The lung unites with the large intestine. The large intestine
is a bowel of transit, transformation, secretion and excretion.
The heart unites with the small intestine. The small intestine is a bowel where the food products coming from the stomach are conveyed.
It has the role of separating the “pure” and “impure”; for this reason, its function consists of controlling liquid formation.
The liver unites with the gallbladder. The gallbladder is a bowel of
“propriety”. It judges all physiologic activities of the organism.
The spleen unites with the stomach. The stomach is a bowel of the
“5 cereals”. The five sapors originate from there.
The kidney unites with the bladder. The bladder is a bowel where the organic liquids gather. It is responsible for urinary excretion.
The shaoyang (sanjiao-SJ) belongs to the kidney. At the top, the kidney is connected to the lung; this is why the kidney coalesces with these two organs. The sanjiao (SJ) is a “faithful and solitary” bowel; the liquid routes originate from there and reach the bladder; it is, then,
bowel called “isolated”.
87.
Such are the principles of “union” of the 6 bowels.
EXPLANATIONS AND COMMENTARIES
I - Zhang Shi comments:
“This paragraph defines the systems of yin-yang union of the 6 organs and 6 bowels.
The organs which store the grains and transform them and which excrete the food residues
and collect the pure water are called “bowels”.
The large intestine is an excretory organ; the transformations originate there, hence the name “evacuating bowel”.
The small intestine is an absorptive bowel. It has the role of propelling the food residues and handling them in light of transforming them into nutritive substances, hence the name
“transformative bowel”.
The gallbladder receives the pure liquid, hence the name “bowel of Pure water”.
The stomach is a depot of cereals, hence the name “bowel of the five sapors”.
The bladder is an organ of “strong concentration”; the organic liquids gather there, hence the name “bowel of organic liquid”.
In Chapter 61 (“Study on the “water-heat” points”) of the Suwen, it is stated: “The kidney belongs to zhi yin, and zhi yin is the site of conservation of water. The lung is taiyin and shaoyin (Ki) responds to the pulse of winter, having for “root” the kidney and for “summit” the lung. The lung and kidney are organs which receive water.” Therefore, the kidney unites on the one hand with the shaoyang (SJ) which responds to fire, and on the other hand with the lung which responds to water. This is the reason for which the text states: “The kidney coalesces with these
two organs. (8)”
• The sanjiao (SJ) channel begins at the stomach. A vessel branches to the kidney and ties up to the xiajiao (LJ). This vessel is “solitary”. This is why the text states: “The sanjiao (SJ) is a solitary organ. The liquid pathways come from there and reach the bladder.”
The zhongjiao (MJ) is the energy of the shaoyang (SJ), that is to say the energy which produces “Budding yang” from water.
Ministerial fire of the Hand Jueyin (XB) manifests from kidney-yang and gathers in the area below the heart in order to form an organ system.
• The two kidneys respond to the number 1 corresponding to celestial water and to the number 2 corresponding to terrestrial fire. One determines them in this manner in order to better examine them. The shaoyang (SJ = fire) belongs to the kidney, and the kidney is linked to the taiyin (Lu = water) in such a way that in the “kidney-lung-sanjiao” system, yin and yang, water and fire make a pact. yin and yang, water and fire are interdependent with the jing of the five organs to represent the source of vital energy.
The two kidneys have as a bowel the bladder. As for the sanjiao (SJ), it is linked to the xinbao (XB) which is why the sanjiao is a “isolated” bowel.
• On the other hand, the sanjiao (SJ) originates from the energy of the shaoyang which manifests from the kidney organ. This energy spreads everywhere, up to the pores at the exterior, then returns to the stomach, that is to say,
_ to the shangjiao (Upper Jiao = cardia) _ to the zhongjiao (middle jiao = fundus) _ to the xiajiao (Lower Jiao = pylorus).
This is why it is stated:
_ the non-return of the shangjiao (UJ -> cardia) is the cause of sour eructations _ the non-return of the Zhangjiao (MJ -> fundus) is the cause of dyspepsia
_ the non-return of the xiajiao (LJ -> pylorus) is the cause of urinary incontinence.
• The sanjiao (SJ) is an “formless” energy which spreads everywhere in the organism; it penetrates there and comes back out from every part, then reaches again the stomach which is an organ with “form”. This is why the sanjiao is a specific bowel which has its own channel and its own points.
• The energy of Hand Jueyin (XB-xinbao) is yin-fire originating from the “terrestrial
branches”. It also manifests from the kidney organ and returns to the xinbao whose location is found under the heart. The xinbao plays a role as the official which directs the circulation of blood in the vessels.
• To speak of the energy a priori is to speak of the shaoyang belonging to the kidney; and to speak of the organ and bowel a posteriori is to speak of the xinbao located under the heart and of the sanjiao located in the stomach in order to form a distinctive system of energy of the organ and bowel.
II - Ma Shi explains:
“This paragraph defines the system of union of the five organs and six bowels.
_ The lung and large intestine are “internal-external”. The lung therefore unites with the large intestine channel. The large intestine is a bowel of transit; the products already
metabolized by the small intestine pass there and are driven towards the bottom.
_ The liver and gallbladder are “internal-external”. The liver therefore unites with the e
8. hence the existence of “kidney-yin” and “kidney-yang” (yin function and yang function of the kidney).
gallbladder channel. The gallbladder is a bowel that is filled with Zhong jing (essence of the center: extremely pure liquid). In effect, the products transformed by the other bowels are impure substances, except that of the gallbladder which only conserves the pure liquid.
_ The spleen and stomach are “internal-external”. The spleen therefore unites with the stomach channel. The stomach is a bowel of “cereal liquids” (shui-Gu). In effect, the ingested
cereals are received by the stomach 89.
_ The kidney and bladder are “internal-external”. The kidney therefore unites with the bladder channel. The bladder is a bowel which contains the organic liquid. In effect, after ingestion of liquids, the jing qi (energetic essence) flows towards the lungs in order to balance and bring the liquid pathways towards the bladder which is the bowel of liquids.
• The Hand Shaoyang (SJ) belongs to kidney yang and the kidney itself is linked to the lung. In this manner,
_ the sanjiao (SJ) and kidney yang are at the right side (“foot” pulse of the right side) _ the bladder and kidney yin are at the left side (“foot” pulse of the left side).
In these two cases, it is always the kidney which commands them.
But the sanjiao (SJ) is a bowel which widens the water routes (Zhong Du). This is why the liquid routes come from there.
In Chapter 8 (“Temple of Sacred Books’) of the Suwen it is stated: “The sanjiao is an irrigation system; it constitutes the source of water routes of the entire economy.” This assertion defines the role of the xiajiao (Lower Jiao), site of accumulation of water (Du) having the property of collecting it and making it flow, hence the name Zhong Du.
In the same chapter it is also stated:
_ The sanjiao (SJ) is a bowel of irrigation.
_ The bladder unites with the left kidney and the sanjiao to the right kidney (9).
_ The bladder and the sanjiao have the same function.
But in practice, the bladder and the kidney are reunited in order to form the “external-internal” system, while the sanjiao is linked to the Hand Jueyin (xinbao - XB). The sanjiao therefore is a bowel which is “isolated” from the kidney.”
III - N.V.N. :
The explanations and commentaries of Ma and Zhang bear importance to the laws of the
“5 movements” in pulsology:
a) kidney yang and sanjiao must be placed at the “foot” pulse on the right side in order to respond to the “fire” movements which soften metal (Lung).
b) kidney yin and bladder must be placed at the “foot” pulse of the left side in order to respond to the “water” movement which moderates the potential of fire (heart).
Note: In 1969, with Chamfrault, in our “Energetic Human”, we had already placed the
“internal canal of the sanjiao” and kidney yang at the “foot” pulse on the right side.
9. here, “Left kidney” designates the yin function of the kidney and “Right kidney”, the yang function of the kidney.
Ignoring this information risks the worst errors.