或有曰∶《难经》言藏有六，心、肝、脾、肺、肾，五而已，余一藏乃右肾也。手厥阴心包络既是
十二经中之一经，与少阳为表里矣，乃不以包络为藏，而以右肾当之何也？生生子曰∶心包络乃包心之
脂膜，实不离乎心也，虽其经起止有二，余络出入屈折相同，观《灵枢·邪客篇》有曰∶少阴无 ，心不
病乎？岐伯曰∶外经病而藏不病也。盖“心者，五脏六腑之大主，精神之所舍，其藏坚固，邪弗能容，
容之则心伤，心伤则神去，神去则死矣。故诸邪之在于心者，皆在于心之包络。包络者，心主之脉也，故
独取其经于掌后锐骨
之端，其余脉出入屈折，其行之疾徐，皆如手少阴心主之脉行也。”非若右肾之有形质者比也。以其质无特
形，是故不得为特藏也。
生生子曰∶朱子云∶天有春夏秋冬，地有木火金水, 人有仁义礼智，皆以四者相为用也。论岁
气流行之序，一岁之中，有春夏秋冬四时，木火金水各主一时，以行其气，虽不言土，而土在四季
中矣。土又独主长夏一月者，盖长夏建未，未位西南，乃土正旺之地。顾五行之理，顺而相生，无
少间断，彼冬之水，生春之木，春之木，生夏之火，夏火正炽，曷能使其生金，徒有伤之而已，火
旺则土相，故以土继之，是火生土，而土生秋金，秋金生冬水，冬水复生春木，乃可生生无穷。《礼
运》曰∶播五行于四时。周子亦曰∶五行顺布，四时行焉。是四时之内，固备五行之气也，由是而土
独主于长夏也。
有人问道：《难经》说脏有六个，但心、肝、脾、肺、肾只有五个，剩下的一个脏就是右肾。手厥阴心包络既然是十二经脉中的一条经脉，与手少阳三焦经互为表里，为什么不以心包络作为脏，而用右肾来代替呢？生生子回答说：心包络是包裹心脏的脂肪膜，实际上并不离开心脏。虽然它的经脉起止有两个（指心包经和三焦经），但其络脉的出入屈折是相同的。看《灵枢·邪客篇》中说：少阴经没有腧穴吗？心脏不生病吗？岐伯回答说：只是外部的经脉生病，内部的脏不生病。大概“心是五脏六腑的大君主，是精神居住的地方，它的脏气坚固，邪气不能容纳，如果容纳了就会损伤心脏，心脏受伤则神志离去，神志离去人就死了。所以凡是邪气在心部位的，都在于心的包络。包络，是心主的经脉，所以唯独取用手掌后锐骨端的穴位（指大陵穴等），其余脉气的出入屈折，运行的快慢，都像手少阴心主之脉的运行一样。”这不像右肾那样有具体的形体质地可比。因为它的质地没有特定的形状，所以不能作为独立的脏。
生生子又说：朱熹说：天有春、夏、秋、冬四季，地有木、火、金、水四行，人有仁、义、礼、智四德，都是这四者相互作用使用的。论述岁气流行的次序，一年之中有春、夏、秋、冬四个季节，木、火、金、水各自主管一个季节，以运行其气，虽然不说土，但土包含在四季之中了。土又单独主管长夏这一月，大概长夏对应地支中的未月，未位处于西南方，是土气正旺盛的地方。考察五行的道理，顺次相生，没有少许间断，那冬天的水，生春天的木；春天的木，生夏天的火；夏天的火正炽热，怎么能让它去生金呢？只会伤害金而已。火旺则土相（辅助），所以用土来接替它，这是火生土，然后土生秋天的金，秋天的金生冬天的水，冬天的水再生春天的木，这样才可以生生无穷。《礼记·礼运》说：将五行散布于四季。周敦颐也说：五行顺次布列，四季就运行了。所以在四季之内，本来就已经具备了五行的气，因此土单独主管于长夏。
Someone asked: The *Nan Jing* (Classic of Difficult Issues) states that there are six Zang organs, yet only the Heart, Liver, Spleen, Lung, and Kidney are listed as five. The remaining one is the Right Kidney. Since the Pericardium Meridian of Hand-Jueyin is one of the twelve meridians and stands in a exterior-interior relationship with the Sanjiao Meridian of Hand-Shaoyang, why is the Pericardium not regarded as a Zang organ, but instead the Right Kidney is substituted for it? Shengshengzi replied: The Pericardium is the fatty membrane enclosing the Heart, and essentially does not depart from the Heart. Although its meridian has two starting and ending points (referring to the Pericardium and Sanjiao meridians), the entry, exit, and turns of its collateral vessels are identical. As observed in the *Ling Shu · Xie Ke Pian* (Spiritual Pivot: Chapter on Pathogenic Factors Invading the Vessels): "Does the Shaoyin meridian lack acupoints? Does the Heart not suffer disease?" Qibo answered: "The external meridians may be diseased, but the internal Zang organs remain unaffected." Generally, "the Heart is the Great Lord of all Zang and Fu organs, the residence of the Spirit. Its Zang qi is solid, and pathogenic factors cannot accommodate themselves within it. If they do, the Heart will be injured; if the Heart is injured, the Spirit will depart; if the Spirit departs, death ensues. Therefore, any pathogenic factor affecting the Heart actually affects the Pericardium of the Heart. The Pericardium is the meridian of the Heart Master. Hence, we exclusively select acupoints at the end of the sharp bone behind the palm (e.g., Daling PC7). The entry, exit, and turns of the remaining vessels, as well as their speed of circulation, all follow the pattern of the Hand-Shaoyin Heart Master's meridian." This is unlike the Right Kidney, which possesses distinct physical form and substance. Because its substance lacks a specific shape, it cannot be classified as an independent Zang organ.
Shengshengzi further stated: Zhu Xi said: Heaven has Spring, Summer, Autumn, and Winter; Earth has Wood, Fire, Metal, and Water; Humanity has Benevolence, Righteousness, Propriety, and Wisdom. These four elements interact and function together. Regarding the sequence of seasonal Qi circulation, within a year there are four seasons: Spring, Summer, Autumn, and Winter. Wood, Fire, Metal, and Water each govern one season to circulate their respective Qi. Although Earth is not explicitly mentioned as governing a season, Earth is present within the four seasons. Earth alone governs the month of Late Summer. This is because Late Summer corresponds to the Earthly Branch Wei (Goat), located in the Southwest, which is the direction where Earth Qi is most prosperous. Examining the principle of the Five Phases, generation proceeds smoothly without interruption. The Water of Winter generates the Wood of Spring; the Wood of Spring generates the Fire of Summer. When Summer Fire is blazing, how can it generate Metal? It would merely injure Metal. When Fire is prosperous, Earth is auxiliary (Xiang); thus, Earth succeeds it. This means Fire generates Earth, and Earth generates Autumn Metal; Autumn Metal generates Winter Water; Winter Water regenerates Spring Wood. In this way, life generation becomes endless. The *Book of Rites · Li Yun* states: "The Five Phases are distributed among the four seasons." Zhou Dunyi also said: "When the Five Phases are arranged in order, the four seasons proceed." Thus, within the four seasons, the Qi of the Five Phases is inherently complete. Consequently, Earth alone governs Late Summer.