Library

*Suwen: Zhuo Zhi Jiao Lun* (Full Text)

Huangdi sat in the Mingtang and summoned Leigong, asking him, "Do you understand the principles of medicine?" Leigong replied, "I can recite it and roughly comprehend its meaning; having comprehended it, I cannot yet distinguish its details; having distinguished them, I cannot yet clarify their subtleties; having clarified them, I cannot yet manifest them for practical application." (Note: The Mingtang is the place where the Son of Heaven promulgates policies. Since sages govern facing the light, it is called the Mingtang.) (Note: 'Roughly comprehend' means merely grasping the general sense. 'Distinguish' refers to differentiating its logical structure; 'clarify' means understanding its essence; 'manifest' implies facilitating practical use. Yang Shangshan stated: There are five stages in learning the Dao: 1. Recitation, 2. Comprehension, 3. Distinction, 4. Clarification, 5. Manifestation.) "This is sufficient to treat officials, but insufficient to attend to feudal lords." (Note: The conditions of officials are easy to communicate with, whereas the intentions of feudal lords are difficult to fathom, hence the difference. Similarly, treating the rich and the poor presents varying degrees of difficulty.) "I wish to establish the measures of Heaven, harmonize them with the Yin and Yang of the four seasons, distinguish the light of stars from that of the sun and moon, thereby illuminating the classic medical arts, making them clearer for future generations, connecting upwards with the Way of Shennong, and establishing the highest teachings comparable to the Two Sovereigns." (Note: 'Shu' means to establish. Once the measures of Heaven are established, the order of Yin and Yang in the four seasons can be harmonized, and the light of stars, sun, and moon can be distinguished. This serves to illuminate the classic arts, making them clearer for posterity, thus connecting upwards with the Way of Shennong and establishing the highest teachings, thereby matching the virtue of the Two Sovereigns. The Two Sovereigns refer to Fuxi and Shennong.) Huangdi said, "Good. Do not lose this. All these involve the mutual transmission and correspondence of Yin and Yang, exterior and interior, upper and lower, and male and female. By knowing astronomy above, geography below, and human affairs in the middle, one can maintain longevity. Teaching the masses with this will prevent doubt and danger. This discourse on medical principles can be passed down to future generations and treasured as a jewel." (Note: The mutual transmission and correspondence of Yin/Yang, exterior/interior, etc., refers to the aforementioned measures of Heaven, seasonal Yin/Yang, and celestial lights. Thus, medical principles align with the Three Powers (Heaven, Earth, Human), requiring complete knowledge to teach posterity without causing doubt or danger, ensuring eternal preservation. The phrase 'knowing astronomy above...' is identical to that in *Qi Jiao Bian Da Lun*; see detailed discussion in the Yunqi category, Part 10.) Leigong said, "Please let me receive this Dao, reciting it to understand and apply it." Huangdi said, "Have you not heard of the *Yin Yang Zhuan*?" Leigong said, "No." Huangdi said, "The Three Yang channels take Heaven as their function," (Note: *Yin Yang Zhuan* is an ancient classic. Here, 'Three Yang' collectively refers to the six Yang channels of the hands and feet. Positioned superiorly, they correspond to Heavenly Qi and protect the body, hence 'taking Heaven as function,' meaning their operation mirrors Heaven.) "There is no fixed ruler above and below. If they combine to cause disease, they will disproportionately harm Yin and Yang." (Note: Three Yang govern the exterior. If deficient evil invades, responses become unpredictable, so their Qi moves irregularly up and down. If Three Yang combine to cause disease, excess Yang damages Yin, leading pathology from exterior to interior and disproportionately harming Yin and Yang. *Jinfu Pian* states: Examine Wei Qi, for it is the mother of all diseases. This likely shares the same meaning.) Leigong said, "The Three Yang are irresistible; please explain this." (Note: This must be a quote from an ancient classic. It means when Three Yang converge, pathogenic changes are numerous, and the Qi becomes unstoppable.) Huangdi said, "When Three Yang arrive alone, it is the convergence of Three Yang. Such convergence is like wind and rain: superiorly it causes disorders of the vertex, inferiorly it causes leakage diseases." (Note: 'Arriving alone' here, while including both hand and foot Taiyang, particularly emphasizes Foot Taiyang as the primary channel, hence 'alone.' Since Foot Taiyang is the commander of the Three Yang, whenever Taiyang pathogenic factors arrive exclusively, the Qi of all Three Yang converges and arrives together. Pathogenic Yang arrives swiftly and unpredictably, like wind and rain. Furthermore, Foot Taiyang meridians ascend from the vertex to connect with the brain and descend to link with the Kidney and belong to the Bladder; Hand Taiyang meridians ascend along the neck and cheek, descend to the stomach, and belong to the Small Intestine. Thus, superiorly it causes vertex disorders, and inferiorly it causes leakage diseases. Leakage diseases refer to the inability of the two Yin orifices to retain, involving the loss of fluids, grain essence, and blood.) "Externally there are no predictable signs, internally there are no definitive names to identify, the changes do not conform to standard principles, and diagnosis lacks fixed upper/lower methods or written precedents for differentiation." (Note: The convergence of Three Yang is sudden like wind and rain; thus, external signs are unpredictable, and internal nomenclature is indeterminate. Pathological changes do not follow regular patterns. Therefore, diagnosis lacks fixed upper/lower protocols or written records for prior differentiation.) Leigong said, "My treatments rarely result in recovery; I merely express my thoughts." (Note: Meaning that his cures are rare, as taught by the Emperor, but he wishes to articulate the underlying intent.) Huangdi said, "Three Yang represents Supreme Yang. Accumulation and confluence lead to fright. The disease arises like a gale, swift as thunder, blocking all nine orifices. Yang Qi overflows, causing dryness and obstruction in the throat." (Note: Taiyang is the most vigorous Yang, hence 'Supreme Yang.' If various Yang energies accumulate and confluence, extreme Yang excess inevitably damages Yin. The Yin organ of Hand Taiyang is the Heart; the Yin organ of Foot Taiyang is the Kidney. Damage to the Heart disturbs the Shen (Spirit); damage to the Kidney injures the Zhi (Will), resulting in fright. 'Gale' and 'thunder' denote speed and violence. The dryness and blockage of the nine orifices and throat occur because the meridians of Hand Taiyang and Hand/Foot Shaoyin all traverse the throat.) "If it merges into Yin, movement becomes erratic up and down, pressing upon the intestines leads to dysentery." (Note: 'Yin' refers to the Zang organs. When Yang pathogens enter from the exterior into the Zang and gather in Yin, symptoms may appear anywhere without fixed diagnosis. If stagnation presses upon the Lower Jiao, it results in intestinal dysentery with diarrhea.) "This is called Three Yang striking directly at the heart and diaphragm. Those who sit unable to rise or lie down fully suffer from Three Yang diseases." (Note: 'Direct strike to the heart' means pathogenic Qi rushes directly to the heart and diaphragm region. Hand Taiyang meridians run along the lateral arm, exit around the scapula, intersect at the shoulder, enter the supraclavicular fossa, and connect to the Heart; Foot Taiyang meridians flank the spine, pass through the buttocks into the popliteal fossa, with branches dispersing to the Kidneys, running along the back towards the heart. Thus, anyone suffering from direct pathogenic impact on the heart/diaphragm, or inability to sit/rise or lie down, suffers from full-blown Three Yang disease. In my view: Three Yang pathogens mostly enter from the exterior; thus, many cold-strike patients exhibit direct heart strikes with inability to sit/rise. In diagnosing exogenous diseases, one must not neglect this principle.) "And thereby to understand the world, how to distinguish Yin and Yang, respond to the four seasons, and integrate with the Five Elements," (Note: 'Qie' means 'furthermore' or 'intend to'. To understand the essential Dao of the world, one must distinguish Yin/Yang, align with the four seasons, and integrate with the logic of the Five Elements.) Leigong said, "I cannot distinguish statements on Yang, nor reason out statements on Yin. Please rise and grant explanation, so I may regard it as the Highest Dao." (Note: 'Cannot distinguish/reason' means lack of clarity. Responding to Huangdi's query, Leigong humbly requests further instruction.) Huangdi said, "If you accept transmission without integrating it with the Highest Dao, you will only confuse your teacher's teachings. I will tell you the essence of the Highest Dao." (Note: Receiving transmission without understanding the Dao only confuses the teacher's intent; thus, I impart its core essence.) "Disease damages the Five Zang organs, causing muscles and bones to waste away. Your unclear and undifferentiated speech indicates the limit of worldly rulers' scholarship." (Note: Pathogens merging with Yang cause Yang disease; merging with Yin cause Yin disease; affecting both damages the Five Zang. Internal Zang injury leads to external wasting of muscles and bones. Medicine governs life and is relied upon by the world, hence 'worldly ruler.' Lack of clarity and differentiation hinders the Dao, causing the extinction of sage learning.) "Kidney Qi is near exhaustion. You worry throughout the day until dusk, remaining withdrawn, and social affairs become neglected." (Note: The Kidney and Foot Taiyang are exterior-interior partners; the Kidney is the organ of Extreme Yin. *Shanggu Tianzhen Lun* states: The Kidney governs water and stores the essence of all Five Zang and Six Fu organs. As described above, convergence of Three Yang damages the Five Zang, leading to depletion of essence and Qi, and wasting of muscles/bones. Transmission from Taiyang to interior necessarily reaches Shaoyin, injuring Kidney Qi and nearly depleting True Yin. Hence, constant worry and anxiety, appearing too distressed to act calmly or go out, and social affairs becoming neglected. However, when Yang pathogens arrive, harm inevitably returns to Yin; when Five Zang are damaged, the decline ultimately reaches the Kidney. This is the aforementioned mutual transmission and correspondence of Yin/Yang, exterior/interior, upper/lower, male/female—the essence of the Highest Dao. Scholars who understand how to treat the root here possess the power to reverse heaven's decree. Thus, this treatise is named *Zhuo Zhi Jiao* (Establishing the Highest Teaching), surely not in vain. 'Wan' is pronounced 'guan'.)