前篇太阴阳明已并论矣,而此更以阳明之脉特为解说者,诚以胃为五脏六腑之海,所系尤重,其脉其证,不
可不更为之辨也。
黄帝问曰∶足阳明之脉病,恶人与火,闻木音则惕然而惊,钟鼓不为动,闻木音而惊何也?愿闻其故。岐伯
对曰∶阳明者胃脉也,胃者土也,故闻木音而惊者,土恶木也。(按,土本畏木,猝然闻之,故惕然而惊也。)
帝曰∶善!其恶火何也?岐伯曰∶阳明主肉,其脉血气盛,邪客之则热,热甚则恶火。(按∶阳明木多气血,
邪客之则热益甚,故恶火。)
帝曰∶其恶人何也?岐伯曰∶阳明厥则喘而惋,惋则恶人。(按∶惋,惊叹也。厥,逆也。火与气上逆,
故作惊叹之声也。惊叹不已,喜静恶动,故不欲见人也。又脉解篇云∶“欲独闭户牖而处者,阴阳相搏也,阳
尽而阴盛,故欲独闭户牖而居。”)帝曰∶或喘而死者,或喘而生者,何也?岐伯曰∶厥逆连脏则死,连经则
生。(按∶经浅而脏深也。)
帝曰∶善!病甚则弃衣而走,登高而歌,或至不食数日,逾垣上屋,所上之处,皆非其素所能也,病反能
者何也?岐伯曰∶四肢者,诸阳之本也,阳盛则四肢实,实则能登高也。(阳受气于四肢,故四肢为诸阳之本。
按∶三阳实热,虽皆多火,而惟阳明为尤甚。邪入其经,大热发狂,强而有力,人不能制,正由阳盛之极也。)
帝曰∶其弃衣而走者,何也?(按∶弃衣谓裸体。)岐伯曰∶热盛于身,故弃衣欲走也。(按∶此真热盛
而裸体者,为伤寒之实热。更有阴竭阳浮,身冷如冰,而反裸体狂躁者,不可不知也。)
帝曰∶其妄言骂詈,不避亲疏而歌者,何也?岐伯曰∶阳盛则使人妄言骂詈,不避亲疏而不欲食,不欲食
故妄走也。(按∶此所言诸证,皆真火实邪,阳明经之实证也,伤寒时疫乃有之。)
前一篇中太阴病和阳明病已经一起讨论过了,但这里之所以专门针对阳明经的脉象进行详细解说,确实是因为胃是五脏六腑营养物质的汇聚之处(即“水谷之海”),其地位关系尤为重大,因此阳明经的脉象和证候,不能不加以进一步辨析。
黄帝问道:足阳明经发生病变时,患者厌恶人和火光,听到木器的声音就会惊恐不安,但听到钟鼓的声音却不会惊动,为什么听到木器的声音就惊恐呢?希望听听其中的原因。岐伯回答说:阳明经是胃的经脉,胃在五行中属土,所以听到木器声音就惊恐,是因为土畏惧木。(按语:土本来畏惧木,突然听到木声,所以惊恐不安。)
黄帝说:好!那为什么厌恶火光呢?岐伯说:阳明经主管肌肉,它的经脉中血气旺盛,邪气侵入就会产生热象,热势严重就会厌恶火光。(按语:阳明经多气多血,邪气侵入其中会使热势更加严重,所以厌恶火光。)
黄帝说:那为什么厌恶人呢?岐伯说:阳明经气机逆乱会导致喘息和心中烦闷懊恼,心中烦闷懊恼就会厌恶见人。(按语:惋,指惊叹、烦闷。厥,指气机逆乱。火气和气机上逆,所以发出惊叹之声。惊叹不停,喜欢安静而厌恶活动,所以不想见到人。另外《脉解篇》说:“想要独自关上门窗居住的人,是因为阴阳相互搏击,阳气耗尽而阴气盛极,所以想要独自关上门窗居住。”)
黄帝说:有的患者因为喘息而死,有的因为喘息而活,为什么呢?岐伯说:如果厥逆之气连及内脏就会死,只连及经络就会生。(按语:经络位置浅表而内脏位置深在。)
黄帝说:好!病情严重时,患者会扔掉衣服奔跑,登上高处唱歌,甚至几天不吃饭,翻越墙垣屋顶,所去的地方都是他平时做不到的,病情反而使他能够这样做,为什么呢?岐伯说:四肢是诸阳经的根本,阳气旺盛则四肢充实有力,充实有力就能登高。(阳气在四肢受纳,所以四肢是诸阳经的根本。按语:三阳经实热,虽然都多有火邪,但只有阳明经最为严重。邪气进入其经脉,大热导致发狂,强劲有力,人力无法控制,正是由于阳气盛极的缘故。)
黄帝说:那为什么扔掉衣服奔跑呢?(按语:弃衣指裸体。)岐伯说:体内热势炽盛,所以扔掉衣服想要奔跑。(按语:这是真正的热盛而裸体,属于伤寒病的实热证。还有阴液枯竭、阳气浮越,身体冰冷如冰,却反而裸体狂躁的情况,不可不知道。)
黄帝说:那为什么胡言乱语、骂詈他人、不顾亲疏关系而唱歌呢?岐伯说:阳气旺盛使人胡言乱语、骂詈他人、不顾亲疏关系,并且不想进食,不想进食所以胡乱奔走。(按语:这里所说的各种症状,都是真火实邪,属于阳明经的实证,只有在伤寒或时行疫病中才会出现。)
In the previous chapter, Taiyin and Yangming were discussed together. The reason for specifically explaining the meridians of Yangming here is indeed because the Stomach is the "sea" of nutrients for the five zang organs and six fu organs, a relationship of particular importance. Therefore, the pulse and syndromes of the Yangming meridian must be further distinguished.
The Yellow Emperor asked: When disease affects the Foot-Yangming Meridian, the patient dislikes people and fire. Hearing the sound of wood causes them to startle with fear, yet they are not moved by the sound of bells and drums. Why does hearing the sound of wood cause alarm? I wish to hear the reason. Qibo replied: The Yangming is the meridian of the Stomach; the Stomach belongs to Earth in the Five Elements. Thus, hearing the sound of wood causes alarm because Earth fears Wood. (Commentary: Earth inherently fears Wood; upon suddenly hearing it, one startsles with fear.)
The Yellow Emperor said: Excellent! Why do they dislike fire? Qibo said: Yangming governs the flesh/muscles, and its meridians are abundant in blood and qi. When pathogenic factors invade, heat arises; when the heat is severe, one dislikes fire. (Commentary: Yangming has abundant qi and blood; when pathogens invade, heat intensifies, hence the aversion to fire.)
The Yellow Emperor said: Why do they dislike people? Qibo said: When Yangming qi rebels upward, it causes panting and mental distress/anguish (Wan); due to this distress, one dislikes seeing people. (Commentary: Wan refers to startled sighs or mental anguish. Jue refers to rebellious qi. Fire and qi rebel upward, producing sounds of startled sighs. Continuous sighing leads to a preference for stillness and aversion to movement, thus a desire not to see people. Additionally, the *Maijie* chapter states: "Those who wish to close doors and windows to stay alone do so because yin and yang are battling; when yang is exhausted and yin is excessive, they wish to stay alone behind closed doors and windows.")
The Yellow Emperor said: Some die from panting, while others survive despite panting. Why is this? Qibo said: If the rebellious qi connects to the Zang organs, death ensues; if it connects only to the Jing (Meridians), survival occurs. (Commentary: The meridians are superficial, while the Zang organs are deep.)
The Yellow Emperor said: Excellent! When the disease is severe, patients discard their clothes and run, climb high places and sing, or go several days without eating, climbing over walls and roofs. These places are beyond their usual capabilities, yet the disease enables them to do so. Why? Qibo said: The four limbs are the root of all Yang meridians. When Yang is excessive, the four limbs become solid and strong, enabling one to climb high. (Yang receives Qi in the four limbs, making them the root of all Yang meridians. Commentary: While excess heat in the Three Yang meridians often involves fire, it is most severe in Yangming. When pathogens enter the meridian, intense heat causes madness; strength and power exceed human control, precisely due to extreme Yang excess.)
The Yellow Emperor said: Why do they discard their clothes and run? (Commentary: Discarding clothes refers to being naked.) Qibo said: Heat is excessive within the body, so they discard clothes and wish to run. (Commentary: This describes true heat excess leading to nudity, characteristic of excess heat in Cold Damage/Shanghan. One must also know that there are cases of Yin exhaustion with floating Yang, where the body is cold as ice, yet the patient paradoxically strips naked and acts maniacally.)
The Yellow Emperor said: Why do they speak nonsensically, curse others, ignore distinctions between relatives and strangers, and sing? Qibo said: Excessive Yang causes people to speak nonsensically, curse, ignore social distinctions, and lose appetite. Because they lose appetite, they wander aimlessly. (Commentary: All symptoms described here are due to true fire and excess pathogens, representing excess syndromes of the Yangming Meridian. Such conditions occur in Cold Damage or epidemic diseases.)