《灵枢》古名《针经》，《隋书·经籍志》谓之《九灵》，唐·王冰改为《灵枢》，盖亦有所本也。其
中论脏腑阴阳，雌雄配合，精神气血，生死原流，营卫之经行出入，经脉之终始循环，三阴三阳有血气之
多少，手经足经分尺寸之短长；五脏五行之气外合皮肉筋骨，四方四时之令内通肺肾心肝；十二经脉合地
之十二经水，十一脏腑应天之六律五音；天地日月配形身之上下，人与天地参也；生长收藏随寒暑之往
来，而人亦应之。脉随呼吸，应周天之二十八宿；营随卫转，合昼夜之百刻阴阳，十二经中，分是动所生
之病证；五脏脉法，有缓、急、滑、涩之提纲；论五脏神，内舍五情五志；分五形人，外具五色五音；察面
王即知脏腑之凶吉，审形气便知寿命之短长。论气之阴阳清浊，有顺有逆；味之酸、辛、甘、苦，有忌
有宜。论内伤之病，分别阴阳喜怒；外感之疾，各有部署形层。百病之起，有寒、热、虚、实；汤液之
法，有补、泻、温、凉。其间义理精微，不能尽述。
苟非生知睿圣，焉能洞察隔垣？诚三才之原始，实医学之上乘，后世视为《针经》而忽之！医者能明正
气之生始出入，而后知邪病之虚实浅深，舍根本之大道，而反循末务，设遇盘根错节，靡不意乱心迷，若
能潜心此经，自然出类拔萃。
《灵枢》古时候的名字叫《针经》，《隋书·经籍志》中称它为《九灵》，唐代王冰将其改名为《灵枢》，这大概也是有所依据的。其中论述了脏腑阴阳、雌雄配合、精神气血、生死本源，营卫之气的运行出入，经脉的终始循环；三阴三阳各有血气多少的不同，手经足经在尺寸长短上有所区分；五脏与五行之气在外对应皮肉筋骨，四方四时的气候在内通应于肺肾心肝；十二经脉对应大地的十二条河流，十一脏腑对应天道的六律五音；天地日月与人的形体上下相配，人与天地是参同相应的；生长收藏随着寒暑的往来而变化，而人体也随之响应。脉搏随着呼吸的节奏跳动，对应周天二十八宿；营气随着卫气运转，符合昼夜百刻的阴阳变化；在十二经脉中，区分了“是动”和“所生”的病证；五脏脉法，有缓、急、滑、涩作为提纲；论述五脏之神，内藏五种情感志意；划分五种体质类型，外在具备五色五音的特征；观察鼻准（面王）即可知晓脏腑的吉凶，审视形体气色便能知道寿命的长短。论述气的阴阳清浊，有顺行有逆乱；味的酸、辛、甘、苦，有禁忌有适宜。论述内伤疾病，分别阴阳喜怒的影响；外感疾病，各有其发病的部位层次。各种疾病的产生，有寒、热、虚、实的区别；汤液疗法，有补、泻、温、凉的方法。其中的义理精微，无法全部陈述。
如果不是天生睿智圣人，怎么能洞察隔墙的事物呢？这确实是天地人三才的本源，实在是医学中的上乘之作，后世却只把它当作《针经》而轻视它！医者如果能明白正气生成、起始、出入的道理，然后才能知道邪病的虚实浅深；如果舍弃根本的大道，反而去追求末节的事务，那么遇到错综复杂的病情时，无不感到心意混乱、心神迷惑。如果能够潜心研读这部经典，自然能出类拔萃。
The *Lingshu* was originally named the *Zhenjing* (Needle Classic). The *Sui Shu: Jingji Zhi* (Bibliography of the Book of Sui) referred to it as the *Jiuling* (Nine Spirits), and Wang Bing of the Tang Dynasty renamed it *Lingshu*, which was likely based on some existing sources. It discusses the Yin and Yang of the Zang-Fu organs, the pairing of Yin and Yang (female and male principles), the spirit, Qi, and blood, the origins of life and death, the circulation and entry/exit of Ying (Nutritive) and Wei (Defensive) Qi, and the beginning and end cycles of the meridians. It details the varying amounts of Qi and blood in the Three Yin and Three Yang meridians, and the differences in length between the Hand and Foot meridians; the Qi of the Five Zang organs corresponds externally to the skin, flesh, tendons, and bones with the Five Elements, while the commands of the Four Directions and Four Seasons internally connect to the Lungs, Kidneys, Heart, and Liver; the Twelve Meridians correspond to the twelve major rivers of the earth, and the Eleven Zang-Fu organs correspond to the six musical pitches and five tones of heaven; Heaven and Earth, Sun and Moon are matched with the upper and lower parts of the human body, indicating that humanity is in correspondence with Heaven and Earth; growth, flourishing, harvesting, and storing follow the coming and going of cold and heat, and the human body responds accordingly. The pulse follows the rhythm of respiration, corresponding to the twenty-eight lunar mansions of the celestial sphere; Ying Qi circulates with Wei Qi, conforming to the Yin and Yang of the hundred ke (time units) of day and night; within the Twelve Meridians, it distinguishes the syndromes of "Shi Dong" (Affecting Movement) and "Suo Sheng" (Causing Generation); the pulse methods for the Five Zang organs have "Huan" (Slow), "Ji" (Rapid), "Hua" (Slippery), and "Se" (Choppy) as key guidelines; it discusses the spirits of the Five Zang organs, which reside internally within the five emotions and wills; it classifies five types of constitutions, which externally manifest five colors and five tones; observing the tip of the nose (Mianwang) allows one to know the auspiciousness or inauspiciousness of the Zang-Fu organs, and examining the form and Qi enables one to know the length of lifespan. It discusses the clear and turbid Yin and Yang of Qi, which can be either smooth or reversed; the flavors of sour, pungent, sweet, and bitter have their taboos and appropriateness. It discusses internal injury diseases, distinguishing the effects of Yin/Yang and joy/anger; external contraction diseases each have their specific locations and layers. The onset of all diseases involves cold, heat, deficiency, and excess; the methods of decoctions involve tonification, purgation, warming, and cooling. The profound principles within cannot be fully expounded.
Unless one is a sage born with innate wisdom, how can one perceive what lies behind a wall? This is truly the primordial origin of the Three Powers (Heaven, Earth, and Humanity), and indeed the highest attainment of medicine. Yet later generations treated it merely as the *Zhenjing* and neglected it! If physicians can understand the generation, origin, entry, and exit of Zheng Qi (Upright Qi), they will then know the deficiency and excess, superficiality and depth of pathogenic diseases. If one abandons the fundamental Great Way and instead pursues trivial matters, when encountering complex and knotty conditions, one will inevitably become confused and lost in mind. If one can devote oneself to studying this classic, one will naturally stand out from the crowd.