（徐氏）
子午流注者，谓刚柔相配，阴阳相合，气血循环，时穴开阖也。何以子午言之？曰∶子
时一刻，乃一阳之生；至午时一刻，乃一阴之生，故以子午分之而得乎中也。流者，往也。
注者，住也。天干有十，经有十二∶甲胆、乙肝、丙小肠、丁心、戊胃、己脾、庚大肠
、辛肺、壬膀胱、癸肾。余两经，三焦、包络也。三焦乃阳气之父，包络乃阴血之母，此二经虽寄于壬癸
，亦分派于十干。每经之中，有井、荥、俞、经、合，以配金、水、木、火、土，是故阴井
木而阳井金，阴荥火而阳荥水，阴俞土而阳俞木，阴经金而阳经火，阴合水而阳合土。经中
有返本还元者，乃十二经出入之门也。阳经有原，遇俞穴并过之，阴经无原，以俞
穴即代之。是以甲出丘墟，乙太冲之例。又按《千金》云∶六阴经亦有原穴，乙中都，丁通
里，己公孙，辛列缺，癸水泉，包络内关是也。故阳日气先行，而血后随也。阴日血先
行，而气后随也。得时为之开，失时为之阖。阳
干注腑，甲、丙、戊、庚、壬而重见者气纳于三焦；阴干注脏，乙、丁、己、辛、癸而重
见者，血纳包络。如甲日甲戌时，以开胆井。至戊寅时正当胃俞，而又并过胆原。重见甲申
时，气纳三焦，荥穴属水，甲属木，是以水生木，谓甲合还元化本。又如乙日乙酉时，以开
肝井。至己丑时当脾之俞，并过肝原。重见乙未时，血纳包络荥穴属火，乙属木，是以木
生火也。余仿此，俱以子午相生，阴阳相济也。阳日无阴时，阴日无阳时，故甲与己合
，乙与庚合，丙与辛合，丁与壬合，戊与癸合也
。何谓甲与己合？曰∶中央戊己属土，畏东方甲乙之木所克，戊乃阳为兄，己属阴为妹。戊
兄遂将己妹，嫁与木家，与甲为妻，庶得阴阳和合，而不相伤，所以甲与己合。余皆然。子午
(Xu's)
Ziwu Liuzhu (Sub-He Hour Flowing-Note Method) refers to the matching of rigidity and softness between Heavenly Stems and Earthly Branches, the integration of Yin and Yang, the circulation of Qi and Blood, and the opening and closing of time-specific acupoints. Why is it named after "Zi" (Rat hour) and "Wu" (Horse hour)? It is said: At the beginning of Zi hour, one Yang Qi begins to generate; at the beginning of Wu hour, one Yin Qi begins to generate. Therefore, dividing by Zi and Wu obtains the midpoint. "Liu" (Flow) means going or moving forward. "Zhu" (Pour/Note) means staying or accumulating.
There are ten Heavenly Stems and twelve meridians: Jia corresponds to Gallbladder, Yi to Liver, Bing to Small Intestine, Ding to Heart, Wu to Stomach, Ji to Spleen, Geng to Large Intestine, Xin to Lung, Ren to Bladder, Gui to Kidney. The remaining two meridians are Sanjiao (Triple Burner) and Bao Luo (Pericardium). Sanjiao is the father of Yang Qi, and Bao Luo is the mother of Yin Blood. Although these two meridians are attached to Ren and Gui, they are also distributed among the ten Heavenly Stems. Within each meridian, there are Jing-River (Well), Ying-Spring (Spring), Shu-Stream (Stream), Jing-River (River), and He-Sea acupoints, which correspond to Metal, Water, Wood, Fire, and Earth. Thus, the Well point of Yin meridians belongs to Wood, while that of Yang meridians belongs to Metal; the Spring point of Yin meridians belongs to Fire, while that of Yang meridians belongs to Water; the Stream point of Yin meridians belongs to Earth, while that of Yang meridians belongs to Wood; the River point of Yin meridians belongs to Metal, while that of Yang meridians belongs to Fire; the Sea point of Yin meridians belongs to Water, while that of Yang meridians belongs to Earth. The concept of "returning to the root and restoring the origin" mentioned in the classics refers to the gates of entry and exit for the twelve meridians. Yang meridians have Yuan-Source points; when encountering Shu-Stream points, one passes through them simultaneously. Yin meridians do not have independent Yuan-Source points, so their Shu-Stream points serve as substitutes. This is the example of Jia using Qiu Xu (GB40, Yuan-Source of Gallbladder) and Yi using Tai Chong (LR3, Shu-Stream of Liver acting as Yuan-Source). Furthermore, according to *Qian Jin Fang* (Essential Prescriptions Worth a Thousand Gold): The six Yin meridians also have Yuan-Source points: Du Zhong (PC6? Note: Text says Du Zhong for Yi/Liver, but standard is Taichong or similar, sticking to text entity extraction: Du Zhong), Tong Li (HT5), Gong Sun (SP4), Lie Que (LU7), Shui Quan (KI5), and Nei Guan (PC6) for Pericardium.
Therefore, on Yang days, Qi moves first and Blood follows; on Yin days, Blood moves first and Qi follows. When the timing is correct, the acupoint opens; when the timing is missed, the acupoint closes. Yang stems nourish the Fu organs; if Jia, Bing, Wu, Geng, or Ren reappear, Qi is stored in Sanjiao. Yin stems nourish the Zang organs; if Yi, Ding, Ji, Xin, or Gui reappear, Blood is stored in Bao Luo. For example, on a Jia day during Jia Xu hour, the Well point of the Gallbladder is opened. By Wu Yin hour, it reaches the Shu point of the Stomach and simultaneously passes the Yuan-Source point of the Gallbladder. When Jia Shen hour arrives again, Qi is stored in Sanjiao. The Ying-Spring point belongs to Water, and Jia belongs to Wood; since Water generates Wood, this is called Jia combining to return to its original nature. Similarly, on a Yi day during Yi You hour, the Well point of the Liver is opened. By Ji Chou hour, it reaches the Shu point of the Spleen and simultaneously passes the Yuan-Source point of the Liver. When Yi Wei hour arrives again, Blood is stored in Bao Luo. The Ying-Spring point belongs to Fire, and Yi belongs to Wood; since Wood generates Fire. The rest follow this pattern, all based on the mutual generation of Zi and Wu and the complementarity of Yin and Yang. Yang days have no Yin hours, and Yin days have no Yang hours. Therefore, Jia combines with Ji, Yi with Geng, Bing with Xin, Ding with Ren, and Wu with Gui.
What does it mean that Jia combines with Ji? It is said: Central Wu and Ji belong to Earth, which fears being controlled by the Wood of Eastern Jia and Yi. Wu is Yang, like an elder brother; Ji is Yin, like a younger sister. The Wu brother marries his Ji sister to the Wood family, making her the wife of Jia, thereby achieving harmony between Yin and Yang without mutual harm. Hence, Jia combines with Ji. The same logic applies to the others. Zi and Wu...