寒水主令。在立冬后冬至前。于时为六阴。故为寒水。太阳为之上者。此时阳退而在上。为卦之剥。老阳在上一画。
其下五阴。故太阳之下为寒水也。寒水为冬之正令。在人唯足少阴肾得以应之。而太阳反纳膀胱者。膀胱与肾表里。同
主寒水。故太阳以阳从阳。而纳膀胱也。虽纳膀胱。而主令则以少阴为主。故太阳为标。寒水为本。本寒而标热。本胜
而标不胜。是以太阳所至。为屈伸不利。腰痛。寝汗。痉流泄禁止。屈伸不利。寒病在骨也。腰痛肾寒也。寝汗寒水凌
心。而气微汗不收于阴也。痉病支体强直。筋急反戾。肾虚而寒凝相袭也。三焦寒不化为流泄。阴凝结阳不化。能使二
便不通。为禁止。其病即所谓阴结也。夫水太过。其动漂泄沃涌。若水不及。则病痿厥坚下。此即禁止之谓。从土化也。
其为岁水太过。邪害心火。民病身热烦心。躁悸阴厥。上下中寒。谵妄心痛身热者。以寒气止迫其火气外炎故热也。烦
心躁悸。水气凌心火。抑而内寇也。阴气寒甚。故厥逆于上。三焦之火衰。故上下中寒。心失其居而不宁。故谵妄。水
寒克火。故心痛。甚则水淫而内伤。为腹大胫肿。此寒湿交流。水汨土也。喘嗽寒搏于肺也。寝汗出憎风。卫阳衰。而
营不守也。上临太阳。则两寒并至。为腹满肠鸣溏泄。食不化。所谓漂泄沃涌也。渴而妄冒。胆中心愤盈也。若夫寒淫
所胜。则流祸更远。盖太阳为诸阳之首。即君火之阳也。今从在下之寒水寒气。及从上而至足。上下皆寒。而太阳运居
于中。是内阳居中。正所谓凡伤于寒。则为病热者也。寒热更胜。是以血变于中。发为痈疡。厥心痛。呕血血泄鼽衄。
善悲时眩仆运。斯皆阳热中盛之证也。胸腹满手热时挛。寒乘于中而不运。格于外而不荣也。冲心澹澹大动。寒水作逆。
并胸胁胃脘不安也。面赤六阳格而不下。目黄脾土湿而不升。善噫心气不昌。嗌干气不上潮。色炱渴而欲饮。皆病本心
逼之。故其中虽有与心同病者。要皆心火抑而失职使然也。至若水不足则湿。乃大行民病腹满身重濡泄。寒疡流水。寒
疡者。阴疽也。阴不成脓。故流水。腰股痛发 。股膝不便。烦冤足痿。清厥脚下痛。正所谓痿厥坚下。甚则 肿水
汨土也。若水郁则又不然。水潴而不流。则上下三焦筋骨。皆水气为患而胜火。故善病寒厥心痛。腰 痛。大关节不利。
屈伸不便。善厥逆。痞坚腹满。夫动转归火。今火失其居。故病若此。病机曰。诸寒收引。皆属于肾。诸病水液澄澈清
冷。皆属于寒。诸寒收引已见前矣。澄澈清冷。此三焦无火。不能摄水也。又曰诸厥固泄。皆属于下。经曰。少阴不至。
则厥阴结下焦为固。寒伤土湿为泄。皆自下焦肾气为之。故曰皆属于下也。
Cold Water governs the season. This occurs after Start of Winter (Lidong) and before Start of Winter Solstice (Dongzhi). In terms of Yin-Yang phases, it corresponds to six Yin lines, hence it is called Cold Water. The Taiyang (Greater Yang) meridian is positioned superiorly, indicating that Yang Qi has retreated to the upper part. This corresponds to the hexagram Bo (Peeling), where the Old Yang line is at the top, with five Yin lines below it. Thus, beneath Taiyang lies Cold Water. Cold Water is the proper governing energy of winter. In the human body, only the Foot-Shaoyin Kidney meridian can correspond to it. However, Taiyang is associated with the Bladder because the Bladder and Kidney are interior-exterior pairs, jointly governing Cold Water. Therefore, Taiyang follows Yang by associating with the Bladder. Although associated with the Bladder, the governing principle remains primarily Shaoyin. Consequently, Taiyang manifests as a superficial heat (Biao-Heat) with a root cold (Ben-Cold); when the root cold prevails, the superficial heat cannot overcome it. Thus, manifestations of Taiyang include difficulty in flexion and extension, lower back pain, night sweats (Qin Han), spasms, diarrhea, or urinary/fecal retention. Difficulty in flexion and extension indicates cold affecting the bones; lower back pain indicates kidney cold; night sweats occur because Cold Water overwhelms the Heart, causing Qi deficiency and failure of sweat to be retained within Yin; spasms involve stiffness and rigidity of limbs due to Kidney deficiency and invasion by congealed cold; Sanjiao (Triple Burner) fails to transform due to cold, leading to diarrhea; Yin-cold coagulation prevents Yang transformation, causing urinary and fecal retention, termed "Jinzhi" (prohibition), which constitutes the disease known as "Yin Jie" (Yin Knot). If Water Qi is excessive, its movement manifests as floating discharge and surging overflow; if Water Qi is insufficient, diseases such as flaccidity, cold extremities, and hardness in the lower body occur. This refers to the state of Jinzhi, transforming through Earth. If the annual cycle features excessive Water Qi, pathogenic factors harm Heart Fire, causing the population to suffer from fever, mental restlessness, irritability, palpitations, Yin-cold reversal, coldness in the upper, middle, and lower regions, delirium, heart pain, and fever. Fever arises because cold qi forces fire qi to flare outward. Mental restlessness and palpitations result from Water Qi overwhelming Heart Fire, suppressing and invading internally. Severe Yin-cold causes reversal in the upper body; decline of Fire in the Sanjiao leads to coldness in the upper, middle, and lower regions; loss of the Heart's dwelling place causes unrest and delirium; Water-cold overcoming Fire causes heart pain. In severe cases, excessive Water damages internally, causing abdominal distension and leg edema, representing the interaction of cold-dampness where Water submerges Earth. Wheezing and coughing occur when cold binds to the Lungs. Night sweats and aversion to wind indicate decline of Wei-Yang (Defensive Yang) and failure of Ying-Qi (Nutritive Qi) to guard. If Taiyang is approached from above, two cold energies converge, causing abdominal fullness, borborygmus, loose stools, and undigested food, known as floating discharge and surging overflow. Thirst accompanied by confusion indicates resentment and fullness in the Gallbladder. When Cold excess prevails, disasters spread further. Taiyang is the head of all Yang meridians, representing the Yang of Ministerial Fire. Now following the Cold Water and cold air from below, and cold reaching from above to the feet, both upper and lower parts are cold, while Taiyang's transport function resides in the center. This means internal Yang resides in the center, consistent with the principle that injury by cold transforms into heat disease. Alternating victory and defeat of cold and heat cause blood changes in the center, leading to carbuncles, ulcers, jue-style heart pain, hematemesis, bloody stool, epistaxis, propensity for sadness, dizziness, and fainting. These are all signs of excessive internal Yang-heat. Chest and abdominal fullness, hot hands, and frequent cramping indicate cold attacking the center without transformation, blocking externally and failing to nourish. Palpitations racing like a startled deer indicate counterflow of Cold Water, disturbing the chest, hypochondrium, and epigastrium. Red face indicates Six Yang meridians blocked from descending; yellow eyes indicate Spleen Earth dampness preventing ascent; frequent belching indicates weak Heart Qi; dry throat indicates failure of Qi to moisten upward; soot-colored complexion and thirst with desire to drink are all driven by the root pathology pressing on the Heart. Thus, although symptoms may resemble heart diseases, they are fundamentally caused by suppression of Heart Fire and loss of its function. If Water is deficient, dampness prevails, causing abdominal fullness, heavy body, damp diarrhea, and cold ulcers weeping fluid. Cold ulcers refer to yin abscesses; Yin conditions fail to form pus, hence weeping fluid. Pain in waist and thighs, inconvenience in hips and knees, vexation, foot flaccidity, cold reversal, and foot pain constitute the aforementioned flaccidity, reversal, and lower hardness. Severe cases involve edema, where Water submerges Earth. If Water is stagnant, the situation differs. Stagnant water does not flow, causing Water Qi to afflict the upper and lower Sanjiao and tendons/bones, overcoming Fire. Thus, one easily suffers from cold reversal, heart pain, lower back pain, joint stiffness, difficulty in flexion/extension, frequent reversal, abdominal masses, and fullness. Movement relies on Fire; since Fire loses its position, these diseases arise. The Pathogenesis states: All cold-related contraction belongs to the Kidney. All pathological fluids that are clear and cold belong to Cold. The former was mentioned earlier. "Clear and cold" indicates lack of Fire in the Sanjiao, unable to control water. It also states: All reversal, constipation, and diarrhea belong to the Lower Jiao. The Classic says: If Shaoyin Qi does not arrive, Jueyin knots in the Lower Jiao causing constipation; cold injuring Earth-dampness causes diarrhea. Both stem from Kidney Qi in the Lower Jiao. Hence, it is said they all belong to the Lower Jiao.