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The *Gu Kong Lun* (Treatise on Bone Labyrinths) states: The Ren Mai (Conception Vessel, 任脉) originates below the Zhongji point (CV3), ascends to the pubic hairline, follows the interior of the abdomen to the Guanyuan point (CV4), reaches the throat, ascends to the chin, follows the face, and enters the eyes. (This describes the origin and termination of the Ren Mai. The Ren Mai is one of the Eight Extraordinary Vessels. The Zhongji point is located four cun below the umbilicus; originating below Zhongji, it begins at the Huiyin point (CV1). Between the two yin organs, the Ren Mai travels along the abdomen from Huiyin, while the Du Mai (Governing Vessel) travels along the back from Huiyin. From Huiyin upwards, past the Qugu point (CV2) and the transverse bone above the pubic hairline, in the depression one cun below Zhongji where the pulse is palpable, it again follows the interior of the abdomen through Zhongji, ascending to Guanyuan, Qihai (CV6), Xiawan (CV10), Zhongwan (CV12), Shangwan (CV13), Jueque (CV14), Tanzhong (CV17), reaching Lianquan (CV23) and Chengjiang (CV24), then ascending through the middle of the throat. Its vessel ascends to the chin, follows the face, and enters the eyes.) The Chong Mai (Penetrating Vessel, 冲脉) originates at the Qichong point (ST30), runs parallel with the Foot-Shaoyin Kidney Meridian, flanks the umbilicus upwards, and disperses in the chest. (This describes the origin and termination of the Chong Mai. The Chong Mai is also one of the Eight Extraordinary Vessels. The Ren Mai ascends along the center of the umbilicus, while the Chong Mai ascends flanking both sides of the umbilicus, originating at Qichong, running parallel with the Foot-Shaoyin Kidney Meridian, flanking the umbilicus upwards to disperse in the chest. Qichong is an acupoint name, located on both sides of the pubic hairline, above the inguinal region (shuxi), one cun in body measurement. The Chong Mai originates at Qichong, also running from within the lower abdomen parallel with the Ren Mai to this point, thus following the abdomen. It is also said: Both the Chong Mai and Ren Mai originate in the Baozhong (uterus/womb), ascend along the interior of the spine, serving as the Sea of the Meridians; their branches floating outward follow each side of the abdomen, converge at the throat, and branch to connect with the lips and mouth. From this, it is clear that the Ren Mai and Chong Mai ascend from within the lower abdomen, passing below Zhongji and within Qichong.)

When the Ren Mai is diseased, men suffer from internal binding of the Seven Hernias (Qi Shen), and women suffer from leukorrhea and mass accumulation (Jia Ju). (This describes the pathology of the Ren Mai. "Internal" refers to the abdomen. The path running along the midline of the abdomen is the pathway of the Ren Mai, hence prone to disease. If men suffer from the Seven Hernias, women suffer from Jia Ju. Regarding the Seven Hernias, according to various chapters of the *Neijing*, there are Hu Hernia, Feng Hernia, Lung Hernia, Spleen Wind Hernia, Heart Wind Hernia, Heart Hernia, Kidney Wind Hernia, Liver Wind Hernia, as well as Women's Hernia, Men's Hernia, Jue Hernia, Pi Hernia, and Qi Hernia. I have counted them all, comprising the Five Zang Hernias plus the Hu Hernia, etc. Their main principles are seen in the subsequent chapters of each section. Zhu Danxi's Seven Hernias are: Cold, Water, Sinew, Blood, Qi, Fox, and Pi. The *Xiuzhen Fang*'s Seven Hernias are: Jue, Pi, Cold, Qi, Pan, Fu, and Wild Wolf. It seems Danxi's classification aligns with the classic intent; although names vary, do they not fall within the scope of the *Neijing*? However, people only know diseases in the lower part as hernias, not realizing that all five Zang organs can have hernias. They also only know men have hernias, not realizing women do too, due to a failure to examine the *Neijing*. Jia Ju refers to accumulation masses. The *Da Qi Lun* states: Urgency in the Three Yang vessels leads to Jia. Later generations introduced the concept of Eight Jias, derived from the name of the Seven Hernias, resulting in names like Snake Jia, Fat Jia, Green Jia, Yellow Jia, Dry Jia, Blood Jia, Fox Jia, and Turtle Jia. These are absent in the *Neijing*.)

When the Chong Mai is diseased, there is rebellious Qi and tension in the interior. (This describes the pathology of the Chong Mai. The Chong Mai originates at Qichong, runs parallel with the Foot-Shaoyin Meridian flanking the umbilicus upwards, and disperses in the chest. Thus, "interior" refers to its meridian pathway. When diseased, Qi rebels and cannot ascend, so how can it reach the chest to disperse? Qi gathers in the abdomen and cannot disperse, so how can one avoid the tension in the interior?)

When the Du Mai is diseased, there is stiffness of the spine and opisthotonos (body bent backward). (The Du Mai is also an Extraordinary Vessel. The Ren, Chong, and Du Mai share one source but branch into three, which is why some scriptures refer to the Chong Mai as the Du Mai. How is this proven? The *Jia Yi Jing* and ancient *Meridian Flow Diagrams* call the vessel running along the back the Du Mai, and the vessel rising straight from the lower abdomen the Ren Mai, also called the Du Mai, distinguishing them by the yin-yang nature of the back and front. The Ren Mai passes from the Baozhong, crosses the Dai Mai, and goes up through the umbilicus; thus, male disease manifests as internal binding of the Seven Hernias, and female disease as leukorrhea and Jia Ju. The Chong Mai flanks the umbilicus, runs with the Shaoyin Meridian up to the chest; thus, Chong Mai disease manifests as rebellious Qi and interior tension. Because the Du Mai ascends along the interior of the spine, Du Mai disease manifests as spinal stiffness and opisthotonos.)

The Du Mai originates from the central bone below the lower abdomen. In women, it enters and connects to the Ting Kong (廷孔), (Just as the Ren and Chong Mai originate in the Baozhong, it actually originates below the kidneys, reaching the lower abdomen, then descending to the center surrounded by the lumbar transverse bones. "Ting Kong" refers to the vaginal opening, commonly known as the anterior orifice. It is named so because the clitoris is connected to the center. This orifice is the end of the urinary passage. The "orifice" is the vaginal opening. Within the vaginal opening, there is the urinary opening above. "End" refers to the upper end of the clitoris relative to the urinary opening. The Du Mai reaches this point from the center of the bony enclosure.) Its collaterals follow the genitalia and converge behind the perineum, circling the anus posteriorly, (The collateral branch of the Du Mai divides from the end of the urinary opening, travels down the genitalia, and converges in the space between the anterior and posterior orifices. This "space" refers to the area between the front and back yin. From behind these two spaces, it divides again and circles behind the anus.) separately winds around the buttocks, reaches the Zhongluo of the Shaoyin and Taiyang meridians, merges with the Shaoyin to ascend along the posterior medial aspect of the thigh, penetrates the spine, and connects to the kidney, (Separate refers to the collateral branches dividing and traveling independently. The collateral of the Foot-Shaoyin Meridian penetrates the spine from the posterior medial thigh to connect to the kidney; the external branch of the Foot-Taiyang collateral follows the hip pivot and descends via the lateral thigh; its internal branch descends through the buttock to the coccyx, merging with the external branch. Thus, it says the Zhongluo of Shaoyin and Taiyang merge with Shaoyin to ascend along the posterior medial thigh, penetrate the spine, and connect to the kidney.) and starts with the Taiyang at the inner canthus of the eye, ascends to the forehead, intersects at the vertex, enters to network the brain, emerges again to descend separately via the neck, follows the interior of the shoulder blade, flanks the spine to reach the waist, enters to follow the paraspinal muscles, and networks the kidney; (Continuing upward after circling the buttock.) in men, it follows the penis down to the perineum, identical to women; its straight branch rises directly from the lower abdomen, penetrates the center of the umbilicus, ascends through the heart into the throat, rises to the chin, encircles the lips, and ascends to connect the center below the two eyes. (From starting at the inner canthus with the Taiyang, descending to be identical to women, and the collateral of the Du Mai. The straight branch rises from the sacrum along the spine to the Renzhong point. From the lower abdomen straight up to the center below the eyes, following the path of the Ren Mai, yet attributed to the Du Mai, indicating that the Ren, Du, and Chong Mai are different in name but identical in substance.) Disease arising from this vessel involves Qi rushing from the lower abdomen to the heart causing pain, inability to urinate or defecate, termed Chong Hernia. (Examining this pathology reveals it is essentially a Ren Mai disease; the scripture calls it "Chong Hernia" to clarify that the Du Mai has distinct primary manifestations and nomenclature.) In women, it causes infertility, strangury, hemorrhoids, enuresis, and dryness of the pharynx. (This is because the Chong and Ren Mai both ascend from the lower abdomen to the throat, and the Du Mai follows the genitalia, converges at the perineum, circles the anus, and separately winds around the buttocks, leading to infertility, strangury, hemorrhoids, enuresis, and dry throat. It is called the Ren Mai because women rely on it for nourishment during pregnancy; thus the scripture says, "This disease causes infertility in women." It is called the Chong Mai because its Qi rushes upward; thus the scripture says, "Disease arises from Qi rushing from the lower abdomen to the heart causing pain." It is called the Du Mai because it governs the Sea of the Meridians. Due to these three functions, the scripture sometimes uses them interchangeably. However, the Ren, Du, and Chong Mai share one source but branch into three: the Du Mai travels the back from Huiyin, the Ren Mai travels the abdomen from Huiyin, and the Chong Mai travels the Foot-Shaoyin from Qichong. Only the Du Mai originates from Huiyin, which is below the lower abdomen, in the center of the transverse bone. In women, it enters the Ting Kong, follows the genitalia, converges at the perineum, and from behind the two spaces, the separate collaterals divide and travel, winding around the buttock muscles, the medial aspect, penetrating the spine to connect to the kidney. The external branch of the Foot-Taiyang Bladder Meridian collateral follows the hip pivot and descends via the lateral thigh; its internal branch descends through the buttock to the coccyx, merging with the external branch and the Foot-Shaoyin Kidney Meridian, ascending from the posterior medial thigh, penetrating the spine to connect to the kidney, and starting with the Foot-Taiyang at the inner canthus, ascending to the forehead, intersecting at the vertex, entering the brain, emerging to descend via the neck, following the shoulder blade, flanking the spine to the waist, entering the paraspinal muscles to network the kidney, exactly as the Foot-Taiyang Meridian travels. Although the Du and Ren Mai differ in name, their Qi and pathways are indistinguishable. The path traveled by the Du Mai is identical to the Ren Mai; thus, rising straight from the lower abdomen, penetrating the umbilicus, ascending through the heart to the throat, circling the lips, and connecting below the eyes mirrors the Ren Mai's path. The pathology of the Du Mai, such as Qi rushing from the lower abdomen to the heart causing pain and obstruction of urination/defecation termed Chong Hernia, mirrors the Ren Mai's disease. The diseases occurring in women mirror those of the Ren and Chong Mai. Therefore, their vessels intersect, and the diseases are referred to using mutual names.)