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The twelve zang-fu organs are the meridians of the human body and the pathways for Qi and Blood. If they are not clearly distinguished, diseases will have no basis, and acupuncture and herbal medicine cannot be applied. Linglan refers to an ancient chamber for storing books. "Secret Canon" is a term expressing reverence and preciousness.

The Yellow Emperor asked: I wish to hear about the mutual assistance and hierarchy among the twelve zang-fu organs. Qibo replied: Your question is indeed detailed. Please allow me to explain. The Heart is the official of the Sovereign (Monarch), from which Shen (Spirit/Mind) emerges. (It governs all things, hence it is called the official of the Sovereign. It dwells in purity and tranquility, hence it is said that Shen emerges from it. Note: The Heart functions through Shen; it is pure, tranquil, and non-action-oriented, internally governing the whole body and externally commanding all movements. Though it appears to do nothing, in reality, nothing happens without the Heart's influence, thus it is also called an "official".) The Lung is the official of the Chancellor, from which governance and regulation emerge. (Its position is high but not sovereign, hence its title is Chancellor. It governs the circulation of Ying (Nutritive) and Wei (Defensive) Qi, hence governance and regulation proceed through it. Note: As an organ, the Lung connects upwards with respiration and downwards with other organs, similar to the duties of a chancellor who assists the ruler in governing and serves as a model for all officials. It bears heavy responsibility and grasps the major principles.) The Liver is the palace of the General, from which strategic planning emerges. (It is brave and decisive, hence called the General. It plans secretly before events arise, hence strategic planning emerges from it.) The Gallbladder is the official of Uprightness, from which decision-making emerges. (Note: The *Ling Shu · Chapter 6* states: "All eleven zang-fu organs depend on the Gallbladder." Each zang-fu has specific duties, but the Gallbladder oversees them all, judging right from wrong and resolving hesitation. Being unbiased and upright, its title is "Uprightness." Because it is upright, it can make decisions.) The Danzhong (Chest Center/Pericardium area) is the official of the Envoy, from which joy and pleasure emerge. (Danzhong is located between the two breasts in the chest, serving as the Sea of Qi. However, the Heart is the Sovereign, issuing decrees. Danzhong governs Qi, distributing Yin and Yang through Qi. When Qi is harmonious and emotions connected, joy and pleasure arise. By distributing Yin and Yang, its title is Envoy. Note: The Envoy serves the Heart Sovereign. The Heart governs joy; what the Heart likes, Danzhong announces. Obtaining what one likes brings pleasure. All human joy and pleasure originate here. 'Dan' is pronounced 'dan'.) The Spleen and Stomach are the officials of the Granary, from which the Five Flavors emerge. (They contain and store the five grains, hence called the Granary officials. They nourish the four extremities, hence it is said that the Five Flavors emerge from them.) The Large Intestine is the official of Transmission, from which transformation and excretion emerge. ("Transmission" refers to passing on waste materials; "Transformation" refers to changing the form of substances.) The Small Intestine is the official of Reception and Containment, from which the transformation of substances emerges. (It receives instructions from the Stomach, accepts and contains dregs, transforms them again after reception, and transmits them to the Large Intestine.) The Kidney is the official of Vigor and Strength, from which skill and ingenuity emerge. (It is strong in action, hence called "Vigor." It shapes forms, hence "Skill and Ingenuity." Note: Some annotations state: "In women, it emphasizes skill; in men, vigor," separating vigor and skill by gender, which severely contradicts the classic's intent. Both men and women possess skill and vigor. This statement means that human skills and ingenuity originate from the Kidney, not specifically paired with vigor.) The Sanjiao (Triple Burner) is the official of Irrigation Channels, from which water passages emerge. (It guides Yin and Yang and opens blockages, hence its title is Irrigator. Note: The Sanjiao corresponds to the Hand-Shaoyang Meridian and is divided into Upper, Middle, and Lower sections of the body. Yuè Rén and He Hù claimed it was formless and merely a name. Chen Wuyue and Ma Zhonghua criticized this view, leaving later generations confused. Recently, Sun Shi's *Yi Zhi Xu Yu* and Wu Cheng Min Shi's *Sanjiao Shuo* argue that Sanjiao refers to the upper, middle, and lower sections of the body, vigorously refuting the errors of Wuyue and Zhonghua. Thus, we know that as a Fu organ, Sanjiao pairs with the Pericardium. The Pericardium wraps around the Heart, acting on behalf of the Heart Sovereign to issue commands, known as Ministerial Fire. The Sanjiao encompasses the whole body; Zong (Pectoral), Ying (Nutritive), and Wei (Defensive) Qi are generated here, and water passages emerge here. The two work together, truly serving as the general manager of the five Zang organs and the network maintaining the whole body. Ignorant people fail to understand this principle, assuming that since Sanjiao is one of the twelve meridians, it must have physical form like the five Zang and Fu organs, absurdly calling it fat membranes like fingers. This violates the meaning of the sages and confuses later generations, which is a grave error. One should know that within the body's zang-fu, those with specialized internal functions must have others that collectively manage external protection. Hence, outside the five Zang is the Pericardium, and within the six Fu is the Sanjiao. Although formless and lacking physical structure, they possess Qi and function. Only because they have Qi and function can the form-based zang-fu rely on them to be complete. This is why the formless Sanjiao combines with the form-based zang-fu to form the twelve meridians: without Sanjiao, internal and external Qi would be blocked, irrigation would fail, water passages would be obstructed, and zang-fu functions would be incomplete. The Sanjiao as a Fu organ is a mystery of the ages; how can it not be clarified? Zhao Yangkui and Zhang Jingyue repeated the errors of Chen and Ma, compounding the mistake. Alas! This is why debates continue to this day.) The Bladder is the official of the Prefecture, where Jin Ye (Body Fluids) are stored; only through Qi transformation can they be excreted. (Its position is like an isolated Fu organ, hence called the Prefect Official. Located low and hollow inside, it stores fluids. If it receives the transformative power of the Qi Sea, urine and feces are discharged; if the Qi Sea's power is insufficient, closure occurs and flow stops, hence it is said that excretion happens only after Qi transformation. Note: The annotation is clear, but there is more to why Qi fails to transform. The Bladder, as an organ, has a lower orifice but no upper orifice; its accumulation and discharge are driven by Qi, not form. Qi is the mother of Water. If Qi accumulates without transforming, Water cannot exit. The reasons for Qi accumulation and failure to exit lie in Cold and Heat: Heat causes Fire excess and Water deficiency, leading to Qi stagnation; Cold causes Yin stagnation and Water congealing, leading to Qi closure. With no way out, Water overflows throughout the body, causing edema and distension. Why do practitioners today only know how to promote urination but not how to transform Qi? And why do they assume heat stagnation and use only bitter-cold herbs, claiming to treat the disease, only to worsen it? Is this not ignorance of the way of transforming Qi?) These twelve officials must not lose their harmony. (Loss leads to disaster, hence they must not be out of sync. Note: The *Xin Zheng Xiao* says: "Upon detailed examination, these are actually eleven officials; the Spleen and Stomach share one official. Note: All twelve zang-fu have distinct roles, yet the Spleen and Stomach share one role because they are connected, receive food and water, and dominate the Central Palace. The Spleen primarily transports fluids for the Stomach; they are two in name but one in essence, hence counted as one official. Also, the Pericardium is missing while Danzhong is added. Danzhong is located in the chest hall as the envoy of the Heart Sovereign. The Heart governs joy, and Danzhong produces joy and pleasure. The Pericardium naturally adheres to the Heart; it is undoubtedly the Pericardium. However, since it is located between the breasts, it is named Danzhong. It is not an additional official outside the twelve.") Therefore, if the Sovereign is enlightened, the subordinates are secure. Using this for health preservation leads to longevity and safety throughout life. Using this to govern the world leads to great prosperity. If the Sovereign is not enlightened, the twelve officials are in danger. The channels of communication become blocked, the physical form suffers greatly. Using this for health preservation leads to calamity; using this to govern the world leads to great peril for the state. Beware, beware! ... Note: Zhao Yangkui, in *Yi Guan*, argues that the Sovereign is not the Heart but the Mingmen (Gate of Life). He claims Mingmen is the Taiji (Supreme Ultimate) of the body and the monarch of the twelve officials, writing over a thousand words to elaborate, which is quite startling. In my opinion, while Zhao Yangkui is correct in saying Mingmen is the Taiji of the body, he is incorrect in calling it the monarch of the twelve officials. Explaining Mingmen is acceptable, but interpreting "If the Sovereign is not enlightened, the twelve officials are in danger" is erroneous. Why? There are not two suns in the sky, nor two rulers in a nation, nor two masters in the human body. The Heart is the Sovereign, as the classics state. For Zhao Yangkui to claim Mingmen is also the master of the twelve officials implies two masters in the body. Alas! This is wrong. Heaven and Earth generate all things, originating from Yin and Yang, which in turn originate from Taiji. Taiji is the origin of all principles, yet essentially no principle can define it, so Taiji originates from Wuji (Non-Limit). If Taiji returns to Wuji, and if the birth of all things begins at Wuji, can we bestow the title of Master of All Things upon Wuji? The human body has Mingmen, where Yin and Yang divide, Water and Fire reside, Zang-Fu receive Qi, and True Yuan takes root. It is misty and encompassing, holding everything, yet ultimately indistinguishable, just as Taiji is Wuji. How can it be named "Master"? Since Mingmen cannot be named "Master," its nature as Mingmen is likely the root of the human body and the origin of Xing-Ming (Nature and Life). It is not like the Heart Sovereign who personally leads all duties to comply, appearing non-actionable yet achieving results. Tracing Zhao Yangkui's intent, he saw the Heart listed first among the twelve officials and the text stating "If the Sovereign is not enlightened, the twelve officials are in danger," leading him to guess there is a master beyond the twelve officials, tracing back to Mingmen. Furthermore, since Mingmen has the title "Little Heart," he considered it the master of the twelve officials. Alas! How pedantic his view and how rigid his argument! Mingmen relative to the Heart is like Heaven relative to the Son of Heaven. The Son of Heaven governs according to Heaven's will; if he manifests virtue and seeks talent, all affairs prosper. If he violates Heaven and loses virtue, officials fall into chaos, leading to ruin. "If the Sovereign is not enlightened, the twelve officials are in danger." Here, "Official" refers to having specific duties. Zang-Fu are officials because they fulfill their duties; the Heart is the official because it leads the Zang-Fu to fulfill their duties. The Zang-Fu officials are ministers. The Heart's official is the Monarch. The Monarch is the Master. The Heart is the Official of the Sovereign. Zhao Yangkui prefers Mingmen over the Heart as Master; this is preferring Heaven over the Son of Heaven.