三十三难曰∶肝青象木,肺白象金。肝得水而沉,木得水而浮;肺得水而浮,金得水而沉。其
意何也?然∶肝者、非为纯木也,乙角也,庚之柔。大言阴与阳,小言夫与妇。释其微阳,而吸其微阴
之气,其意乐金。又行阴道多,故令肝得水而沉也。肺者、非为纯金也,辛商也,丙之柔。大言
阴与阳,小言夫与妇。释其微阴,婚而就火,其意乐火,又行阳道多,故令肺得水而浮也。肺熟而复沉,
肝熟而复浮者,何也?故知辛当归庚,乙当归甲也。
三十四难曰∶五脏各有声色臭味,皆可晓知以不?然∶十变言,肝色青,其臭臊,其味酸,
其声呼,其液泣;心色赤,其臭焦,其味苦,其声言,其液汗;脾色黄,其臭香,其味甘,其
声歌,其液涎;肺色白,其臭腥,其味辛,其声哭,其液涕;肾色黑,其臭腐,其味咸,其声呻,
其液唾。是五脏声色臭味也。
五脏有七神,各何所藏耶?然∶脏者,人之神气所舍藏也。故肝藏魂、肺藏魄,心藏神,
脾藏意与智,肾藏精与志也。
三十五难曰∶五脏各有所,腑皆相近,而心肺独去大肠,小肠远者,何也?然∶经言心荣肺卫,
通行肠气,故居在上;大肠小肠传阴气而下,故居在下。所以相去而远也。
又诸腑者,皆阳也,清净之处。今大肠、小肠、胃与膀胱,皆受不净,其意何也?
然∶诸腑者,谓是。非也。经言小肠者,受盛之腑也;大肠者,传泻行道之腑也;胆者,清净之
腑也;胃者,水谷之腑也;膀胱者,津液之腑也。一腑犹无两名,故知非也。小肠者,心之腑;大
肠者,肺之腑;胆者,肝之腑;胃者,脾之腑;膀胱者,肾之腑。
小肠谓赤肠,大肠谓白肠,胆者谓青肠,胃者谓黄肠,膀胱者谓黑肠,下焦之所治也。
Difficulty 33 states: The liver is green and corresponds to Wood; the lungs are white and correspond to Metal. When placed in water, the liver sinks, whereas Wood floats; when placed in water, the lungs float, whereas Metal sinks. What is the rationale behind this? The answer is: The liver is not purely Wood; it corresponds to Yi (Yin Wood) and Jue (Wood note), representing the Yin counterpart to Geng (Yang Metal). In broad terms, this reflects the relationship of Yin and Yang; in specific terms, it reflects the relationship of husband and wife. The liver releases its slight Yang and absorbs slight Yin Qi, thus its inclination favors Metal. Furthermore, as it traverses the Yin pathways more frequently, this causes the liver to sink in water. The lungs are not purely Metal; they correspond to Xin (Yin Metal) and Shang (Metal note), representing the Yin counterpart to Bing (Yang Fire). In broad terms, this reflects the relationship of Yin and Yang; in specific terms, it reflects the relationship of husband and wife. The lungs release their slight Yin and marry toward Fire, thus their inclination favors Fire. Furthermore, as they traverse the Yang pathways more frequently, this causes the lungs to float in water. Why do the cooked lungs sink again, and the cooked liver float again? From this, we know that Xin should return to Geng, and Yi should return to Jia.
Difficulty 34 states: Do the Five Zang organs each have distinct colors, sounds, odors, and tastes that can be clearly understood? The answer is: The *Shi Bian* (Ten Transformations) states: The liver's color is green, its odor is fishy/musky, its taste is sour, its sound is a cry/shout, and its fluid is tears; the heart's color is red, its odor is scorched, its taste is bitter, its sound is speech, and its fluid is sweat; the spleen's color is yellow, its odor is fragrant, its taste is sweet, its sound is singing, and its fluid is saliva; the lungs' color is white, its odor is raw/fishy, its taste is pungent, its sound is weeping, and its fluid is nasal mucus; the kidneys' color is black, its odor is putrid, its taste is salty, its sound is groaning, and its fluid is spit. These are the colors, sounds, odors, and tastes of the Five Zang organs.
The Five Zang organs house the Seven Spirits; what does each store? The answer is: The Zang organs are the abodes where the body's Shen Qi resides and stores. Thus, the Liver stores Hun (Ethereal Soul), the Lungs store Po (Corporeal Soul), the Heart stores Shen (Spirit), the Spleen stores Yi (Intellect/Thought) and Zhi (Will/Memory - *Note: Traditional text often lists Yi and Zhi for Spleen/Kidney differently, here following the source text "Yi and Zhi"*), and the Kidneys store Jing (Essence) and Zhi (Will/Firmness).
Difficulty 35 states: Each of the Five Zang organs has an associated Fu organ, and the Fu organs are generally close to each other, yet the Heart and Lungs are uniquely distant from the Large Intestine and Small Intestine. Why is this? The answer is: The Classics state that the Ying (Nutritive) Qi of the Heart and the Wei (Defensive) Qi of the Lungs circulate through the intestinal Qi; therefore, they reside in the Upper Jiao. The Large and Small Intestines transmit Yin Qi downward; therefore, they reside in the Lower Jiao. This is why they are far apart.
Furthermore, all Fu organs belong to Yang and are places of purity. Now, the Large Intestine, Small Intestine, Stomach, and Bladder all receive impure substances. What is the meaning of this? The answer is: That statement is incorrect. The Classics state: The Small Intestine is the Fu organ of reception and storage; the Large Intestine is the Fu organ of transmission and passage; the Gallbladder is the Fu organ of purity; the Stomach is the Fu organ of water and grain; the Bladder is the Fu organ of fluids. One Fu organ does not have two names; thus, we know the previous statement is wrong. The Small Intestine is the Fu of the Heart; the Large Intestine is the Fu of the Lungs; the Gallbladder is the Fu of the Liver; the Stomach is the Fu of the Spleen; the Bladder is the Fu of the Kidneys.
The Small Intestine is called the Red Intestine, the Large Intestine is called the White Intestine, the Gallbladder is called the Green Intestine, the Stomach is called the Yellow Intestine, and the Bladder is called the Black Intestine. These are governed by the Lower Jiao.