手少阴经经络心，足少阴经经络肾，手太阴经经络肺，足太阴经经络脾，手少阳经经络膻中，足少阳经经络
胆，手厥阴经经络命门，多气少血；足厥阴经经络肝，手太阳经经络
小肠，足太阳经经络膀胱，多血少气；手阳明经经络大肠，足阳明经经络胃，多血多气。诗曰∶手足少阴心肾是，
肺脾同在太阴位，膻中及胆居少阳，六经少血而多气；多血多气阳明经，手盖大肠足乃胃，厥阴专属命门肝，太
阳小肠膀胱系，四经除命与肾同，多气少血君须记。愚按经者，指脏腑血气流行，经常不息而言。经络者，该人
身筋脉而言，直者为经，横者为络，始自脏腑，末应百骸，阴生于脏，阳生于腑。少阴尽于心肾，太阴尽于脾肺，
两阴交尽，是曰厥阴，命门与肝寓焉。少阳明于膻中、胆，太阳明于小肠、膀胱，两阳合明，是曰阳明，大肠与
胃系焉。此古圣贤分布脏腑经络，后人莫敢更张。独手足二字，不能无疑。切谓手之三阴从脏走至手，足之三阴
从足走入腹，则上下不交；切谓手之三阳从手走至头，足之三阳从头走至足，则经络失本。或曰三阴三阳，脏腑
之别名也，手、足，其姓尔，知其名不必究其别名，焉问姓。至哉斯言！如必欲从古，务加经络二字，庶于手足
稍有着落。
手少阴一云膻中，系心之胞络。经曰∶膻中者，臣使之官，喜乐出焉。是君以心，臣以膻中，命门虚位耳；
一云小心系命门。经曰∶七节之旁，中有小心。是正以心，副以命门，膻中虚位耳。两说皆自先哲，不知何者为
当。人谓小心即膻中，玩诸《内景明堂》，按胞络于戊上，图命门于肾中，明是两物，哪得强合为一。况命门一
阳陷于二阴之间，男女欢会，令司出纳，故凡欲一动，阳火感而势举，势与阴交则精泄。譬诸天地，阳蒸湿气为
云，云被阴抑成雨，盖此类也。膻中固心臣使，底事确无证据？又且命门，阴中之阳，元气之精，生发之原也，
不独专守相职。譬诸鳌山走马之灯，拜者舞者，行者走者，皆此一点真火以致之，此
火一灭，万象无有。膻中但胞之物，而能灵明若是乎？此手厥阴属命门，言下了然矣。若夫十二经之官，惟三焦
无形无位，即如雾、如沤、如渎之体，不过莫须有之体。即有运精、运神、运气之用，亦不过想当然之用，怎见
得为手少阳，而可以手厥阴为脏腑耶？按膻中既与脏腑一路，则膻中代三焦居少阳、命门代膻中居厥阴，焦字易
膻字，岂不精赅？乃言此不论，而以命门、胞络二三其说，此古人言未尽善，庭镜敢得而私议焉。以故定十二经
经络，断以膻中为手少阳，以命门为手厥阴云。
手少阴经联络心脏，足少阴经联络肾脏，手太阴经联络肺脏，足太阴经联络脾脏，手少阳经联络膻中（心包），足少阳经联络胆腑，手厥阴经联络命门（肾间动气，此处指代心包络之功能或部位，原文有争议，作者主张为命门），其特点是多气少血；足厥阴经联络肝脏，手太阳经联络小肠，足太阳经联络膀胱，其特点是多血少气；手阳明经联络大肠，足阳明经联络胃腑，其特点是多血多气。诗云：手足少阴经分别对应心和肾，肺和脾同属于太阴经的位置，膻中和胆位于少阳经，这三条经（少阴、少阳、厥阴）是少血而多气的；多血多气的是阳明经，手阳明经连接大肠，足阳明经连接胃，厥阴经专门对应命门和肝，太阳经连接小肠和膀胱，这四条经（除命门和肾外）的特点是多气少血，请务必记住。
我按语认为，“经”指的是脏腑气血流行，经常不息的状态。“络”涵盖人身筋脉而言，直的称为经，横的称为络，起始于脏腑，末端应合于全身骨骼肌肉，阴经生于脏，阳经生于腑。少阴经终结于心与肾，太阴经终结于脾与肺，两阴交尽，称为厥阴，命门与肝寓居其中。少阳经显明于膻中与胆，太阳经显明于小肠与膀胱，两阳合明，称为阳明，大肠与胃隶属于此。这是古圣先贤分布脏腑经络的定论，后人不敢更改。唯独“手”、“足”二字，不能不让人产生怀疑。我认为，如果手之三阴经从脏走到手，足之三阴经从足走入腹，那么上下就无法交会；如果手之三阳经从手走到头，足之三阳经从头走到足，那么经络就失去了根本。有人说，三阴三阳是脏腑的别名，手、足只是姓氏罢了，知道名字不必追究别名，就像问姓不问名一样。这话说得真好！但如果一定要遵循古法，务必加上“经络”二字，这样在手和足上才稍微有所着落。
关于手少阴经，有一种说法说是联络膻中，系于心之胞络（心包）。经文说：膻中是臣使之官，喜乐由此发出。这意味着君主以心为主，臣子以膻中为辅，命门只是一个虚位；另一种说法说是小心系于命门。经文说：第七节脊椎旁，中间有心神所在。这意味着正主是心，副手是命门，膻中只是个虚位。这两种说法都出自先哲，不知道哪一种才是正确的。人们说小心就是膻中，查看《内景明堂》等图，按胞络在戊土之上，图绘命门在肾中，明显是两个不同的事物，怎么能强行合并为一个呢？况且命门是一阳陷于二阴之间，男女欢会时，它主管出纳，所以凡是欲望一动，阳火感应而气势兴起，气势与阴交合则精液泄出。这就好比天地之间，阳气蒸腾湿气成为云，云被阴气抑制变成雨，大概就是这个道理。膻中既然是心的臣使，有什么确凿的证据吗？而且命门是阴中之阳，元气的精华，生发的本源，不仅仅专守相火的职责。这就好比鳌山走马灯，拜者舞者，行者走者，都是靠这一点真火驱动的，这点火一旦熄灭，万象全无。膻中不过是心包之物，能有如此灵明吗？因此，说手厥阴经属于命门，这样就解释得通顺了。至于十二经的官职，只有三焦无形无位，就像雾、沤、渎那样的形态，不过是没有实体的存在。即使有运化精、神、气的功用，也不过是想当然的功用，怎么见得它是手少阳经，而可以把手厥阴经当作脏腑呢？按膻中既然与脏腑一路，那么让膻中代替三焦居于少阳经，让命门代替膻中居于厥阴经，把“焦”字换成“膻”字，难道不是精当概括吗？既然这样说就不必讨论了，但关于命门、胞络的说法二三其辞，这是古人言论未尽完善之处，黄庭镜敢于私下议论。因此确定十二经经络，断定膻中为手少阳经，命门为手厥阴经。
The Hand Shaoyin Meridian connects to the Heart, the Foot Shaoyin Meridian connects to the Kidney, the Hand Taiyin Meridian connects to the Lung, the Foot Taiyin Meridian connects to the Spleen, the Hand Shaoyang Meridian connects to the Danzhong (Pericardium), the Foot Shaoyang Meridian connects to the Gallbladder, the Hand Jueyin Meridian connects to the Mingmen (Gate of Life, here referring to the functional aspect or location associated with the Pericardium as argued by the author), characterized by abundant Qi and scarce Blood; the Foot Jueyin Meridian connects to the Liver, the Hand Taiyang Meridian connects to the Small Intestine, the Foot Taiyang Meridian connects to the Bladder, characterized by abundant Blood and scarce Qi; the Hand Yangming Meridian connects to the Large Intestine, the Foot Yangming Meridian connects to the Stomach, characterized by abundant Blood and abundant Qi. The poem states: The Hand and Foot Shaoyin meridians correspond to the Heart and Kidney respectively; the Lung and Spleen are both located in the Taiyin position; the Danzhong and Gallbladder reside in the Shaoyang; these three meridians (Shaoyin, Shaoyang, Jueyin) have scarce Blood but abundant Qi; the Yangming meridians have abundant Blood and abundant Qi, the Hand Yangming connects to the Large Intestine, the Foot Yangming connects to the Stomach, the Jueyin meridian exclusively corresponds to the Mingmen and Liver, the Taiyang meridians connect to the Small Intestine and Bladder, these four meridians (excluding Mingmen and Kidney) are characterized by abundant Qi and scarce Blood, this must be remembered.
In my commentary, "Jing" (Meridians/Vessels) refers to the continuous and unceasing circulation of Zang-Fu organ Qi and Blood. "Luo" (Collaterals) encompasses the tendons and vessels of the human body; straight ones are called Jing, horizontal ones are called Luo. They originate from the Zang-Fu organs and terminate at the hundred bones (skeletal system). Yin meridians arise from the Zang organs, Yang meridians arise from the Fu organs. The Shaoyin ends at the Heart and Kidney, the Taiyin ends at the Spleen and Lung. When two Yins intersect and exhaust, it is called Jueyin, where the Mingmen and Liver are housed. The Shaoyang is manifest at the Danzhong and Gallbladder, the Taiyang is manifest at the Small Intestine and Bladder. When two Yangs combine and illuminate, it is called Yangming, to which the Large Intestine and Stomach belong. This distribution of Zang-Fu organs and meridians by ancient sages has not been altered by later generations. However, the characters "Hand" and "Foot" raise doubts. I believe that if the Three Yin meridians of the Hand travel from the Zang organs to the Hand, and the Three Yin meridians of the Foot travel from the Foot into the Abdomen, then the upper and lower parts would not intersect; if the Three Yang meridians of the Hand travel from the Hand to the Head, and the Three Yang meridians of the Foot travel from the Head to the Foot, then the meridians would lose their fundamental origin. Some say that the Three Yin and Three Yang are aliases for the Zang-Fu organs, while "Hand" and "Foot" are merely surnames; knowing the name need not require investigating the alias, just as one asks for a surname without asking for the given name. This statement is profound! But if one insists on following the ancients, adding the term "Meridian-Collateral" (Jing-Luo) would provide some grounding for "Hand" and "Foot".
Regarding the Hand Shaoyin Meridian, one theory states it connects to the Danzhong, which is the Pericardial Collateral (Pericardium) of the Heart. The Classic says: "The Danzhong is the official of the minister, from whom joy and pleasure emerge." This implies that the Monarch is the Heart, the Minister is the Danzhong, and the Mingmen is a nominal position; another theory states that the "Small Heart" connects to the Mingmen. The Classic says: "Beside the seventh vertebra, there is the Small Heart." This implies that the primary entity is the Heart, the secondary is the Mingmen, and the Danzhong is a nominal position. Both theories come from ancient philosophers, and it is unknown which is correct. People claim that the "Small Heart" is the Danzhong. Examining diagrams like the *Neijing Mingtang*, the Pericardial Collateral is placed above Wu Earth, while the Mingmen is mapped within the Kidney. Clearly, these are two distinct entities; how can they be forcibly merged? Moreover, the Mingmen is a single Yang trapped between two Yins. During sexual intercourse, it governs egress and ingress. Thus, whenever desire stirs, the Yang fire responds and rises; when this rising force interacts with Yin, essence is discharged. This is akin to heaven and earth: Yang vaporizes moisture into clouds, and clouds suppressed by Yin become rain. Is the Danzhong merely the minister of the Heart, lacking concrete evidence? Furthermore, the Mingmen is Yang within Yin, the essence of Yuan Qi (Original Qi), and the source of generation. It does not solely serve the role of Minister Fire. It is like the lantern on the Ao Mountain galloping horse display: those bowing, dancing, walking, or running are all driven by this single point of true fire. If this fire extinguishes, all phenomena cease. Can the Danzhong, being merely an object of the Pericardium, possess such spiritual clarity? Therefore, stating that the Hand Jueyin belongs to the Mingmen makes the explanation clear. As for the officials of the Twelve Meridians, only the Sanjiao (Triple Burner) is formless and placeless. Its forms, like mist, foam, and ditch, are essentially non-existent entities. Even its functions of transporting Essence, Spirit, and Qi are merely hypothetical. How can it be seen as the Hand Shaoyang, thereby allowing the Hand Jueyin to be considered a Zang-Fu organ? Since the Danzhong follows the same path as the Zang-Fu organs, let the Danzhong replace the Sanjiao in the Shaoyang position, and let the Mingmen replace the Danzhong in the Jueyin position. Replacing the character "Jiao" with "Shan", is this not a precise summary? Leaving this aside, the inconsistent theories regarding the Mingmen and Pericardial Collateral indicate that the ancients' statements were not entirely perfect. Huang Tingjing dares to offer private criticism. Therefore, determining the Twelve Meridians, I conclude that the Danzhong is the Hand Shaoyang Meridian, and the Mingmen is the Hand Jueyin Meridian.