三十三难曰∶肝青象木，肺白象金。肝得水而沉，木得水而浮；肺得水而浮，金得水而沉。其
意何也？然∶肝者、非为纯木也，乙角也，庚之柔。大言阴与阳，小言夫与妇。释其微阳，而吸其微阴
之气，其意乐金。又行阴道多，故令肝得水而沉也。肺者、非为纯金也，辛商也，丙之柔。大言
阴与阳，小言夫与妇。释其微阴，婚而就火，其意乐火，又行阳道多，故令肺得水而浮也。肺熟而复沉，
肝熟而复浮者，何也？故知辛当归庚，乙当归甲也。
三十四难曰∶五脏各有声色臭味，皆可晓知以不？然∶十变言，肝色青，其臭臊，其味酸，
其声呼，其液泣；心色赤，其臭焦，其味苦，其声言，其液汗；脾色黄，其臭香，其味甘，其
声歌，其液涎；肺色白，其臭腥，其味辛，其声哭，其液涕；肾色黑，其臭腐，其味咸，其声呻，
其液唾。是五脏声色臭味也。
五脏有七神，各何所藏耶？然∶脏者，人之神气所舍藏也。故肝藏魂、肺藏魄，心藏神，
脾藏意与智，肾藏精与志也。
三十五难曰∶五脏各有所，腑皆相近，而心肺独去大肠，小肠远者，何也？然∶经言心荣肺卫，
通行肠气，故居在上；大肠小肠传阴气而下，故居在下。所以相去而远也。
又诸腑者，皆阳也，清净之处。今大肠、小肠、胃与膀胱，皆受不净，其意何也？
然∶诸腑者，谓是。非也。经言小肠者，受盛之腑也；大肠者，传泻行道之腑也；胆者，清净之
腑也；胃者，水谷之腑也；膀胱者，津液之腑也。一腑犹无两名，故知非也。小肠者，心之腑；大
肠者，肺之腑；胆者，肝之腑；胃者，脾之腑；膀胱者，肾之腑。
小肠谓赤肠，大肠谓白肠，胆者谓青肠，胃者谓黄肠，膀胱者谓黑肠，下焦之所治也。
第三十三难说：肝脏呈青色，象征木；肺脏呈白色，象征金。肝遇水下沉，而木遇水却上浮；肺遇水上浮，而金遇水却下沉。这是什么道理呢？回答说：肝脏并非纯粹的木，它对应天干中的乙和五音中的角，是庚金的柔配（阴配阳）。从大的方面说是阴阳关系，从小的方面说是夫妇关系。肝脏舍弃了微弱的阳气，而吸纳了微弱的阴气，其意向倾向于金。加上它多行阴经之道，所以使肝遇水下沉。肺脏并非纯粹的金，它对应天干中的辛和五音中的商，是丙火的柔配。从大的方面说是阴阳关系，从小的方面说是夫妇关系。肺舍弃了微弱的阴气，亲近并趋向于火，其意向倾向于火，加上它多行阳经之道，所以使肺遇水上浮。肺煮熟后反而下沉，肝煮熟后反而上浮，这是为什么呢？由此可知辛应当归属于庚，乙应当归属于甲。
第三十四难说：五脏各自都有颜色、声音、气味和味道，都可以清楚地知晓吗？回答说：《十变》篇中说，肝色青，气味臊，味道酸，声音为呼，体液为泪；心色赤，气味焦，味道苦，声音为言，体液为汗；脾色黄，气味香，味道甜，声音为歌，体液为涎；肺色白，气味腥，味道辛，声音为哭，体液为涕；肾色黑，气味腐，味道咸，声音为呻，体液为唾。这就是五脏的颜色、声音、气味和味道。
五脏中藏有七神，各自主管什么功能呢？回答说：脏，是人体神气寄居和储藏的地方。所以肝藏魂，肺藏魄，心藏神，脾藏意和智，肾藏精和志。
第三十五难说：五脏各有对应的腑，六腑位置都相近，但心和肺唯独远离大肠和小肠，这是为什么呢？回答说：经络学说认为心的营气和肺的卫气，通行于肠道之气，所以心肺居于上焦；大肠和小肠传导阴气向下，所以居于下焦。因此它们相距较远。
另外，所有的腑都属于阳，是清净的地方。现在大肠、小肠、胃和膀胱，都接受不洁净之物，这是什么意思呢？回答说：上述说法不对。经络学说指出：小肠是受盛之腑；大肠是传泻行道之腑；胆是清净之腑；胃是水谷之腑；膀胱是津液之腑。一个腑没有两个名称，所以知道前面的说法是错误的。小肠是心的腑；大肠是肺的腑；胆是肝的腑；胃是脾的腑；膀胱是肾的腑。
小肠称为赤肠，大肠称为白肠，胆称为青肠，胃称为黄肠，膀胱称为黑肠，这些属于下焦所管辖的范围。
Difficulty 33 states: The liver is green and corresponds to Wood; the lungs are white and correspond to Metal. When placed in water, the liver sinks, whereas Wood floats; when placed in water, the lungs float, whereas Metal sinks. What is the rationale behind this? The answer is: The liver is not purely Wood; it corresponds to Yi (Yin Wood) and Jue (Wood note), representing the Yin counterpart to Geng (Yang Metal). In broad terms, this reflects the relationship of Yin and Yang; in specific terms, it reflects the relationship of husband and wife. The liver releases its slight Yang and absorbs slight Yin Qi, thus its inclination favors Metal. Furthermore, as it traverses the Yin pathways more frequently, this causes the liver to sink in water. The lungs are not purely Metal; they correspond to Xin (Yin Metal) and Shang (Metal note), representing the Yin counterpart to Bing (Yang Fire). In broad terms, this reflects the relationship of Yin and Yang; in specific terms, it reflects the relationship of husband and wife. The lungs release their slight Yin and marry toward Fire, thus their inclination favors Fire. Furthermore, as they traverse the Yang pathways more frequently, this causes the lungs to float in water. Why do the cooked lungs sink again, and the cooked liver float again? From this, we know that Xin should return to Geng, and Yi should return to Jia.
Difficulty 34 states: Do the Five Zang organs each have distinct colors, sounds, odors, and tastes that can be clearly understood? The answer is: The *Shi Bian* (Ten Transformations) states: The liver's color is green, its odor is fishy/musky, its taste is sour, its sound is a cry/shout, and its fluid is tears; the heart's color is red, its odor is scorched, its taste is bitter, its sound is speech, and its fluid is sweat; the spleen's color is yellow, its odor is fragrant, its taste is sweet, its sound is singing, and its fluid is saliva; the lungs' color is white, its odor is raw/fishy, its taste is pungent, its sound is weeping, and its fluid is nasal mucus; the kidneys' color is black, its odor is putrid, its taste is salty, its sound is groaning, and its fluid is spit. These are the colors, sounds, odors, and tastes of the Five Zang organs.
The Five Zang organs house the Seven Spirits; what does each store? The answer is: The Zang organs are the abodes where the body's Shen Qi resides and stores. Thus, the Liver stores Hun (Ethereal Soul), the Lungs store Po (Corporeal Soul), the Heart stores Shen (Spirit), the Spleen stores Yi (Intellect/Thought) and Zhi (Will/Memory - *Note: Traditional text often lists Yi and Zhi for Spleen/Kidney differently, here following the source text "Yi and Zhi"*), and the Kidneys store Jing (Essence) and Zhi (Will/Firmness).
Difficulty 35 states: Each of the Five Zang organs has an associated Fu organ, and the Fu organs are generally close to each other, yet the Heart and Lungs are uniquely distant from the Large Intestine and Small Intestine. Why is this? The answer is: The Classics state that the Ying (Nutritive) Qi of the Heart and the Wei (Defensive) Qi of the Lungs circulate through the intestinal Qi; therefore, they reside in the Upper Jiao. The Large and Small Intestines transmit Yin Qi downward; therefore, they reside in the Lower Jiao. This is why they are far apart.
Furthermore, all Fu organs belong to Yang and are places of purity. Now, the Large Intestine, Small Intestine, Stomach, and Bladder all receive impure substances. What is the meaning of this? The answer is: That statement is incorrect. The Classics state: The Small Intestine is the Fu organ of reception and storage; the Large Intestine is the Fu organ of transmission and passage; the Gallbladder is the Fu organ of purity; the Stomach is the Fu organ of water and grain; the Bladder is the Fu organ of fluids. One Fu organ does not have two names; thus, we know the previous statement is wrong. The Small Intestine is the Fu of the Heart; the Large Intestine is the Fu of the Lungs; the Gallbladder is the Fu of the Liver; the Stomach is the Fu of the Spleen; the Bladder is the Fu of the Kidneys.
The Small Intestine is called the Red Intestine, the Large Intestine is called the White Intestine, the Gallbladder is called the Green Intestine, the Stomach is called the Yellow Intestine, and the Bladder is called the Black Intestine. These are governed by the Lower Jiao.