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Zhang Zhongjing said: When the human body is in a state of harmony, one only needs to nurture oneself well and must not take medicine rashly. The biased nature of drugs assists certain forces, causing the Qi of the Zang organs to become unbalanced, making one susceptible to external pathogens.

All living beings rely on food for survival, yet people do not realize that diet has its successes and failures; common people use it daily without knowing, just as water and fire are close at hand but difficult to recognize. I sigh at this situation and, taking advantage of my leisure time with pen and ink, have compiled the "Chapter on Dietary Treatment Based on the Benefits and Detriments of the Five Flavors" to enlighten children and beginners, hoping that diligent practice will yield results as immediate as an echo or shadow.

Wei Xun from Hedong recorded: Bian Que stated that the foundation upon which humans rely is the physical form (Xing); disease disrupts the harmonious Qi; medicine eliminates heat and toxicity; and the physician saves lives and supports the critical condition. The root of settling the body must rely on food; the speed of curing illness must rely on medicine. One who does not understand dietary appropriateness cannot preserve life; one who does not understand medicinal contraindications cannot eliminate disease. These two matters are essential for those with spirituality; if neglected and unlearned, it is truly tragic!

Therefore, food can expel evil and stabilize the Zang organs, delight the spirit and refresh the mind, thereby nourishing Blood and Qi. If one can use food to balance the body, release emotions, and dispel disease, they can be called a skilled practitioner. This is a miraculous method for longevity and the ultimate technique of health preservation.

A physician must first thoroughly understand the origin of diseases and know what caused them, treating them with diet first; if dietary therapy fails, then prescribe medicine. Medicinal properties are fierce and violent, much like commanding an army; how can the ferocity of troops be released recklessly? If used improperly, it harms many; the impact of medicine on disease causes widespread disaster similarly. Wang Xi of Gaoping said: Food should not be mixed indiscriminately; mixing may lead to violations of dietary rules; violating rules may cause injury; even if no harm occurs immediately, accumulation over time becomes a hazard. Furthermore, when eating dishes, strive for simplicity and moderation; choose meat, fish, fruits, and vegetables that benefit the body. Ordinary meals should be frugal; if one greedily eats too much, feeling full after a large meal, one may experience abdominal distension, shortness of breath, sudden illness, or even Huoluan (cholera-like disorder). Also, from the Summer Solstice until the Autumn Equinox, one must be cautious with fatty meats, cakes, butter, and similar items, as these are similar in nature to wine, beverages, melons, and fruits. The reason people suffer from many illnesses is often due to excessive cooling during spring and summer and lack of dietary restraint. Fish and other raw, cold, and fishy foods are mostly harmful to humans, so abstaining is beneficial. Milk, yogurt, and butter, if consumed regularly, strengthen sinews and muscles, enhance courage, and moisten the skin. However, sudden excessive consumption leads to abdominal bloating and diarrhea, which gradually subsides on its own.

The Yellow Emperor asked: "When the five flavors enter the mouth, each travels to a specific location and causes specific diseases. Sour flavor travels to the sinews; excessive sour intake causes strangury (difficulty urinating). Why is this?"

Shao Yu answered: "Sour flavor enters the Stomach. Its Qi is astringent and contracting. It moves upward to the Upper and Middle Jiao. If the Qi of the Jiao becomes astringent, it cannot move freely; unable to exit, it flows into the Stomach. The Stomach's warmth directs it downward into the Bladder. The Bladder connects to the Bao (uterus/bladder area). The Bao wall is thin and loose; encountering sour flavor causes it to contract and curl, restricting flow and obstructing the water passages, thus causing strangury. The Yin region is where sinews converge; therefore, sour flavor entering the Stomach travels to the sinews."

"Salty flavor travels to the Blood vessels; excessive salty intake causes thirst. Why?" The answer is: "Salty flavor enters the Stomach. Its Qi moves to the Middle Jiao and pours into the various vessels. Vessels are the pathways for Blood. When Blood meets salt, it coagulates. Coagulation causes the fluids in the Stomach to dry up. Dry fluids lead to a dry and thirsty Stomach. Thirst scorches the throat passage, leading to a dry tongue and desire to drink. Blood vessels are the pathways of the Middle Jiao; therefore, salty flavor entering the Stomach travels to the Blood."

"Pungent flavor travels to Qi; excessive pungent intake causes heart oppression. Why?" The answer is: "Pungent flavor enters the Stomach. Its Qi moves to the Upper Jiao. The Upper Jiao receives and distributes Qi to nourish the Yang channels. The aromas of ginger and leeks reach the Ying and Wei (Nutritive and Defensive) levels heavily. If Ying and Wei cannot accept them in time, they retreat to below the heart, causing oppression. 'Yun' means pain. Pungent flavor travels with Qi; thus, entering the Stomach, it travels to Qi and exits with Qi, causing Qi to become excessive."

"Bitter flavor travels to the bones; excessive bitter intake causes vomiting. Why?" The answer is: "Bitter flavor enters the Stomach. Its Qi is drying and induces vomiting/drainage. The Qi of the five grains cannot withstand bitterness. Bitter flavor enters the lower gate (pylorus/intestines), which is the pathway of the Sanjiao (Triple Burner). If all passages are blocked, flow stops, causing Qi to change and induce vomiting. Teeth are the culmination of bones; therefore, bitter flavor entering the Stomach travels to the bones. Entering and exiting, the teeth become dark and sparse."

"Sweet flavor travels to the flesh; excessive sweet intake causes nausea. Why?" The answer is: "Sweet flavor enters the Stomach. Its Qi is weak and inferior, unable to ascend to the Upper Jiao, remaining in the Stomach with food. Sweetness softens and relaxes; relaxation causes roundworms to move. Moving roundworms cause nausea. Its Qi extends outward to the flesh; therefore, sweet flavor travels to the flesh, causing flesh to develop millet-like bumps and calluses."

The Yellow Emperor asked: "May I hear about the governance of the five flavors of grains?" Bo Gao replied: "Those who eat wind have spirituality and lightness; those who eat air are peaceful and long-lived; those who eat grains have wisdom but tire the spirit; those who eat grass are dull but strong; those who eat meat are brave but prone to anger. Therefore, Liver Wood, green color, suits sour; Heart Fire, red color, suits bitter; Spleen Earth, yellow color, suits sweet; Lung Metal, white color, suits pungent; Kidney Water, black color, suits salty. Internally corresponding to the Five Zang, externally governing the Five Elements, colors match the five directions."

Correspondence of the Five Zang to tissues: Liver corresponds to sinews, its glory manifests in nails; Heart corresponds to vessels, its glory manifests in complexion; Spleen corresponds to flesh, its glory manifests in lips; Lung corresponds to skin, its glory manifests in hair; Kidney corresponds to bones, its glory manifests in head hair.

Dietary taboos for the Five Zang: Excessive sour makes skin dry and hair brittle; excessive bitter makes sinews tight and nails withered; excessive sweet causes bone pain and hair loss; excessive pungent causes calluses on flesh and retracted lips; excessive salty causes blood coagulation and color changes.

Dietary recommendations for the Five Zang: Liver disease suits sesame, dog meat, plums, and Chinese chives; Heart disease suits wheat, mutton, apricots, and Allium macrostemon; Spleen disease suits barnyard millet, beef, dates, and Malva verticillata; Lung disease suits yellow millet, chicken, peaches, and scallions; Kidney disease suits soybean sprouts, pork, chestnuts, and soybean leaves.

Methods by which the five flavors provoke disease: Sour travels to sinews, avoid sour for sinus diseases; bitter travels to bones, avoid bitter for bone diseases; sweet travels to flesh, avoid sweet for flesh diseases; pungent travels to Qi, avoid pungent for Qi diseases; salty travels to Blood, avoid salty for Blood diseases.

Combinations of the five flavors: Rice is sweet, sesame is sour, soybeans are salty, wheat is bitter, yellow millet is pungent, dates are sweet, plums are sour, chestnuts are salty, apricots are bitter, peaches are pungent, beef is sweet, dog meat is sour, pork is salty, mutton is bitter, chicken is pungent, Malva verticillata is sweet, Chinese chives are sour, soybean leaves are salty, Allium macrostemon is bitter, scallions are pungent.

Treatment of Five Zang diseases using the five flavors: When Liver Qi is urgent, quickly consume sweet to relax it; when Liver desires dispersion, quickly consume pungent to disperse it; use sour to drain it, avoid wind. When Heart Qi is slack, quickly consume sour to astringe it; when Heart desires firmness, quickly consume salty to soften hardness; use sweet to drain it, avoid warm food and thick clothing. When Spleen suffers from dampness, quickly consume bitter to dry it; when Spleen desires relaxation, quickly consume sweet to relax it; use bitter to drain it, avoid warm food, overeating, damp ground, and wet clothes. When Lung Qi rebels upward causing panting, quickly consume bitter to drain it; when Lung desires consolidation, quickly consume sour to astringe it, use pungent to drain it; avoid cold food and cold clothing. When Kidney suffers from dryness, quickly consume pungent to moisten it, open the pores, generate fluids, and promote Qi flow; when Kidney desires firmness, quickly consume bitter to consolidate it, use salty to drain it, avoid cold pathogens, hot clothing, and warm food.

Therefore, toxic drugs attack evil, five grains nourish, five meats benefit, five fruits assist, five vegetables fill. Essence is generated by food Qi, Qi nourishes essence to brighten complexion; Form is formed by food taste, taste nourishes form to generate strength. This is the principle.

There are five Spirit Zang, totaling twenty-five types; there are four Form Zang (directions, seasons, quarters, limbs), totaling forty-five. Using these to assist the spirit allows for long life and clear vision.

Essence follows the five Qi to become spiritual; if food Qi repels each other, it damages essence; Form accepts taste to mature; if food taste is unharmonious, it damages form. Thus, sages first use dietary prohibitions to preserve nature, then create medicines to protect life. For deficiency of form, warm with Qi; for deficiency of essence, tonify with taste. Warming and tonifying with Qi and taste preserves form and essence.

Qi Bo said: Yang is Qi, Yin is taste. Taste returns to form, form returns to Qi, Qi returns to essence, essence returns to transformation. Essence feeds on Qi, form feeds on taste, transformation generates essence. Qi generates form, taste damages form, Qi damages essence, essence transforms into Qi, Qi is damaged by taste. Yin taste exits through the lower orifices, Yang Qi exits through the upper orifices. Strong taste is Yin, weak taste is Yang within Yin; strong Qi is Yang, weak Qi is Yin within Yang. Strong taste causes purging, weak taste promotes flow; weak Qi causes sweating, strong Qi causes constipation. Vigorous fire diminishes Qi, mild fire strengthens Qi; vigorous fire consumes Qi, Qi relies on mild fire, vigorous fire dissipates Qi, mild fire generates Qi. Pungent and sweet flavors, dispersing and diffusing, are Yang; sour and bitter flavors, inducing vomiting and drainage, are Yin. Yin excess injures Yang, Yang excess injures Yin; when Yin and Yang are harmonious, the person is safe.

In the seventy-two days of Spring, reduce sour and increase sweet to nourish Spleen Qi; in the seventy-two days of Summer, reduce bitter and increase pungent to nourish Lung Qi; in the seventy-two days of Autumn, reduce pungent and increase sour to nourish Liver Qi; in the seventy-two days of Winter, reduce salty and increase bitter to nourish Heart Qi; in the eighteen days of each season's final month, reduce sweet and increase salty to nourish Kidney Qi.