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It originates at the tip of the great toe, follows the white flesh margin on the medial side of the toe, passes behind the nuclear bone (the first metatarsal head), ascends to the anterior edge of the medial malleolus, enters the medial aspect of the lower leg, runs posterior to the tibia, crosses anterior to the Foot Jueyin Liver Meridian, ascends along the anterior edge of the medial knee and thigh, enters the abdomen, connects with the Spleen Zang-organ and links with the Stomach Fu-organ, pierces the diaphragm, flanks the pharynx, connects with the root of the tongue, and scatters under the tongue; its branch separates from the Stomach, passes through the diaphragm again, and pours into the Heart. When this meridian is disturbed, it causes stiffness of the tongue root, vomiting after eating, epigastric pain, abdominal distension with frequent belching, a feeling of relief after defecation or passage of gas, and heaviness of the body. It governs diseases generated by the Spleen, such as pain in the tongue root, inability to move the body, difficulty in swallowing food, vexation, urgent pain in the epigastrium, loose stools or dysentery, urinary retention and jaundice, inability to lie down, swelling and coldness in the medial thigh and knee when standing forcibly, and dysfunction of the great toe. These are the various diseases associated with this meridian. ("Malleolus" is pronounced "huǎ").

This text describes the course of the Foot-Taiyin Spleen Meridian, which is the fourth meridian. The nuclear bone is also written as "Fu bone" (colloquially known as the ankle joint). The bony prominence on both sides behind the heel is called the malleolus, the calf muscle is called the "Shuan", the inner thigh is called the "Gu", and the area above the navel is called the abdomen. The pharynx is used for swallowing and is located anterior to the larynx, measuring one chi and six cun in length, serving as the connection to the Stomach. The root of the tongue refers to the base of the tongue. The Foot-Taiyin Spleen Meridian begins at the Yinbai point (SP1) at the tip of the great toe, receiving qi from the Foot-Yangming Stomach Meridian. It follows the medial white flesh margin to the Dadu point (SP2), passes behind the nuclear bone, and sequentially passes through the Taibai (SP3), Gongsun (SP4), and Shangqiu (SP5) points. It ascends to the Sanyinjiao point (SP6) at the anterior edge of the medial malleolus, then enters the medial lower leg, following the Lougu point (SP7) posterior to the tibia. Ascending two cun, it crosses anterior to the Foot-Jueyin Liver Meridian, reaching the Diji (SP8) and Yinlingquan (SP9) points. It continues upward along the anterior edge of the knee and thigh to the Xuehai (SP10) and Jimen (SP11) points, meanders into the abdomen, passing through the Chongmen (SP12) and Fushhe (SP13) points, meeting at the Zhongji (CV3) and Guanyuan (CV4) points. It then follows the Fujie (SP14) and Daheng (SP15) points, meets at the Xiawan (CV10) point, passes through the Fu'ai (SP16) point, crosses the boundaries of the Riyue (GB24) and Qimen (LR14) points, runs deep within the meridian's pathway, descends to the vicinity of the Zhongwan (CV12) point, thereby connecting with the Spleen and linking with the Stomach. From the Fu'ai point, it ascends through the diaphragm, passing through the Shidou (SP17), Tianxi (SP18), Xiongxiang (SP19), and Zhourong (SP20) points, curving downward to reach the Dabao point (SP21). From the Dabao point, it curves outward and upward to meet the Zhongfu point (LU1), ascends into the interior of the Renying point (ST9), flanks the throat, connects with the root of the tongue, and scatters under the tongue to terminate. Its branch separates from the Fu'ai point, runs from the exterior of the Zhongwan point in the Stomach region, ascends through the diaphragm, pours into the interior of the Tanzhong point (CV17), which corresponds to the Heart region, thereby connecting with the Hand-Shaoyin Heart Meridian. Regarding the verification of diseases via active acupoints, symptoms such as tongue root stiffness appear corresponding to the specific segments of the meridian.