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The "Treatise on Flaccidity" (Wei Lun) states: Why do the five zang organs cause flaccidity syndromes? (Flaccidity refers to weakness and inability to move.) The Lung governs the skin and hair of the body, the Heart governs the blood vessels of the body, the Liver governs the sinews and fascia of the body, (Fascia refers to the tendinous tissue above the subcutaneous muscle.) the Spleen governs the muscles of the body, and the Kidney governs the bone marrow of the body. (Since the governed parts differ, the onset of flaccidity also corresponds to its respective governing organ.) Therefore, if Lung heat causes the leaves to wither and dry, the skin and hair become weak, tight, thin, and adherent, leading to Wei Bi syndrome (flaccidity of the legs). (Bi refers to contraction of the feet, where the legs cannot extend for walking. Lung heat affects the Kidney through transmitted heat, hence this description.) If Heart qi is hot, the lower vessels become jue-ni (rebellious) and ascend; ascending leads to deficiency in the lower vessels, and deficiency generates Mai Wei (vessel flaccidity), where the joint pivot breaks and lifts poorly, the shins are flaccid and unable to bear weight. (Excessive Heart heat causes fire to flare upwards independently. The Kidney meridian usually descends, but when fire is excessive and flares up, the Kidney meridian follows the fire's scorching ascent. Yin qi becomes jue-ni, fire burns internally again, yin obstructs yang from above, and the lower part fails to maintain its position. Heart qi connects with the vessels, thus generating Mai Wei. Kidney qi governs the feet, so the knee pivot feels like it is broken. The shin sinews are flaccid, making walking impossible as they cannot support the body's weight on the ground.) If Liver qi is hot, gallbladder juice leaks causing bitter taste in the mouth, and the sinews and fascia become dry. Dry sinews and fascia lead to stiffness and contraction, resulting in Jin Wei (sinew flaccidity). (The Gallbladder wraps the Liver lobes, and its juice is extremely bitter. Liver heat causes bile to seep out, hence the bitter taste. The Liver governs sinews and fascia; heat dries them causing stiffness and contraction, resulting in Jin Wei.) If Spleen qi is hot, the Stomach becomes dry causing thirst, and the muscles lose sensation, resulting in Rou Wei (muscle flaccidity). (The Spleen and Stomach are connected by membranes. Spleen heat causes stomach fluids to leak, hence dryness and thirst. The Spleen governs muscles; heat struggles internally, causing muscle insensibility, resulting in Rou Wei.) If Kidney qi is hot, the waist and spine cannot lift, bones become withered and marrow decreases, resulting in Gu Wei (bone flaccidity). (The waist is the mansion of the Kidney. Additionally, the Kidney meridian ascends through the inner thigh, penetrates the spine, and connects to the Kidney. Thus, Kidney heat prevents lifting of the waist and spine. The Kidney governs bone marrow; heat causes bone withering and marrow depletion, resulting in Gu Wei.) Why is treating flaccidity focused solely on the Yangming channel? The Yangming channel is the sea of the five zang and six fu organs. (Yangming refers to the Stomach meridian, which is the sea of water and grain.) It governs moistening the Zong Jin (major sinews). Zong Jin governs binding the bones and facilitating joint movement. (Zong Jin refers to the strong tendons above and below the transverse bone in the pubic region. They connect upwards to the chest and abdomen, descend through the hips and sacrum, pass through the back and abdomen to the top of the head, hence described as governing bone binding and joint mobility. The waist, being a major joint of the body, controls flexion and extension, thus termed 'joint mechanism'.) The Chong Mai (Penetrating Vessel) is the sea of the meridians. (The Ling Shu states: The Chong Mai is the sea of the twelve meridians.) It governs permeating and irrigating the xi gu (valleys between muscles), combining with the Yangming at the Zong Jin. (Examining this, the strong tendons above and below the transverse bone beside the navel are the true Zong Jin. The Chong Mai ascends 0.5 cun lateral to the navel along the abdomen, and the Yangming meridian ascends 1.5 cun lateral to the navel along the abdomen, with the Zong Jin meridian in between, hence described as combining with Yangming at the Zong Jin. As the sea of the twelve meridians, it governs permeating and irrigating the xi gu. Large gatherings of muscle are called gu, small gatherings are called xi.) Yin and Yang converge at the Zong Jin, meeting at the Qi Jie (Street of Qi), with Yangming acting as their leader. All belong to the Dai Mai (Girdle Vessel) and network with the Du Mai (Governor Vessel). (Zong Jin converges, meeting within the transverse bone, descending from above, hence described as Yin and Yang converging at Zong Jin. Zong Jin joins the transverse bone below the navel; Yangming supports it externally, and Chong Mai resides in the middle, hence described as meeting at Qi Jie with Yangming as leader. Qi Jie refers to the pulse-beating area on both sides of the pubic hair. The Dai Mai originates from the hypochondrium, encircles the body once, and networks with the Du Mai. The Du Mai originates from Guan Yuan, circulating up and down the abdomen. Hence described as belonging to the Dai Mai and networking with the Du Mai. The Du, Ren, and Chong meridians share the same origin but different paths, hence the classic text sometimes cites them interchangeably.) Therefore, if Yangming is deficient, Zong Jin becomes lax, and the Dai Mai cannot draw, resulting in foot flaccidity and inability to use them. (The Yangming meridian descends from Que Pen to the inner edge of the breast, down past the navel to the Qi Jie; its branch originates from the lower opening of the Stomach, circulates inside the abdomen down to the Qi Jie to merge, then descends through the thigh, reaches Fu Tu, enters the patella, descends along the lateral aspect of the lower leg, goes to the dorsum of the foot, and enters between the medial side of the middle toe; another branch diverges three cun below the knee, entering between the lateral side of the middle toe. Thus, Yangming deficiency leads to lax Zong Jin, inability of the Dai Mai to draw, and foot flaccidity with loss of function.)