Library

Connected to the Liver. (The Liver belongs to Wind-Wood in the Five Elements.) Thunder Qi connects with the Heart. (The Heart resembles Fire, which has sound.) Grain Qi connects with the Spleen. (When deficient, it can receive and accept.) Rain Qi connects with the Kidney. (The Kidney is the Water Organ.) The Six Meridians are like rivers. (Flowing and circulating.) The Stomach and Intestines are like the sea. (Containing and receiving.) The Nine Orifices are where Qi of water flows into. (Clear Yang Qi ascends to the head and face; Yin Turbid Qi descends to the two lower orifices, resembling water flowing in.) Using Heaven and Earth as metaphors for Yin and Yang. The sweat of Yang Qi is named after the rain of Heaven and Earth. The movement of Yang Qi is named after the fierce wind of Heaven and Earth. Violent phenomena resemble thunder; rebellious phenomena resemble Yang. (From "Treatise on Correspondences of Yin and Yang")

[Su Wen] All vessels belong to the eyes. (Vessels are the residence of blood; thus, prolonged viewing damages blood. *Ling Shu: Kou Wen* states: "The eyes are the gathering place of the Zong Vessels." Note: The Bladder Meridian starts at the inner canthus; the Stomach Meridian is connected to the eye system; the Gallbladder Meridian starts at the outer canthus; the Small Intestine and Sanjiao Meridians reach the outer canthus; the Heart Meridian is connected to the eye system; the Liver Meridian connects to the eye system.) All marrow belongs to the brain. (The brain is the Sea of Marrow.) All sinews belong to the joints. (There are 365 joint articulations, with sinew collaterals distributed among them; thus, prolonged walking damages sinews.) All blood belongs to the Heart. (The Heart generates blood and is the Sea of Blood.) All Qi belongs to the Lungs. (The Lungs store Qi.) This describes the daily ebb and flow of the four limbs and eight creeks. (Wu's commentary: Meaning tides. Each limb has two creeks.) Therefore, when a person sleeps, blood returns to the Liver. (The Liver stores blood; it circulates during activity and stores during rest.) When the Liver receives blood, it enables vision. (The eyes are the opening of the Liver.) When the feet receive blood, they enable walking; when the palms receive blood, they enable grasping; when the fingers receive blood, they enable holding. (Blood nourishes sinews and bones, facilitating joint mobility.) If one exits sleep and is exposed to wind, blood coagulating in the skin becomes Bi syndrome. (Stubborn Bi.) Coagulating in the vessels becomes Qi stagnation/obstruction. (Astringent/stagnant.) Coagulating in the feet becomes Jue syndrome. (Cold reversal.) These three conditions occur because blood circulation fails to return to its apertures (apertures refer to meridian tunnels); thus, Bi and Jue syndromes arise. The human body has twelve major valleys (large confluences) and 354 minor creeks (small acupoints), excluding the Twelve Back-Shu points. These are sites where Wei Qi stays and stops, and where pathogenic Qi lodges. (The large confluences of main meridians are the twelve major valleys, corresponding to the twelve meridians. The small confluences of collateral vessels are the minor creek acupoints, totaling 365; excluding the twelve Back-Shu points, there remain 353 names, so "354" in the text is likely an error. The Twelve Back-Shu points refer to Feishu, Xinshu, Pishu, Ganshu, Shenshu, Jueyinshu, Danshu, Weishu, Sanjiaoshu, Dachangshu, Xiaochangshu, and Pangguangshu on the Bladder Meridian.) (From "Chapter on Generation of the Five Zang Organs")

[Ling Shu] What receives grain produces turbid Qi; what receives air produces clear Qi. Clear Qi enters the Yin; turbid Qi enters the Yang. The clear portion within the turbid ascends out through the pharynx; the turbid portion within the clear descends. When clear and turbid interfere with each other, it is called chaotic Qi. Generally, Yin is clear and Yang is turbid, yet turbidity contains clarity, and clarity contains turbidity. (Other chapters of this classic state Yang is clear and Yin is turbid; here stating Yin is clear and Yang is turbid implies that Zang organs are Yin and Fu organs are Yang, Zang Qi is clear and Fu Qi is turbid.) Clear Qi ascends to the Lungs; turbid Qi descends to the Stomach. The clear Qi within the Stomach (turbidity containing clarity) ascends out through the mouth; the turbid Qi within the Lungs (clarity containing turbidity) descends into the vessels and accumulates internally in the Seas. (The Seas of Qi and Blood.) The Hand-Taiyang (Small Intestine) alone receives the turbid Yang Qi; the Hand-Taiyin (Lungs) alone receives the clear Yin Qi. Its clear Qi ascends to the empty orifices (eyes, ears, nose, mouth); its turbid Qi descends through the various meridians. All Yin meridians receive clear Qi, but only the Foot-Taiyin (Spleen) alone receives turbid Qi. (Clear and Turbid Yin-Yang)

[Ling Shu] The essence-Qi of the Five Zang and Six Fu organs all ascend to the eyes to form visual essence. The cavity of essence is the eye. The essence of bone manifests as the pupil. (Kidney, Water Wheel.) The essence of sinew manifests as the iris/black part. (Liver, Wind Wheel.) The essence of blood manifests as the network vessels. (Heart, Blood Wheel.) The essence of Qi manifests as the white of the eye. (Lung, Qi Wheel.) The essence of muscle manifests as the eyelids/constraints. (Spleen, Flesh Wheel.) Enveloping the essence of sinew, bone, blood, and Qi, merging with the vessels to form the optic nerve, ascending to connect with the brain, and exiting posteriorly at the nape. Thus, if pathogenic factors strike the nape and coincide with bodily deficiency, entering deeply, they follow the optic nerve into the brain, causing dizziness/spinning of the brain. Brain spinning pulls the optic nerve tight; optic nerve tightness causes vertigo and spinning. If essence scatters, diplopia occurs, seeing double objects. The eyes are the convergence of essence from the Five Zang and Six Fu organs, the constant abode of Ying-Wei, Hun, and Po, and the birthplace of Shen Qi. Therefore, mental labor scatters Hun and Po, and confuses Yi and Zhi. Thus, the pupil and iris emulate Yin, while the sclera and red vessels emulate Yang. Yin and Yang combine and transmit to produce bright vision. The eyes are the emissaries of the Heart. The Heart is the residence of Shen. Therefore, if spirit is disordered and abnormal, suddenly seeing unusual places, the spirit, hun, po, and shen scatter and fail to coordinate, hence termed "Huo" (delusion/confusion). (From "Chapter on Great Confusion")

[Ling Shu] The face corresponds to the body shape. In cold weather, the earth cracks and ice forms; sometimes hands and feet become flaccid and drooping, yet the face remains uncovered. Why? Answer: The Twelve Primary Meridians and 365 collaterals, their blood and Qi all ascend to the face and flow into the orifices. The refined Yang Qi ascends to the eyes to form vision; the branch Qi ascends to the ears to form hearing; the Zong Qi ascends through the nose to form smell (odor). Turbid Qi emerges from the Stomach, travels to the lips and tongue to form taste. The fluids generated by these Qi all steam upward onto the face. Moreover, the facial skin is thick and muscles firm; thus, even extreme cold cannot overcome them. (Note: 'Tian' [Heaven] should be 'Da' [Great]. From "Pathogenic Factors and Disease Forms of Zang-Fu". *Nan Jing* states: "The head is the meeting point of all Yang meridians. All Yin meridians reach the neck and chest and return; only Yang meridians ascend to the head and ears, hence the face resists cold.")

[Su Wen] Heaven's Yang is insufficient in the Northwest; therefore, a person's right ear and eye are less acute than the left. Earth's Yin is incomplete in the Southeast; therefore, a person's left hand and foot are weaker than the right. The East belongs to Yang; Yang Qi gathers its essence upwards, making the upper part bright and the lower part deficient, thus making the ears and eyes acute but hands and feet inconvenient. The West belongs to Yin; Yin Qi gathers its essence downwards, making the lower part abundant and the upper part deficient, thus making the ears and eyes less acute but hands and feet convenient. Therefore, if simultaneously affected by pathogens, those affecting the upper body will be more severe on the right; those affecting the lower body will be more severe on the left. This reflects the incompleteness of Heaven and Earth's Yin and Yang. (From "Treatise on Correspondences of Yin and Yang")

[Su Wen] From dawn to noon is Heaven's Yang, specifically Yang within Yang. From noon to dusk is Heaven's Yang, specifically Yin within Yang. From nightfall to cockcrow is Heaven's Yin, specifically Yin within Yin. From cockcrow to dawn is Heaven's Yin, specifically Yang within Yin. Humans correspond to this. Regarding human Yin-Yang: exterior is Yang, interior is Yin. Regarding the body's Yin-Yang: back is Yang, abdomen is Yin. Regarding Zang-Fu Yin-Yang: all Five Zang are Yin, all Six Fu are Yang. Thus, the back is Yang; Yang within Yang is the Heart; Yin within Yang is the Lung. The abdomen is Yin; Yin within Yin is the Kidney; Yang within Yin is the Liver; Ultimate Yin within Yin is the Spleen. These represent the mutual correspondence of Yin-Yang, interior-exterior, and male-female, thereby corresponding to the Yin-Yang of Heaven. (From "True Words of the Golden Casket")

[Ling Shu] The Stomach desires cold drinks. (Dislikes heat.) The Intestines desire hot drinks. (Dislikes cold. *Za Bing Pian* states: For toothache not preferring cool drinks, treat Foot-Mingyang; for toothache preferring cool drinks, treat Hand-Mingyang.) (From "Shi Chuan")