足太阳膀胱。在肾之下。大肠之侧。上系小肠。下连前阴。为州都之官。精液藏焉。气化则能出。与肾为表里。属
北方壬水。用与性情等。俱不外乎肾。脉受手太阳小肠之交。故小肠脉终目内 。膀胱脉即起目内 。病为目似脱。或
目黄泪出。上额交巅。其支者。从巅至耳上角。其直者。从巅入络脑。故病为邪气冲头而痛。还出别下项。故项似拔。
循肩膊内。挟脊抵腰中。入循膂。络肾属膀胱。故病腰似拔。其支者。从腰下贯臀入 中。故病痔。 似结。其支者。
从膊内在右别下。贯脾挟脊内。过髀枢。循髀外。从后廉下合 中。贯 内。出外踝之后。循京骨。至小指外侧。故病
髀不可以曲。 似裂。足小指不能举用。又凡病背膂筋痛。小便闭。即知其发于膀胱。膀胱之大略如此。
手厥阴心胞络。名手心主。手心主者。手少阴心经之主也。心者。五脏六腑之大主。精神所舍。其脏坚固。邪物能
客。客之则心伤。心伤则神去。神去则死。故诸邪之在心者。皆在于络胞。有裹心之膜。包于心外。相君用事。为心主
之脉。居右手尺部。与手少阳三焦为表里。胞络脏三焦腑。此内经之说。断断不诬。即灵兰秘典。问十二经相使贵贱。
有曰膻中者。臣使之官。而不及心胞。则似膻中与三焦为腑脏。至其所云。喜怒出焉者。与心主之性相合。则意主宣
教。膻中奉令。言膻中即言心胞也。其命门一说。穴在两肾之中。即彼太极图中之白圈是也。水火两蕴。为真阴真阳所
自出。初未尝有左右之分。越人始分之。亦不言其为相火之脏。叔和立说。方以三焦命门为表里。然亦不可谓无深意。
且以五行之理言之。如在地有木火土金水之五行。在天则有风热湿燥寒火之六气。人肖天地。其脏腑之具于身者。与天
地造化生成之理。若合符节。是故在天为风。在地为木。在人脏腑为肝为胆。在天为热。在地为火。在人脏腑为心为小
肠。在天为湿。在地为土。在人脏腑为脾为胃。在天为燥。在地为金。在人脏腑为肺为大肠。在天为寒。在地为水。在
人脏腑为肾为膀胱。五者之外。又有相火游行于天地上下气交之中。故合为五运六气。人身之相火。亦游行腔子之内。
上下肓膜之间。丹溪云。天非此火。不能生物。人非此火。不能有生。肾属阴。主乎静。静则阳寓乎其中。阳既孕矣。
其能纯乎。静而无生气之动欤。若经所谓肾主水受五脏六腑之精而藏之。是阳归之阴。而成孕者也。又谓肾为作强之官。
伎巧出焉。是阳出之阴而化生者也。是故肾为一脏。配五行而言。则属之水。以其两肾之中。左右各有一小窍。右为阳。
为火为气。乃三焦所禀。左为阴。为水为血。乃真阴所禀命。于是左肾之阴水生肝木。肝木生心火。右肾之阳火生脾土。
脾土生肺金。其四脏之于肾。犹枝叶之出于根也。繇是言之。命门虽为水脏。实为相火所寓之地。相火无定体。在上则
寄于肝胆胞络之间。发则如龙火飞跃于霄汉。而为雷霆也。在下则寓于两肾之内。发则如龙火鼓舞于湖海。而为波涛也。
命门静而阖。涵养乎一阴之真水。动而开。鼓舞乎龙雷之相火。水者常也。火者变也。为阴中养阳之候。故男子以藏精。
女子以系胞胎。而其不即于左尺见。而必于右尺见者。盖右尺胞络三焦。但属相火。譬如造物用者。作处不如聚处。右
尺乃相火聚处。故命门火。专于右尺候之。其体即属相火。相火盛衰。于此决言其用。心胞为血之母。窍则通于喉。性
情则不外乎肾。其为六淫所中。暑则伤胞。其为七情所害。悲则伤胞。其有不内外因而病者。房帷任意。伤胞络也。脉
受足少阴之交。故肾脉终于胸中。胞络脉即起于胸中。出属心胞络。下膈历络三焦。故病为心中 动。为烦心。为心
痛。
心赤色为面赤其支者。循胸中出胁。上抵腋。下循 内。入肘下臂入掌中。循中指出其端。故病为胸胁支满。为腋肿。
为臂肘挛急。其支者。别掌中。循无名指出其端。诊法同肾。若命门败。水浸淫而贼火之气。金克木而伐火之源。真脏
脉见为鱼翔。在皮肤间本不动末。强摇如鱼在水中。身首帖然。尾独悠扬之状。又为虾游。在皮肤间。始则冉冉不动。
少焉瞥然而去。久之倏尔复来。又为虾戏。一呼一吸。动之击指。其见于外者。面黑目白。心胞绝。掌内无文胞络之大
略如此。
The Foot-Taiyang Bladder Meridian. It is located below the Kidneys, on the side of the Large Intestine. It connects upward to the Small Intestine and downward to the anterior yin (urethra and genitals). It serves as the "Official of the Capital" (Zhou Du, referring to the bladder as the reservoir of fluids), where essence and fluids are stored. Through Qi transformation, they can be excreted. It forms an interior-exterior relationship with the Kidneys. It belongs to the Ren Water of the North. Its functions and nature do not extend beyond those of the Kidneys. The pulse receives connection from the Hand-Taiyang Small Intestine Meridian; thus, the Small Intestine pulse ends at the inner canthus, and the Bladder pulse begins at the inner canthus. Disease manifests as eyes feeling as if they will protrude, or yellowing of the eyes with tearing. The meridian ascends to the forehead and intersects at the vertex. Its branch extends from the vertex to the upper angle of the ear. Its straight course enters the brain from the vertex via the network. Therefore, disease caused by pathogenic qi rushing to the head results in pain. It emerges again, branches off, and descends to the neck; thus, the neck feels as if being pulled. It follows the medial aspect of the shoulder blades, flanking the spine to reach the middle of the waist. It enters and follows the muscles beside the spine (Lu), networks the Kidneys, and belongs to the Bladder. Therefore, disease presents with low back pain as if being pulled. Its branch descends from the waist, penetrates the buttocks, and enters the popliteal fossa (Gu Zhong); thus, disease presents as hemorrhoids. The popliteal area feels knotted or tense. Another branch separates on the right side within the arm, descends, penetrates the Spleen, flanks the spine internally, passes through the hip joint (Bi Shu), follows the lateral aspect of the thigh, descends along the posterior margin, and joins the popliteal fossa. It penetrates the calf muscle (Shan Nei), emerges behind the lateral malleolus, follows the Jinggu point, and reaches the lateral side of the little toe. Therefore, disease presents with inability to flex the thigh, a sensation of tearing in the calf, and inability to lift the little toe. Furthermore, any disease involving pain in the back and spinal tendons, along with urinary retention, indicates onset from the Bladder Meridian. This is the general overview of the Bladder Meridian.
The Hand-Jueyin Pericardium Collateral. Also named Hand Xin Zhu (Master of the Heart). Hand Xin Zhu is the master of the Hand-Shaoyin Heart Meridian. The Heart is the great master of the five zang and six fu organs. It is the residence of the spirit. Its organ is solid, and pathogens cannot invade it. If pathogens lodge within, the Heart is damaged. Damage to the Heart leads to the departure of the spirit. Departure of the spirit leads to death. Therefore, all pathogenic conditions affecting the Heart actually affect the Pericardium Collateral. There is a membrane wrapping the heart, enclosing it externally, assisting the monarch in its functions; this is the meridian of the Heart Master. It is located at the Chi position of the right hand. It forms an interior-exterior relationship with the Hand-Shaoyang Sanjiao (Triple Burner). The Pericardium is the Zang organ, and the Sanjiao is the Fu organ. This is the theory of the *Neijing* (Classic of Internal Medicine) and is undoubtedly true. Even in the *Linglan Midian Lun* (Treatise on the Secret Canon of Spiritual Orchid), when asking about the hierarchy of the twelve meridians, it states: "Danzhong is the Official of the Envoy," without mentioning the Pericardium, which seems to imply Danzhong and Sanjiao form a Zang-Fu pair. However, since it says "anger and joy arise from here," which aligns with the nature of the Heart Master, it implies that the Heart Master directs instruction, and Danzhong executes orders; thus, speaking of Danzhong is speaking of the Pericardium. Regarding the theory of Mingmen (Gate of Life), the acupoint is between the two Kidneys, corresponding to the white circle in the Taiji diagram. Water and Fire are蕴藏ed therein, serving as the source of True Yin and True Yang. Initially, there was no distinction between left and right. Bian Que (Yue Ren) began to distinguish them but did not describe it as the organ of Ministerial Fire. Wang Shuhe proposed the theory, establishing Sanjiao and Mingmen as interior-exterior pairs. Nevertheless, one cannot say he lacked profound insight. Speaking according to the principles of Five Elements: on earth, there are Wood, Fire, Earth, Metal, and Water. In heaven, there are Wind, Heat, Dampness, Dryness, Cold, and Fire (Six Qi). Humans mirror heaven and earth; the organs within the body correspond to the principles of creation. Thus, in heaven it is Wind, on earth it is Wood, in human organs it is Liver and Gallbladder. In heaven it is Heat, on earth it is Fire, in human organs it is Heart and Small Intestine. In heaven it is Dampness, on earth it is Earth, in human organs it is Spleen and Stomach. In heaven it is Dryness, on earth it is Metal, in human organs it is Lung and Large Intestine. In heaven it is Cold, on earth it is Water, in human organs it is Kidney and Bladder. Beyond these five, there is Ministerial Fire roaming between heaven and earth in the intersection of Qi. Hence, they are combined into the Five Movements and Six Qi. The Ministerial Fire in the human body also roams within the thoracic cavity, between the upper and lower Hui membranes. Zhu Danxi said: Without this fire in heaven, things cannot be generated; without this fire in humans, life cannot exist. The Kidney belongs to Yin and governs stillness. Stillness allows Yang to reside within it. Once Yang is conceived, can it remain purely static? Can it be devoid of the movement of vital energy? As the classics state, the Kidney governs Water and receives the essence of the five zang and six fu organs to store it; this is Yang returning to Yin to conceive. It is also stated that the Kidney is the Official of Strength, from whom dexterity arises; this is Yang emerging from Yin to transform and generate. Therefore, the Kidney, as a single organ, corresponds to Water in the Five Elements. Within the two Kidneys, there is a small aperture on each side. The right is Yang, representing Fire and Qi, derived from Sanjiao. The left is Yin, representing Water and Blood, derived from True Yin. Thus, Yin Water of the left Kidney generates Wood of the Liver; Wood of the Liver generates Fire of the Heart. Yang Fire of the right Kidney generates Earth of the Spleen; Earth of the Spleen generates Metal of the Lung. These four zang organs relative to the Kidney are like branches and leaves originating from the root. From this perspective, although Mingmen is called a Water organ, it is actually the abode of Ministerial Fire. Ministerial Fire has no fixed form; above, it resides between the Liver, Gallbladder, and Pericardium; when activated, it leaps like dragon fire in the sky, becoming thunder. Below, it resides within the two Kidneys; when activated, it stirs like dragon fire in lakes and seas, becoming waves. When Mingmen is still and closed, it nourishes the True Water of Yin; when active and open, it stirs the Ministerial Fire of Dragon and Thunder. Water is constancy; Fire is change. This is the condition of nurturing Yang within Yin. Thus, men use it to store essence, and women use it to anchor the fetus. The pulse does not appear immediately at the Left Chi but must be sought at the Right Chi. This is because the Right Chi corresponds to the Pericardium and Sanjiao, belonging solely to Ministerial Fire. Just as the work of creation is better observed where it gathers rather than where it acts, the Right Chi is the gathering place of Ministerial Fire. Therefore, the fire of Mingmen is specifically palpated at the Right Chi. Its substance belongs to Ministerial Fire; the rise and fall of Ministerial Fire determine its function here. The Pericardium is the mother of Blood, its orifice connects to the throat, and its nature does not extend beyond the Kidney. When attacked by the Six Exogenous Pathogens, Summerheat damages the Pericardium. When harmed by the Seven Emotions, Grief damages the Pericardium. When diseased by non-exogenous and non-emotional causes, excessive sexual activity damages the Pericardium Collateral. The pulse receives connection from the Foot-Shaoyin Kidney Meridian; thus, the Kidney pulse ends in the chest, and the Pericardium pulse begins in the chest. It emerges and belongs to the Pericardium Collateral. It descends through the diaphragm, networking the Sanjiao. Therefore, disease presents as palpitations (Xin Dong), vexation, and heart pain.
The Heart is red, manifesting as a ruddy complexion. Its branch follows the chest, emerges to the hypochondrium, ascends to the axilla, descends along the medial aspect of the arm, enters the elbow, travels down the arm, enters the palm, follows the middle finger to its tip. Therefore, disease presents with distension and fullness in the chest and hypochondrium, swelling in the axilla, and spasm/tightness of the arm and elbow. Another branch separates from the palm, follows the ring finger to its tip. The diagnostic method is the same as the Kidney Meridian. If Mingmen fails, Water floods and attacks Fire; Metal overacts on Wood, destroying the source of Fire. The True Zang Pulse appears as Yu Xiang (Fish Swimming): motionless on the skin surface initially, but the tail shakes strongly, resembling a fish in water, with the body and head still while only the tail sways. It also appears as Xia You (Shrimp Swimming): initially motionless on the skin, then suddenly darting away, lingering for a long time before suddenly returning. It also appears as Xia Xi (Shrimp Playing): beating the fingers with each breath. External manifestations include black complexion and white sclera. When the Pericardium Qi perishes, there are no lines on the palms. This is the general overview of the Pericardium Collateral.