珞 子云。天元一气。定侯伯之迁荣。盖论元气也。许员曰。木瘦金方火尖水肥土浓。盖论五行以元气为
根。富贵寿夭系之。由有 羸而寿考。亦有壮盛而暴亡。元气固藏则 羸而无害。及其散漫。则壮盛而愈危。
是以元气为根本。五行为枝叶。夫元气者。兑之位也。元始之祖。先天地生。圆而无隙。寂而不动。感而遂通。
虚而生神。干体成焉。干为天。天一生水。故一水二火三木四金五土。五行形焉。四方之民。均受元气一也。
及其生
焉。各类五行。形体殊异。是故西北之民。金水象。金方水肥。人方正肥浓。东南之人。木火象。木瘦火尖。
人多瘦长尖小。北人肥。南人瘦。理宜然也。北人赋性沉浓。体貌肥。上长下短。头骨大。腰骨小。此本体也。
若光明磊落。见机疾速。腰背丰隆者。元气固藏。富贵寿考。坎中藏真火升真水而为雨露也。南人赋性急暴。
体貌尖瘦。下长上短。头骨偏。腰骨软。此本体也。若宽大度。机谋详缓。脑额圆耸。元气固藏。富贵寿考。
离中藏真水降真火而为利气也。又有南人似北人。北人似南人。不富则贵。以此推之。要在察元气。观五行。
分南北。定寿夭。则攻守有方。调养有法。不妄药人也。亦犹有刑曹总其权。使执法者不私。巡禁者申具禁。使
出涂者不扰。朝廷在于上。明赏罚于百官。施利气于万民。故君得以尊。无为而治。天下和平。灾害不生。君
臣和于上。百官和于朝。万民和于下。庶物和于野。驯而行之于万年计也。医者明方术。制法度。以疗民病。
养性之药。防其渐也。犹巡尉也。治病之药。减其毒。犹守令也。保命之药。济其弱。犹曹宪也。延年之药。
防其危。犹朝廷也。良工总其要。明虚实于三部。调和气于百骸。故心得以宁。神得以清。则四大和平。疾患
不生。神气和于上。五脏和于中。步履和于下。脉络和于体。驯而行之。不死之道也。人之生也。自幼而至壮。
自壮而老。血气盛衰。其各不同。不可一概治之。六岁至十六岁者。和气如春。日渐滋长。内无思想之患。外
无爱慕之劳。血气未成。不胜寒暑。和之违也。肤腠疏薄。易受感冒。和之伤也。父母爱之。食饮过伤。其治
之之道。节饮食。适寒暑。宜防微杜渐。行巡尉之法。用养性之药。以全其真。二十岁至五十岁。和气如夏。
精神鼎盛。内有思想之患。外有爱慕之劳。血气方刚。不畏寒暑。和之违也。劳伤筋骨。冒犯八邪。和之伤也。
以酒为浆。醉以入房。其治之之道。辨八邪。分劳佚。行守令之法。宜治病之药。当减其
毒。以全其真。五十岁至七十岁者。和气如秋。精耗血衰。血气凝泣。思虑无穷。形体伤惫。和之违也。百骸
疏漏。风邪易乘。和之伤也。风雨晦明。饮食迟进。其治之之道。顺神养精。调腑和脏。行宪曹之权。施赈济
之法。守令内恤。巡尉外护。宜保命之药以全其真。七十岁至百岁者。和气如冬。五脏空洞。犹蜕之蝉。精神
浮荡。筋骨沮弛。和之违也。触物易伤。衣饮浓薄。和之伤也。大寒振栗。大暑煎燔。其治之之道。餐精华。
处奥庭。行相传之道。燮理阴阳。周流和气。宜延年之药。以全其真。夫如是则调御中节。治疗得宜。阴阳协
和。荣卫流畅。凡厥有生。同跻寿域矣乎。
Luozi said, "The primordial Qi of Heaven and Earth determines the promotion or honor of nobles." This discusses Yuan Qi (Primordial Qi). Xu Yuan said, "Wood is thin, Metal is square, Fire is pointed, Water is plump, Earth is dense." This discusses the Five Elements (Wu Xing) with Yuan Qi as the root; one's wealth, longevity, or premature death depends on it. Some are frail yet live long, while others are robust yet die suddenly. If Yuan Qi is firmly stored within, frailty brings no harm; if Yuan Qi scatters, robustness becomes more perilous. Thus, Yuan Qi is the root, and the Five Elements are the branches.
Yuan Qi resides in the Dui position (West/Metal), is the ancestor of origins, born before Heaven and Earth, perfect without flaw, silent and unmoving, yet responsive to stimuli and universally connected. Emptiness generates spirit, and the Qian form arises. Qian represents Heaven; "Heaven generates One Water," leading to the sequence: One Water, Two Fire, Three Wood, Four Metal, Five Earth, through which the Five Elements take shape. The people of the four directions all receive the same essence of Yuan Qi. Upon birth, they each inherit different aspects of the Five Elements, resulting in distinct physical forms. Therefore, people in the northwest embody the Metal-Water image; since Metal is square and Water is plump, these people tend to be square-shaped, fat, and dense. People in the southeast embody the Wood-Fire image; since Wood is thin and Fire is pointed, these people tend to be slender, tall, and sharp-featured. It is natural for northerners to be fat and southerners to be thin.
Northerners have a deep and dense nature, with a fat physique, longer upper body than lower, large skull, and small waist bone—this is their constitutional type. If they are open and upright, quick-witted, with full and prominent waist and back, it indicates firmly stored Yuan Qi, leading to wealth, status, and longevity. This is akin to Kan (Water) containing True Fire, rising True Water to become rain and dew. Southerners have an impatient and violent nature, with a sharp and thin physique, longer lower body than upper, tilted skull, and soft waist bone—this is their constitutional type. If they are magnanimous, deliberate in strategy, with a round and high forehead, it indicates firmly stored Yuan Qi, also leading to wealth, status, and longevity. This is akin to Li (Fire) containing True Water, descending True Fire to facilitate Qi flow. There are also southerners resembling northerners and vice versa; whether wealthy or noble, this can be deduced. The key lies in examining Yuan Qi, observing the Five Elements, distinguishing North and South, and determining longevity or premature death, so that treatment strategies are sound, nourishment methods are proper, and drugs are not administered recklessly.
This is like the Ministry of Justice holding authority so that law enforcers do not act privately; patrol guards enforcing bans so travelers are not disturbed; the Court above rewarding and punishing officials clearly, benefiting the people below. Thus, the ruler remains respected, governing by non-action, ensuring world peace, preventing disasters. Rulers and ministers harmonize above, officials harmonize in court, people harmonize below, and all things harmonize in the wild. Practicing this gradually ensures stability for ten thousand years.
Physicians understand medical arts and establish regulations to treat diseases. Herbs for nurturing life prevent illness from arising, like patrol guards; herbs for treating disease reduce toxicity, like local magistrates; herbs for preserving life rescue weakness, like legal codes; herbs for extending life prevent danger, like the imperial court. A skilled practitioner grasps the essentials, discerns deficiency and excess in the three pulse positions (Cun, Guan, Chi), and harmonizes Qi throughout the body. Thus, the Heart rests peacefully, Spirit remains clear, the Four Extremities are in harmony, and diseases do not arise. Spirit and Qi harmonize above, Zang-Fu organs harmonize in the middle, steps harmonize below, and meridians harmonize in the body. Practicing this gradually is the way to avoid death.
Human growth, from childhood to adulthood, and from adulthood to old age, varies in the prosperity and decline of Blood and Qi; thus, treatment cannot be uniform. From ages six to sixteen, Harmony is like Spring; growth increases daily. Internally, there are no worries of thought; externally, no toil of desire. Blood and Qi are immature, unable to withstand cold and heat; violating Harmony causes harm. Skin and pores are sparse and thin, easily susceptible to wind-cold; injuring Harmony. Parents' love may lead to overeating, damaging digestion. The treatment principle is to regulate diet, adapt to climate, prevent problems before they arise, apply the method of patrol guards, and use herbs for nurturing life to preserve innate truth.
From ages twenty to fifty, Harmony is like Summer; spirit is at its peak. Internally, there are worries of thought; externally, toil of desire. Blood and Qi are vigorous, unafraid of cold and heat; violating Harmony causes harm. Labor injures sinews and bones; exposure to the Eight Evils (pathogenic factors) injures Harmony. Using wine as water and engaging in sexual activity while drunk requires treatment by identifying the Eight Evils, balancing labor and rest, applying the method of local magistrates, using herbs for treating disease with reduced toxicity to preserve innate truth.
From ages fifty to seventy, Harmony is like Autumn; essence is depleted, blood declines, Qi and Blood stagnate. Endless worry damages the body. Joints and bones become porous, allowing Wind Evil to invade easily. Weather changes and slow eating require treatment by soothing the Spirit, nourishing Essence, regulating Fu and Zang organs, exercising the authority of legal codes, implementing relief measures. Magistrates care internally, patrols guard externally; use herbs for preserving life to preserve innate truth.
From ages seventy to one hundred, Harmony is like Winter; Zang-Fu organs are hollow, like a cicada shedding its skin. Spirit floats and wanders, sinews and bones relax. Violating Harmony causes harm. Contact with objects causes injury; improper clothing and diet injure Harmony. Extreme cold causes shivering, extreme heat causes burning. Treatment involves consuming essences, dwelling in quiet places, following transmitted Daoist practices, balancing Yin and Yang, circulating Harmony, and using herbs for extending life to preserve innate truth.
By doing so, regulation follows due measure, treatment is appropriate, Yin and Yang harmonize, Ying and Wei (Nutritive and Defensive Qi) flow smoothly. All living beings may jointly reach the realm of longevity.