五脏者，中之守也。（五脏者，各有所藏。藏而弗失，则精神完固，故为中之守也。）中盛脏满，
气胜伤恐者，声如从室中言，是中气之湿也；（中，胸腹也；脏，脏腑也。盛满，胀急也；气胜，喘
息也；伤恐者，肾受伤也；声如从室中言，混浊不清也，是皆水气上逆之
候，故为中气之湿症，此脾肺肾三脏之失守也。）言而微，终日乃复言者，此夺气也；（气虚之盛，故声不接
续，肺脏失守也。）衣被不敛，言语善恶不避亲疏者，此神明之乱也。（神明将脱，故昏乱若此，
心脏之失守也。）仓廪不藏者，是门户不要也；（要，约束也。幽门、阑门、魄门，皆仓廪之门户，门户不
能固则肠胃不能藏，所以泄利不禁，脾脏之失守也。）水泉不止者，是膀胱不藏也；（膀胱与肾为表里，所
以藏津液，水泉不止而遗溲失禁，肾脏之失守也。）得守者生，失守者死。（五脏得守，则无以上诸病，故
生，失守则神去而死矣。）夫五脏者，身之强也。（此下言形气之不守，而内应乎五脏也。脏气充则形体
强，故五脏为身之强。）头者精明之府，头倾视深，精神将夺矣；（五脏六腑之精气皆上升于头，以成七窍之
用，故头为精明之府。头倾者，低垂不能举也；视深者，目陷无光也。脏气失强，故精神之夺如此。）背
者胸中之府，背曲肩随，府将坏矣；（背乃脏俞所系，故为胸中之府。背曲肩随亦脏气之失强也。）腰者肾
之府，转摇不能，肾将惫矣；（此肾脏之失强也。）膝者筋之府，屈伸不能，行则偻俯，筋
将惫矣。（筋虽主于肝，而维络关节，以立此身者，惟膝 之筋为最，故膝为筋之府。筋惫若是，则诸经之
失强也。）骨者髓之府，不能久立，行则振掉，骨将惫矣。（髓充于骨，故骨为髓之府，髓空则骨弱
无力，此肾之失强者也。）得强则生，失强则死。（脏强则气强，故生；失强则气竭，故死。此不专言
夫病者，人不至于是不止，可胜悼哉！）
The Five Zang Organs are the guardians within. (The Five Zang Organs each store essence. If they store without losing, the spirit and vitality remain complete and solid, thus they are called the guardians within.) When there is fullness and distension in the center (chest and abdomen), excessive Qi causing panting, and injury to the Kidney manifesting as fear, with speech sounding muffled as if coming from a confined room, this indicates dampness in the Middle Jiao Qi. (Center refers to the chest and abdomen; Zang refers to the organs. Fullness and distension refer to bloating and tightness; excessive Qi refers to panting; injury to fear refers to Kidney injury; speech sounding like it comes from a room refers to turbid and unclear voice. These are all signs of rebellious Water Qi, hence constituting a dampness syndrome of the Middle Qi, representing the loss of control by the Spleen, Lung, and Kidney.) When speech is faint and only uttered once after a whole day, this indicates depletion of Qi. (Severe Qi deficiency causes discontinuous speech, indicating loss of control by the Lung.) When one cannot gather clothes and blankets properly, and speaks indiscriminately regarding good or bad matters without avoiding relatives or strangers, this indicates chaos of the Shen (Spirit). (The Shen is about to scatter, leading to such confusion, indicating loss of control by the Heart.) When the Granary (digestive system) fails to store, it is because the gates lack restraint. (Restraint refers to controlling function. The pylorus, ileocecal valve, and anus are all gates of the Granary. If these gates cannot be secured, the intestines and stomach cannot store, resulting in uncontrolled diarrhea and dysentery, indicating loss of control by the Spleen.) When the water springs (urine) do not stop, it is because the Bladder fails to store. (The Bladder and Kidney are exterior-interior paired, responsible for storing fluids. Unstopping urine and incontinence indicate loss of control by the Kidney.) Those who maintain control live; those who lose control die. (If the Five Zang maintain control, the aforementioned diseases will not occur, hence life; if control is lost, the spirit departs and death ensues.) The Five Zang are the strength of the body. (The following discusses the failure of form and Qi to maintain control, which internally corresponds to the Five Zang. When Zang Qi is abundant, the physical form is strong, thus the Five Zang constitute the strength of the body.) The head is the mansion of clarity and intelligence. If the head droops and cannot be lifted, and the eyes are sunken and devoid of luster, the spirit and vitality are about to be depleted. (Essence and Qi of the Five Zang and Six Fu organs all ascend to the head to facilitate the functions of the seven orifices, thus the head is the mansion of clarity. Drooping head means inability to lift the head; sunken eyes mean hollow orbits without light. Loss of strength in the Zang leads to such depletion of spirit.) The back is the mansion of the chest. If the back is curved and shoulders sag, the mansion is about to deteriorate. (The back is where the Shu points of the Zang organs are located, thus it is the mansion of the chest. Curved back and sagging shoulders also indicate loss of strength in the Zang.) The waist is the mansion of the Kidney. If turning and shaking is difficult, the Kidney is about to become exhausted. (This indicates loss of strength in the Kidney.) The knees are the mansion of the sinews. If flexion and extension are impossible, and walking requires stooping, the sinews are about to become exhausted. (Although sinews are primarily governed by the Liver, the sinews at the knees are most crucial for connecting joints and supporting the body, thus the knee is the mansion of sinews. Such exhaustion of sinews indicates loss of strength in the meridians.) The bones are the mansion of the marrow. If one cannot stand for long, and trembles while walking, the bones are about to become exhausted. (Marrow fills the bones, thus bone is the mansion of marrow. Empty marrow leads to weak and powerless bones, indicating loss of strength in the Kidney.) Those who maintain strength live; those who lose strength die. (Strong Zang Qi leads to strong Zheng Qi, hence life; loss of strength leads to exhaustion of Zheng Qi, hence death. This does not solely discuss disease; humans may endure up to a certain point, but reaching this state is truly lamentable!)