《痿论篇》曰∶五脏使人痿,何也?(痿谓痿弱无力以运动。)肺主身之皮毛,心主身之血
脉,肝主身之筋膜,(膜者,皮下肉上筋膜也。)脾主身之肌肉,肾主身之骨髓,(所主不同,痿生亦
各归其后主。)故肺热叶焦,则皮毛虚弱急薄,着则生痿 也。( ,谓挛 ,足不得伸以行也。肺
热则肾受热气故尔。)心气热,则下脉厥而上,上则下脉虚,虚则生脉痿,枢折挈,胫纵而不
任地也。(心热盛,则火独先炎上,肾之脉常下行,令火盛上炎用事,故肾脉亦随火烁灼,而逆上
行也。隐气厥逆,火复内燔,上膈阳,下不守位,心气还脉,故生脉痿。肾气主足,故膝腕枢纽如折,
胫筋纵缓,而不能在地也。)肝气热,则胆泄口苦,筋膜干,筋膜干则筋急而挛,发为筋痿。(胆约肝叶,
而汁味至苦,肝热则胆液渗泄故口苦也。肝主筋膜,热则筋膜而向挛急,发为筋痿。)脾气热则胃干而
渴,肌肉不仁,发为肉痿。(脾与胃以膜相连,脾气热则胃液渗泄,故干而渴。脾主肌肉,热扰于
肉,故肌肉不仁,发为肉痿。)肾气热则腰脊不举,骨枯而髓减,发为骨痿。(腰为肾府。又肾脉上股
内,贯脊属肾,故肾气热则腰脊不举。肾主骨髓,髓热则骨枯而髓减,发为骨痿。)治痿者,独取
阳明何也?阳明者,五脏六腑之海,(阳明胃脉也。为水谷之海。)主润宗筋,宗筋主束骨而利机关
也。(宗筋为隐毛中横骨上下之坚筋也。上络胸腹,下贯髋尻,又经于背腹,上头项,故云宗筋主束骨
而利机关。然腰者,身之大关节,所以司屈伸,故曰机关。)冲脉者,经脉之海也。(《灵枢》曰∶冲
脉者,十二经之海。)主渗灌溪谷,与阳明合于宗筋,(寻此则横骨上下,脐两旁坚筋,正宗筋也。
冲脉循腹夹脐傍,各同身寸之五分而上,阳明脉,亦夹脐旁,各同身寸之一寸五分而上,宗筋脉于中,故
曰与阳明合于宗筋也。以为十二以海,故主渗灌溪谷也。肉之大肢为骨,小会为。)阴阳总宗筋之会,
会于气街,而阳明为之长,皆属于带脉,而络于督脉,(宗筋聚会,会于横骨之中,从上而下故云阴阳
总宗筋之会也。宗筋夹脐下,合于横骨,阳明辅其外,冲脉居其中,故云会于气街,而阳明为之长。
气街,隐毛两旁脉动处也。带脉者,起于季胁,回身一周,而络于督脉也。督脉者,起于关元,上下
循腹。故云∶皆属于带脉,而络于肾脉也。督脉、任脉、冲脉三者,同起而异行,故经文或参差引之。)
故阳明虚则宗筋纵,带脉不引,故足痿不用也。(阳明之脉从缺盆下乳内廉,下夹脐,至气街中;其支别者,
起胃下口,循腹里,下至气街中而合,以下髀,抵伏兔,下入膝膑中,下循 外廉,下足跗,入中指内
间;其支别者,下膝三寸而别,以下入中指外间。故阳明虚则宗筋纵,带脉不引,而足痿不用也。)
The "Treatise on Wei Syndrome" states: The five zang organs can all cause Wei syndrome (flaccidity syndrome), why is this? (Wei refers to flaccidity and weakness of the limbs, rendering them unable to move.) The Lung governs the skin and hair of the body; the Heart governs the blood vessels of the body; the Liver governs the sinews (tendons and fascia) of the body; (Sinews here refer to the tendinous tissue located above the subcutaneous layer and beneath the muscle.) the Spleen governs the muscles of the body; the Kidney governs the bone marrow of the body. (Although each organ has its specific governance, the onset of Wei syndrome also corresponds to its respective governing organ.) Therefore, if Lung heat causes the lung leaves to become scorched and dry, the skin and hair will become weak, tight, and thin; over time, this leads to Wei Bi (flaccidity with inability to extend the legs). (Wei Bi refers to tendon contraction where the feet cannot be extended for walking. Lung heat transmits thermal pathogenic factors to the Kidney, hence this occurs.) If Heart qi is hot, the lower vessels become jue (rebellious) and ascend; ascending leads to deficiency in the lower vessels; deficiency generates Mai Wei (vessel flaccidity), characterized by a collapse of the pivotal joints making lifting difficult, and the shins becoming flaccid and unable to bear weight. (Excessive Heart heat causes fire to flare upwards exclusively. The Kidney meridian normally descends, but when fire is excessive and flares up, the Kidney meridian follows the burning fire and rebels upward. Yin Qi rebels, fire burns internally, reaches the upper jiao yang, and fails to remain in its lower position; Heart qi returns to the vessels, thus generating Mai Wei. Since Kidney qi governs the feet, the knee and ankle joints feel as if broken, the shin tendons are flaccid, and one cannot stand on the ground.) If Liver qi is hot, gallbladder juice leaks causing bitter taste in the mouth, and the sinews become dry. Dry sinews lead to tendon cramping and contraction, manifesting as Jin Wei (sinew flaccidity). (The Gallbladder wraps the Liver lobes, and its juice tastes extremely bitter; Liver heat causes gallbladder fluid to leak, resulting in a bitter taste. The Liver governs the sinews; heat causes the sinews to dry and contract, leading to Jin Wei.) If Spleen qi is hot, the Stomach becomes dry causing thirst, and the muscles become insensate, manifesting as Rou Wei (muscle flaccidity). (The Spleen and Stomach are connected by membranes; Spleen heat causes stomach fluids to leak, resulting in dryness and thirst. The Spleen governs the muscles; heat disturbs the flesh, causing muscle insensibility, leading to Rou Wei.) If Kidney qi is hot, the waist and spine become immobile, bones become withered, and marrow decreases, manifesting as Gu Wei (bone flaccidity). (The waist is the residence of the Kidney. Furthermore, the Kidney meridian ascends through the inner thigh, penetrates the spine, and connects to the Kidney; thus, Kidney heat renders the waist and spine immobile. The Kidney governs bone marrow; marrow heat causes bone withering and marrow depletion, leading to Gu Wei.) Why does treating Wei syndrome focus solely on the Yangming channel? The Yangming channel is the sea of the five zang and six fu organs. (Yangming refers to the Stomach meridian, which is the sea of water and grain.) It governs the moistening of Zong Jin (major sinews); Zong Jin governs binding the bones and facilitating joint movement. (Zong Jin refers to the strong tendons above and below the pubic bone in the genital region. They connect superiorly to the chest and abdomen, inferiorly to the hips and sacrum, pass through the back and abdomen, and reach the head and neck; hence, it is said that Zong Jin binds bones and facilitates joints. However, the waist is the major joint of the body, responsible for flexion and extension, so it is called the "joint mechanism".) Chong Mai (Penetrating Vessel) is the sea of the twelve regular meridians. (As stated in *Ling Shu*: "Chong Mai is the sea of the twelve meridians.") It governs the infiltration and irrigation of the cun gu (valleys between muscles); it combines with Yangming at Zong Jin. (Investigating this meaning, the firm tendons above and below the pubic bone and beside the umbilicus are the true Zong Jin. Chong Mai circulates along the abdomen, flanking the umbilicus, ascending 0.5 cun laterally from the umbilicus; Yangming Meridian also flanks the umbilicus, ascending 1.5 cun laterally from the umbilicus, with the Zong Jin meridian in the middle; thus, it is said to combine with Yangming at Zong Jin. As the sea of the twelve meridians, it governs the infiltration of the cun gu. Large muscle masses gather into bones, small gatherings into sinews.) Yin and Yang converge at Zong Jin, meeting at Qicheng (Stomach 30), with Yangming acting as their leader; they all belong to Dai Mai (Girdle Vessel) and are linked to Du Mai (Governor Vessel). (Zong Jin gathers, meeting within the pubic bone, descending from above, hence it is said that Yin and Yang converge at Zong Jin. Zong Jin flanks below the umbilicus, merging with the pubic bone; Yangming assists externally, Chong Mai resides in the middle; thus, it is said to meet at Qicheng, with Yangming as the leader. Qicheng refers to the area beside the pubic hair where pulses beat. Dai Mai originates from the hypochondrium, encircles the body once, and links to Du Mai. Du Mai originates from Guanyuan (Ren 4), circulating up and down the abdomen. Hence, it is said: "They all belong to Dai Mai and link to Du Mai." Du Mai, Ren Mai (Conception Vessel), and Chong Mai share the same origin but differ in course, so the classic text sometimes cites them interchangeably.) Therefore, when Yangming is deficient, Zong Jin becomes flaccid and relaxed; Dai Mai fails to draw/tighten; consequently, the feet become flaccid and unusable. (The Yangming meridian descends from Quepen (Lung 1) along the inner aspect of the breast, passes flanking the umbilicus, to reach Qicheng; its branch originates from the lower opening of the Stomach, circulates within the abdomen, descends to merge at Qicheng, then travels down the thigh, reaches Futu (Stomach 32), descends into the knee patella, runs down the lateral aspect of the leg, to the dorsum of the foot, entering the space between the toes; another branch diverges three cun below the knee, descending to the outer space between the toes. Thus, Yangming deficiency leads to flaccidity of Zong Jin, failure of Dai Mai to draw, and flaccidity/unusability of the feet.)