黄帝曰。余闻十二经脉。以应十二经水者。其五色各异。清浊不同。人之血气若一。应之奈何。岐伯曰。人之血气
苟能若一。则天下为一矣。恶有乱者乎。黄帝曰。余问一人。非天下之众。岐伯曰。夫一人者。亦有乱气。天下之众。
亦有乱人。其合为一耳。黄帝曰。愿闻人气之清浊。岐伯曰。受谷者浊。受气者清。清者注阴。浊者注阳。浊而清者上
出于咽。清而浊者则下行。清浊相干命曰乱气。黄帝曰。夫阴清而阳浊。浊者有清。清者有浊。清浊别之奈何。岐伯曰。
气之大别。清者上注于肺。浊者下走于胃。胃之清气。上出于口。肺之浊气。下注于经。内积于海。黄帝曰。诸阳皆浊。
何以浊甚乎。岐伯曰。手太阳独受阳之浊。手太阴独受阴之清。其清者上走空窍。其浊者下行诸经。诸阴皆清。足太阴
独受其浊。黄帝曰。治之奈何。岐伯曰。清者其气滑。浊者其气涩。此气之常也。故刺阴者深而留之。刺阳者浅而疾之。
清浊相干者。以数调之也。
笔清而健。可谓雷霆走精锐冰雪净聪明。
黄帝曰。余闻天为阳。地为阴。日为阳。月为阴。其合之于人。奈何。岐伯曰。腰以上为天。腰以下为地。故天为
阳。地为阴。故足之十二经脉。以应十二月。月生于水。故在下者为阴。手之十指。以应十日。日主火。故在上者为阳。
黄帝曰。合之于脉奈何。岐伯曰。寅者正月之生阳也。主左足之少阳。未者六月。主右足之少阳。卯者二月。主左足之
太阳。午者五月。主右足之太阳。辰者三月。主左足之阳明。巳者四月。主右足之阳明。此两阳合于前。故曰阳明。申
者七月之生阴也。主右足之少阴。丑者十二月。主左足之少阴。酉者八月。主右足之太阴。子者十一月。主左足之太阴。
戌者九月。主右足之厥阴。亥者十月。主左足之厥阴。此两阴交尽。故曰厥阴。甲主左手之少阳。己主右手之少阳。乙
主左手之太阳。戊主右手之太阳。丙主左手之阳明。丁主右手之阳明。此两火并合。故为阳明。庚主右手之少阴。癸主
左手之少阴。辛主右手之太阴。壬主左手之太阴。故足之阳者。阴中之少阳也。足之阴者。阴中之太阴也。手之阳者。
阳中之太阳也。手之阴者。阳中之少阴也。腰以上者为阳。腰以下者为阴。其于五脏也。心为阳中之太阳。肺为阳中之
少阴。肝为阴中之少阳。脾为阴中之至阴。肾为阴中之太阴。黄帝曰。以治奈何。岐伯曰。正月二月三月。人气在左。
无刺左足之阳。四月五月六月。人气在右。无刺右足之阳。七月八月九月。人气在右。无刺右足之阴。十月十一月十二
月。人气在左。无刺左足之阴。黄帝曰。五行以东方甲乙木王春。春者苍色。主肝。肝者足厥阴也。今乃以甲为左手之
少阳。不合于数。何也。岐伯曰。此天地之阴阳也。非四时五行之以次行也。且夫阴阳者。有名而无形。故数之可十。
离之可百。散之可千。推之可万。此之谓也。
此篇之义。今无可考而笔自清利可喜。
Huangdi said: I have heard that the twelve meridians correspond to twelve rivers. The colors of these rivers differ, and their waters vary in clarity and turbidity. If human blood and qi are uniform, how do they correspond to this? Qibo replied: If human blood and qi were completely uniform, then the world would be unified, and where would there be chaos? Huangdi said: I am asking about an individual person, not the multitude of the world. Qibo replied: An individual also has chaotic qi, and among the multitude of the world, there are also individuals with chaotic qi; their principles are combined into one. Huangdi said: I wish to hear about the clarity and turbidity of human qi. Qibo replied: That which receives grain becomes turbid, and that which receives air (natural qi) becomes clear. Clear qi enters the Yin, and turbid qi enters the Yang. Of the turbid, the clear portion ascends out through the throat; of the clear, the turbid portion descends. When clear and turbid interfere with each other, it is called chaotic qi. Huangdi said: Yin is clear and Yang is turbid. Turbid qi contains clear aspects, and clear qi contains turbid aspects. How can we distinguish them? Qibo replied: In the general distinction of qi, clear qi ascends and pours into the Lung, while turbid qi descends and flows to the Stomach. The clear qi of the Stomach ascends out through the mouth, and the turbid qi of the Lung descends into the vessels, accumulating internally in the Sea of Qi (Dan Zhong). Huangdi said: All Yang meridians contain turbid qi. Why is some particularly turbid? Qibo replied: The Hand-Taiyang Small Intestine Meridian alone receives the turbidity of Yang, while the Hand-Taiyin Lung Meridian alone receives the clarity of Yin. Its clear qi ascends to the orifices, and its turbid qi descends to the various meridians. All Yin meridians contain clear qi, but the Foot-Taiyin Spleen Meridian alone receives turbidity. Huangdi said: How should this be treated? Qibo replied: Clear qi is slippery, and turbid qi is astringent; this is the normal state of qi. Therefore, when needling Yin meridians, one should insert deeply and retain the needle; when needling Yang meridians, one should insert shallowly and withdraw quickly. For cases where clear and turbid qi interfere with each other, regulation is achieved by adjusting the number of manipulations.
The writing style is clear and vigorous, resembling the sharpness of thunder and lightning and the purity of ice and snow.
Huangdi said: I have heard that Heaven is Yang and Earth is Yin; the Sun is Yang and the Moon is Yin. How does this correspond to humans? Qibo replied: The waist and above correspond to Heaven, and the waist and below correspond to Earth. Thus, Heaven is Yang and Earth is Yin. Consequently, the twelve meridians of the feet correspond to the twelve months. The Moon is born from water, so what is below belongs to Yin. The ten fingers of the hands correspond to the ten days. The Sun governs Fire, so what is above belongs to Yang. Huangdi said: How does this correspond to the pulses? Qibo replied: The month of Yin (the first lunar month) represents the generation of Yang and corresponds to the Left Foot-Shaoyang Gallbladder Meridian. The month of Wei (the sixth lunar month) corresponds to the Right Foot-Shaoyang Gallbladder Meridian. The month of Mao (the second lunar month) corresponds to the Left Foot-Taiyang Bladder Meridian. The month of Wu (the fifth lunar month) corresponds to the Right Foot-Taiyang Bladder Meridian. The month of Chen (the third lunar month) corresponds to the Left Foot-Yangming Stomach Meridian. The month of Si (the fourth lunar month) corresponds to the Right Foot-Yangming Stomach Meridian. These two Yang meridians combine anteriorly, hence the name Yangming. The month of Shen (the seventh lunar month) represents the generation of Yin and corresponds to the Right Foot-Shaoyin Kidney Meridian. The month of Chou (the twelfth lunar month) corresponds to the Left Foot-Shaoyin Kidney Meridian. The month of You (the eighth lunar month) corresponds to the Right Foot-Taiyin Spleen Meridian. The month of Zi (the eleventh lunar month) corresponds to the Left Foot-Taiyin Spleen Meridian. The month of Xu (the ninth lunar month) corresponds to the Right Foot-Jueyin Liver Meridian. The month of Hai (the tenth lunar month) corresponds to the Left Foot-Jueyin Liver Meridian. These two Yin meridians reach their end, hence the name Jueyin. The Heavenly Stem Jia corresponds to the Left Hand-Shaoyang Gallbladder Meridian, and Ji corresponds to the Right Hand-Shaoyang Gallbladder Meridian. Yi corresponds to the Left Hand-Taiyang Bladder Meridian, and Wu corresponds to the Right Hand-Taiyang Bladder Meridian. Bing corresponds to the Left Hand-Yangming Stomach Meridian, and Ding corresponds to the Right Hand-Yangming Stomach Meridian. These two Fire elements combine, hence the name Yangming. Geng corresponds to the Right Hand-Shaoyin Heart Meridian, and Gui corresponds to the Left Hand-Shaoyin Heart Meridian. Xin corresponds to the Right Hand-Taiyin Lung Meridian, and Ren corresponds to the Left Hand-Taiyin Lung Meridian. Therefore, the Yang meridians of the feet are Shaoyang within Yin; the Yin meridians of the feet are Taiyin within Yin; the Yang meridians of the hands are Taiyang within Yang; and the Yin meridians of the hands are Shaoyin within Yang. The area above the waist is Yang, and the area below the waist is Yin. Regarding the five Zang organs: the Heart is Taiyang within Yang; the Lung is Shaoyin within Yang; the Liver is Shaoyang within Yin; the Spleen is Zhì Yīn (Ultimate Yin) within Yin; and the Kidney is Taiyin within Yin. Huangdi said: How should treatment be conducted based on this? Qibo replied: In the first, second, and third months, the vital qi is in the left side; do not needle the Yang meridians of the left foot. In the fourth, fifth, and sixth months, the vital qi is in the right side; do not needle the Yang meridians of the right foot. In the seventh, eighth, and ninth months, the vital qi is in the right side; do not needle the Yin meridians of the right foot. In the tenth, eleventh, and twelfth months, the vital qi is in the left side; do not needle the Yin meridians of the left foot. Huangdi said: According to the Five Elements theory, East corresponds to Jia and Yi Wood, which reigns in Spring. Spring corresponds to the color cyan and governs the Liver, which is the Foot-Jueyin Meridian. Now it says that Jia corresponds to the Left Hand-Shaoyang Meridian, which does not align with the numerical sequence. Why is this? Qibo replied: This refers to the Yin and Yang of Heaven and Earth, not the sequential movement of the Four Seasons and Five Elements. Moreover, Yin and Yang have names but no form. Thus, numbers can be multiplied to ten, divided to a hundred, scattered to a thousand, and extended to ten thousand. This is what is meant.
The meaning of this chapter cannot be verified today, but the writing is naturally clear and fluent, which is pleasing.