手太阴肺经。为一身之华盖。统十二经。十五络。五脏六腑之死生吉凶。皆于此决。盖肺居脏腑最上。脏腑之气。
无不上熏乎肺也。以其位高。辅君主行荣卫。故曰相傅之官。治节出焉。居右手寸口。与手阳明大肠为表里。肺
脏大肠腑。言其体。属西方辛金。言其用。肺主气。多言则伤气。咳嗽由此而作。肺又藏魄。并精出入谓之魄。精气之
臣
佐也。其窍通于鼻。肺和则鼻知香臭。言其性情之杂着。肺主声。自入为哭。其传于五脏者。亦各自有声。其
为各脏所传者。心主臭。入肺为腥。脾主味。入肺为辛。肝主色。入肺为白。肾主液。入肺为涕。其为六淫所中。肺宜
温润。燥则病。寒亦病。其为七情亦害。忧或悲。则魄户不闭。金气郁塞。心火乘之。其有不内外因而病者。叫呼损
气。则伤肺也。脉起于中焦中焦者。中脘也。在脐上四寸。下络大肠。还循胃口。上膈。胃口有上下。上口在脐上五寸
上脘穴分。下口在脐上四寸下脘穴分。膈，隔也。人心下有膈膜。前齐鸠尾。后齐十一椎。周遭着脊。所以遮隔
浊气。不使上熏心肺。肺脉贯膈。布胸中。故病为咳。为上气。为喘。为渴。为烦心。为胸满。从膈属肺。从肺系横出
腋下。下循 内。下肘中。循臂内。上骨下廉。入寸口。上鱼循鱼际。出大指之端。肺系喉咙也。故肺病缺盆痛甚。臂
下胁上曰腋。膊下对腋处曰 。 尽处为肘。肘以下为臂。臂以下为脘廉隅也。鱼谓掌骨之前。大指本节之后。肥肉隆
起处。统为之鱼。故肺病为 臂内前廉痛。为掌中热。其支者。从腕后直出次指内廉。出其端。诊脉如三菽。
重浮于三菽者。大肠脉也。按之于皮毛相得曰浮。稍稍加力。脉道不利为涩。又稍加力。不及本位曰短。此其平脉。若
鼓急病太过。萧索病不及。洪大则金受火克。谓之贼邪。主中风气壅。鼻燥痫疾。芤亦属火。主积血在胸。气
伤而血凝也。弦则金不足而火乘之。是为微邪。主大肠结。气急膈中疼痛。紧则头痛。缓漫乃脾邪所致为虚邪。主风湿。
沉濡而滑。则肾邪相干为实邪。有寒有风有痰。沉细病在骨。主骨蒸。单沉主气胀。又胸中留滞化为痰。
单滑痰塞气壅。作呕逆。单濡主气乏冷胀。又有正邪。浮本肺脉。然浮濡而实。谓之阳结。肺络循咽。大肠为腑。咽门
燥。大肠结皆坐此。浮甚或三部俱浮。恶寒壮热。热能伤气。气伤不能卫。金反亏而木反盛。咳嗽气促。痰唾稠
浓。双目流泪。皆坐此。肺之积名曰息奔。左右胁下。 大如覆杯。以春甲乙日得之。盖心邪传肺。肺当传肝。肝旺不受
邪。
肺欲复还心。心不受。故留结为积。肺气实梦兵戈相竞。虚则梦涉水田。若肺绝而真脏脉见。大而虚。如风
吹毛。又如以毛羽中人肤。其见于外者。气出不还。绝汗如珠。转出不流。又气喘两肩动曰肩息。或发直如麻。丙日笃。
丁日死。死于巳午时。肺之大略如此。
The Lung Meridian of Hand-Taiyin (Hand-Taiyin Fei Jing) serves as the "Canopy" (Huagai, covering the five zang organs) of the body, governing the twelve meridians and fifteen collaterals. The life and death, auspiciousness and inauspiciousness of the five zang and six fu organs are all determined here. Since the Lung resides at the highest position among the organs, the qi of all organs ascends to fumigate the Lung. Due to its high position, it assists the Monarch (Heart) in circulating Ying (Nutritive Qi) and Wei (Defensive Qi); thus, it is called the "Minister-Official" (Xiangfu Zhiguan), from which governance and regulation arise. The Lung pulse is located at the Cun Kou (Inch Position) on the right hand, exterior-interiorly related to the Large Intestine Meridian of Hand-Yangming.
The Lung Zang and Large Intestine Fu describe their physical forms; they belong to Xin Metal of the West, describing their functions. The Lung governs Qi; excessive speech damages Qi, leading to cough. The Lung also houses Po (Corporeal Soul). The exit and entry of Essence and Qi constitute Po, serving as ministers and assistants to Essence and Qi. Its orifice connects to the nose; when Lung Qi is harmonious, the nose perceives fragrance and stench. This describes miscellaneous conditions related to its nature. The Lung governs sound; entering the Lung, it manifests as crying. Sounds transmitted to the five zang organs each have their own characteristics. Transmitted from other zang organs to the Lung: Heart governs smell, entering the Lung becomes fishy; Spleen governs taste, entering the Lung becomes pungent; Liver governs color, entering the Lung becomes white; Kidney governs fluids, entering the Lung becomes mucus.
When attacked by the Six Excesses (Liu Yin), the Lung prefers warmth and moisture; Dryness causes disease, Cold also causes disease. The Seven Emotions also harm the Lung; sorrow or grief causes the Po Gate (Pohu) not to close, leading to stagnation of Metal Qi, allowing Heart Fire to invade. Diseases caused by non-internal/external factors include shouting, which damages Qi and injures the Lung.
The pulse originates in the Middle Jiao. The Middle Jiao refers to the Zhongwan point, four cun above the umbilicus, descending to connect with the Large Intestine, returning along the stomach's upper opening, ascending through the Diaphragm. The stomach's upper opening is at the Shangwan point boundary (five cun above the umbilicus), and the lower opening is at the Xiawan point boundary (four cun above the umbilicus). The Diaphragm (Ge) means separation. Below the heart lies the diaphragmatic membrane, aligning anteriorly with Jiutui and posteriorly with the eleventh thoracic vertebra, attaching around the spine, thereby blocking turbid qi from ascending to fumigate the Heart and Lung. The Lung pulse penetrates the diaphragm and spreads in the chest; thus, pathology manifests as cough, rebellious Qi, asthma, thirst, vexation, and chest fullness. From the diaphragm, it connects to the Lung; from the Lung system, it emerges horizontally under the axilla, descends along the medial aspect of the arm, reaches the elbow, ascends along the medial arm, passes below the bone edge, enters the Cun Kou, ascends to Yuji (Fish Border), and exits at the tip of the thumb.
The Lung system is the throat. Therefore, severe Lung disease causes pain in the Keyi (Supraclavicular Fossa). The area below the arm and above the ribs is the Axilla (Ye); the area below the humerus opposite the axilla is the Naou (Nao); the end point is the Elbow (Zhou); below the elbow is the Arm (Bi); the angular part below the arm is the Wrist Margin (Wan Lianyu). "Yu" refers to the fleshy prominence anterior to the metacarpal bones and posterior to the proximal phalanx of the thumb, collectively called the Fish. Thus, Lung disease presents as pain along the anterior medial margin of the arm and heat in the palm. Its branch meridian goes straight from behind the wrist to the medial side of the index finger, exiting at its tip.
Palpating the pulse with the weight of three beans, lightly floating, is the Lung pulse; pressing deeply to the depth of three beans is the Large Intestine pulse. Light pressure corresponding to the skin and hair is termed Floating (Fu); slightly increasing pressure causing obstructed flow is termed Choppy (Se); further increasing pressure failing to reach the root position is termed Short (Duan). These are normal pulses. Rapid and forceful indicates excess; sluggish and weak indicates deficiency. Surging and large indicates Metal being overcome by Fire, termed "Thief Evil" (Zeixie), governing wind-stroke with Qi obstruction, dry nose, and epilepsy. Khon pulse also belongs to Fire, governing accumulated blood in the chest due to Qi damage and blood coagulation. String-taut pulse indicates insufficient Metal invaded by Fire, termed "Minor Evil" (Weixie), governing Large Intestine constipation, urgent Qi, and pain in the epigastrium. Tight pulse governs headache. Slow and loose is caused by Spleen evil, termed "Empty Evil" (Xu Xie), governing wind-dampness. Deep, soft, and slippery indicates interference by Kidney evil, termed "Solid Evil" (Shi Xie), involving cold, wind, and phlegm. Deep and thin indicates disease in the bones, governing bone-steaming fever. Isolated deep pulse governs Qi distension, where stagnation in the chest transforms into phlegm. Isolated slippery pulse governs phlegm obstruction and Qi stagnation, causing vomiting and rebellion. Isolated soft pulse governs Qi deficiency and cold distension.
There is also "Righteous Evil." Floating is originally the Lung pulse; however, if floating, soft, and solid, it is termed Yang Knotting (Yang Jie). The Lung collateral circulates through the throat; the Large Intestine is a Fu organ; dry throat and Large Intestine constipation result from this. Severe floating or floating in all three positions, with aversion to cold and high fever, heat damages Qi; damaged Qi fails to defend, Metal becomes deficient while Wood becomes excessive, leading to cough, shortness of breath, thick sputum, and tearing eyes, all resulting from this.
The accumulation in the Lung is named Xiben (Rushing Breath), located under the left and right hypochondrium, the size of an inverted cup. If contracted on Jia/Yi days of Spring, it is because Heart evil transmits to the Lung; the Lung should transmit to the Liver, but the Liver is prosperous and rejects the evil. The Lung attempts to return the evil to the Heart, but the Heart rejects it; thus, it remains and knots to form an accumulation. When Lung Qi is excess, one dreams of war and conflict; when deficient, one dreams of wading through fields. If the Lung perishes and the True Organ Pulse appears, the pulse is large and empty, like wind blowing through hair, or like feathers piercing the skin. External signs include Qi that does not return, absolute sweat like pearls, turning but not flowing, asthma with shoulder movement (Jianxi), or hair standing erect like hemp. Condition worsens on Bing days, death occurs on Ding days, dying during Si/Wu hours. Such is the general overview of the Lung.