Library

*Ling Shu: Yin Yang Xi Ri Yue* Chapter (Full Text)

The Yellow Emperor asked, "I have heard that Heaven is Yang, Earth is Yin, the Sun is Yang, and the Moon is Yin. How do these correspond to the human body?"

Qibo replied, "The area above the waist corresponds to Heaven, and the area below the waist corresponds to Earth; therefore, Heaven belongs to Yang, and Earth belongs to Yin. Thus, the twelve meridians of the feet correspond to the twelve months of the year. The Moon is born from Water, so what is located lower belongs to Yin. The ten fingers of the hands correspond to the Ten Heavenly Stems. The Sun governs Fire, so what is located upper belongs to Yang." (The Sun is the essence of Yang, thus it governs Fire. The Moon is the essence of Yin, thus it is born from Water. The Sun is Yang; the number of Yang is five. Five is the odd number in the center. Two times five equals ten, hence there are ten days in a cycle, and the Ten Heavenly Stems were created to record days. The Moon is Yin; the number of Yin is six. Six is the even number in the center. Two times six equals twelve, hence there are twelve months in a year, and the Twelve Earthly Branches were created to record months. Their correspondence to humans is as follows: above the waist is Heaven, below the waist is Earth. Hands are above the waist, thus they belong to Yang, and together the left and right have ten fingers, corresponding to the ten days. Feet are below the waist, thus they belong to Yin, and together the left and right have twelve meridians, corresponding to the twelve months.)

The Yellow Emperor asked, "How does this correspondence manifest in the pulses?"

Qibo said, "Yin (the first month) represents the generation of Yang, governing the Shaoyang meridian of the left foot. Wei (the sixth month) governs the Shaoyang meridian of the right foot. Mao (the second month) governs the Taiyang meridian of the left foot. Wu (the fifth month) governs the Taiyang meridian of the right foot. Chen (the third month) governs the Yangming meridian of the left foot. Si (the fourth month) governs the Yangming meridian of the right foot. These two Yang energies merge at the front, hence it is called Yangming." (Shen (the seventh month) represents the generation of Yin, governing the Shaoyin meridian of the right foot. Chou (the twelfth month) governs the Shaoyin meridian of the left foot. You (the eighth month) governs the Taiyin meridian of the right foot. Zi (the eleventh month) governs the Taiyin meridian of the left foot. Xu (the ninth month) governs the Jueyin meridian of the right foot. Hai (the tenth month) governs the Jueyin meridian of the left foot. These two Yin energies meet and exhaust themselves, hence it is called Jueyin." (This explains that the Twelve Earthly Branches are Yin, and the feet are also Yin, so the foot meridians correspond to the twelve months. However, within a year, the first half is Yang, corresponding to the six Yang meridians of the feet; the second half is Yin, corresponding to the six Yin meridians of the feet. The two feet of a person also have Yin and Yang distinctions: the left is Yang, the right is Yin. Matching the Yin and Yang of the first and second halves of the year with the two feet: Zheng, Er, and San are Yang within Yang, indicating the advance of Yang, so the first month is called 'Generating Yang'. Yang acts first on the left and then on the right, so the first month governs the left Shaoyang, the second month governs the left Taiyang, and the third month governs the left Yangming. Si, Wu, and Liu are Yang within Yin, indicating the retreat of Yang and the generation of Yin, so the fourth month governs the right Yangming, the fifth month governs the right Taiyang, and the sixth month governs the right Shaoyang. Thus, the Yang of the year converges in the Chen and Si months of the first half, which is the merging of two Yangs at the front, hence called Yangming. Yangming means the extreme abundance of Yang. Qi, Ba, and Jiu are Yin within Yin, indicating the advance of Yin, so the seventh month is called 'Generating Yin'. Yin acts first on the right and then on the left, so the seventh month governs the right Shaoyin, the eighth month governs the right Taiyin, and the ninth month governs the right Jueyin. Shi, Shiyi, and Shier are Yin within Yang, indicating the retreat of Yin and the generation of Yang, so the tenth month governs the left Jueyin, the eleventh month governs the left Taiyin, and the twelfth month governs the left Shaoyin. Thus, the Yin of the year converges in the Xu and Hai months of the second half, which is the meeting and exhaustion of two Yins, hence called Jueyin. Jue means exhaustion, where Yin reaches its extreme. This summarizes the waxing and waning of Yin and Yang over a year: the first and sixth months combine, the second and fifth combine, the third and fourth combine, and Yangming combines at the front. The seventh and twelfth combine, the eighth and eleventh combine, the ninth and tenth combine, and Jueyin combines at the rear. This differs from the Six Qi theory where Jueyin governs Wind-Wood and Yangming governs Dryness-Metal.)

Jia governs the Shaoyang meridian of the left hand. Ji governs the Shaoyang meridian of the right hand. Yi governs the Taiyang meridian of the left hand. Wu governs the Taiyang meridian of the right hand. Bing governs the Yangming meridian of the left hand. Ding governs the Yangming meridian of the right hand. These two Fire energies merge, hence it is called Yangming. Geng governs the Shaoyin meridian of the right hand. Gui governs the Shaoyin meridian of the left hand. Xin governs the Taiyin meridian of the right hand. Ren governs the Taiyin meridian of the left hand." (This explains that the Ten Heavenly Stems are Yang, and the hands are also Yang, so the hand meridians correspond to the ten days. Among the ten days, those preceding are Wood, Fire, and Earth, belonging to Yang; those following are Metal and Water, belonging to Yin. Yang corresponds to Yang meridians, and Yin corresponds to Yin meridians, just as the feet correspond to months. Thus, Jia governs the left Shaoyang, Yi governs the left Taiyang, Bing governs the left Yangming, Ji governs the right Shaoyang, Wu governs the right Taiyang, and Ding governs the right Yangming. The Fire of the Ten Heavenly Stems lies in Bing and Ding; these two Fires merge, hence it is called Yangming. From Ji onwards, Geng, Xin, Ren, and Gui are all Metal and Water, belonging to Yin, so Geng governs the right Shaoyin, Xin governs the right Taiyin, Gui governs the left Shaoyin, and Ren governs the left Taiyin. The reason Jueyin is mentioned for the feet but not for the hands is that feet correspond to the year, where there are six Qi; hands correspond to the ten-day cycle, where there are only five Elements. Moreover, the Hand Jueyin meridian is the Pericardium, whose organ attaches to the Heart, hence it is not mentioned separately. There are diagrams for the Yin and Yang of both feet and hands.)

Therefore, the Yang meridians of the feet are the Shaoyang within Yin; the Yin meridians of the feet are the Taiyin within Yin. The Yang meridians of the hands are the Taiyang within Yang; the Yin meridians of the hands are the Shaoyin within Yang. The area above the waist is Yang; the area below the waist is Yin." (This is the Dao of Liangyi and Sixiang. There is no Taiyang in Yin, and no Taiyin in Yang. Thus, the feet are Yin, and the Yang within Yin is only Shaoyang, while the Yin within Yin is Taiyin. The hands are Yang, and the Yin within Yang is only Shaoyin, while the Yang within Yang is Taiyang. Therefore, Yin and Yang are divided by the waist's upper and lower sections, hands correspond to the Ten Heavenly Stems, feet correspond to the Twelve Earthly Branches, and the Three Yin and Three Yang each have their specific associations. It can be seen that above the waist, Yang contains Yin; below the waist, Yin contains Yang.)

Regarding the Zang organs: The Heart is the Taiyang within Yang; the Lungs are the Shaoyin within Yang; the Liver is the Shaoyang within Yin; the Spleen is the Zhiyin within Yin; the Kidneys are the Taiyin within Yin." (Among the Zang organs, the Heart and Lungs are Yang, located above the diaphragm and associated with the hand meridians. The Liver, Spleen, and Kidneys are Yin, located below the diaphragm and associated with the foot meridians. However, within Yin and Yang, there are further divisions of Yin and Yang, similar to the meaning regarding hands and feet above. Thus, *Jin Gui Zhen Yan Lun* states: Yang within Yang is the Heart; Yin within Yang is the Lungs; Yin within Yin is the Kidneys; Yang within Yin is the Liver; Zhiyin within Yin is the Spleen. The meaning is the same as here. See detailed discussion in the Yin Yang Class Five chapter.)

The Yellow Emperor asked, "How should treatment be conducted based on this?"

Qibo said, "In the first, second, and third months, the Qi of the Human Body is on the left; do not needle the Yang meridians of the left foot." (Where the Qi resides, needling should be avoided to prevent damaging the ruling Qi. In the first month, it is in the left Shaoyang; in the second, the left Taiyang; in the third, the left Yangming. These are sites to be avoided.) "In the fourth, fifth, and sixth months, the Qi of the Human Body is on the right; do not needle the Yang meridians of the right foot." (In the fourth month, it is in the right Yangming; in the fifth, the right Taiyang; in the sixth, the right Shaoyang. These are sites to be avoided.) "In the seventh, eighth, and ninth months, the Qi of the Human Body is on the right; do not needle the Yin meridians of the right foot." (In the seventh month, it is in the right Shaoyin; in the eighth, the right Taiyin; in the ninth, the right Jueyin. All should be avoided.) "In the tenth, eleventh, and twelfth months, the Qi of the Human Body is on the left; do not needle the Yin meridians of the left foot." (In the tenth month, it is in the left Jueyin; in the eleventh, the left Taiyin; in the twelfth, the left Shaoyin. All should be avoided. Note: This chapter only mentions the contraindications for needling where the Qi resides in the feet, not the hands, because if the correspondence of the twelve branches to the feet is understood, the correspondence of the ten stems to the hands can be inferred analogously. Thus, Jia, Yi, Bing on the left hand's Shaoyang, Taiyang, and Yangming; Ji, Wu, Ding on the right hand's Shaoyang, Taiyang, and Yangming; Geng, Xin on the right hand's Shaoyin and Taiyin; Gui, Ren on the left hand's Shaoyin and Taiyin—all should not be needled.)

The Yellow Emperor asked, "In the Five Elements theory, the East corresponds to Jia and Yi Wood, which reigns in Spring. Spring is associated with the color green and governs the Liver, which is the Foot Jueyin meridian. Now, however, Jia is assigned to the Left Hand Shaoyang meridian, which seems inconsistent with the numerical sequence. Why is this?" (In the Five Elements, the East, Jia, and Yi belong to Wood and reign in Spring. The color is cyan/green, the organ is the Liver, and the meridian is the Foot Jueyin. The previous text assigns Jia to the Left Hand Shaoyang, which contradicts the numerical order, hence this question.)

Qibo replied, "This refers to the Yin and Yang of Heaven and Earth, not the sequential progression of the Four Seasons and Five Elements. Furthermore, Yin and Yang have names but no fixed form; thus, numbers can extend to ten, divide into hundreds, scatter into thousands, and expand into tens of thousands. This is what is meant." (The Yin and Yang of Heaven and Earth refer to the multitude of changes. The Heavenly Stems and Earthly Branches, hands and feet, distinguish between upper and lower. Left/Right and Shao/Tai distinguish between abundance and decline. Since Jia is the head of the Heavenly Stems, it should govern the Left Hand Shaoyang, not the sequence of the Four Seasons and Five Elements where Jueyin Wind-Wood belongs. Moreover, the Dao of Yin and Yang has names but no form; it can be ten, hundred, thousand, or ten thousand. Approaching the source from either side, nothing is not the Dao; thus, one cannot adhere rigidly to a single interpretation. The sentences about numbers extending to ten, hundred, thousand, and ten thousand appear again in Chapter 29 and Luck Category 4.)