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The heart is harmonized with the vessels (Mai, blood vessels), its flourishing manifestation is in the complexion (Rong, luster/color of the face), and its controlling organ is the Kidney. The Lung is harmonized with the skin, its flourishing manifestation is in the body hair, and its controlling organ is the Heart. The Liver is harmonized with the sinews, its flourishing manifestation is in the nails, and its controlling organ is the Lung. The Spleen is harmonized with the muscles, its flourishing manifestation is in the lips, and its controlling organ is the Liver. The Kidney is harmonized with the bones, its flourishing manifestation is in the hair, and its controlling organ is the Spleen. Therefore, excessive consumption of salty flavor causes the vessels to coagulate and flow sluggishly, leading to changes in complexion; excessive consumption of bitter flavor causes the skin to wither and the hair to fall out; excessive consumption of pungent flavor causes the sinews to become tight and the nails to wither; excessive consumption of sour flavor causes the flesh to thicken into calluses and the lips to peel; excessive consumption of sweet flavor causes bone pain and hair loss. These are the injuries caused by the five flavors. Thus, the Heart desires bitter flavor, the Lung desires pungent flavor, the Liver desires sour flavor, the Spleen desires sweet flavor, and the Kidney desires salty flavor. This represents the correspondence between the five flavors and the Zang organs.

Regarding the Qi of the five Zang organs manifesting as colors on the face: if the color appears green like dead grass, death ensues; if yellow like the fruit of the Akebia (Zhi Shi), death ensues; if black like soot, death ensues; if red like clotted blood, death ensues; if white like dry bones, death ensues. These are the signs of death seen in the five colors. If green appears like the feathers of a kingfisher, life is sustained; if red appears like the comb of a rooster, life is sustained; if yellow appears like the belly of a crab, life is sustained; if white appears like the fat of a pig, life is sustained; if black appears like the feathers of a crow, life is sustained. These are the signs of life seen in the five colors. Life in the Heart resembles white silk wrapping cinnabar; life in the Lung resembles white silk wrapping red; life in the Liver resembles white silk wrapping dark blue-red (Gan); life in the Spleen resembles white silk wrapping the fruit of Trichosanthes (Gua Lou); life in the Kidney resembles white silk wrapping purple. These are the external flourishing manifestations generated by the five Zang organs.

Colors and flavors correspond to the five Zang organs: White corresponds to the Lung and Pungent flavor; Red corresponds to the Heart and Bitter flavor; Green corresponds to the Liver and Sour flavor; Yellow corresponds to the Spleen and Sweet flavor; Black corresponds to the Kidney and Salty flavor. Thus, White corresponds to the skin, Red to the vessels, Green to the sinews, Yellow to the muscles, and Black to the bones.

All vessels converge at the eyes; all marrow belongs to the brain; all sinews belong to the joints; all blood belongs to the Heart; all Qi belongs to the Lung. This describes the daily circulation of Qi and Blood in the four limbs and the eight large joints (Ba Xi). Therefore, when a person lies down, blood returns to the Liver. When the Liver receives blood, vision is possible; when the feet receive blood, walking is possible; when the palms receive blood, grasping is possible; when the fingers receive blood, holding is possible. If one goes out after sleeping and is exposed to wind, blood coagulating in the skin results in Bi syndrome (Obstruction); coagulating in the vessels results in sluggish flow; coagulating in the feet results in Jue syndrome (Cold extremities/Reversal). In these three cases, blood flow cannot return to its orifices/acupoints, hence they are termed Bi and Jue syndromes.

The human body has twelve major valleys (Da Gu) and 354 minor streams (Xiao Xi), excluding the twelve Shu points. These are locations where Wei Qi (Defensive Qi) stays and stops, and where pathogenic factors lodge. Needling and stone therapy are used to remove them. At the beginning of diagnosing disease, the Five Pulse Determinations (Wu Jue) serve as the guideline. To understand the origin, one must first establish the root (Mother). The "Five Determinations" refer to the pulses of the five Zang organs. Thus, headache and disorders of the vertex, characterized by deficiency below and excess above, involve the Foot Shaoyin (Kidney) and Foot Taiyang (Bladder) meridians; severely, it enters the Kidney. Dizziness, visual blurring, and deafness, characterized by excess below and deficiency above, involve the Foot Shaoyang (Gallbladder) and Foot Jueyin (Liver) meridians; severely, it enters the Liver. Abdominal fullness and distension, with support and obstruction in the chest and hypochondrium, lower reversal and upper cloudiness, involve the Foot Taiyin (Spleen) and Foot Yangming (Stomach) meridians. Cough and rebellious Qi, with rebellion in the chest, involve the Hand Yangming (Large Intestine) and Hand Taiyin (Lung) meridians. Heart vexation and headache, with disease in the diaphragm region, involve the Hand Taiyang (Small Intestine) and Hand Shaoyin (Heart) meridians.

The smallness, largeness, slippery-ness, roughness, floating, and sinking of pulses can be distinguished by finger palpation; the images of the five Zang organs can be inferred by analogy; the sounds of the five Zang organs can be perceived by consciousness; the subtle diagnosis of the five colors can be observed by the eye. By combining pulse and color diagnosis, one can achieve perfection.

When the pulse arrives rapid and firm, diagnosis indicates accumulation of Qi in the middle, occasionally hindering food intake, named Xin Bi (Heart Obstruction). It arises from external pathogens; due to excessive worry causing Heart Qi deficiency, pathogens enter. When the pulse arrives rapid and floating, with deficiency above and excess below, fright, accumulation of Qi in the chest, wheezing and deficiency, it is named Fei Bi (Lung Obstruction), accompanied by aversion to cold and fever, arising from intercourse while drunk. When the pulse arrives long and pulsating left and right, with a feeling of fullness and support under the heart, it is named Gan Bi (Liver Obstruction), arising from cold-dampness, treated similarly to Shan (Hernia), accompanied by lower back pain, cold feet, and headache. When the pulse arrives large and deficient, with accumulation of Qi in the abdomen and rebellious Qi, it is named Jue Shan (Rebellious Hernia), with the same method for women, arising from vigorous movement of the four limbs with sweating followed by exposure to wind. When the pulse arrives firm and large above, with accumulation of Qi in the lower abdomen and yin region, it is named Shen Bi (Kidney Obstruction), arising from bathing in cold water and then lying down.

In observing the extraordinary combinations of the five colors and pulses: those with yellow face and green eyes, yellow face and red eyes, yellow face and white eyes, or yellow face and black eyes will not die. Those with green face and red eyes, red face and white eyes, green face and black eyes, black face and white eyes, or red face and green eyes will die.