【素】上古之人。其知道者。法于阴阳。和于术数。（养生之法。）食饮有节。起居有常。不妄作劳。故能形与神俱。
（神去其形则死。）而尽终其天年。度百岁乃去。今时之人不然也。以酒为浆。以妄为常。醉以入房。以欲竭其精。以耗
散其真。不知持满。（持满。恐倾之意。）不时御神。务快其心。逆于生乐。（纵嗜欲之心。逆生养之乐。）起居无节。故
半百而衰也。夫上古圣人之教下也。皆谓之虚邪贼风。避之有时。恬淡虚无。真气从之。（即老氏恍忽有象。杳冥有精之
义。）精神内守。病安从来。女子七岁。（王注。老阳之数穷于九。女子少阴。故以少阳之数合之。）肾气盛。齿更发长。
（肾主骨。为精血之府。齿者骨之余。发者血之余。）二七而天癸至。（经水属北方壬癸。）任脉通。太冲脉盛。月事以时
下。故有子。（冲为血海。任主胞胎。二经相资。故能有子。经水一月一至。其行有常。故曰经水。亦曰月水。愆期则有
病。男子冲任脉盛。则上荣而生髭须。女子冲任脉盛。则下行而为月水。故无须也。）三七肾气平均。故真牙生而长极。
（牙之最后生者。人身之长。至此而止。）四七筋骨坚。发长极。身体盛壮。五七阳明脉衰。面始焦。发始堕。（足阳明
之脉起于鼻。交 中。下循鼻外。入上齿中。还出挟口环唇。下交承浆。却循颐后出大迎。循颊车。上耳前。过客主人。
循发际。至额颅手阳明之脉上颈贯颊。入下齿中。还出挟口。二脉皆营于面。衰则面焦。发堕。）六七三阳脉衰于上。面
皆焦。发始白。（三阳之脉。俱上头面。）七七任脉虚。太冲脉衰少。天癸竭。地道不通。（至此而经水断。）故形坏而无
子也。（女子气有余而血不足。以其数脱泄之也。）丈夫八岁。（王注。老阴之数尽于十。男子为少阳。故以少阴之数合之。
易曰。天九地十。即其数也。）肾气实。发长齿更。二八肾气盛。天癸至。（阳精。）精气溢泻。阴阳和。故能有子。三八
肾气平均。筋骨劲强。故真牙生而长极。四八筋骨隆盛。肌肉满壮。五八肾气衰。发堕齿槁。六八阳气衰竭于上。面焦。
发鬓颁白。七八肝气衰。筋不能动。天癸竭。精少。肾脏衰。形体皆极。八八则齿发去。（卦气已尽。）肾者主水。受五
脏六腑之精而藏之。故五脏盛。乃能泻。今五脏皆衰。筋骨解堕。天癸尽矣。故发鬓白。身体重。行步不正。而无子耳。
有其年已老。而有子者何也。此其天寿过度。气脉常通。而肾气有余也。此虽有子。男不过尽八八。女不过尽七七。而
天地之精气皆竭矣。（王注。生子之寿。不过此数。马云非也。）（上古天真论）
【素】春三月。此谓发陈。天地俱生。万物以荣。（天地交。万物通。）夜卧早起。广步于庭。被发缓形。以使志生。
生而勿杀。予而勿夺。赏而勿罚。此春气之应。养生之道也。逆之则伤肝。夏为寒变。奉长者少。（火为木子。寒变则木
不能生火。无以奉夏长之令。）夏三月。此谓蕃秀。天地气交。万物华实。夜卧早起。无厌于日。（厌。足也。无过行日
中而伤暑。与冬必待日光相反。）使志无怒。使华英成秀。使气得泄。若所爱在外。（顺阳而主外。）此夏气之应。养长之
道也。逆之则伤心。秋为 疟。奉收者少。（无气以奉秋收之令。）冬至重病。（水又克火。）秋三月。此谓容平。（万物容
状平定。）天气以急。地气以明。早卧早起。与鸡俱兴。使志安宁。以缓秋刑。收敛神气。使秋气平。无外其志。使肺气
清。此秋气之应。养收之道也。逆之则伤肺。冬为飧泄。奉藏者少。（无气以奉冬藏之令。）冬三月。此谓闭藏。水冰地
坼。无扰乎阳。（阳气潜藏。）早卧晚起。必待日光。使气若伏若匿。若有私意。若已有得。（与夏正反。）去寒就温。无
泄皮肤。使气亟夺。（戒勿妄汗。致泄阳气。）此冬气之应。养藏之道也。逆之则伤肾。春为痿厥。奉生者少。（无气以奉
春生之令。）（四气调神大论）
【素】天食人以五气。（吴注。五气非独臊焦香腐腥也。风寒暑湿燥。分主五脏。受之而不亢不害。则皆养人矣。）
地食人以五味。五气入鼻。（鼻受无形之天气。）藏于心肺。上使五色修明。音声能彰。（心荣颜色。肺发音声。）五味入
口。（口受有形之地气。）藏于肠胃。味有所藏。以养五气。气和而生。津液相成。神乃自生。（积精生神。）（六节藏象论）
【灵】水谷入于口。输于肠胃。其液别为五。天寒衣薄则为溺与气。（前溺后气。）天热衣浓则为汗。悲哀气并则为
泣。中热胃缓则为唾。邪气内逆则气为之闭塞而不行。则为水胀。愿闻其道。曰。水谷皆入于口。其味有五。各注其海。
（分注五脏。）津液各走其道。故三焦出气。（宗气出上焦。营气出中焦。卫气出下焦。）以温肌肉。充皮肤。为其津。其
流而不行者为液。天暑衣浓则腠理开。故汗出。寒留于分肉之间。聚沫则为痛。天寒则腠理闭。气湿不行。（不行于肌表。
故下流为溺。）水下流于膀胱则为溺与气。五脏六腑。心为之主。耳为之听。目为之候。肺为之相。肝为之将。脾为之卫。
肾为之主外。（肾为作强之官。师传篇。肾者主为外。使之远听视。耳好恶。以知其性。）故五脏六腑之津液。尽上渗于
目。心悲气并则心系急。心系急则肺举。肺举则液上溢。夫心系与肺。不能常举。乍上乍下。故咳而泣出矣。中热则胃
中消谷。消谷则虫上下作。肠胃充郭。（宽意。）故胃缓。胃缓则气逆。故唾出。（五癃津液别论）
【素】问不知水所从生。涕所从出也。曰。夫心者。五脏之专精也。（五脏各有其精。而心专之。）目者。其窍也。
（目
为肝窍。然能辨别事物。故又为心窍。）华色者其荣也。是以人之有德也。则气和于目。有亡。忧知于色。是以悲哀则泣
下。泣下水所由生。水宗者。积水也。积水者。至阴也。至阴者。肾之精也。宗精之水。所以不出者。精持之也。辅之
裹之。故水不行也。夫水之精为志。火之精为神。水火相感。神志俱悲。是以目之水生也。故谚言曰。心悲名曰志悲。
志与心精。共凑于目也。泣涕者脑也。脑者阴也。髓者骨之充也。故脑渗为涕。志者骨之主也。是以水流而涕从之者。
其行类也。（脑为髓海。与肾流通。）夫泣不出者。哭不悲也。不泣者。神不慈也。神不慈则志不悲。阴阳相持，泣安能
独来。夫志悲者惋。惋则冲阴。冲阴则志去目。志去则神不守精。精神去目。涕泣出也。且子独不诵夫经言乎。厥则目
无所见。夫人厥则阳气并于上阴气并于下阳并于上则火独光也。阴并于下则足寒则胀也。夫一水不胜五火。（五脏之火。）
故目 盲。是以冲风泣下而不止。夫风之中目也。阳气内守于精。是火气燔目。故见风则泣下也。（内有火气。外冲于风。）
夫火疾风生乃能雨。此之类也。（解精微论）
【灵】妇人无须者。无血气乎。曰。冲脉任脉皆起于胞中。上循背里。（此又言冲任行背。按素问骨空论。言任脉循
腹里。上关元。冲脉挟脐。上行至胸中而散。督脉贯脊。然三脉同源。经文多有参错言者。）为经络之海。其浮而外者。
循腹右上行。会于咽喉。别而络唇口。血气盛则充肤热肉。血独盛则淡渗皮肤。生毫毛。今妇人之生。有余于气。不足
于血。以其数脱血也。冲任之脉。不荣口唇。故须不生焉。士人有伤于阴。阴气绝而不起。然其须不去。宦者独去。何
也。曰。宦者去其宗筋。（阴器。）伤其冲脉。血泻不复。皮肤内结。唇口不荣。故须不生。其有天宦者。（天生阳气不举。
不能御妇。）未尝被伤。不脱于血。然其须不生。其故何也。曰。此天之所不足也。其任冲不盛。宗筋不成。有气无血。
唇口不荣。故须不生。（五音五味篇）
[Su Wen] In ancient times, those who understood the Way of life modeled themselves on Yin and Yang and harmonized with appropriate methods of cultivation. They regulated their diet and drinking, maintained regular daily routines, and did not engage in reckless exertion. Thus, they could maintain the unity of form (physical body) and spirit (Shen). (When the spirit departs from the form, death occurs.) Consequently, they fulfilled their natural lifespan, living to be over a hundred years old before passing away. People today are different. They treat wine as if it were water, make recklessness a habit, engage in sexual intercourse while drunk, exhaust their essence (Jing) through desire, and dissipate their true Qi (Zhen Qi). They do not know how to maintain fullness (maintaining fullness implies the fear of depletion). They fail to regulate their spirit at appropriate times, seeking only momentary pleasure, thereby going against the joy of life preservation (indulging in desires goes against the joy of nourishing life). Their daily routines are irregular, so they begin to decline by the age of fifty. The sages of antiquity taught the people, saying one should avoid empty evils (Xu Xie) and thieving winds (Zei Feng) at the proper times. With a tranquil and empty mind, True Qi follows. (This corresponds to the meaning in Laozi's philosophy: within the indistinct there is an image, within the profound darkness there is essence.) Spirit remains inwardly guarded; how could disease arise? When girls reach seven years old (Wang Bing's commentary: The number of Old Yang ends at nine. Girls belong to Young Yin, so the number of Young Yang is combined with it), Kidney Qi becomes abundant, teeth change, and hair grows. (The Kidneys govern bones and are the reservoir of essence and blood. Teeth are the surplus of bones, and hair is the surplus of blood.) At fourteen (two sevens), Tian Gui arrives (Menstrual blood belongs to the North, Ren and Gui waters). The Ren Mai (Conception Vessel) becomes unobstructed, and the Chong Mai (Penetrating Vessel) becomes abundant. Menstruation arrives regularly, enabling conception. (The Chong Mai is the Sea of Blood, and the Ren Mai governs pregnancy. These two vessels support each other, enabling reproduction. Menstrual blood comes once a month with a constant rhythm, hence called Jing Shui or Yue Shui. Delay indicates pathology. In men, when the Chong and Ren vessels are abundant, Qi nourishes upward to produce facial hair; in women, when abundant, it flows downward to produce menstruation, hence no beard.) At twenty-one (three sevens), Kidney Qi is balanced, wisdom teeth grow, and physical growth reaches its peak. (The last teeth to emerge mark the point where bodily height ceases to increase.) At twenty-eight (four sevens), sinews and bones are firm, hair reaches its maximum length, and the body is strong and vigorous. At thirty-five (five sevens), the Yangming Meridian begins to decline, the face starts to wither, and hair begins to fall. (The Foot-Yangming Stomach Meridian originates at the nose, crosses the nasal root, descends along the lateral nose, enters the upper gums, emerges around the lips, meets at Chengjiang, goes behind the jaw to Daying, follows the cheekbone, ascends in front of the ear, passes through Guest Master, follows the hairline to the forehead. The Hand-Yangming Large Intestine Meridian ascends the neck, passes through the cheek, enters the lower gums, emerges around the lips. Both meridians nourish the face; their decline causes facial withering and hair loss.) At forty-two (six sevens), the Three Yang meridians decline above, the face completely withers, and hair begins to turn white. (The Three Yang meridians all ascend to the head and face.) At forty-nine (seven sevens), the Ren Mai becomes deficient, the Chong Mai declines, Tian Gui exhausts, and the earthly pathway (menstruation) stops. (Menstruation ceases here.) Thus, the form deteriorates and reproduction is impossible. (Women have excess Qi but deficient Blood due to frequent depletion.) Boys reach eight years old (Wang Bing's commentary: The number of Old Yin ends at ten. Boys belong to Young Yang, so the number of Young Yin is combined with it. The I Ching says: Heaven is nine, Earth is ten, which refers to this number). Kidney Qi becomes solid, hair grows, and teeth change. At sixteen (two eights), Kidney Qi is abundant, Tian Gui arrives (Yang Essence), essence overflows and is emitted, Yin and Yang harmonize, enabling conception. At twenty-four (three eights), Kidney Qi is balanced, sinews and bones are strong, wisdom teeth grow, and growth peaks. At thirty-two (four eights), sinews and bones are robust, muscles are full and strong. At forty (five eights), Kidney Qi declines, hair falls, and teeth become dry. At forty-eight (six eights), Yang Qi衰竭 (exhausts) above, the face withers, and temples turn gray. At fifty-six (seven eights), Liver Qi declines, sinews cannot move freely, Tian Gui exhausts, essence diminishes, Kidney Qi declines, and the body reaches extremity. At sixty-four (eight eights), teeth and hair fall out (the hexagram qi is exhausted). The Kidneys govern Water and receive the essence of the Six Fu and Five Zang organs to store it. Thus, only when the Five Zang are abundant can they excrete. Now that all Five Zang are declining, sinews and bones are loose, Tian Gui is gone, temples are white, the body feels heavy, gait is unsteady, and reproduction is impossible. Why do some elderly people still have children? This is because their innate longevity exceeds normal limits, their Qi and meridians remain open, and Kidney Qi is sufficient. Although they may conceive, men do not exceed the limit of eight eights (64), and women do not exceed the limit of seven sevens (49); the essence and Qi of Heaven and Earth are exhausted. (Wang Bing's commentary: The lifespan for procreation does not exceed these numbers. Ma Yun's view is incorrect.) (From *Shanggu Tianzhen Lun*)
[Su Wen] The three months of Spring are called "Fa Chen" (releasing the old and generating the new). Heaven and Earth generate together, and all things flourish. (Heaven and Earth interact, allowing all things to thrive.) Sleep late and rise early, take broad steps in the courtyard, let hair hang loose and relax the body, to allow the will to generate. Promote growth without killing, give without taking, reward without punishing. This responds to the Qi of Spring and is the way of nourishing life. Violating it injures the Liver, leading to cold transformations in Summer, reducing the resources for supporting Summer's growth. (Fire is the child of Wood; cold transformation means Wood cannot generate Fire, failing to support Summer's command.) The three months of Summer are called "Fan Xiu" (luxuriant beauty). Heaven and Earth Qi intersect, and all things flower and bear fruit. Sleep late and rise early, do not dislike the sun. (Dislike means satisfaction; do not stay out too long in the midday sun to avoid heatstroke, opposite to waiting for sunlight in Winter.) Keep the will free from anger, allow brilliance to mature, allow Qi to vent, as if loving what is outside. (Following Yang which governs the exterior.) This responds to the Qi of Summer and is the way of nourishing growth. Violating it injures the Heart, leading to malaria in Autumn, reducing resources for supporting Autumn's harvest. (No Qi to support Autumn's gathering command.) Severe illness occurs at Winter Solstice. (Water overcomes Fire.) The three months of Autumn are called "Rong Ping" (appearance and state are level/stable). Heaven's Qi becomes urgent, Earth's Qi becomes clear. Sleep early and rise early, waking with the chickens. Keep the will peaceful to slow the punishment of Autumn Qi, gather and store Shen Qi, keep Autumn Qi balanced. Do not let the will stray outward, keeping Lung Qi pure. This responds to the Qi of Autumn and is the way of nourishing harvesting. Violating it injures the Lungs, leading to undigested diarrhea in Winter, reducing resources for supporting Winter's storage. (No Qi to support Winter's storing command.) The three months of Winter are called "Bi Cang" (closing and storing). Water freezes, earth cracks. Do not disturb Yang. (Yang Qi hides internally.) Sleep early and rise late, waiting for sunlight. Let Qi be latent and hidden, as if having private intentions, as if already possessing something. (Opposite to Summer.) Avoid cold and seek warmth, do not sweat through the skin, preventing frequent loss of Qi. (Warning against reckless sweating which depletes Yang Qi.) This responds to the Qi of Winter and is the way of nourishing storage. Violating it injures the Kidneys, leading to flaccidity and cold limbs in Spring, reducing resources for supporting Spring's generation. (No Qi to support Spring's generating command.) (From *Siqi Tiaoshen Dalun*)
[Su Wen] Heaven nourishes humans with Five Qi. (Wu Kun's commentary: Five Qi are not just the five odors—pungent, scorched, fragrant, putrid, fishy—but Wind, Cold, Summer-heat, Dampness, and Dryness, which govern the Five Zang respectively. If received without excess or harm, they all nourish humans.) Earth nourishes humans with Five Flavors. Five Qi enter the nose. (The nose receives formless Heavenly Qi.) Stored in Heart and Lung, they cause the complexion to be bright and the voice to be resonant. (Heart governs complexion, Lung governs voice.) Five Flavors enter the mouth. (The mouth receives terrestrial Qi with form.) Stored in intestines and stomach, flavors are stored to nourish Five Qi. When Qi is harmonious, life arises; fluids and liquids form mutually, and Shen naturally generates. (Accumulating Jing generates Shen.) (From *Liujie Zangxiang Lun*)
[Ling Shu] Food and drink enter the mouth and are transported to the intestines and stomach. Their fluids differentiate into five types. In cold weather with thin clothing, urine and Qi are produced. (Urine first, then Qi.) In hot weather with thick clothing, sweat is produced. In sorrow, Qi gathers to produce tears. Internal heat and relaxed stomach produce saliva. Internal reversal of pathogenic Qi blocks Qi flow, causing water swelling. I wish to hear the principle. The answer is: Food and drink enter the mouth, flavors are five, each pouring into its respective sea. (Distributing to the Five Zang.) Jin Ye (fluids) each follow their paths. Thus, San Jiao emits Qi. (Zong Qi emerges from Upper Jiao, Ying Qi from Middle Jiao, Wei Qi from Lower Jiao.) To warm muscles and fill skin, becoming Jin. Flowing without stopping is Ye. Hot weather and thick clothing open pores, causing sweat. Cold staying between muscle intervals condenses into foam, causing pain. Cold weather closes pores, Qi and dampness do not move. (Not moving on the surface, so it flows down as urine.) Water flows down to the Bladder to become urine and Qi. Among the Five Zang and Six Fu, the Heart is the master, the Ear is the listener, the Eye is the observer, the Lung is the minister, the Liver is the general, the Spleen is the guard, and the Kidney is the external manager. (Kidney is the official of strength. *Shichuan Pian* says: Kidney governs externals, enabling distant hearing and vision, discerning likes and dislikes through ears.) Thus, fluids from all Five Zang and Six Fu seep upward into the eyes. Sadness gathers Qi, making the Heart Tie tense. Tense Heart Tie lifts the Lung. Lifted Lung causes fluid to overflow upward. Since Heart Tie and Lung cannot always lift, rising and falling suddenly causes coughing and tearing. Internal heat digests grain quickly; quick digestion causes worms to move up and down, filling the intestines and stomach (expanding them). Thus, the stomach relaxes. Relaxed stomach causes Qi rebellion, producing saliva. (From *Wulong Jin Ye Bie Lun*)
[Su Wen] Asking where tears and nasal discharge originate. The answer is: The Heart is the specialized essence of the Five Zang. (Each Zang has its essence, but the Heart specializes in it.) The eye is its orifice. (Although the eye is the orifice of the Liver, it distinguishes objects, so it is also the orifice of the Heart.) Luster and color are its flourishing manifestation. Therefore, when a person has virtue, Qi harmonizes in the eye; if lacking, worry shows in color. Thus, sorrow causes tears. Where does the water of tears come from? The source of water is accumulated water. Accumulated water is Extreme Yin. Extreme Yin is the essence of the Kidney. The water of Zong Jing does not flow out because Jing holds it, assists it, and wraps it, so water does not move. The essence of Water is Zhi (Will), and the essence of Fire is Shen (Spirit). Water and Fire interact; when Shen and Zhi are both sorrowful, water emerges from the eyes. Hence the proverb: Heart sorrow is called Will sorrow. Zhi and Heart essence gather at the eye. Nasal discharge and tears come from the Brain. The Brain is Yin; Marrow fills the bones. Thus, Brain渗 (seeps) to become nasal discharge. Zhi is the master of bone, so water flows and nasal discharge follows, similar in movement. (Brain is the Sea of Marrow, communicating with Kidney.) If crying produces no tears, the cry is not sorrowful. No tears mean Shen is not compassionate. If Shen is not compassionate, Zhi is not sorrowful. Yin and Yang hold each other; how can tears come alone? Sorrowful Zhi causes depression, depressing attacks Yin. Attacking Yin drives Zhi away from the eye. When Zhi leaves, Shen does not guard Jing. When Spirit and Essence leave the eye, tears and nasal discharge occur. Have you not read the classics? In Jue syndrome, the eyes see nothing. In Jue syndrome, Yang Qi merges upward, Yin Qi merges downward. Yang merging upward makes Fire shine alone; Yin merging downward causes cold feet and distension. One Water cannot overcome Five Fires. (Fire of the Five Zang.) Thus, the eyes go blind. Therefore, facing wind causes continuous tearing. When wind strikes the eye, Yang Qi guards internally in Jing; this is Fire Qi burning the eye, so wind causes tearing. (Internal Fire Qi rushes outward against Wind.) Rapid fire and generated wind can produce rain; this is the principle of similarity. (From *Jiejingwei Lun*)
[Ling Shu] Do women lack Beard Hair because they lack Blood and Qi? The answer is: The Chong Mai and Ren Mai both originate in the Bao Zhong (uterus/center), ascending along the interior of the back. (Here it states Chong and Ren travel the back; according to *Su Wen Gu Kong Lun*, Ren Mai travels the abdominal interior to Guanyuan, Chong Mai flanks the navel ascending to the chest to disperse, and Du Mai pierces the spine. However, these three vessels share a source, and the text often intersects in description.) They are the Sea of Meridians. Those floating externally travel up the right abdomen, meeting at the throat, branching to connect the lips and mouth. Abundant Blood and Qi fill the skin and warm flesh; abundant Blood alone渗 (seeps) into skin, generating fine hair. Women are born with excess Qi but deficient Blood due to frequent blood loss. The Chong and Ren vessels do not nourish the lips and mouth, so beard hair does not grow. Scholars who injure their Yin organ, causing Yin Qi to cease and not rise, yet retain their beard hair. Eunuchs lose theirs. Why? The answer is: Eunuchs remove the Zong Jin (genitals), injuring the Chong Mai. Blood drains and does not return, internal skin结 (knots), lips and mouth are not nourished, so beard hair does not grow. Those born without beard hair (innate Yang Qi does not rise, unable to engage in intercourse), never injured, not depleted of blood, yet do not grow beard hair. Why? The answer is: This is innate insufficiency. Their Ren and Chong vessels are not abundant, Zong Jin does not form, having Qi but no Blood, lips and mouth are not nourished, so beard hair does not grow. (From *Wuyin Wuwei Pian*)