《灵枢·经脉篇》∶脾足太阴之脉，起于大趾之端，循趾内侧白肉际，过核骨后。
汪 注∶“核骨”，俗名孤拐骨，足跟后两旁起骨也。按张景岳曰∶“核骨”，即足大趾本节后内侧圆骨也，滑氏言
孤拐骨者非。李士材亦宗之。当以张、李之注为是，汪注未确，论详下节。
上内踝前廉。
汪注∶胫两旁内外曰“踝”。按《字汇》“踝”字，华上声。俗有从其便者，即从旁读作果音，谚云脚果骨，当即此
字；孤拐骨亦即此也。汪注以踝为核骨，而以胫两旁为踝。夫胫者，膝以下至足之总名，俗名小腿者是也，与俗名大腿
之股相配，是四肢中分出之四大名目，上肢曰膊、曰臂，下肢曰股、曰胫也，故皆从月。若踝者，近足之突骨也，故从
足。若曰踝在胫下则可，而谓胫旁即踝未可也。
上 内。
按“ ”字，张景岳《类经》及汪 《类纂》李士材《知要》，皆刻从足，《类纂》注，先曰 音短，足跟也，又
曰一作 ，音善，足肚也。此因误刻从足，故其言岐疑无定。《类经》与《知要》皆注足肚曰 ，此注不误，而字之从
足者，皆误刻也。按从足之“ ”字考诸字汇、《字典》、《玉篇》，皆曰足跟也。脉由大指而上内踝，已交于胫，自此上
行则在胫中矣，岂有反下入足跟之理哉！若入足跟，当用下字，不当用上字，而曰“上 内”矣，故知其误刻从足也。
循胫骨后。
统绎四节，自核骨而上踝，自踝而上 ，自 而循胫骨后，可知踝在 之下，而胫不在 之下矣。欲明经脉，必当
明其部位，虽分寸不得混淆也。
《灵枢·经脉篇》记载：足太阴脾经，起始于大脚趾的末端，沿着脚趾内侧白色皮肤的边缘行走，经过核骨之后。
汪氏注释说：“核骨”，俗称孤拐骨，是足跟后方两侧隆起的骨头。按张景岳的说法：“核骨”，就是足大脚趾本节后内侧的圆形骨头，滑寿（滑氏）所说的孤拐骨是不对的。李士材也遵从这一观点。应当以张景岳、李士材的注释为正确，汪氏的注释不够确切，详细论述见下一节。
（经脉继续上行至）内踝的前缘。
汪氏注释说：胫骨两旁内外侧称为“踝”。按《字汇》中“踝”字的读音，在华上声。俗人中有人依从便利，将其旁读作果音，谚语称“脚果骨”，应当就是这个字；孤拐骨也就是这个字。汪氏将“踝”解释为核骨，而将胫骨两旁称为踝。所谓胫，是从膝盖以下到脚的总称，俗称小腿，与俗称大腿的股相配合，这是四肢中分出的四大名称项目，上肢称为膊、臂，下肢称为股、胫，所以都带有月字旁。至于踝，是靠近足的突起骨头，所以带有足字旁。如果说踝在胫骨下方是可以的，但说胫骨旁边就是踝就不对了。
（经脉上行至）内。
按“ ”字，张景岳的《类经》以及汪机的《类纂》、李士材的《知要》，都刻印为足字旁，《类纂》的注释中，先说 音短，指足跟；又说一作 ，音善，指足肚（腓肠肌）。这是因为误刻为足字旁，导致其言论歧义疑惑没有定论。《类经》与《知要》都将足肚称为 ，此处的注释没有错误，但那些带足字旁的字，都是误刻。按带足字旁的“ ”字考证《字汇》、《字典》、《玉篇》，都说是指足跟。经脉由大脚趾向上行至内踝，已经交汇于胫骨，从此处上行就在胫骨中了，哪有反而向下进入足跟的道理呢？如果进入足跟，应当用“下”字，不应用“上”字，而文中说的是“上 内”，所以知道它是误刻为足字旁。
（经脉）沿着胫骨后侧行走。
综合梳理以上四节内容，从核骨上行至踝，从踝上行至 ，从 沿着胫骨后侧，可以知道踝在 之下，而胫不在 之下。想要明白经脉，必须明确其部位，即使是分寸也不能混淆。
The *Ling Shu · Jing Mai Pian* (Spiritual Pivot · Chapter on Meridians) states: The Foot-Taiyin Spleen Meridian originates at the tip of the great toe, follows the medial white skin margin of the toe, and passes behind the He Gu (nucleus bone).
Wang's annotation states: "He Gu" is commonly known as the Gu Gua bone (calcaneus area), which refers to the bones rising on both sides behind the heel. According to Zhang Jingyue: "He Gu" is the round bone located medially behind the proximal joint of the great toe; Shi Shou's (Shi Shi) statement regarding the Gu Gua bone is incorrect. Li Shicai also adheres to this view. Therefore, the annotations by Zhang and Li should be considered correct, while Wang's annotation is not precise; a detailed discussion is provided in the following section.
(It ascends to) the anterior edge of the Nei Huai (medial malleolus).
Wang's annotation states: The medial and lateral sides on both sides of the tibia are called "Huai". According to the *Zi Hui*, the character "Huai" belongs to the Hua Shang tone. In common usage, some read it with the Guo sound for convenience; the proverb says "Jiao Guo Gu" (foot fruit bone), which should refer to this character; the Gu Gua bone is also this character. Wang interprets "Huai" as the He Gu, and considers the sides of the tibia as the Huai. The term "Jing" (tibia/shank) is the general name from the knee down to the foot, commonly known as the calf. It pairs with "Gu" (thigh), commonly known as the thigh. These constitute four major categories divided among the four limbs: the upper limbs are called Bo and Bi, while the lower limbs are called Gu and Jing. Hence, they all carry the "Moon" (flesh) radical. As for "Huai", it is the protruding bone near the foot, hence it carries the "Foot" radical. It is acceptable to say that the Huai is below the Jing, but it is incorrect to say that the side of the Jing is the Huai.
(Ascends to) Nei [Xian].
Regarding the character "[Xian]", Zhang Jingyue's *Lei Jing* (Classified Classic), Wang Ji's *Lei Zuan* (Classified Compilation), and Li Shicai's *Zhi Yao* (Essentials of Knowledge) all print it with the "Foot" radical. The annotation in *Lei Zuan* first states that [Xian] sounds like "Duan" and refers to the heel; it also states that another form is [Xian], sounding like "Shan", referring to the "Zu Du" (calf muscle/fleshy part of the leg). This ambiguity arises because it was mistakenly printed with the "Foot" radical. Both *Lei Jing* and *Zhi Yao* annotate the "Zu Du" as [Xian]; this annotation is not erroneous, but the characters with the "Foot" radical are all misprints. Examining the character "[Xian]" with the "Foot" radical in the *Zi Hui*, *Zi Dian* (Dictionary), and *Yu Pian*, all define it as the heel. The meridian ascends from the great toe to the medial malleolus, where it already intersects with the tibia. From here, ascending further places it within the tibia. How could it possibly descend into the heel? If it entered the heel, the text would use the character "Xia" (down) rather than "Shang" (up). Since the text says "Shang [Xian] Nei", it is evident that the "Foot" radical is a misprint.
(It follows) behind the tibial bone.
Synthesizing these four sections: from the He Gu ascending to the Huai, from the Huai ascending to [Xian], and from [Xian] following behind the tibial bone, it can be deduced that the Huai is below [Xian], and the Jing is not below [Xian]. To understand the meridians clearly, one must clarify their anatomical locations; even minute measurements must not be confused.