天不足西北，故西北方阴也，而人右耳目不如左明也。地不满东南，故东南方
阳也，而人左手足不如右强
也。东方，阳也。阳者，其精并于上，并于上则上明而下虚，故使耳目聪明而手足不
便也。西方，阴也。阴者，其精并于下，并于下则下盛而上虚，故其耳目不聪而手足便
也。故俱感于邪，其在上，则右甚；在下，则左甚。此天地阴阳所不能存也，故邪居
之。故天有精，地有形；天有八纪，地有五里，故能为万物之父母。清阳上天，浊阴归
地，是故天地之动静，神明之纲纪，故能以生长收藏，终而复始。惟贤人上配天以养头，
下象地以养足，中傍人事以养五脏。天气通于肺，地气通于嗌，风气通于肝，雷气通于
心，谷气通于脾，雨气通于肾。六经为川，肠胃为海，九窍为水注之器。以天地为之阴
阳，阳之汗，以天地之雨名之∶阳之气，以天地之疾风名之。暴风象雷，逆风象阳。故治
不法天之纪，不用地之理，则灾害至矣。故邪风之至，疾如风雨。故善治者，
治皮毛，其次治肌肤，其次治筋脉，其次治六腑，其次治五脏。治五脏者，半死半生也。故
天之邪气，感则害人五脏；水谷之寒热，感则害人六腑；地之湿气，感则害人皮肤筋脉。
故善用针者，从阴引阳，从阳引阴，以右治左，以左治右，以我知彼，以表知里，以观过与
不及之理，见微得过，用之不殆。
Heaven's energy is insufficient in the northwest, therefore the northwest belongs to Yin; consequently, a person's right ear and eye are not as acute as the left. Earth's form is incomplete in the southeast, therefore the southeast belongs to Yang; consequently, a person's left hand and foot are not as strong as the right. The East belongs to Yang. Yang energy gathers in the upper part; when it gathers in the upper part, the upper becomes clear and the lower becomes deficient, thus making the ears and eyes sharp but the hands and feet inconvenient. The West belongs to Yin. Yin energy gathers in the lower part; when it gathers in the lower part, the lower becomes abundant and the upper becomes deficient, thus making the ears and eyes less acute but the hands and feet convenient. Therefore, if simultaneously affected by pathogenic factors, if the pathogen is in the upper part, the right side is more severe; if in the lower part, the left side is more severe. This is where the Yin and Yang of Heaven and Earth cannot fully exist, so pathogens reside there. Thus, Heaven has essence, Earth has form; Heaven has eight seasonal markers, Earth has five regions, thereby serving as the parents of all things. Clear Yang ascends to Heaven, Turbid Yin descends to Earth. Thus, the movement and stillness of Heaven and Earth constitute the principles of Divine Spirit, enabling the growth, flourishing, storage, and collection of all things, ending and beginning again. Only the wise person models themselves on Heaven above to nourish the head, on Earth below to nourish the feet, and aligns with human affairs in the middle to nourish the Zang organs. Heavenly Qi connects with the Lung, Earthly Qi connects with the throat, Wind Qi connects with the Liver, Thunder Qi connects with the Heart, Grain Qi connects with the Spleen, and Rain Qi connects with the Kidney. The Six Channels (Liu Jing) are like rivers, the intestines and stomach are like seas, and the nine orifices are vessels into which water flows. Using Heaven and Earth to represent Yin and Yang: the sweat of Yang Qi is named after the rain of Heaven and Earth; the Qi of Yang is named after the fierce wind of Heaven and Earth. Violent wind resembles Thunder, contrary wind resembles Yang. Therefore, if treatment does not follow the laws of Heaven or utilize the principles of Earth, disasters will arrive. Thus, the arrival of pathogenic winds is swift like wind and rain. Therefore, a skilled practitioner treats at the level of the skin and hair first, then the muscles and skin, then the sinews and vessels, then the Fu organs, and finally the Zang organs. Treating diseases that have reached the Zang organs results in a prognosis of half dead and half alive. Thus, pathogenic Qi from Heaven, once contracted, harms the Zang organs; cold and heat from food and drink, once contracted, harm the Fu organs; dampness from Earth, once contracted, harms the skin and sinews/vessels. Therefore, a skilled acupuncturist draws Yang from Yin, draws Yin from Yang, treats the right to cure the left, treats the left to cure the right, knows the other through oneself, knows the interior through the exterior, observes the principles of excess and deficiency, detects faults from subtle signs, and thus uses these methods without peril.