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Huangdi asked, "I wish to hear about the mutual subordination of the twelve zang-fu organs and their respective ranks of dignity and humility." Qibo replied, "Your inquiry is indeed thorough. Let me explain it to you fully. The Heart is the official of the sovereign; from it emerges Shenming (Spiritual Consciousness). The Lung is the official of the prime minister; from it emerges Zhi Jie (Governance and Regulation). The Liver is the official of the general; from it emerges Mou Lv (Strategic Planning). The Gallbladder is the official of integrity and justice; from it emerges Jue Duan (Decision-making). The Dan Zhong (Pericardium) is the official of the envoy; from it emerges Xi Le (Joy and Delight). The Spleen and Stomach are the officials of the granary; from them emerge the Five Flavors. The Large Intestine is the official of transmission and guidance; from it emerge changes in transformation. The Small Intestine is the official of reception and containment; from it emerge Huawu (Transformation of substances). The Kidney is the official of strength and exertion; from it emerge Ji Qiao (Skill and Ingenuity).

The San Jiao (Triple Burner) is the official of water channel management; from it emerges the pathways for water fluids. The Bladder is the official of the regional capital; Jin Ye (Body Fluids) are stored here, and only through Qi Hua (Qi Transformation) can they be excreted. These twelve officials must not lose their proper functions. Therefore, if the sovereign (Heart) is clear-sighted, the subordinates will be peaceful; using this principle for health preservation leads to longevity, ensuring safety throughout one's life, and applying it to govern the world brings great prosperity. If the sovereign is unclear-sighted, the twelve officials will be endangered, causing the channels of communication to become blocked and obstructed, leading to severe damage to the physical form; using this principle for health preservation brings disaster, and applying it to govern the world puts the ancestral lineage in grave danger. Beware! Beware! The highest Dao is subtle, its changes infinite; who knows its origin? It is truly perplexing. Those who seek knowledge look around anxiously; who knows its essentials? Facing profound principles, who is truly excellent?

The numbers of Huhuang (Trance-like uncertainty) arise from Hao Li (extremely minute details); the numbers of Hao Li originate from measurement. Through multiplication by thousands and tens of thousands, they can be enlarged; by deduction and expansion, their forms are established. Huangdi said, "Excellent! I have heard the way of Jing Guang (Essence and Brilliance), the enterprise of the Great Sage, which clarifies the Great Dao. Unless I fast and choose an auspicious day, I dare not receive this teaching." Thus, Huangdi selected an auspicious day and good omens, and stored the text in the Ling Lan Chamber to preserve and transmit it.

Huangdi asked, "I have heard that Heaven uses the cycle of six-six to complete a year, and Man uses nine-nine to coordinate with it, calculating that humans also have three hundred and sixty-five joints to correspond to Heaven and Earth. This has been known for a long time. I do not understand what this means." Qibo replied, "Your question is clear. Let me explain. The cycles of six-six and the coordination of nine-nine are used to rectify the degrees of Heaven and the numbers of Qi. Tian Du (Degrees of Heaven) regulate the movement of the sun and moon; Qi Shu (Numbers of Qi) record the functions of generation and transformation. Heaven is Yang, Earth is Yin; the Sun is Yang, the Moon is Yin. Their movements have divisions and records, and their orbits follow principles. The sun moves one degree per day; the moon moves thirteen degrees plus a fraction. Thus, large and small months accumulate to three hundred and sixty-five days to form a year, and accumulated excess Qi creates leap months. Establishing the starting point at the beginning, correcting the standard in the middle, and deducing the remainder at the end completes the Tian Du. The Emperor said, 'I have heard of Tian Du. I wish to hear how Qi Shu combines with it.' Qibo said, 'Heaven uses six-six as its cycle; Earth uses nine-nine for coordination. Heaven has ten Heavenly Stems. After six cycles of days, a Jia Zi (60-day cycle) is completed. Six repetitions of Jia Zi conclude the year, following the method of three hundred and sixty days. Since ancient times, those connected to Heaven derive their life's root from Yin and Yang. Their Qi connects with the Nine Provinces and nine orifices, all communicating with Heavenly Qi. Thus, life generates from the Five Elements, and Qi divides into three. Three combine to form Heaven, three to form Earth, and three to form Man. Three multiplied by three equals nine. Nine divides into Nine Fields, and Nine Fields correspond to Nine Viscera. Therefore, there are four Form Viscera and five Spirit Viscera, totaling nine viscera to correspond to Heaven and Earth.' The Emperor said, 'I have heard of the combination of six-six and nine-nine. You mentioned accumulating Qi for leap months; I wish to know what is meant by Qi. Please enlighten and dispel my doubts.' Qibo said, 'This is the secret of the Supreme Emperor, transmitted by former masters.' The Emperor said, 'Please continue.' Qibo said, 'Five days constitute one Hou (Terminal); three Hou constitute one Qi (Solar Term); six Qi constitute one Shi (Season); four Shi constitute one Year, each following its governing authority. The Five Movements (Wu Yun) succeed one another, each governing its time. At the end of the period, the cycle repeats endlessly. Seasons are established, Qi is distributed, like a ring without end; Hou follows the same law. Therefore, it is said: One cannot be a physician without knowing the annual addition, the flourishing and declining of Qi, and the origins of deficiency and excess.' The Emperor said, 'The beginning of the Five Movements is like a ring without end. What about their excess and insufficiency?' Qibo said, 'The Five Qi alternate in leadership, each having what it overcomes. Changes between flourishing and deficiency are the norm.' The Emperor said, 'What is Ping Qi (Balanced Qi)?' Qibo said, 'It is neither excessive nor deficient.' The Emperor said, 'How about excess and deficiency?' Qibo said, 'They are recorded in the classics.' The Emperor said, 'What is "what it overcomes" (Suo Sheng)?' Qibo said, 'Spring overcomes Late Summer; Late Summer overcomes Winter; Winter overcomes Summer; Summer overcomes Autumn; Autumn overcomes Spring. This is called obtaining the victory of the Five Elements according to their seasons, naming each Zang organ according to its Qi.' The Emperor said, 'How do we know the victory?' Qibo said, 'By seeking its arrival. All return to early spring. If it arrives before its time, this is Excess (Tai Guo), which attacks what it cannot overcome and exploits what it overcomes, named Qi Yin (Qi Indulgence). Without distinguishing, evil deviations arise internally, and the physician cannot control them. If it does not arrive when it should, this is Deficiency (Bu Ji), so what it overcomes acts recklessly, what generates it suffers disease, and what overcomes it attacks, named Qi Po (Qi Oppression). Seeking its arrival refers to the time of Qi's arrival. Carefully observe the time, and Qi can be predicted. Losing the time and reversing the signs causes the Five Governing authorities to mix, evil deviations arise internally, and the physician cannot control them.' The Emperor said, 'Is there non-succession?' Qibo said, 'The Qi of Cang Tian (Blue Heaven) does not lack constancy. Non-succession of Qi is called Abnormality (Fei Chang). Abnormality leads to change.' The Emperor said, 'What happens when there is abnormal change?' Qibo said, 'When change arrives, disease occurs. What is overcome becomes mild; what overcomes becomes severe. If additionally affected by evil, death ensues. Thus, arriving out of season makes it mild; arriving in season makes it severe.' The Emperor said, 'Good. I have heard that Qi combines to form shape, and names are corrected due to change. Regarding the movement of Heaven and Earth and the transformation of Yin and Yang, regarding all things, which is less and which is more? May I hear it?'

Qibo said, 'Your question is thorough. Heaven is extremely vast and cannot be measured; Earth is extremely large and cannot be quantified. O Great Divine Questioner, let me state the method. Grass grows in five colors; the changes in five colors cannot be fully seen. Grass produces five flavors; the beauty of five flavors cannot be fully tasted. Desires differ, each having its own connection. Heaven feeds humans with Five Qi; Earth feeds humans with Five Flavors. Five Qi enter through the nose, store in the Heart and Lung, and above make the five colors bright and the voice resonant. Five Flavors enter the mouth, store in the intestines and stomach. Flavors are stored to nourish the Five Qi. When Qi is harmonious, life is generated; Jin Ye (Body Fluids) are formed together, and Shen (Spirit) arises naturally.' The Emperor asked, 'What are Zang Xiang (Visceral Manifestations)?' Qibo said, 'The Heart is the root of life and the place of Shen changes. Its brilliance manifests in the face, and it fills the blood vessels. It is Tai Yang (Great Yang) within Yang, connecting with Summer Qi. The Lung is the root of Qi and the abode of Po (Ethereal Soul). Its brilliance manifests in the hair, and it fills the skin. It is Tai Yin (Great Yin) within Yang, connecting with Autumn Qi. The Kidney is the root of hibernation and storage, and the abode of Jing (Essence). Its brilliance manifests in the hair, and it fills the bones. It is Shao Yin (Lesser Yin) within Yin, connecting with Winter Qi. The Liver is the root of endurance and the abode of Hun (Corporeal Soul). Its brilliance manifests in the nails, and it fills the sinews. It generates blood and Qi. Its flavor is sour, its color is green/cyan. This is Shao Yang (Lesser Yang) within Yang, connecting with Spring Qi. The Spleen, Stomach, Large Intestine, Small Intestine, San Jiao, and Bladder are the root of the granary and the abode of Ying (Nutritive Qi). They are named Qi (Vessels/Utensils), capable of transforming dregs and turning flavors in and out. Their brilliance manifests in the white flesh around the lips, and they fill the muscles. Their flavor is sweet, their color is yellow. This belongs to Zhi Yin (Ultimate Yin), connecting with Earth Qi. All eleven viscera depend on the Gallbladder. Therefore, if the Ren Ying pulse (at the neck) is one-fold stronger than the Cun Kou pulse, the disease is in Shaoyang; two-fold, in Taiyang; three-fold, in Yangming; four-fold or more, it is Ge Yang (Obstruction of Yang). If the Cun Kou pulse is one-fold stronger, the disease is in Jueyin; two-fold, in Shaoyin; three-fold, in Taiyin; four-fold or more, it is Guan Yin (Obstruction of Yin). If both Ren Ying and Cun Kou pulses are four-fold or more stronger, it is Guan Ge (Obstruction and Rejection). The pulse of Guan Ge is emaciated; unable to exhaust the essence and Qi of Heaven and Earth, death ensues.'