黄帝曰。余闻人有精气津液血脉。余意以为一气耳。今乃辨为六名。余不知其所以然。岐伯曰。两神相搏。合而成
形。常先身生。是谓精。何谓气。岐伯曰。上焦开发。宣五谷味。熏肤充身泽毛。若雾露之溉是谓气。何谓津。岐伯曰。
腠理发泄。汗出溱溱。是谓津。何谓液。岐伯曰。谷入气满。淖泽注于骨。骨属屈伸。泄泽。补益脑髓。皮肤润泽。是
谓液。何谓血。岐伯曰。中焦受气取汁。变化而赤。是谓血。何谓脉。岐伯曰。壅遏营气。令无所避是谓脉。黄帝曰。
六气者有余不足。气之多少。脑髓之虚实。血脉之清浊。何以知之。岐伯曰。精脱者。耳聋。气脱者。目不明。津脱者。
腠理开。汗大泄。液脱者。骨属屈伸不利。色夭。脑髓消。胫 。耳数鸣。血脱者。色白。夭然不泽。其脉空虚此其候
也。黄帝曰。六气者。贵贱何如。岐伯曰。六气者。各有部主也。其贵贱善恶。可为常主。然五谷与胃为大海也。（言六
气各主其部而互相资无贵贱也但发源于五谷与胃耳）
前后两截均以六项平叙。板实之中自饶腴味。尤妙在末尾用单笔作结探原星宿悠然不尽。使通身经脉皆活。此经文
极谨严之作。
黄帝问于伯高曰。余愿闻六腑传谷者。肠胃之小大长短。受谷之多少。奈何。伯高曰。请尽言之。谷所从出入浅深
远近长短之度。唇至齿。长九分。口广二寸半。齿以后至会厌。深三寸半。大容五合。舌重十两。长七寸。广二寸半。
咽门重十两。广一寸半。至胃。长一尺六寸。胃纡曲屈。伸之。长二尺六寸。大一尺五寸。径五寸。大容三斗五升。小
肠后附脊。左环。回周叠积。其注于回肠者。外附于脐上。回运环反十六曲。大二寸半。径八分分之少半。长三丈二尺。
回肠当脐左环。回周叠积而下回运环反十六曲。大四寸。径一寸寸之少半。长二丈一尺。广肠傅脊。以受回肠。左环叠
积。上下辟。大八寸。径二寸寸之大半。长二尺八寸。肠胃所入至所出。长六丈四寸四分。回曲环反。三十二曲也。
此当与下编合为一也。中间叠积。或作叶积。或作叶脊。皆字之讹也。回运环下。或少反字。胃之容三斗五升而三。
或作二今皆正之。不必曲解也。
黄帝说：我听说人体有精、气、津、液、血、脉这六种物质。我心想它们应该是一体的东西罢了，现在却被分辨为六个名称，我不知道其中的原因。岐伯说：男女两神相交结合，从而形成形体，这种物质通常在身体形成之前就已经存在，这就叫做“精”。什么叫作“气”？岐伯说：上焦开发宣散，布散五谷的精微气味，熏蒸肌肤，充实身体，润泽毫毛，就像雾露滋润万物一样，这就叫做“气”。什么叫作“津”？岐伯说：腠理（皮肤纹理及汗孔）开泄，汗水大量流出，这就叫做“津”。什么叫作“液”？岐伯说：食物进入体内后，水谷之气充盈，其浓稠滋润的部分注入骨骼，使骨节能够屈伸自如；其滑润部分补益脑髓，使皮肤润泽，这就叫做“液”。什么叫作“血”？岐伯说：中焦接受水谷之气，汲取其中的汁液，经过变化变成红色，这就叫做“血”。什么叫作“脉”？岐伯说：脉能约束营气，使其在管道内运行而不外溢，这就叫做“脉”。
黄帝说：这六种气有余和不足的情况，气的多少，脑髓的虚实，血脉的清浊，如何来判断呢？岐伯说：精脱失的人，会耳聋；气脱失的人，视力不明；津脱失的人，腠理疏松，大汗淋漓；液脱失的人，骨节屈伸不利，面色枯槁，脑髓消减，小腿酸软无力，耳朵经常鸣响；血脱失的人，面色苍白，毫无光泽，脉搏空虚，这就是它们的征候。
黄帝说：这六种气，谁贵谁贱呢？岐伯说：这六种气，各有其主管的部位。它们的贵贱好坏，可以作为常例的主次来看待，然而五谷和胃是它们的源头大海。（意思是六气各自主管其所属部位而互相资助，没有绝对的贵贱之分，只是都发源于五谷与胃罢了。）
这段经文前后两部分都以六项内容平铺直叙，在严谨朴实之中自有一种丰润韵味。尤其妙在末尾用单句收尾，追溯本源，意味悠长不尽，使得整篇经脉论述都变得生动活泼。这是《内经》中极为严谨的作品。
黄帝向伯高问道：我希望了解六腑传导谷物的情况，肠胃的大小、长短，以及受纳谷物的多少，是怎么回事？伯高说：请允许我详尽地说明。谷物从出入到深浅远近长短的度量如下：从嘴唇到牙齿，长九分；口腔宽度二寸半；从牙齿后面到会厌，深三寸半，容量五合；舌头重十两，长七寸，宽二寸半；咽门重十两，宽一寸半；通向胃的食管，长一尺六寸；胃迂回曲折，拉直后长二尺六寸，周长一尺五寸，直径五寸，容量三斗五升；小肠附着在脊柱后方，向左环绕，回旋重叠堆积，它注入回肠的地方，外附于肚脐上方，回旋环转反折十六曲，周长二寸半，直径八分又三分之一分，长三丈二尺；回肠位于肚脐左侧环绕，回旋重叠向下，回旋环转反折十六曲，周长四寸，直径一寸又三分之一寸，长二丈一尺；广肠（大肠末端）附着在脊柱旁，接收回肠的内容物，向左环绕重叠堆积，上下开合，周长八寸，直径二寸又三分之二寸，长二尺八寸。从肠胃入口到出口，总长度六丈四寸四分，回旋环转反折共三十二处。这部分应当与下编合并为一。中间的“叠积”，有的版本写作“叶积”或“叶脊”，都是文字的讹误。“回运环下”，或许有个“反”字。胃的容量三斗五升，有的版本作“三”，有的作“二”，现在都予以校正，不必强行解释。
Huangdi said: I have heard that the human body possesses Jing (Essence), Qi, Jin (Thin Fluids), Ye (Thick Fluids), Xue (Blood), and Mai (Vessels). In my mind, I considered them to be essentially one substance. Now they are distinguished into six names, and I do not understand the reason for this. Qibo said: When the two spirits (male and female) interact and combine, a form is created. This substance often exists prior to the formation of the body; it is called Jing (Essence). What is meant by Qi? Qibo said: The Upper Jiao (Upper Burner) opens and disseminates, spreading the flavors of the five grains. It steams the skin, fills the body, and moistens the hair, much like mist and dew nourishing things; this is called Qi. What is meant by Jin (Thin Fluids)? Qibo said: When the Cou Li (interstices and pores) open and release, causing sweat to flow profusely, this is called Jin (Thin Fluids). What is meant by Ye (Thick Fluids)? Qibo said: When food enters and Qi becomes full, the rich and moist substances pour into the bones, allowing the bone joints to flex and extend smoothly; the lubricating parts nourish the brain and marrow, and moisten the skin; this is called Ye (Thick Fluids). What is meant by Xue (Blood)? Qibo said: The Middle Jiao (Middle Burner) receives Qi and extracts the juices, which transform and turn red; this is called Xue (Blood). What is meant by Mai (Vessels)? Qibo said: Vessels contain and constrain Ying Qi (Nutritive Qi), preventing it from escaping; this is called Mai (Vessels).
Huangdi said: Regarding the excess or deficiency of these six Qi, their quantity, the emptiness or fullness of the brain and marrow, and the clarity or turbidity of the blood vessels, how can we know them? Qibo said: When Jing (Essence) is depleted, there is deafness. When Qi is depleted, vision is unclear. When Jin (Thin Fluids) is depleted, the Cou Li (interstices and pores) open, and there is profuse sweating. When Ye (Thick Fluids) is depleted, the bone joints cannot flex and extend freely, the complexion is withered, the brain and marrow diminish, the shins feel weak, and the ears frequently ring. When Xue (Blood) is depleted, the complexion is pale and lacks luster, and the pulse feels empty. These are their signs.
Huangdi said: Among these six Qi, which are noble and which are humble? Qibo said: Each of these six Qi has its own governing region. Their nobility or baseness, goodness or badness, can be regarded as having a primary order. However, the five grains and the Stomach serve as the great sea for all of them. (This means that while each of the six Qi governs its respective area and mutually supports one another without absolute hierarchy, they all originate from the five grains and the Stomach.)
The preceding and following sections of this text narrate the six items in a parallel manner. Within this rigid structure lies abundant richness. Particularly ingenious is the conclusion using a single sentence at the end to trace the origin, leaving an endless aftertaste and making the entire discussion on meridians come alive. This is an extremely rigorous work within the Classic of Internal Medicine.
Huangdi asked Bo Gao: I wish to learn about the transmission of grain through the Six Fu Organs (Six Bowels). What are the sizes, lengths, and capacities of the intestines and stomach regarding the amount of grain they receive? Bo Gao said: Please allow me to explain fully. The measurements of depth, distance, length, and breadth regarding the entry and exit of grain are as follows: From the lips to the teeth, the length is 9 fen; the width of the mouth is 2.5 cun; from behind the teeth to the epiglottis, the depth is 3.5 cun, with a capacity of 5 he; the tongue weighs 10 liang, is 7 cun long, and 2.5 cun wide; the pharynx gate weighs 10 liang and is 1.5 cun wide; the esophagus leading to the stomach is 1.6 chi long; the stomach is convoluted, but when straightened, it is 2.6 chi long, with a circumference of 1.5 cun, a diameter of 5 cun, and a capacity of 3 dou 5 sheng; the Small Intestine attaches posteriorly to the spine, looping to the left, overlapping and accumulating in folds. Its connection to the Large Intestine attaches externally above the umbilicus, looping and folding back sixteen times, with a circumference of 2.5 cun, a diameter of 8 fen plus one-third fen, and a length of 3 zhang 2 chi; the Large Intestine loops around the left side of the umbilicus, descending in overlapping folds, looping and folding back sixteen times, with a circumference of 4 cun, a diameter of 1 cun plus one-third cun, and a length of 2 zhang 1 chi; the Broad Intestine (lower large intestine) attaches to the spine, receiving contents from the Large Intestine, looping left in overlapping folds, opening and closing up and down, with a circumference of 8 cun, a diameter of 2 cun plus two-thirds cun, and a length of 2.8 chi. From the entrance to the exit of the intestines and stomach, the total length is 6 zhang 4 cun 4 fen, involving 32 loops and folds. This section should be combined with the following chapter. The term "die ji" (overlapping accumulation) in the middle may appear as "ye ji" or "ye ji" in some versions, which are textual errors. The phrase "hui yun huan xia" might contain the character "fan" (reverse). The capacity of the stomach is recorded as 3 dou 5 sheng in some versions, or 3, or 2; these are now corrected, and forced interpretations are unnecessary.