Kidney is the root of hibernation and sealing/storing, the dwelling of Essence. Its luster appears on hair, its filling is in bone. It is Shaoyin of Yin, connecting with Winter Qi. (Earth gates close, hibernating insects hide deep. Kidney governs Water, receiving essence from Five Zang and Six Fu organs to store it. Thus, Kidney is the root of hibernation/sealing, dwelling of Essence. Brain is the sea of Marrow. Kidney governs Marrow/Bone. Hair is nourished by Brain, so luster is in hair, filling in bone. With abundant Yin residing in Winter Yin division, it is called Shaoyin of Yin, connecting with Winter Qi.) The Liver is the root of fatigue/extremity, the dwelling of Hun. Its luster appears on nails, its filling is in sinews, generating Blood and Qi. It is Shaoyang of Yang, connecting with Spring Qi. (Human movement is performed by sinews and strength. Liver governs sinews, its spirit is Hun. Thus, Liver is the root of fatigue, dwelling of Hun. Nails are the surplus of sinews, sinews are nourished by Liver, so luster is in nails, filling in sinews. The East is the beginning of generation, thus generating Blood and Qi. With Shaoyang residing in Yang position and reigning in Spring, it is called Shaoyang of Yang, connecting with Spring Qi.) The Spleen, Stomach, Large Intestine, Small Intestine, Sanjiao, and Bladder are the root of granaries, the dwelling of Ying Qi, named vessels. They can transform dregs and convert flavors for entry and exit. (All can receive and transport continuously, thus being the root of granaries, named vessels. Ying Qi originates in Middle Jiao, which is the seat of Spleen/Stomach, thus dwelling of Ying Qi. However, water/grain flavors enter Spleen/Stomach; Spleen/Stomach transform dregs and flavors, exiting via Sanjiao/Bladder. Thus, converting flavors for entry and exit.) Its luster appears on the white flesh around the lips, its filling is in muscles. This is the category of Supreme Yin, connecting with Earth Qi. (Mouth is the official of Spleen, Spleen governs muscles. Thus luster on lip-white, filling in muscle. White flesh refers to the white meat at the four corners of the lips. Spleen stores Earth Qi, connecting above with Supreme Yin. Thus category of Supreme Yin, connecting with Earth Qi.) All Eleven Zang Organs depend on the Gallbladder. (From Heart above to Gallbladder below makes Eleven. Gallbladder is upright, firm, decisive, unbiased. This clarifies that the manifestations of all Eleven Zang Organs generally depend on the Gallbladder. Zang organs are internal but manifest externally for observation; this is called Visceral Manifestation. What Heaven gives us is Virtue (De). What Earth gives us is Qi. Life arises from the flow of Virtue and interaction of Qi. Thus, the source of life is called Jing (Essence). Two Essences clashing is called Shen (Spirit). That which accompanies Spirit going and coming is called Hun (Ethereal Soul). That which exits and enters with Essence is called Po (Corporeal Soul). That which handles external objects is called Xin (Heart/Mind). Memory of the Heart is called Yi (Intention). What Yi retains is called Zhi (Will). Variation based on Will is called Si (Thought). Far-reaching consideration based on Thought is called Lv (Deliberation). Handling matters based on Deliberation is called Zhi (Wisdom)."Therefore, if the Renying pulse is one-fold stronger than the Cunkou pulse, the disease is in Shaoyang; two-fold, in Taiyang; three-fold, in Yangming; four-fold or more is Ge Yang (Blocking Yang). (Method of Yang pulses. Shaoyang is Gallbladder pulse. Taiyang is Bladder pulse. Yangming is Stomach pulse. The "Ling Shu Jing" says: One-fold and restless in Hand Shaoyang, two-fold and restless in Hand Taiyang, three-fold and restless in Hand Yangming and Hand Shaoyang (Sanjiao pulse); Hand Taiyang (Small Intestine pulse); Hand Yangming (Large Intestine pulse). One-fold means the Renying pulse is greater than Cunkou by one fold, others follow similarly. Four times or more is extreme excess of Yang, thus rejecting food intake. The "Zheng Li Lun" says: Ge implies vomiting.) If the Cunkou pulse is one-fold stronger than the Renying pulse, the disease is in Jueyin; two-fold, in Shaoyin; three-fold, in Taiyin; four-fold or more is Guan Yin (Closing Yin). (Method of Yin pulses. Jueyin is Liver pulse. Shaoyin is Kidney pulse. Taiyin is Spleen pulse. The "Ling Shu Jing" says: One-fold and restless in Hand Jueyin, two-fold and restless in Hand Shaoyin, three-fold and restless in Hand Taiyin. Hand Jueyin is Pericardium. Hand Shaoyin is Heart. Hand Taiyin is Lung. Method of strength is same as Yang. Four times or more is extreme excess of Yin, thus closing and preventing urination. The "Zheng Li Lun" says: Guan implies inability to urinate.) If both Renying and Cunkou pulses are strong, four-fold or more, it is Guan Ge (Closing and Blocking). The Guan Ge pulse is weak (Lei should be Ying/Full), unable to reach the extremity of Heaven and Earth's Essence and Qi, then death occurs. (Both strong means both are greater than normal by four times. Things cannot remain strong forever; extremity leads to decline. Thus, unable to reach the extremity of Heaven and Earth's Essence and Qi leads to death. The "Ling Shu Jing" says: Yin and Yang both strong, unable to manage each other, thus called Guan Ge. Guan Ge means dying before the natural term.)