黄帝问曰。夫络脉之见也。其五色各异。青黄赤白黑不同。其故何也。（此承上章而复问也。言络脉之五色各异。而
为痛痹寒热之证者。其故何也。）岐伯对曰。经有常色。而络无常变也。（言经脉有五行之常色。络脉则随四时之变而无
常色也。）帝曰。经之常色何如。岐伯曰。心赤、肺白、肝青、脾黄、肾黑。皆亦应其经脉之色也。（此言经脉应五脏。
故有常色也。经、谓十二经脉。五脏具五色。亦皆应其经脉。而为青黄赤白黑之常色也。）帝曰。络之阴阳。亦应其经乎。
（帝言经脉应五脏而成五色。络脉之阴阳。亦当应其经矣。）岐伯曰。阴络之色应其经。阳络之色变无常。随四时而行也。
（此言阴络应经脉而成五色。阳络随四时而成五色也。阴络者。六阴经之络。应五脏之经。各有常色而不变。阳络者。
六阳经之络。合六腑之阳。随四时之春青夏赤秋白冬黑。并为变易者也。此皆四时五行之常色。谓之无病。若四时之中。
五脏之络。见青黑为寒。见黄赤则为热矣。王芳侯曰。阳者天气也。主外。阴者地气也。主内。六腑为阳。外应三阳
之气。五脏为阴。内合地之五行。是以阳络随天之四时。色变无常。而内通于五脏。五脏内应五行。而外合于三阳。脏
腑阴阳。又互相交合者也。）寒多则凝泣。凝泣则青黑。热多则淖泽。淖泽则黄赤。此皆常色。谓之无病。五色具见者。
谓之寒热。帝曰。善。（此言色变之因于寒热也。泣同涩。凝泣淖泽。谓络中之血气。此皆常色。谓之无病八字。当在随
四时而行也之下。误脱在此。王芳侯曰。内因之寒热。由阴而及阳。外因之寒热。由阳以及阴。是以病色之无分乎阳
络阴络也。）
Yellow Emperor asked, saying: When the collateral vessels (Luo Mai) are visible, their colors vary; they differ in blue-green, yellow, red, white, and black. What is the reason for this? (This continues the discussion from the previous chapter, asking why the varying colors of the collateral vessels lead to conditions such as painful obstruction [Tong Bi], cold, and heat.)
Qibo replied: The meridians have constant colors, whereas the collaterals do not have fixed changes. (This means that the primary meridians possess constant colors corresponding to the Five Elements, while the colors of the collaterals change without fixity according to the four seasons.)
The Yellow Emperor asked: What are the constant colors of the meridians? Qibo said: The Heart corresponds to red, the Lungs to white, the Liver to blue-green, the Spleen to yellow, and the Kidneys to black. These all correspond to the colors of their respective meridians. (This explains that the meridians correspond to the Zang organs, thus having constant colors. "Meridians" refers to the twelve primary meridians. The five Zang organs exhibit five colors, which also correspond to their meridians, manifesting as the constant colors of blue-green, yellow, red, white, and black.)
The Yellow Emperor asked: Do the Yin and Yang of the collaterals also correspond to their meridians? (The Yellow Emperor reasoned that since the meridians correspond to the five Zang organs to form five colors, the Yin and Yang of the collaterals should likewise correspond to the meridians.)
Qibo said: The color of the Yin collaterals corresponds to their meridians, but the color of the Yang collaterals varies without fixity, changing along with the four seasons. (This states that Yin collaterals correspond to the meridians to form five colors, while Yang collaterals form five colors following the four seasons. By "Yin collaterals," we refer to the collaterals of the six Yin meridians, which correspond to the meridians of the five Zang organs and each has a constant color that does not change. By "Yang collaterals," we refer to the collaterals of the six Yang meridians, which combine with the Yang of the six Fu organs and change along with the spring's blue-green, summer's red, autumn's white, and winter's black. These are all the normal colors of the four seasons and Five Elements, referred to as indicating no disease. However, within the four seasons, if the collaterals of the five Zang organs appear blue-green or black, it indicates cold; if they appear yellow or red, it indicates heat. Wang Fanghou stated: Yang represents heavenly Qi and governs the exterior; Yin represents earthly Qi and governs the interior. The six Fu organs are Yang and externally correspond to the Qi of the three Yang channels; the five Zang organs are Yin and internally harmonize with the Five Elements of the earth. Therefore, the Yang collaterals change color unpredictably with the four seasons of heaven, yet internally connect to the five Zang organs. The five Zang organs internally correspond to the Five Elements and externally harmonize with the three Yang. Thus, the Yin and Yang of the Zang and Fu organs interconnect and combine.)
When cold predominates, there is coagulation and stagnation; coagulation and stagnation result in blue-black colors. When heat predominates, there is liquidity and luster; liquidity and luster result in yellow-red colors. These are all normal colors, referred to as indicating no disease. If all five colors are seen simultaneously, it is referred to as mixed cold and heat.
The Yellow Emperor said: Excellent. (This explains that the causes of color changes lie in cold and heat. "Qi" is synonymous with "Se" (astringent/stagnant). Coagulation-stagnation and liquidity-luster refer to the state of Qi and Blood within the collaterals. The eight characters "These are all normal colors, referred to as indicating no disease" should originally have been placed after "changing along with the four seasons." Their current placement here is due to a textual error. Wang Fanghou stated: Internal causes of cold and heat affect Yang through Yin; external causes of cold and heat affect Yin through Yang. Therefore, pathological colors do not distinguish between Yang collaterals and Yin collaterals.)