(次九针论之后)
五脏六腑之精气。皆上注于目而为之精。精之窠为眼。骨之精为瞳子。(属肾)筋之精为
黑眼
。(属肝)血之精为络。(属心)其窠气之精为白眼。(属肺)肌肉之精为约束。(属脾)裹撷筋骨
血气之精。而与脉并为系。上属于脑后出于项中。故邪中于项。因逢其身之虚。其入深。则
随眼系以入于脑。入于脑。则脑转。脑转则引目系急。目系急则目眩以转矣。邪(斜同)其精
。(睛同)其精所中不相比也则精散。精散则视岐。视岐见两物。目者心使也。心者神之舍也
。故精神乱而不转。卒然见非常处。精神魂魄散不相得。故曰惑也 心有所喜。神有所恶。
卒然相感。则精气乱。视误故惑神移乃复。是故间者为迷。甚者为惑。
上气不足。下气有余。肠胃实而心肺虚。虚则营卫留于于下。(阳衰)久之不以时上。故
善忘也。
精气并于脾。热气留于胃。胃热则消谷。谷消故善饥。胃气逆上则胃脘寒(不能营运。
则其中脘当寒)故不嗜食也(此言所以善饥而不嗜食也)
卫气不得入于阴。常留于阳。留于阳则阳气满。阳气满则阳跷盛不得入于阴。则阴气虚
。故
目不瞑矣。卫气留于阴不得行于阳。留于阴。则阴气盛。阴气盛。则阴跷满不得入于阳则阳
气虚。故目闭也。
夫卫气者。昼日常行于阳。夜行于阴。故阳气尽则卧。阴气尽则寤。故肠胃大。则卫气
行留
久。皮肤湿分肉不解则行迟留于阴也久。其气不精则欲瞑。故多卧矣。其肠胃小皮肤滑以缓
。分肉解利。卫气之留于阳也久。故少瞑焉。
(After the "Treatise on the Nine Needles")
The essence and qi of the five zang organs and six fu organs all ascend to the eyes, forming the essence of the eyes. The gathering place of this essence is the eye. The essence of bone manifests as the pupil. (Belongs to Kidney) The essence of sinew manifests as the black part of the eye (iris/cornea area). (Belongs to Liver) The essence of blood manifests as the collaterals. (Belongs to Heart) The essence of qi gathers in the white part of the eye. (Belongs to Lung) The essence of muscle manifests as the constraints (eyelids). (Belongs to Spleen) These substances, which envelop the essence of sinew, bone, blood, and qi, merge with the vessels to form the optic nerve system (mu xi), connecting upwards to the back of the head and emerging from the middle of the neck. Therefore, when pathogenic factors attack the neck, if coinciding with the body's deficiency, they penetrate deeply, following the optic nerve system into the brain. Upon entering the brain, it causes dizziness/rotation of the brain; rotation of the brain pulls the optic nerve system tight; tightness of the optic nerve system leads to vertigo and dizziness. If pathogenic factors invade its essence, and the damage to the essence cannot coordinate mutually, then the essence scatters. When the essence scatters, diplopia occurs, seeing double images. The eyes are the agents of the Heart; the Heart is the residence of Shen (Spirit). Therefore, when spirit and mind are chaotic and fail to function normally, suddenly seeing extraordinary scenes causes spirit, hun, and po to scatter and lose coordination, which is called "huo" (confusion/delusion). If the heart has preferences and shen has aversions, sudden stimulation causes chaos in essence and qi, leading to visual errors and confusion. Once shen returns to normal, the confusion resolves. Thus, mild cases are called "mi" (bewilderment), and severe cases are called "huo" (delusion/confusion).
When upper qi is insufficient and lower qi is excessive, the intestines and stomach are full while the heart and lungs are deficient. Deficiency causes ying (nutritive) and wei (defensive) qi to stagnate in the lower body. (Yang qi declines) Over time, failing to ascend timely, one becomes prone to forgetfulness.
Essence and qi merge into the Spleen, and hot qi lingers in the Stomach. Stomach heat promotes digestion; since food is digested quickly, one feels hungry easily. If Stomach qi rebels upward, the epigastrium becomes cold (because it fails to transport and transform properly, the epigastric region feels cold), thus one loses appetite. (This explains why one may feel hungry yet lack desire to eat.)
If wei (defensive) qi cannot enter the yin aspect, it often remains in the yang aspect. Remaining in yang makes yang qi abundant; abundant yang qi makes the Yang Qiao vessel vigorous, preventing entry into yin, resulting in yin qi deficiency. Hence, the eyes remain open (insomnia). If wei qi remains in yin and cannot travel to yang, remaining in yin makes yin qi abundant; abundant yin qi fills the Yin Qiao vessel, preventing entry into yang, resulting in yang qi deficiency. Hence, the eyes close (hypersomnia/sleepiness).
Wei qi travels through the yang aspect during the day and the yin aspect at night. Therefore, when yang qi exhausts, one sleeps; when yin qi exhausts, one wakes. If the intestines and stomach are large, wei qi stays inside for a long time. If the skin is moist and the intermuscular spaces are not smooth, movement is slow, causing wei qi to stay in yin for a long time. If one's qi is not robust, there is a desire to sleep, hence hypersomnia. If the intestines and stomach are small, the skin is smooth, and the intermuscular spaces are unobstructed, wei qi stays in yang for a long time, hence short sleep duration.