Chapter 8 of the Suwen: The Kidney
腎 者 ， 作 彊 之 官 ， 伎 巧 出 焉 。
In reference to the Kidneys, the hold the office of Laborer and Fortifier. Aptitude and artistry ensue from them.
The character for Kidney, Shen, is a picture of a slave and a hand over the flesh. The Kidneys can be thought of as the honest and hard-working slave for the palace. This is essentially what they are in the body. They 作彊, meaning that they create strength in the body. This strength is a strength that comes from the ability to bend, as can be seen in the character Qiang — composed of a bow on the left side. The right side of the character originally meant, “border region.”
The last part of the line, 伎巧, has to do with aptitude and artistry. The first character, 伎, is a picture of a person holding a branch. It has to do with the technique that comes from knowing how the basic pieces fit together. When one builds on this technique with a skill and receptivity to what wants to be created in the world, 巧, ensues. This type of artistry has everything to do with the bones, which the Kidneys are in charge of. The bones are the framework for the body. While they are solid, they are put together in a way which makes them flexible and strong. Living bones are far different than dried bones, and much of the reason why has to do with the fluid content and connection with the blood an marrow. The Kidney rules over all of this.
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