人身从脐中分,上部为阳,下部为阴,面为阳,背为阴,左为阳,右为阴,表
为阳,里为阴,腑为阳,脏为阴,气为阳,血为阴,动为阳,静为阴,语为阳,默
为阴,寤为阳,寐为阴,呼为阳,吸为阴,魂为阳,魄为阴。《内经》言背为阳,是
对腹为阴说,非谓背为阳而面为阴也。盖腹处下,而背居上,故以上者为阳,下者
为阴耳。后人不明其说,以腹字当面字看,误矣。观《易》卦,阳盛于午,阴盛于
子。背,北也,北属阴,阴静阳动,背不动,属阴明矣。又溺水死者,女尸必仰,
女人阴气重也。男尸必仆,男人阳气重也。不更可验背之属阴,面之属阳哉?
夫阳盛于午,阴盛于子,此面阳背阴之义也。由复至干,左升为阳,由
至坤,右降为阴,此左阳右阴之义也。阳主气,阴主血,阳大而阴小。乃丹溪谓∶
左半血多,右半气多,人右手足大于左手足。何也?曰∶左右阴阳对待,本甚均平,
无偏多偏少。然阳盛于午,至酉而犹热,阴盛于子,至卯而犹寒,岂非极盛之势,
余气犹旺耶?然则左虽属阳,而阴反盛,右虽属阴,而阳反强,固可见矣。又何疑
于左半身血多,右半身气多,右手足之大于左手足乎。(《医贯》谓∶冬至一阳生,当渐向暖和,
乃腊月大寒,冰雪反甚,盖阳伏于下,逼阴于上,故井水气蒸而坚冰至。夏至一阴生,当
渐向清凉,乃三伏潺暑,酷热反炽,盖阴盛于下,逼阳于上,故井水寒而雷电合。可以互
证。)予尝病眼热,必右目先而甚,左目后而微,知左属血,火不易伤也。(所谓干柴者先
灼,湿者后燃也。)又病脚肿,必左先而甚,右后而微,知右属气,湿尚易运也。又尝掩
右目,用左目视月,则不如右目之明,以右目火盛,能远烛也。掩左目,用右目观书,
则不如左目之朗,以左目水盛,能近鉴也。然此犹各有所长也。若较其强弱,则右必强
于左。尝吹筒弋鸟,筒鸟相对若引绳,以为必中也,而不中,知二目之力有强弱不同也
。因闭右目,独用左目视筒鸟如引绳,乃开右目并用,则大异矣,是左目为右目所夺也
。又闭左目,独用右目,视筒鸟如引绳,乃开左目并视,其为如引绳者,亦无异也,是
右目不为左目所夺也。岂非右目强而左目弱哉?故《经》言右耳目不如左耳目明者,吾
不信也。腑为阳,脏为阴。细分之,则心肺处上部为阳,肝肾居下部为阴。又心与肺较,
则肺属金为阴,心属火为阳。肝与肾较,肾属水为阴,肝属木为阳。又肺与肝较,
则肺主降为阴,肝主升为阳。又肾有水有火,肾火为阳,肾水为阴。纷纭蕃变,无
有定名。医书动言阴阳,而不切指其为何项,甚属朦混,当细分之。(如言阴虚,则未知
其言血虚耶?肺虚耶?肾水虚耶?肾火虚耶?何不切指之曰血虚,曰肺虚,曰肾水虚,
曰肾火虚,之为明白也。本集一一分晰之。)
The human body is divided by the navel: the upper part is Yang, the lower part is Yin; the face is Yang, the back is Yin; the left side is Yang, the right side is Yin; the exterior is Yang, the interior is Yin; the Fu organs (Six Intestines/Gallbladder/Bladder) are Yang, the Zang organs (Five Viscera) are Yin; Qi is Yang, Blood is Yin; movement is Yang, stillness is Yin; speaking is Yang, silence is Yin; being awake is Yang, sleeping is Yin; exhaling is Yang, inhaling is Yin; Hun (Ethereal Soul) is Yang, Po (Corporeal Soul) is Yin. The *Huangdi Neijing* states that the back is Yang, which is said in contrast to the abdomen being Yin; it does not mean the back is Yang and the face is Yin. This is because the abdomen is situated below, while the back is positioned above; thus, what is above is considered Yang, and what is below is considered Yin. Later generations did not understand this explanation and misinterpreted "abdomen" as "face," which was an error. Observing the hexagrams of the *I Ching*, Yang Qi peaks at Wu hour (noon), and Yin Qi peaks at Zi hour (midnight). The back corresponds to the North; the North belongs to Yin. Yin is still, Yang is active; since the back is immobile, it clearly belongs to Yin. Furthermore, among those who drown, female corpses always float on their backs, indicating that women have heavy Yin Qi; male corpses always lie prone, indicating that men have heavy Yang Qi. Does this not further verify that the back belongs to Yin and the face belongs to Yang?
Yang Qi is most abundant at Wu hour, and Yin Qi is most abundant at Zi hour; this is the meaning behind the face being Yang and the back being Yin. From the Fu hexagram to the Qian hexagram, rising to the left constitutes Yang; from the Gou hexagram to the Kun hexagram, descending to the right constitutes Yin; this is the meaning behind the left being Yang and the right being Yin. Yang primarily governs Qi, and Yin primarily governs Blood; Yang is large, and Yin is small. However, Zhu Danxi stated: "There is more Blood in the left half and more Qi in the right half, hence a person's right hand and foot are larger than the left." Why is this? The answer is: Left and Right Yin and Yang are mutually opposing and originally very balanced, with no excess or deficiency. Yet, when Yang Qi peaks at Wu hour, it remains hot until You hour; when Yin Qi peaks at Zi hour, it remains cold until Mao hour. Is this not evidence that even after reaching peak intensity, residual energy remains vigorous? Therefore, although the left belongs to Yang, Yin actually prevails there; although the right belongs to Yin, Yang actually dominates there. This is evident. So why doubt that there is more Blood in the left half-body and more Qi in the right half-body, and that the right hand and foot are larger than the left? (*Yi Guan* states: "At Winter Solstice, one Yang Qi arises, so warmth should gradually increase; yet during the Great Cold of the twelfth lunar month, ice and snow become even more severe. This is because Yang Qi hides below, forcing Yin Qi upward, causing well water to steam while solid ice forms. At Summer Solstice, one Yin Qi arises, so coolness should gradually increase; yet during the Sanfu extreme heat, scorching heat becomes intense. This is because Yin Qi is abundant below, forcing Yang Qi upward, causing well water to be cold while thunder and lightning combine. These can corroborate each other.") I once suffered from eye heat; my right eye would always be affected first and severely, while the left eye was affected later and mildly. Thus, I knew the left belongs to Blood, and Fire pathogenic factors do not easily injure it. (This is like dry wood burning first and wet wood burning later.) I also once suffered from leg edema; my left foot swelled first and severely, while the right foot swelled later and mildly. Thus, I knew the right belongs to Qi, and Dampness pathogenic factors are relatively easy to transform. I once covered my right eye and used my left eye to view the moon, but it was not as clear as with my right eye, because the right eye has abundant Fire Qi and can illuminate distant objects. I covered my left eye and used my right eye to read books, but it was not as bright as with my left eye, because the left eye has abundant Water Qi and can inspect near objects. However, these cases show that each has its strengths. If comparing strength, the right eye must be stronger than the left. I once used a blowpipe to shoot at birds; aiming at a bird through the pipe seemed like pulling a tight rope, leading me to believe I would hit it, but I missed. This showed that the two eyes have different levels of power. Then, closing my right eye and using only my left eye to aim at the bird as if pulling a tight rope, and then opening both eyes to look together, the situation changed drastically; this indicated that the left eye was overpowered by the right eye. Conversely, closing my left eye and using only my right eye to aim at the bird as if pulling a tight rope, and then opening both eyes to look together, the image remained consistent; this indicated that the right eye was not overpowered by the left eye. Does this not prove that the right eye is strong and the left eye is weak? Therefore, I do not believe the statement in the Classics that the right ear and eye are less acute than the left.
The Fu organs are Yang, and the Zang organs are Yin. In finer detail, the Heart and Lung are located in the upper part and belong to Yang; the Liver and Kidney are located in the lower part and belong to Yin. Furthermore, comparing the Heart and Lung, the Lung belongs to Metal and is Yin, while the Heart belongs to Fire and is Yang. Comparing the Liver and Kidney, the Kidney belongs to Water and is Yin, while the Liver belongs to Wood and is Yang. Comparing the Lung and Liver, the Lung governs descending and is Yin, while the Liver governs ascending and is Yang. Moreover, the Kidney contains both Water and Fire; Kidney Fire is Yang, and Kidney Water is Yin. These distinctions are complex and variable, without fixed names. Medical texts often speak of Yin and Yang without specifically pointing out which category they refer to, which is very vague and should be clarified in detail. (For example, when stating "Yin Deficiency," it is unclear whether it refers to Blood Deficiency, Lung Deficiency, Kidney Water Deficiency, or Kidney Fire Deficiency. Why not specify explicitly as Blood Deficiency, Lung Deficiency, Kidney Water Deficiency, or Kidney Fire Deficiency for clarity? These have been analyzed one by one in this collection.)