肾象水，旺于冬。其脉如石而沉，其候耳，其声呻，其臭腐，其味咸，其液唾，其养骨
，其色黑，其神志；足少阴其经也。与膀胱合，膀胱为腑主表，肾为脏主里。
肾气盛，为志有余，则病腹胀，飧泄，体肿，喘咳，汗出，憎风，面目黑，小便黄，是
为肾气之实也，则宜泻之；肾气不足，则厥，腰背冷，胸内痛，耳鸣苦聋，是为肾气之虚也
，则宜补之。
于四时∶病在肾，愈在春；春不愈，甚于长夏；长夏不死，待于秋；起于冬。于日∶愈
于甲乙；甲乙不愈，加于戊己；戊己不死，待于庚辛；起于壬癸。于时∶夜半慧，日乘四季
甚，下晡静。肾欲坚，急食苦以坚之，咸以泻之，苦以补之。无犯尘垢，无衣炙衣。
肾部，在左手关后尺中是也。平肾脉来，喘喘累累如钩，按之而坚，曰肾平。冬以胃气
为本。冬，肾水王，其脉沉濡而滑，名曰平脉也。反得浮大而缓者，是脾之乘肾，土之克水
，为大逆，十死不治；反得浮涩而短者，是肺之乘肾，母之归子，为虚邪，虽病易治；反得
弦细长者，是肝之乘肾，子之扶母，为实邪，虽病自愈；反得浮大而洪者，是心之乘肾，火
之陵水，为微邪，虽病，治之不死也。病肾脉来，如引葛，按之益坚，曰肾病。肾风水，其
脉大紧，身无痛，形不瘦，不能食，善惊，惊以心萎者死。死肾脉来，发如夺索，辟辟如弹
石，曰肾死。冬胃微石曰平，胃少石多曰肾病，但石无胃曰死，石而有钩曰夏病，钩甚曰今
病。藏真下于肾，肾藏骨髓之气。真肾脉至，搏而绝，如弹石辟辟然。其色黄黑不泽，毛折
乃死。诸真藏脉见者，皆死不治。其汤熨针石，别有正方，补养宣导，今附于后。
《养生方》云∶冬三月，此为闭藏。水冰地坼，无扰乎阳。早卧晚起，必待日光。使志
若伏匿，若有私意，若已有得。去寒就温，无泄皮肤，使气亟夺。此冬气之应也，养藏之道
也。逆之则伤肾，春为萎厥。
《养生方·导引法》云∶肾脏病者，咽喉窒塞，腹满耳聋，用 气出。
又云∶两足交坐，两手捉两足解溪，换之，极势，头仰，来去七。去肾气壅塞。
肾脏的象类同于水，在冬季最为旺盛。其脉象像石头一样沉潜，其外在表现对应耳朵，其声音表现为呻吟，其气味为腐臭，其味道为咸味，其体液为唾液，其滋养骨骼，其颜色为黑色，其精神意识归属于肾；足少阴经是肾的经脉。肾与膀胱相表里，膀胱作为腑主司体表，肾作为脏主司体内。
肾气充盛且志意有余时，会出现腹胀、完谷不化的泄泻、身体浮肿、气喘咳嗽、出汗、怕风、面色发黑、小便黄等症状，这称为肾气实证，治疗应当采用泻法；若肾气不足，则会出现四肢厥冷、腰背寒冷、胸中疼痛、耳鸣甚至严重耳聋等症状，这称为肾气虚证，治疗应当采用补法。
在四季变化方面：肾病在春季痊愈；如果春季未愈，则在长夏季节加重；如果在长夏没有死亡，则等待到秋季好转；在冬季起病。在日干方面：在甲乙日（木日）痊愈；如果甲乙日未愈，则在戊己日（土日）加重；如果戊己日没有死亡，则等待到庚辛日（金日）好转；在壬癸日（水日）起病。在时辰方面：半夜时分病情减轻，日乘四季（辰、戌、丑、未时）病情加重，下午申酉时分病情安静。
肾的特性喜坚固，应迅速食用苦味食物以使其坚固，食用咸味食物以泻其实，食用苦味食物以补其虚。不要沾染尘垢，不要穿刚烤热的衣服。
肾的脉诊部位，位于左手关后尺部。正常的肾脉来势，连续不断如钩状，重按感觉坚实，称为肾平脉。冬季脉象以胃气为本底。冬季，肾水当令，其脉象沉濡而滑，称为平脉。如果反而得到浮大而缓的脉象，这是脾土乘袭肾水，即土克水，属于大逆之证，十死无救；如果反而得到浮涩而短的脉象，这是肺金乘袭肾水，即母归子，属于虚邪，虽然生病但容易治愈；如果反而得到弦细长的脉象，这是肝木乘袭肾水，即子扶母，属于实邪，虽然生病但会自愈；如果反而得到浮大而洪的脉象，这是心火乘袭肾水，即火凌水，属于微邪，虽然生病，经过治疗不会死亡。
患肾病时的脉象，如同牵引葛藤，重按时更加坚硬，称为肾病脉。如果是肾风水病，其脉象大紧，身体无痛感，形体不消瘦，但不能进食，容易受惊，如果因惊吓导致心气衰竭则会死亡。濒死时的肾脉，搏动杂乱如争夺绳索，或弹石般清脆急促，称为肾死脉。冬季脉象若有微弱的石脉兼有胃气为平脉，胃气少石脉多为肾病，只有石脉而无胃气为死脉，石脉中带有钩脉特征预示夏季发病，钩脉显著则预示当前发病。
五脏的真气下行藏于肾，肾封藏骨髓之气。真肾脉出现时，搏动强劲而断绝，像弹石一样清脆急促。面色黄黑而无光泽，毛发枯折者将死亡。凡是五脏真脏脉出现的，都是死证无法救治。至于汤药、熨贴、针刺、砭石等治疗方法，另有专门的方剂，补养导引等方法，现在附在后面。
《养生方》说：冬季三个月，这是闭藏的季节。水结冰地裂开，不要扰动阳气。早睡晚起，一定要等到太阳出来。使意志如同潜伏隐匿，好像有私密的意图，好像已经有所收获。远离寒冷趋向温暖，不要使皮肤开泄，以免精气频繁耗夺。这是顺应冬气的做法，是保养闭藏之道的原则。违背它则会损伤肾脏，到了春季会发生萎弱厥逆的病证。
The Kidney corresponds to Water and is prosperous in Winter. Its pulse is deep and heavy like a stone; its sensory organ is the ear; its vocalization is groaning; its odor is putrid; its taste is salty; its fluid is saliva; it nourishes the bones; its color is black; its spirit is Zhi (Will); the Foot Shaoyin Meridian belongs to it. It pairs with the Bladder; the Bladder, as a Fu Organ, governs the exterior, while the Kidney, as a Zang Organ, governs the interior.
When Kidney Qi is abundant and the Will is excessive, symptoms include abdominal distension, undigested food diarrhea, body edema, wheezing and coughing, sweating, aversion to wind, dark complexion, and yellow urine. This is termed Excess of Kidney Qi, and treatment should employ draining methods. When Kidney Qi is deficient, symptoms include cold extremities, coldness of the lower back and waist, internal chest pain, tinnitus, and severe deafness. This is termed Deficiency of Kidney Qi, and treatment should employ tonifying methods.
Regarding the Four Seasons: A Kidney disease heals in Spring; if not healed in Spring, it worsens in Late Summer; if it does not result in death in Late Summer, it recovers in Autumn; it originates in Winter. Regarding Heavenly Stems: It heals on Jia-Yi days (Wood days); if not healed on Jia-Yi days, it worsens on Wu-Ji days (Earth days); if it does not result in death on Wu-Ji days, it recovers on Geng-Xin days (Metal days); it originates on Ren-Gui days (Water days). Regarding Time of Day: Symptoms alleviate at midnight, worsen during Si Shi (Chen, Xu, Chou, Wei hours), and are calm in the afternoon (Shen-You hours).
The Kidney desires firmness; quickly consume Bitter flavors to firm it, Salty flavors to drain it, and Bitter flavors to tonify it. Avoid contact with dust and dirt, and do not wear clothes that have been heated by fire.
The Kidney pulse position is located at the Chi position behind the Guan on the left hand. A normal Kidney pulse comes continuously and densely like a hook, feeling firm upon pressure; this is called a Normal Kidney Pulse. In Winter, the Stomach Qi serves as the foundation. In Winter, Kidney Water is dominant, and its pulse is deep, soft, and slippery, named Normal Pulse. If instead a floating, large, and slow pulse is obtained, this is Spleen Earth overacting on Kidney Water (Earth overcoming Water), which is a Major Reversal, resulting in ten deaths with no cure; if instead a floating, choppy, and short pulse is obtained, this is Lung Metal overacting on Kidney Water (Mother returning to Son), which is Empty Evil, easy to treat despite illness; if instead a string-like, thin, and long pulse is obtained, this is Liver Wood overacting on Kidney Water (Son supporting Mother), which is Full Evil, healing itself despite illness; if instead a floating, large, and surging pulse is obtained, this is Heart Fire overacting on Kidney Water (Fire insulting Water), which is Minor Evil, not fatal even if ill, provided treatment is administered.
A diseased Kidney pulse feels like pulling a vine, becoming harder upon pressure; this is called a Diseased Kidney Pulse. In Kidney Wind-Water disease, the pulse is large and tight, the body has no pain, the form is not emaciated, but there is an inability to eat and a tendency to be easily startled; death occurs if startling leads to Heart Withering. A dying Kidney pulse beats chaotically like a rope being pulled apart, or sounds crisp and abrupt like stones striking; this is called a Dying Kidney Pulse. In Winter, a slight Stone pulse with Stomach Qi indicates health; less Stomach Qi and more Stone Qi indicates Kidney disease; only Stone Qi without Stomach Qi indicates death; Stone Qi containing Hook characteristics indicates illness arising in Summer; prominent Hook characteristics indicate current illness.
The True Essence descends to the Kidneys, where the Kidneys store the Qi of Marrow and Bones. When the True Kidney Pulse arrives, it beats strongly and abruptly, sounding crisp like striking stones. If the complexion is yellow-black and lusterless, and hair breaks off, death ensues. Whenever any Zang Organ's True Pulse appears, it is a terminal condition unresponsive to treatment. Decoctions, moxibustion, acupuncture, and stone therapy have separate specific formulas; nourishing and guiding exercises are attached hereafter.
The *Yangsheng Fang* states: The three months of Winter are for closure and storage. Water freezes and the earth cracks; do not disturb Yang. Sleep early and rise late, waiting for sunlight. Let your will remain hidden and concealed, as if holding private thoughts, as if already satisfied. Move away from cold towards warmth; do not allow the skin pores to open excessively, causing frequent loss of Qi. This is responding to Winter Qi, the way of nurturing storage. Violating this injures the Kidneys, leading to Withering and Cold Extremities in Spring.
The *Yangsheng Fang · Daoyin Fa* states: For those suffering from Kidney diseases, characterized by throat obstruction, abdominal fullness, and deafness, use the "Blow" (Chui) exhalation method.
It further states: Sit with legs crossed, grasp both feet at the Jiexi acupoint with both hands, switch positions, reach the extreme posture, tilt the head backward, and repeat seven times. This removes congestion and obstruction of Kidney Qi.