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The human body has four seas, and the twelve Jing Rivers (twelve major meridians within the body) all flow into these seas. There is the Sea of Marrow, the Sea of Blood, the Sea of Qi, and the Sea of Water and Grain. The Stomach is the Sea of Water and Grain; its upper point is at Qichuan (Qichong, ST30), and its lower point extends to Zusanli (ST36). The Chong Mai (Penetrating Vessel) is the Sea of the Twelve Meridians; its upper point is at Dazhu (BL11), and it emerges below Shangjuxu (ST37) and Xiajuxu (ST39). Danzhong (CV17) is the Sea of Qi; its upper aspect is above and below the vertebral column, and anteriorly at Renying (ST9). The Brain is the Sea of Marrow; its upper aspect is at the crown of the head, and its lower aspect is at Fengfu (GV16). Regarding these four seas: if one follows their natural course, life is sustained; if one opposes them, decline occurs; if one knows how to regulate them, there is benefit; if one does not, there is harm. It is asked: What are the patterns of compliance and opposition in the four seas? It is answered: If the Sea of Qi is in excess, there is fullness in the chest, rapid breathing, and redness of the face; if deficient, there is shortness of breath and inability to speak. If the Sea of Blood is in excess, one constantly feels the body is large and depressed, yet does not know where the illness lies; if deficient, one constantly feels the body is small and narrow, yet does not know where the illness lies. If the Sea of Water and Grain is in excess, there is abdominal distension and fullness; if deficient, there is hunger but an inability to eat food. If the Sea of Marrow is in excess, one feels light, vigorous, and strong, exceeding normal limits; if deficient, there is dizziness, tinnitus, soreness of the shins, vertigo, blurred vision, lassitude, and a desire to lie down. It is asked: How should they be regulated? It is answered: Carefully observe their locations and regulate their deficiency and excess without causing harm; those who follow the natural order recover, while those who oppose it will fail.

Yellow Emperor asked: What is meant by Fifty Circulations? Qibo replied: The celestial sphere consists of twenty-eight mansions, each divided into thirty-six parts. The vital energy completes one circulation over 1,080 parts. The human meridians, running up, down, left, right, front, and back, number twenty-eight, with a total length of sixteen zhang and two chi, corresponding to the twenty-eight mansions. The clepsydra (water clock) drops one hundred ke (keeps), dividing day and night. Thus, with each exhalation, the pulse beats twice, and Qi moves three cun; with each inhalation, the pulse beats twice, and Qi moves three cun. Between breaths, Qi moves six cun. In ten breaths, the pulse travels six chi, and the sun moves two fen. In 270 breaths, Qi travels sixteen zhang and two chi, circulating through the interior, completing one circuit around the body, the water clock drops two ke, and the sun moves more than twenty fen. In 540 breaths, Qi circulates twice around the body, the water clock drops four ke, and the sun moves more than forty fen. In 2,700 breaths, Qi circulates ten times around the body, the water clock drops twenty ke, and the sun moves five mansions and more than two hundred fen. In 13,500 breaths, Qi performs fifty circulations around the body, the water clock drops one hundred ke, the sun completes twenty-eight mansions, the water runs out, and the meridian Qi ends. (Wang Bing said: This is a brief statement. In detail, it is usually ten circuits plus one part and six-tenths of a part, which constitutes the remainder.) What is called "traffic" refers to moving together in the same numerical measure. Therefore, when the fifty circulations are complete, one can fully embody the Qi of Heaven and Earth. This is called Fifty Circulations, as the Five Zang Organs all receive Qi. (This paragraph was originally at the end of the Root and Terminal Meridians section and has been moved here.)

It is asked: How does the Wei Qi (Defensive Qi) move, and what are its entry and exit intersections? It is answered: There are twelve months in a year and twelve double-hours in a day. Zi and Wu form the meridian lines, and Mao and You form the parallel lines. One side of the heaven has seven mansions, totaling twenty-eight mansions around the celestial sphere. Fang and Mao are parallels, Zhang and Xu are meridians. Therefore, from Fang to Bi is Yang, and from Mao to Xin is Yin. Yang governs the day, and Yin governs the night. Thus, Wei Qi circulates fifty times around the body in one day and night. During the day, it combines with Yang for twenty-five circuits, and at night, it travels through Yin for twenty-five circuits, circling the Five Zang Organs (one version reads "year"); thus, at dawn, Yin Qi is exhausted, and Yang Qi emerges from the eyes. When the eyes open, Qi travels to the head, follows the neck, descends along the Foot-Taiyang Bladder Meridian, follows the back, and reaches the tip of the little toe. Its scattered branches disperse from the eyes, branch off at the outer canthus (or another version says branch off at the outer canthus), descend along the Hand-Taiyang Small Intestine Meridian, and reach the outer side of the hand little toe. Its scattered branches branch off at the outer canthus, descend along the Foot-Shaoyang Gallbladder Meridian, and enter between the little toe and the second toe. Following this path along the lateral side of the Hand-Shaoyang Sanjiao Meridian, it descends to the space between the little toe and the second toe. Another branch ascends to the front of the ear, merges with the mandibular pulse, enters the Foot-Yangming Stomach Meridian, descends to the dorsum of the foot, and enters the spaces between the five toes. Its scattered branches go from the ear, descend along the Hand-Yangming Large Intestine Meridian, enter the space between the thumb and index finger, enter the palm, go straight to the foot, enter the sole of the foot, emerge from the medial malleolus, descend through the Yin aspects, and merge again at the eyes, thus completing one circuit. Therefore, when the sun moves through one mansion, the vital energy circulates once around the body plus eight-tenths of a circuit; when the sun moves through two mansions, it circulates three times plus six-tenths; when the sun moves through three mansions, it circulates five times plus four-tenths; when the sun moves through four mansions, it circulates seven times plus two-tenths; when the sun moves through five mansions, it circulates nine times; when the sun moves through six mansions, it circulates ten times plus eight-tenths; when the sun moves through seven mansions, it circulates twelve times plus six-tenths; when the sun moves through fourteen mansions, it circulates twenty-five times with a remainder of four-tenths. When Yang is exhausted in Yin, Yin receives the Qi. Initially entering Yin, it usually flows from the Foot-Shaoyin Kidney Meridian into the Kidneys, from the Kidneys into the Heart, from the Heart into the Lungs, from the Lungs into the Liver, from the Liver into the Spleen, and from the Spleen back into the Kidneys, completing one circuit. Thus, when the night progresses through one mansion, the vital energy circulates once around the body (or one version says Yin Zang Organs) plus eight-tenths of a circuit around the Zang Organs, just as in the Yang phase, completing twenty-five circuits before meeting again at the eyes. Yin and Yang, in one day and night, rest in the remainders of four-tenths of the body's circuits and four-tenths of the Zang Organs' circuits (one version says two; the previous text mentions eight-tenths of the Zang Organs, while this mentions four-tenths, suggesting an error). Hence, the variation in the timing of people's rising and sleeping is due to these incomplete remainders.

It is asked: Since Wei Qi moves endlessly up and down in the body, how should one palpate the Qi and apply acupuncture? It is answered: The depth and number of acupoints vary, and the length of days varies. Spring, Autumn, Winter, and Summer each have their own principles. Generally, use dawn as the standard and the end of the night as the beginning. Thus, in one day and night, the water clock drops one hundred ke. Twenty-five ke represents half a day. This continues indefinitely until sunset, adjusting according to the length of the day as the standard. Carefully await the location of the Qi and puncture it. This is called "meeting the time." If the disease is in the Yang aspects, one must first await the Qi adding to the Yang aspects before puncturing; if the disease is in the Yin aspects, one must first await the Qi adding to the Yin aspects before puncturing. Carefully awaiting the time allows the disease to be expected to heal; losing the time and contrary to the pattern, the hundred diseases will not be removed.

At the first ke of water drop, the vital Qi is in the Taiyang Meridian;
At the second ke, the vital Qi is in the Shaoyang Meridian;
At the third ke, the vital Qi is in the Yangming Meridian; At the fourth ke, the vital Qi is in the Yin aspects;
At the fifth ke, the vital Qi is in the Taiyang Meridian; At the sixth ke, the vital Qi is in the Shaoyang Meridian;
At the seventh ke, the vital Qi is in the Yangming Meridian; At the eighth ke, the vital Qi is in the Yin aspects;
At the ninth ke, the vital Qi is in the Taiyang Meridian; At the tenth ke, the vital Qi is in the Shaoyang Meridian;
At the eleventh ke, the vital Qi is in the Yangming Meridian; At the twelfth ke, the vital Qi is in the Yin aspects;
At the thirteenth ke, the vital Qi is in the Taiyang Meridian; At the fourteenth ke, the vital Qi is in the Shaoyang Meridian;
At the fifteenth ke, the vital Qi is in the Yangming Meridian; At the sixteenth ke, the vital Qi is in the Yin aspects;
At the seventeenth ke, the vital Qi is in the Taiyang Meridian; At the eighteenth ke, the vital Qi is in the Shaoyang Meridian;
At the nineteenth ke, the vital Qi is in the Yangming Meridian; At the twentieth ke, the vital Qi is in the Yin aspects;
At the twenty-first ke, the vital Qi is in the Taiyang Meridian; At the twenty-second ke, the vital Qi is in the Shaoyang Meridian;
At the twenty-third ke, the vital Qi is in the Yangming Meridian; At the twenty-fourth ke, the vital Qi is in the Yin aspects;
At the twenty-fifth ke, the vital Qi is in the Taiyang Meridian. This is the measure of less than half a day.
From Fang to Bi covers fourteen degrees, dropping fifty ke of water, which is the measure of half a day. From Mao to Xin also covers fourteen degrees, dropping fifty ke of water, which is the measure of a full day. When the sun moves through one mansion, the water drops three ke and four-tenths of a ke (Suwen reads seven ke). The general principle is to add the sun's position to the mansions to know that the vital Qi is in the Taiyang Meridian. Thus, when the sun moves through one mansion, the vital Qi is in the Three Yang Meridians and the Yin aspects. Continuing like this without end, aligning with the rhythms of Heaven and Earth, bustling and busy, ending and beginning again. In one day and night, the water runs one hundred ke and is exhausted. Therefore, it is said: To treat excess conditions, puncture when the Qi arrives; to treat deficiency conditions, puncture when the Qi departs. This speaks of the time of the presence or absence of Qi, to monitor deficiency and excess and apply acupuncture accordingly.