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Chapter 35 states: The five Zang organs each have their specific locations, and the six Fu organs are all close to one another. Why are the Heart and Lung located far from the Large Intestine and Small Intestine?

The response is: The classics state that the Heart governs Ying (Nutritive Qi) and the Lung governs Wei (Defensive Qi). They circulate Yang Qi, therefore they reside in the upper part of the body. The Large Intestine and Small Intestine transmit Yin Qi downward, therefore they reside in the lower part. This is why they are distant from each other.

The Gallbladder is the Fu organ of the Liver; the Stomach is the Fu organ of the Spleen; the Bladder is the Fu organ of the Kidney. Their positions are all close to each other. However, the Small Intestine is the Fu organ of the Heart, and the Large Intestine is the Fu organ of the Lung. Why are these also distant from each other?

This is because blood becomes Ying Qi and is governed by the Heart, so Ying Qi belongs to the Heart. Qi becomes Wei Qi and is governed by the Lung, so Wei Qi belongs to the Lung. The Heart governs Ying and the Lung governs Wei; they circulate Yang Qi and reside in the upper part. The Large Intestine and Small Intestine transmit Yin Qi and reside in the lower part. Since their functions differ, although their meridians are internally-externally paired, their physical locations are distant.

Furthermore, all Fu organs belong to Yang and should be places of purity. Now, the Large Intestine, Small Intestine, Stomach, and Bladder all receive impure substances. What is the meaning of this?

Another question arises: Yang should remain pure. Since all Fu organs belong to Yang, they should all be places of purity. Yet the Large Intestine, Small Intestine, Stomach, and Bladder accept turbid and filthy substances, while only the Gallbladder does not. Why? This is because the Gallbladder receives nothing [from food].

The response is: That assertion is incorrect. The classics state: The Small Intestine is the Fu organ of receiving and storing (Shou Sheng); the Large Intestine is the Fu organ of transmission and passage; the Gallbladder is the Fu organ of purity; the Stomach is the Fu organ of water and grain; the Bladder is the Fu organ of Jin-Ye (Body Fluids). One Fu organ cannot have two names, thus we know the previous assertion is wrong. The Small Intestine is the Fu organ of the Heart; the Large Intestine is the Fu organ of the Lung; the Gallbladder is the Fu organ of the Liver; the Stomach is the Fu organ of the Spleen; the Bladder is the Fu organ of the Kidney. This indicates that although all Fu organs belong to Yang, they are not all Fu organs of purity. *Su Wen · Ling Lan Mi Dian Lun* states: "The Small Intestine is the official of receiving and storing, from which transformation occurs." 'Sheng' sounds like 'Cheng', meaning storage. It refers to receiving what comes from the Stomach and transforming its dregs, hence called the Fu organ of receiving and storing. It further states: "The Large Intestine is the official of transmission, from which changes occur." It means that when food from the Small Intestine arrives here, the essence has been fully absorbed, and it transforms into waste for excretion, hence called the Fu organ of passage. It further states: "The Gallbladder is the official of uprightness, from which decision-making emerges." The Gallbladder only excretes and does not receive [food], hence called the Fu organ of purity. It further states: "The Spleen and Stomach are the officials of the granary, from which the five flavors emerge." This means the Stomach primarily receives grain, and the Spleen primarily transforms grain. Together, they are collectively called the officials of the granary, hence called the Fu organ of water and grain. It further states: "The Bladder is the official of the provincial capital, where Jin-Ye are stored; through Qi transformation, they can be excreted." This means the water in the Bladder can transform into Qi, rising directly via the Chong and Ren meridians, transforming into Jin-Ye, fluids, and sweat, hence called the Fu organ of Jin-Ye. Each Fu organ has a specific name as mentioned above, all truly referring to organs that receive turbid substances. Generally, the form is Yang, but its function is Yin, as the classics say, "Turbid Yin returns to the Six Fu organs." Only the Gallbladder is named pure, thus it does not receive turbidity. If the other Fu organs were also named pure, they would have two names. *Ling Shu · Ben Shu* states: "The Lung pairs with the Large Intestine, the Heart pairs with the Small Intestine, the Liver pairs with the Gallbladder, the Spleen pairs with the Stomach, the Kidney pairs with the Bladder." This is the principle.

Commentary: Western medicine states that the Small Intestine is tightly connected below the lower opening of the Stomach, starting from the pylorus to the ileocecal valve, approximately two zhang long. The entire intestine is connected by fatty membranes, containing microscopic vessels. The bitter juice of the gallbladder and the sweet juice of the pancreas are injected into the Small Intestine via these microscopic vessels to digest food. The digested essence is absorbed from the intestinal membrane into the venous confluence in the neck, passes through the Lungs into the Heart, turns red to become blood, and reaches various organs. When the classics say the Small Intestine is the official of receiving and storing, transforming things out, it actually refers to the Qi transformation of the Small Intestine. The fatty membrane attached to the Small Intestine is the substance of San Jiao (Triple Burner), and it also belongs to the Spleen. The Small Intestine is also the Fu organ of the Heart. The pathway of connection is through the microscopic vessels from San Jiao, upward through the diaphragm, to the Pericardium and then to the Heart. If Heart heat is transmitted to the Small Intestine, transformation fails, leading to dysentery or strangury. If Spleen Yin is insufficient, the Middle Jiao cannot receive and store properly, leading to dysphagia and constipation. If San Jiao Ministerial Fire is insufficient to steam and transform water and grain, loose stools result. The Large Intestine connects to the Small Intestine at the ileocecal valve and ends at the anus, approximately five chi long. By the time food from the Small Intestine reaches here, the essence has been fully transformed, becoming waste for excretion. When the classics say the Large Intestine is the official of transmission, changing things out, it refers to the Large Intestine's ability to transmit waste. However, the reason the Large Intestine can transmit is because it is the Fu organ of the Lung; Lung Qi descends, enabling transmission. Therefore, for constipation, there are methods to lift Lung Qi. The Gallbladder is attached beside the right lobe of the Liver, storing bitter juice. This juice is transformed from blood returning from the lower body entering the Liver. After eating, the full Small Intestine presses upward on the Gallbladder, causing its juice to flow into the Small Intestine to squeeze and digest food and facilitate the transmission of dregs. This is the Western medical view. However, one does not know that bile is green and belongs to Yang, originally generated by the Qi transformation of Liver Yin. With this Qi transformation, there is this juice. If judging by juice, those with more bile have courage and no fear. If judging by Qi, those with vigorous Gallbladder Fire also have no fear. If excessive, one loses balance and uprightness, leading to reckless behavior. If deficient, one loses balance and uprightness, leading to constant fearfulness. The classics say the Gallbladder is the official of uprightness, from which decision-making emerges. This means if Qi is neither too rigid nor too soft, achieving uprightness, one naturally has decision-making ability when facing matters. Discussing Liver and Gallbladder together: Liver Yang hides within Yin, thus governing planning; Gallbladder Yang emerges from Yin, thus governing decision-making. As for only excreting and not receiving, it is named the Fu organ of purity. The Stomach is located below the diaphragm, curved like a bag with dense folds, so food enters and exits easily. It connects superiorly to the esophagus and inferiorly to the Small Intestine. Surrounding it are many fine pores to generate fluid. Food mixed with Stomach fluid resembles thick porridge before exiting the pylorus to the head of the Small Intestine, meeting the green-bitter bile and white-sweet pancreatic juice to extract essence. This essence is absorbed via vessels to the neck, passes through the Lungs into the Heart, turns red to become blood. The Pancreas is an organ attached to the Spleen. The Spleen governs blood. The sweet-white juice in the Pancreas is formed by Spleen blood undergoing Spleen Yang Qi transformation. The classics say the Spleen and Stomach are the officials of the granary, from which the five flavors emerge. Essentially, the Stomach receives grain, the Spleen transforms grain; together they succeed, hence collectively called the granary. However, the theory that bile digestion enters the Liver, proposed by Dai Yuanli, has its origins. The Bladder is located in the center inside the hip bones, within the pubic symphysis. Its body is round like a plate, expanding and contracting freely. The lower opening connects to the external genitalia; the upper opening has a very fine hole covered by the Lower Jiao fatty membrane. Water drunk spreads from the small aperture above the pylorus of the Stomach into the Lower Jiao omentum, infiltrates to become urine. Without urine, it shrinks; with urine, it expands; with much urine, it swells. Western medicine only knows the Bladder stores urine, but does not know that water entering the Bladder transforms into Qi ascending to become Jin-Ye, while the remaining residue is excreted downward as urine. The classics say the Bladder is the official of the provincial capital, where Jin-Ye are stored; through Qi transformation, they can be excreted. "Through Qi transformation, they can be excreted" refers to the excretion of Jin-Ye, not urine. The term "Qi transformation" was briefly discussed in Chapter 8 regarding Kidney Interstitial Moving Qi; now its meaning is detailed. Qi is transformed from Fire interacting with Water. Observing the twelve辟卦 (Pi Gua), Qian Yang enters Kun Yin to transform into Qi. Qi rises to become clouds and rain. Humans participate with Heaven and Earth; the principle of Yin and Yang is the same. The Human Heart governs Fire. Air inhaled through the nose is Heavenly Yang Qi, also belonging to Fire. Entering the nose into the Lungs, passing through the Heart system, drawing Heart Fire, following the muscles along the spine, descending into the Kidney system. From the Kidney system, it reaches the Qi Sea of the Lower Jiao. What is the Qi Sea? It is the root of San Jiao, located below the umbilicus. The classics call it the Bao Shi (Uterus/Womb), and Wang Qingren calls it the Qi Fu (Qi Mansion). The Heavenly Yang Qi inhaled by humans combines with Heart Fire descending to the Bao Shi, steaming the water in the Bladder, transforming it into Qi rising upward. This Qi penetrates the Bladder, enters the Bao Shi, ascends along the side of the umbilicus, goes up through the Chong and Ren meridians through the diaphragm into the Lungs, and returns out through the mouth with exhalation. Exhaled gas condensing on cold stone becomes dewdrops; in the mouth, tongue, and internal organs, it becomes Jin-Ye; externally exiting the skin and hair, it steams the skin and moistens muscles to become sweat. This is what is meant by "through Qi transformation, Jin-Ye can be excreted." The elderly urinate frequently because they transform little Qi and have much water quality; the vigorous young urinate less because they transform much Qi and have little water quality. Inhaled air follows the spine, governed by the Du Meridian; exhaled air follows the diaphragm, governed by the Ren Meridian. Inhalation is Yang, Fire interacting with Water; exhalation is Yin, Qi being Water. If Fire is insufficient to steam Water, Jin-Ye does not rise, Qi cannot transform. If Water is insufficient to assist Fire, Jin-Ye dries up, and small urination does not descend. Thus, it is said the Bladder is the Fu organ of Jin-Ye.

The Small Intestine is called the Red Intestine, the Large Intestine the White Intestine, the Gallbladder the Green Intestine, the Stomach the Yellow Intestine, and the Bladder the Black Intestine. These are governed by the Lower Jiao. Here, using the colors of the Five Elements and Five Zang organs to distinguish the five Fu organs, all are named Intestines, indicating they all receive turbid substances, thereby clarifying the reason for impurity. Regarding what is governed by the Lower Jiao, *Ling Shu · Ying Wei Hui Sheng Pian* states: "Water and grain often reside together in the Stomach, forming dregs and descending together to the Large Intestine, constituting the Lower Jiao. They filter and separate juices, following the Lower Jiao to infiltrate the Bladder." Therefore, all five Fu organs are governed by the Qi of the Lower Jiao.