Library

Lei Zhenjun said: The five zang organs and six fu organs are known to people. However, the five zang organs are not limited to five, and the six fu organs are not limited to six; this is unknown to people. Heart, liver, spleen, lung, and kidney—these are the five zang organs. Outside these five zang organs, the Bao Tuo (uterus and associated meridians) also belongs to the category of zang organs. Although the Bao Tuo is primarily associated with women, men do not lack the meridians of the Bao Tuo either. This meridian connects upward to the heart and downward to the kidney; it is a meridian that penetrates both upper and lower parts, serving as the pass between the heart and kidney. If a person lacks this meridian, water and fire cannot mutually assist each other. Disease in the lower part leads to the failure of the external genitalia to close, while disease in the upper part leads to palpitations and restlessness. If a woman suffers from disease in the upper part, it is the same as in men; if she suffers from disease in the lower part, she cannot conceive. The mechanism of life generation belongs to yin but is hidden within yang; in reality, it constitutes another zang organ. Since it is one zang organ, why is it not listed among the five zang organs? Because the five zang organs correspond to the five elements, while the Bao Tuo resides at the bifurcation of water and fire, making it inconvenient to distribute its affiliation. Therefore, only five zang organs are mentioned, not six. Some may doubt: since the Bao Tuo is a zang organ and is not listed among the five zang organs, why have healers throughout history treated patients without directly treating the Bao Tuo, yet achieved health? Is the Bao Tuo a meridian that can be present or absent? In fact, this is incorrect. The reason the Bao Tuo is not listed among the five zang organs is precisely because of its bifurcated nature. Thus, when disease is in the upper part, the heart is treated, and the heart qi naturally communicates with the upper part of the Bao Tuo; when disease is in the lower part, the kidney is treated, and the kidney qi naturally communicates with the lower part of the Bao Tuo. Therefore, there is no need to list it as an independent zang organ, but this does not mean the Bao Tuo is not a zang organ. Others may doubt: women have the Bao Tuo for pregnancy, so calling it a zang organ is appropriate; but saying men also have a Bao Tuo—who would believe it?

One should not know that the "having a Bao Tuo" in men refers to the meridians of the vessels, not the physical presence or absence of the womb. Between the membrane and diaphragm of the heart, there is a connection extending downward to connect between the two kidneys, which is no different from women. Only women have a wide lower part and a narrow upper part, whereas men are narrow both above and below. Women have an opening at the lower end, while men do not; this is the distinction.

During sexual intercourse for both men and women, the qi descends. In women, the meridian opening widens significantly. When men ejaculate, the semen shoots directly into this opening, causing the opening of the Bao Tuo to close and receive conception. If men's essence cannot be ejected, or women's qi does not descend, or phlegm blocks the path, or fire burns, or cold water chills, the opening will not dare to open, and conception absolutely cannot occur. This shows that the Bao Tuo as a zang organ is very important. As for the small intestine, large intestine, bladder, gallbladder, stomach, and San Jiao (Triple Burner), these are the six fu organs. Outside these six fu organs, there is also Dan Zhong (Pericardium), which is also a fu organ. Dan Zhong is the Xin Bao Luo (Pericardium), acting on behalf of the Monarch Fire to command duties. Dan Zhong and the heart were originally one zang and one fu organ, mutually exterior and interior. Now, only the heart is called by name, omitting Dan Zhong; this is not because Dan Zhong cannot be a fu organ. Honoring the heart as Monarch Fire, one must suppress Dan Zhong as Minister Fire. Some say: throughout history, Dan Zhong has never been treated directly, yet treating the heart always yields results. One does not know that the heart and Dan Zhong are exterior and interior; if the exterior is diseased, the interior is also diseased. Therefore, treating the interior makes the exterior heal itself. Moreover, Dan Zhong is the mother of the spleen and stomach. Earth cannot grow without fire; if the heart fire does not move, it must obtain the interaction of minister fire to generate it, after which stomach qi can enter and spleen qi can exit. Since Dan Zhong is the mother of the spleen and stomach, can it be said that it is unworthy of the position of a fu organ? People should pay attention to the fact that Dan Zhong is a fu organ.

Zhang Zhenjun said: Six zang organs and seven fu organs are clarified today; truly a joyful matter.

(Previously discussed that the five zang organs generate and overcome each other, actually supporting each other. A disease in one meridian often involves treating several meridians together; the pathogen of this meridian may seek treatment through other meridians. Therefore, medication should not be rigid or overly differentiated, yet generally speaking, they should not be confused. The lung is a metal zang organ; its substance is delicate, fearing both cold and heat. Medicines that are excessively cold or hot cannot be used to treat the lung. The spleen is an earth zang organ; its substance is dense. It can tolerate both cold and heat; medicines that are slightly cold or hot can all be used to treat the spleen. The heart is a fire zang organ; its location is superior, and it forbids the use of hot medicines. Those who use hot medicines to treat the heart are actually treating kidney deficiency where Kan and Li do not intersect; this is fundamentally a kidney disease, not a heart disease. The kidney is a water zang organ; its location is inferior, and it forbids the use of cold medicines. Those who use cold medicines to treat the kidney are actually treating heart excess where yang hyperactivity scorches yin; this is fundamentally a heart disease, not a kidney disease. As for the liver, a wood zang organ: wood is born from water, its source comes from Gui Water; fire intensifies through wood, its power carries Ding Fire. When using hot medicines, one must not stay far from cold medicines; when using cold medicines, one must not abandon hot medicines. Ancient prescriptions for treating the liver use a combination of cold and hot medicines, employing counter-assistance and mixed administration, due to this reason. The differences among the five zang organs are thus. I record this carefully for the reference of future generations. Li Zi Yong noted.)