人身只气与血两者而已。火交于水即化为气。义已详膀胱三焦条。兹不再论。惟水交于火即化为血之理。尚未发明。
特详于此。
南方生热。热生火。火生苦。苦生心。心生血。
热火生苦。苦生心已详卷首。惟心生血句。尚待注明。盖心属离卦。内阴爻坎之水也。外阳爻则离本卦之火也。惟
其以水。济火乃发光明而成离象是以灌膏则燎盛。抽薪则焰息。薪膏有汁液火得之而后然即是以水济火之明验矣。人身
心象离卦。必在下胞中肾。阴之水津循冲任上。入于胃合饮食所化之。汁上腾于肺部。以入于心此汁得心火之化遂变为
赤色。是为血。西医云。饮食之汁。由吸管。返运至颈会管。与心血混为赤色。此一混字殊谬。岂有日日混入。而血不
加淡者乎。不知汁入颈会管。即水交于火也。变为赤色即奉心火之化而为血也。血之生化如此西医言血内。有红白二轮
红多白少。不知其白者。水液之本形也。其红者。奉心所化之赤色也。
食气入胃。浊气归心。淫精于脉脉气流经。饮入于胃。游溢精气。上输于脾。脾气散精。上归于肺。通调水道。下
输膀胱。水精四布。五经并行。
饮是本于天阳。主化气之物。食是本于地阴。主化血之物。今人不知血气根源。本于饮食。惟此条经文。言饮食气
血。生化之原委也。气乃水之所化。凡饮水。皆属化气之物。所谓饮入于胃云云。即三焦膀胱条。所注水气往来之道路
也。水津四布。五经并行者。谓水化津液。而四布。则五脏之经脉得其调养乃并行而不悖也。义已详十二官条。兹不再
赘。惟食气入胃。浊气归心。淫精于脉。脉气流经。此单言化血之理。尚待详言。食者有形之。阴质故主化汁。变血得
脾之运健。肝胆疏利。则化。为汁液西医言甜肉汁入胃化谷苦胆汁入胃化谷同一意也。既化。为汁。腾布于。上得肺气
之化则色白妇人之乳汁是矣妇人乳子。此汁已供儿食。不能入心化血。则血无余。故月经停而不行。断乳之后。此汁上
行入心。则化为血。既化为血。则转而下行。每月有余是以行经男子血所由生。与妇人同但化精。化经各不同。耳浊气
归心之浊字。训稠浓之意。非谓渣。秽也。阴汁稠浓上归于心则化为血既化为血。则淫溢此精汁。而散行于脉管。西医
谓心有出血管。导血出。又有回血管。导血入西医名管中医名脉。二而一也。脉气流经者。谓流行于各经络。而回复有
常。西医云心左房之血。由出血管导行于周身。心体动跳不休。每一跳。则周身之脉应之而跳血既行遍周身则转入回血
管。其色变紫。以受炭气也。紫血由回。管递传。复返于颈会管得肺气呼出则炭气出而紫色退复变为赤。入心右房转至
左房而又出也。则脉气流经之谓矣。时医有大络散众络。众络散孙络之说言其出而不言其复。与流经二字。尚不确切。
故引西医之说证之。西医所图脉管详矣。然不能分别十二经脉。又其言回血。不能分别几时方回于心。惟内经言一呼脉。
行三寸一吸脉行。三寸则能算出血行之时节。何时出者。当于何时。回矣义详营卫生会篇。甚矣。古圣之精也。
中焦受气取汁。变化而赤。是为血。
义详上条。重引此者。总见血所由生也。
谷入于胃。脉道乃行。水入于经。其血乃成。
此节总言血脉。出于胃中饮食所化之汁上行入于心管化为血以散为众脉所以脉道乃行也。下言水入于经其血乃成一
水字尤精微即吾所谓水。交于火即化。为血合。为离中含阴之象也。水生于肾中。入于胞室。是为天癸水。循冲任上行。
入胃则津液充足濡化谷。食谷化为汁。其中仍有天癸之水气在也。此汁上入于心是为水交于火。得心火化之变为赤血此
所谓水入于经。其血乃成也。血之支派。散走内外。循环无端。而其总统。则在任脉。既化为血。即循任脉而下入于胞
中。与肾气天癸之水。合男子化精髓。女子月信下。胥由于此矣。西医言血中有养汁明汁。为白轮。血为红轮。此不知
养汁明汁。即水交于火而化血者也。内经以任脉为血之总司。西医则有总脉管之说。谓从心左房出而至腹中腹下。乃分
是匹。考究其总管之道路。却只是任脉之道路也。盖血之支派。散走内外。循环无端。而其总统。则在任脉。血即循任
脉而下入于胞中。与肾气天癸之水合。男子化精髓女子月信下。
此条详血略气。其实血气二者。不能相离。论气详膀胱气化条。论血气相合□□□□癸条。参看自明。
The human body consists only of Qi (vital energy) and Blood. When Fire interacts with Water, it transforms into Qi. This principle has been detailed in the sections on the Bladder and Sanjiao (Triple Burner), so it will not be discussed again here. However, the principle that when Water interacts with Fire, it transforms into Blood, has not yet been elucidated, and is therefore explained in detail here.
The South generates Heat; Heat generates Fire; Fire generates the Bitter taste; the Bitter taste corresponds to the Heart; the Heart generates Blood.
The statement "Heat and Fire generate Bitterness, and Bitterness generates the Heart" has already been detailed in the beginning of the volume. Only the phrase "the Heart generates Blood" requires annotation. The Heart corresponds to the Li trigram (☲, representing Fire). Internally, it contains a Yin line, which is the Water of the Kan trigram (☵); externally, it possesses Yang lines, which are the Fire of the Li trigram itself. Precisely because Water nourishes Fire, light and brightness emerge, forming the image of Li. Thus, pouring oil causes the fire to burn fiercely, while removing firewood extinguishes the flames. Firewood and oil contain fluids; once Fire obtains them, it can burn. This is clear evidence of Water nourishing Fire.
In the human body, the Heart mirrors the Li trigram. It must draw upon the Yin Water fluid from the Kidneys located in the lower Jiao (specifically the Baozhong/Uterus or Essence Chamber). This fluid ascends along the Chong Mai (Penetrating Vessel) and Ren Mai (Conception Vessel), enters the Stomach, and mixes with the juices transformed from food and drink. It then rises to the Lungs, and from there enters the Heart. Upon receiving the transformation of Heart Fire, this juice turns red, becoming Blood. Western medicine states that dietary juices are transported via capillaries back to the superior vena cava, where they mix with heart blood to become red. This concept of "mixing" is fundamentally flawed. If substances were mixed daily, would the blood not become diluted? In reality, the entry of juice into the superior vena cava represents the interaction of Water and Fire; turning red signifies transformation by Heart Fire into Blood. Such is the generation and transformation of Blood. Western medicine claims blood contains red and white components, with more red than white. They do not realize that the white component is the original form of water fluids, while the red component is the color transformed by the Heart.
When food Qi enters the Stomach, turbid Qi returns to the Heart, and essence permeates the vessels. Pulse Qi flows through the meridians. When drinks enter the Stomach, their essence floats and overflows, transporting upward to the Spleen. The Spleen scatters the essence, sending it upward to return to the Lungs. The Lungs regulate the water passages, directing flow downward to the Bladder. Water essence distributes in all directions, and the five organ meridians function in parallel.
Drinks originate from Heavenly Yang and primarily transform into Qi; foods originate from Earthly Yin and primarily transform into Blood. Modern people do not understand that the root of Qi and Blood lies in diet. Only this passage from the classics explains the origin and process of diet as the source of Qi and Blood generation. Qi is transformed from Water. All drinking water belongs to things that transform into Qi. The description "when drinks enter the Stomach..." refers to the pathways of water Qi circulation noted in the Sanjiao and Bladder sections. "Water essence distributes in all directions, and the five organ meridians function in parallel" means that when Water transforms into Jin-Ye (body fluids) and distributes widely, the meridians of the five Zang organs receive nourishment and function harmoniously without contradiction. This meaning was detailed in the section on the Twelve Officials and will not be repeated here.
However, "When food Qi enters the Stomach, turbid Qi returns to the Heart, essence permeates the vessels, and pulse Qi flows through the meridians" specifically discusses the principle of Blood generation and requires further elaboration. Food is tangible Yin substance, thus it primarily transforms into juices and then Blood. With robust Spleen transportation and smooth Liver-Gallbladder dredging, it transforms into liquid juice. Western medicine states that sweet meat juice digests food in the stomach, and bitter bile also digests food in the stomach; the intent is the same. Once transformed into juice, it rises and spreads, receiving transformation from Lung Qi, turning white—this is women's milk. When women nurse infants, this juice is provided for the child's food and cannot enter the Heart to transform into Blood; thus, there is no surplus Blood, causing menstruation to stop. After weaning, this juice ascends to the Heart and transforms into Blood. Once transformed into Blood, it turns downward. Each month, there is a surplus, hence menstruation occurs. The generation of Blood in men is the same as in women, differing only in whether it transforms into Essence or Menstruation. The term "turbid Qi" in "turbid Qi returns to the Heart" implies density and thickness, not dregs or filth. Dense Yin juice ascends to the Heart and transforms into Blood. Once transformed into Blood, it overflows these essential juices and disperses through the vessel tubes. Western medicine states the Heart has arteries conducting blood out and veins conducting blood in. What Westerners call vessels, Chinese medicine calls Mai (Vessels/Meridians); they are one and the same.
"Pulse Qi flows through the meridians" means circulating through various meridians and returning regularly. Western medicine states blood from the left atrium is conducted throughout the body by arteries. The heart beats continuously; each beat causes the pulse throughout the body to respond and beat. After blood circulates the whole body, it enters the veins, turning purple due to carbon dioxide absorption. Purple blood travels through veins, returning to the superior vena cava. Receiving Lung Qi exhalation, carbon dioxide is expelled, purple fades, and it reverts to red, entering the right atrium, moving to the left atrium, and being ejected again. This is what is meant by "Pulse Qi flows through the meridians." Contemporary physicians speak of large collaterals scattering into minor collaterals, and minor collaterals scattering into sun-collaterals, describing exit but not return, which is imprecise regarding "flowing through." Therefore, Western theories are cited to verify this. While Western diagrams of vessels are detailed, they fail to distinguish the twelve primary meridians, and their concept of venous return does not specify when blood returns to the heart. Only the *Neijing* states that during one exhalation, pulse moves three cun, and during one inhalation, pulse moves three cun, allowing calculation of blood circulation timing: when it exits, it should return at a specific time. The principles are detailed in the *Ying Wei Sheng Hui* chapter. How profound the ancient sages were!
The Middle Jiao receives Qi, extracts juices, transforms them, and turns them red; this is Blood.
The meaning is detailed in the previous section. Re-quoting this serves to summarize the origin of Blood generation.
When grains enter the Stomach, the vessel channels begin to flow; when water enters the vessels, Blood is formed.
This section summarizes that blood vessels arise from the juices transformed from food and drink in the Stomach, which ascend to the Heart vessels to transform into Blood, dispersing into numerous collateral vessels, thus allowing the vessel channels to flow. The following statement "when water enters the vessels, Blood is formed" uses the character "Water" with particular subtlety, referring to my assertion that Water interacting with Fire transforms into Blood, conforming to the image of Yin contained within the Li trigram. Water is born in the Kidneys, enters the Baozhong (Uterus/Essence Chamber), and is called Tian Gui (Heavenly Puberty Fluid). It ascends along the Chong and Ren vessels. Entering the Stomach, it ensures sufficient Jin-Ye to moisten and digest food. Food transforms into juice, within which the Tian Gui water Qi remains. This juice ascends to the Heart, representing Water interacting with Fire. Receiving Heart Fire transformation, it becomes red Blood. This is what is meant by "when water enters the vessels, Blood is formed." Branches of Blood scatter internally and externally, circulating endlessly, but its general command lies in the Ren Mai (Conception Vessel). Once transformed into Blood, it follows the Ren Mai downward into the Baozhong, combining with Kidney Qi and Tian Gui water. In men, this transforms into Essence; in women, menstruation descends. Both result from this. Western medicine claims blood contains nutritive fluid and clear fluid, appearing as white discs, while blood appears as red discs. They fail to recognize that nutritive and clear fluids are simply Water interacting with Fire to transform into Blood. The *Neijing* designates the Ren Mai as the commander of Blood. Western medicine proposes a concept of a total vascular tube, stating it exits the left atrium, reaches the abdomen, and branches out. Investigating the path of this main tube reveals it corresponds exactly to the path of the Ren Mai. Since blood branches scatter internally and externally, circulating endlessly, its general command lies in the Ren Mai. Blood follows the Ren Mai downward into the Baozhong, combining with Kidney Qi and Tian Gui water. In men, it transforms into Essence; in women, menstruation descends.
This passage details Blood while briefly mentioning Qi. In reality, Qi and Blood cannot be separated. Discussion of Qi is found in the Bladder Qi Transformation section; discussion of Qi and Blood integration is found in the Tian Gui section. Consulting these will clarify the matter.