（足厥阴肝经足少阳胆经）味辛补酸泻（所以制金）。气温补凉泻（手少阴心经手太阳
小肠
）。味咸补甘泻（所以制水）。气热补寒泻（足太阴脾经足阳明胃经）。味甘补苦泻（所以制
土）。
气（温凉寒热补泻各从其宜。手太阴肺经手阳明大肠）味酸补辛泻（所以制水）。气凉补温
泻（足
少阴肾经足太阳膀胱）。味苦补咸泻（所以制火）。气寒补热泻。五脏更相平也，一脏不平病。
故曰安谷则昌，绝谷
故血不可不养，卫不可不温。血温卫和，荣卫将行，常有天命也。
肝欲散，急食辛以散之，以辛补之，以酸泻之。心欲 ，急食咸以 之，以咸补之，以
甘泻之。脾欲缓，急食甘以缓之，以甘补之，以苦泻之。肺欲收，急食酸以收之，以酸补之，
以辛泻之。肾欲坚，急食苦以坚之，以苦补之，以咸泻之。
肝苦急，急食甘以缓之。脾苦湿，急食苦以燥之。心苦缓，急食酸以收之。肾苦燥，急
食辛以润之。肺苦气上，急食苦以泄之。
东方之木，其色青，其味酸，其脏肝。肝主筋，木曰曲直作酸，酸走肝，筋病患无多食
酸。
南方之火，其色赤，其味苦，其脏心。心主血，火曰炎上作苦，苦走心，血病患无多食
苦。
西方之金，其色白，其味辛，其脏肺。肺主气，金曰从革作辛，辛走肺，气病患无多食
辛。
中央之土，其色黄，其味甘，其脏脾。脾主肉，土曰稼穑作甘，甘走脾，肉病患无多食
甘。
北方之水，其色黑，其味咸，其脏肾。肾主骨，水曰润下作咸，咸走肾，骨病患无多食
咸。
(Foot Jueyin Liver Meridian and Foot Shaoyang Gallbladder Meridian) Pungent flavor tonifies, sour flavor drains (to control Lung Metal). Warm qi tonifies, cool qi drains (corresponding to Hand Shaoyin Heart Meridian and Hand Taiyang Small Intestine Meridian). Salty flavor tonifies, sweet flavor drains (to control Kidney Water). Hot qi tonifies, cold qi drains (corresponding to Foot Taiyin Spleen Meridian and Foot Yangming Stomach Meridian). Sweet flavor tonifies, bitter flavor drains (to control Spleen Earth).
The properties of Qi—warm, cool, cold, hot—and the actions of tonification and draining should each be applied according to their appropriateness (corresponding to Hand Taiyin Lung Meridian and Hand Yangming Large Intestine Meridian). Sour flavor tonifies, pungent flavor drains (to control Kidney Water). Cool qi tonifies, warm qi drains (corresponding to Foot Shaoyin Kidney Meridian and Foot Taiyang Bladder Meridian). Bitter flavor tonifies, salty flavor drains (to control Heart Fire). Cold qi tonifies, hot qi drains. The Five Zang organs maintain mutual balance; if one organ is imbalanced, disease arises. Therefore, it is said that proper nourishment leads to prosperity, while lack of nourishment leads to danger. Thus, blood must not fail to be nourished, and Wei Qi (Defensive Qi) must not fail to be warmed. When blood is warm and Wei Qi is harmonious, Ying Qi (Nutritive Qi) and Wei Qi can circulate normally, allowing one to fulfill their natural lifespan.
The Liver desires dispersion; quickly consume pungent foods to disperse it, use pungent flavor to tonify the Liver, and use sour flavor to drain the Liver. The Heart desires... [text missing]; quickly consume salty foods to... [text missing], use salty flavor to tonify the Heart, and use sweet flavor to drain the Heart. The Spleen desires relaxation; quickly consume sweet foods to relax it, use sweet flavor to tonify the Spleen, and use bitter flavor to drain the Spleen. The Lung desires consolidation; quickly consume sour foods to consolidate it, use sour flavor to tonify the Lung, and use pungent flavor to drain the Lung. The Kidney desires firmness; quickly consume bitter foods to firm it, use bitter flavor to tonify the Kidney, and use salty flavor to drain the Kidney.
The Liver suffers from tension/spasm; quickly consume sweet foods to relieve it. The Spleen suffers from dampness; quickly consume bitter foods to dry it. The Heart suffers from flaccidity/relaxation; quickly consume sour foods to astringe it. The Kidney suffers from dryness; quickly consume pungent foods to moisten it. The Lung suffers from rebellious Qi ascending; quickly consume bitter foods to descend/drain it.
Dry Qi enters the Liver. Fishy odor enters the Lungs. Fragrant odor enters the Spleen. Scorched odor enters the Heart. Putrid odor enters the Kidneys.
The Wood of the East, its color is green, its flavor is sour, its corresponding Zang organ is the Liver. The Liver governs the sinews; Wood is characterized by bending and straightening, producing sourness; sour flavor travels to the Liver; those with sinew diseases should not eat excessive sour food.
The Fire of the South, its color is red, its flavor is bitter, its corresponding Zang organ is the Heart. The Heart governs the blood; Fire is characterized by flaming upward, producing bitterness; bitter flavor travels to the Heart; those with blood diseases should not eat excessive bitter food.
The Metal of the West, its color is white, its flavor is pungent, its corresponding Zang organ is the Lung. The Lung governs Qi; Metal is characterized by changing and rectifying, producing pungency; pungent flavor travels to the Lung; those with Qi diseases should not eat excessive pungent food.
The Earth of the Center, its color is yellow, its flavor is sweet, its corresponding Zang organ is the Spleen. The Spleen governs the muscles/flesh; Earth is characterized by sowing and reaping, producing sweetness; sweet flavor travels to the Spleen; those with flesh diseases should not eat excessive sweet food.
The Water of the North, its color is black, its flavor is salty, its corresponding Zang organ is the Kidney. The Kidney governs the bones; Water is characterized by moistening and flowing downward, producing salinity; salty flavor travels to the Kidney; those with bone diseases should not eat excessive salty food.