灵枢经·动输 The Pulsing Vessels

Huangdi said: "Among the twelve channels, only the Hand Taiyin, Foot Shaoyin, and Foot Yangming pulse ceaselessly — why is this?" Qibo said: "This is properly explained by the vessel of the stomach. The stomach is the sea of the five viscera and six bowels; its clear qi rises and pours into the lung, and the lung qi then travels by way of the Taiyin. Its movement proceeds together with the breath, coming and going: thus with each exhalation the vessel pulses twice, and with each inhalation the vessel likewise pulses twice. As the breathing never ceases, so the pulsing never stops."

Huangdi said: "When the qi passes through the Cunkou (the pulse-taking point at the wrist), it rises for ten breaths and then sinks and hides for eight breaths — by what pathway does it circle back? I do not understand where this cycle ends."

Qibo said: "When qi departs from the viscera, it does so suddenly, like an arrow loosed from a crossbow, like water rushing down from a bank. It rises to the thenar eminence and there begins to wane; its remaining qi, waning and dispersing, moves contrarily upward, and so its movement there becomes faint."

Huangdi said: "What is the reason the Foot Yangming pulses?" Qibo said: "The stomach qi rises and pours into the lung; its fierce, swift portion surges upward to the head, following the throat, ascending through the body's open orifices, following the eye connector, entering to net the brain, emerging at the cheek, descending to Kezhuren (GB-3), following the jaw, joining with the Yangming, and together descending to Renying (ST-9) — this is the branch of stomach qi that runs separately along the Yangming. Thus yin and yang, above and below, pulse as though they were one. Hence, if a yang disease occurs and the yang pulse is small, this is contrary; if a yin disease occurs and the yin pulse is large, this is contrary. Thus when yin and yang are both calm or both agitated together, as though pulled taut by a single cord tilting to one side, this indicates disease."

Huangdi said: "What is the reason the Foot Shaoyin pulses?" Qibo said: "The Penetrating Vessel is the sea of the twelve channels. Together with the great network vessel of the Shaoyin, it arises below the kidney, emerges at Qichong (ST-30), follows the inner border of the thigh, slants into the popliteal fossa, follows the inner border of the shinbone, runs alongside the Shaoyin channel, and descends to enter behind the inner ankle. It then enters the sole of the foot. Its branch slants into the ankle, emerges to connect with the instep, enters between the great toe, and pours into the various network vessels, so as to warm the foot and shin — this is the vessel whose pulsing is constant."

Huangdi said: "The movement of nutritive and defensive qi passes through above and below, joined together like a ring without end. Now, if one suddenly encounters evil wind, or meets with severe cold, so that the hands and feet become slack and weak, and along the pathway of yin and yang vessels, at the junctures where they convey to one another, their movement becomes disrupted — by what route does the qi return?" Qibo said: "The meeting-places of yin and yang at the four extremities are the most concentrated network vessels of the qi; the four thoroughfares (qi jie) are the direct pathways of the qi. Thus when a network vessel is cut off, the direct pathway remains open; when the four extremities become slack, the qi still follows through to meet, conveying to one another as in a ring." Huangdi said: "Excellent. This is precisely what is meant by 'like a ring without end, no one knowing its beginning, ending only to begin again.'"