黄帝曰。余闻先师有所心藏。弗着于方。余愿闻而藏之。则而行之。上以治民。下以治身。使百姓无病。上下和亲
德泽下流。子孙无忧。传于后世。无有终时。可得闻乎。岐伯曰。远乎哉问也。夫治民与自治。治彼与治此。治小与治
大。治国与治家。未有逆而能治之也。夫惟顺而已矣。顺者。非独阴阳脉论。气之逆顺也。百姓民众皆欲顺其志也。（以
上提唱顺字大意下乃实叙其事）黄帝曰。顺之奈何。岐伯曰。入国问俗。入家问讳上堂问礼。临病患问所便。黄帝曰。
便病患奈何。岐伯曰。夫中热消瘅则便寒。寒中之属则便热。胃中热则消谷。令人悬心善饥。脐以上皮热。肠中热则出
黄如糜。脐以下皮热。胃中寒则腹胀。肠中寒则肠鸣飧泄。胃中寒肠中热。则胀而且泄。胃中热肠中寒。则疾饥。小腹
痛胀。（顿住是歇后语气）黄帝曰。胃欲寒饮。肠欲热饮。两者相逆。便之奈何。且夫王公大人血食之君。骄恣从欲。轻
人而无能禁之。禁之则逆其志。顺之则加其病。便之奈何。治之何先。岐伯曰。人之情。莫不恶死而乐生。告之以其败。
语之以其善。导之以其所便。开之以其所苦。虽有无道之人。恶有不听者乎。黄帝曰。治之奈何。岐伯曰。春夏先治其
标。后治其本。秋冬先治其本。后治其标。黄帝曰。便其相逆者奈何。岐伯曰。便此者。食饮衣服。亦欲适寒温寒无凄
怆。暑无出汗。食饮者。热无灼灼。寒无沧沧。寒温中适故气将持。乃不致邪僻也。（以上为前半篇论治之贵顺也）黄帝
曰。本脏以身形肢节 肉。候五脏六腑之小大焉。今夫王公大人临朝即位之君而问焉。谁可扪循之而后答乎。岐伯曰。
身形支节者。脏腑之盖也。非面部之阅也。（谓尚有面部之阅无待扪循者也笔妙）黄帝曰。五脏之气。阅于面者。余已知
之矣。以肢节知。而阅之奈何。（言以肢节知五脏六腑而亦有阅于面也其法奈何）岐伯曰。五脏六腑者。肺为之盖。巨肩
陷咽。候见其外。黄帝曰。善。岐伯曰。五脏六腑。心为之主。缺盆为之道。 骨有余。以候 KT 。黄帝曰。善。岐
伯曰。肝者。主为将。使之候外。欲知坚固。视目小大。黄帝曰。善。岐伯曰。脾者。主为卫。使之迎粮。视唇舌好恶。
以知吉凶。黄帝曰。善。岐伯曰。肾者。主为外。使之远听。视耳好恶。以知其性。黄帝曰。善。愿闻六腑之候。岐伯
曰。六腑者。胃为之海。广骸大颈张胸。五谷乃容。鼻隧以长。以候大肠。唇浓人中长。以候小肠。目下果大。其胆乃
横。鼻孔在外。膀胱漏泄。鼻柱中央起。三焦乃约。此所以候六腑者也。上下三等脏安且良矣。
前论治病之贵顺。后论脏腑之外阅。两截各不相顾。篇法无可言者。惟用笔坚浓朴直之中自饶温润委婉之致。令人
读之不厌。
Huangdi said: I have heard that my former teachers possessed certain insights which were not recorded in medical formulas. I wish to hear them and preserve them, so that I may follow them in practice. By doing so, I can govern the people above and cultivate myself below, ensuring that the common folk are free from disease, that harmony and affection prevail between superiors and inferiors, that virtue flows downwards, that descendants need no worries, and that this knowledge is transmitted to posterity without end. May I ask you to explain this?
Qibo replied: Is your question not profound? In governing the people and governing oneself, in treating others and treating oneself, in handling minor matters and major affairs, in managing a state and managing a household, there has never been success achieved by going against the will. Only by following compliance (Shun) can one succeed. "Compliance" refers not only to the reversal or smoothness of Qi as discussed in the treatises on Yin-Yang and pulses, but also to the fact that the common people all desire their wishes to be fulfilled. (The above section introduces the general meaning of the character "Shun/Compliance," and the following text narrates the specific practices.)
Huangdi asked: How should one comply?
Qibo answered: When entering a country, inquire about its customs; when entering a home, ask about its taboos; when stepping into the hall, ask about its etiquette; and when facing a patient, ask what brings them comfort and convenience.
Huangdi asked: How does one determine what brings the patient comfort?
Qibo replied: If a person suffers from internal heat leading to Xiao-Dao (Wasting and Thirsting syndrome, characterized by excessive thirst, hunger, urination, and emaciation), they prefer cold. If the pathogen is cold residing in the middle Jiao, they prefer heat. Heat in the Stomach accelerates digestion, causing a sensation of emptiness in the heart and frequent hunger, with warmth in the skin above the navel. Heat in the Intestines results in yellow, porridge-like stools, with warmth in the skin below the navel. Cold in the Stomach causes abdominal distension; cold in the Intestines causes borborygmus and diarrhea with undigested food (Sun-Xie). If there is cold in the Stomach and heat in the Intestines, both distension and diarrhea occur. If there is heat in the Stomach and cold in the Intestines, there is rapid hunger accompanied by pain and distension in the lower abdomen. (A pause here indicates a rhetorical break.)
Huangdi said: The Stomach desires cold drinks, while the Intestines desire hot drinks; these two desires are contradictory. How should one accommodate this? Moreover, consider kings and nobles, rulers who enjoy meat and rich foods. They are arrogant, indulgent, and despise others, making them difficult to restrain. Restraining them would go against their will, yet accommodating them would worsen their condition. How should one proceed? Where should treatment begin?
Qibo replied: Human nature is such that no one dislikes death and loves life. Inform them of the consequences of failure, speak to them of the benefits of goodness, guide them toward what is comfortable for them, and open up avenues to relieve their suffering. Even if dealing with an unreasonable person, how could they fail to listen?
Huangdi asked: How specifically should one treat them?
Qibo answered: In Spring and Summer, treat the branch (symptoms) first and the root (cause) later; in Autumn and Winter, treat the root first and the branch later.
Huangdi asked: How should one accommodate mutually contradictory preferences?
Qibo replied: To accommodate these conditions, diet and clothing must also adapt to cold and heat. In cold weather, do not let yourself shiver from chill; in hot weather, do not sweat excessively. Regarding diet, hot food should not be scalding, and cold food should not be icy. By maintaining a moderate balance of cold and heat, Qi will remain secure, preventing invasion by pathogenic factors. (The above section discusses the principle that treatment values compliance.)
Huangdi said: Previously, we discussed observing the body's shape, limbs, joints, and muscles to infer the size of the Zang-Fu organs. Now, regarding kings and nobles who sit upon the throne, if we wish to inquire about them, who can palpate and stroke their limbs to provide answers?
Qibo replied: The body's limbs and joints are the external covers of the Zang-Fu organs, but diagnosis is not limited to facial inspection. (This implies that there are methods of facial inspection that do not require palpating the limbs; a subtle point in the writing.)
Huangdi said: I already know how the Qi of the five Zang organs manifests on the face. How can one know through the limbs and inspect via the face? (Meaning: Besides knowing the Zang-Fu through limbs, there is also a method of facial inspection; what is this method?)
Qibo replied: Among the five Zang and six Fu organs, the Lung acts as a cover. Broad shoulders and a depressed throat allow one to observe the Lung externally.
Huangdi said: Excellent.
Qibo continued: Among the five Zang and six Fu organs, the Heart is the master. The Quepen (supraclavicular fossa) is the pathway for Heart Qi. Prominence in the clavicle bones allows one to inspect the Heart.
Huangdi said: Excellent.
Qibo continued: The Liver serves as the general, commanding externally. To know if it is firm and strong, observe the size of the eyes.
Huangdi said: Excellent.
Qibo continued: The Spleen serves as the guard, receiving grain. Observe the condition of the lips and tongue to discern auspicious or inauspicious signs.
Huangdi said: Excellent.
Qibo continued: The Kidney governs the exterior and enables distant hearing. Observe the ears to understand the nature of the Kidney.
Huangdi said: Excellent. I wish to hear about the signs of the six Fu organs.
Qibo replied: Among the six Fu organs, the Stomach is like the sea. A broad skeleton, thick neck, and expanded chest allow it to contain the five grains. A long nasal passage indicates the Large Intestine; thick lips and a long philtrum indicate the Small Intestine; large and protruding infraorbital areas indicate the Gallbladder; nostrils turned outward indicate leakage of the Bladder; a raised central nasal bridge indicates the constraint of the Sanjiao. These are the methods for inspecting the six Fu organs. If the upper, middle, and lower parts of the body are balanced and proportional, the Zang organs are safe and healthy.
The preceding part discusses the importance of compliance in treatment, while the latter part discusses the external signs of the Zang-Fu organs. The two sections appear unrelated, and the structure of the chapter cannot be overly analyzed. However, within the firm, dense, plain, and direct style of writing, there is naturally a moist, gentle, and tactful quality that makes reading it endlessly enjoyable.