灵枢·本藏 Miraculous Pivot · The Viscera in Essence
黄帝问于岐伯曰：“人之血气精神者，所以奉生而周于性命者也。The Yellow Emperor asked Qi Bo, saying, "The qi, blood, essence, and spirit of human beings are what sustain life and pervade the whole course of one's life.
经脉者，所以行血气而营阴阳，濡筋骨，利关节者也。The meridians are what conduct qi and blood, nourish yin and yang, moisten the sinews and bones, and facilitate the movement of joints.
卫气者，所以温分肉，充皮肤，肥腠理，司开阖者也。The defensive qi is what warms the muscles between the skin and flesh, fills the skin, enriches the striae of the skin and muscles, and controls the opening and closing (of the pores).
志意者，所以御精神，收魂魄，适寒温，和喜怒者也。The will and intention are what govern the spirit, restrain the hun and po (the ethereal and corporeal souls), adapt to cold and heat, and harmonize joy and anger.
是故血和则经脉流行，营复阴阳，筋骨劲强，关节清利矣。Therefore, when the blood is in harmony, the meridians will be free-flowing, nourishing yin and yang in turn, the sinews and bones will be strong, and the joints will be smooth and flexible.
卫气和则分肉解利，皮肤调柔，腠理致密矣。When the defensive qi is in harmony, the muscles between the skin and flesh will be relaxed and smooth, the skin will be soft and supple, and the striae of the skin and muscles will be dense.
志意和则精神专直，魂魄不散，悔怒不起，五脏不受邪矣。When the will and intention are in harmony, the spirit will be concentrated and upright, the hun and po will not be dispersed, remorse and anger will not arise, and the five zang-organs will not be invaded by pathogenic factors.
寒温和则六腑化谷，风痹不作，经脉通利，肢节得安矣。此人之常平也。When one can adapt to cold and heat properly, the six fu-organs will be able to transform food, wind-bi syndrome will not occur, the meridians will be unobstructed, and the limbs and joints will be at peace. This is the normal state of a person.
五脏者，所以藏精神血气魂魄者也；六腑者，所以化水谷而行津液者也。The five zang-organs are what store the spirit, qi, blood, hun, and po; the six fu-organs are what transform water and food and transport body fluids.
此人之所以具受于天也，无愚智贤不肖，无以相倚也。This is what human beings are endowed with by nature. Whether one is stupid or intelligent, virtuous or unworthy, there is no difference in this regard.
然有其独尽天寿，而无邪僻之病，百年不衰，虽犯风雨卒寒大暑，犹有弗能害也；However, some people can live out their natural lifespan without suffering from any strange and intractable diseases, remaining vigorous even in their old age. Even when exposed to wind, rain, sudden cold, or intense heat, they still cannot be harmed.
有其不离屏蔽室内，无怵惕之恐，然犹不免于病，何也？愿闻其故。”Some people stay indoors all the time, without any fear or apprehension, yet they still cannot avoid getting sick. Why is this? I would like to hear the reason."
岐伯对曰：“窘乎哉问也！五脏者，所以参天地，副阴阳，而运四时，化五节者也。Qi Bo replied, "What a profound question! The five zang-organs are what participate in the harmony of heaven and earth, correspond to yin and yang, and operate in accordance with the four seasons and the five seasonal changes.
五脏者，固有小大、高下、坚脆、端正、偏倾者，六腑亦有小大、长短、厚薄、结直、缓急。The five zang-organs naturally have differences in size, height, firmness or fragility, regularity or irregularity; the six fu-organs also have differences in size, length, thickness, knotting or straightness, slowness or quickness.
凡此二十五者，各不同，或善或恶，或吉或凶，请言其方。All these twenty-five aspects are different from each other, some being favorable, some unfavorable, some auspicious, some inauspicious. Let me explain them one by one.
心小则安，邪弗能伤，易伤以忧；心大则忧不能伤，易伤于邪。If the heart is small, it will be at peace and not easily damaged by pathogenic factors, but it is easily affected by worry; if the heart is large, it will not be affected by worry, but it is easily damaged by pathogenic factors.
心高则满于肺中，悗而善忘，难开以言；If the heart is located high, it will press against the lungs, causing restlessness and forgetfulness, and being difficult to communicate with through words.
心下则藏外，易伤于寒，易恐以言。If the heart is located low, it is close to the outside of the internal organs and is easily affected by cold and easily frightened by words.
心坚则藏安守固；心脆则善病消瘅热中。If the heart is firm, the internal organs it governs will be secure and firmly guarded. If the heart is fragile, it is prone to diseases such as wasting-thirst and internal heat.
心端正则和利难伤；心偏倾则操持不一，无守司也。If the heart is in a proper and upright position, it will function harmoniously and is difficult to be damaged. If the heart is in a deviated and inclined position, one's actions and thoughts will be inconsistent and there will be no proper governance.
肺小则少饮，不病喘喝；肺大则多饮，善病胸痹、喉痹、逆气。If the lungs are small, the person will drink less and not be prone to diseases such as wheezing. If the lungs are large, the person will drink more and is prone to diseases such as chest impediment, throat impediment, and adverse qi.
肺高则上气，肩息咳；肺下则居贲迫肺，善胁下痛。If the lungs are located high, there will be upward adverse qi, shortness of breath with raised shoulders, and coughing. If the lungs are located low, they will be compressed by the diaphragm, often causing pain under the ribs.
肺坚则不病咳上气；肺脆则苦病消瘅易伤。If the lungs are firm, there will be no coughing or upward adverse qi. If the lungs are fragile, they are prone to diseases such as wasting-thirst and are easily damaged.
肺端正则和利难伤；肺偏倾则胸偏痛也。If the lungs are in a proper and upright position, they will function harmoniously and are difficult to be damaged. If the lungs are in a deviated and inclined position, there will be one-sided pain in the chest.
肝小则脏安，无胁下之病；肝大则逼胃迫咽，迫咽则苦膈中，且胁下痛。If the liver is small, the internal organ will be at peace and there will be no diseases under the ribs. If the liver is large, it will press against the stomach and the throat. When it presses against the throat, there will be discomfort in the diaphragm and pain under the ribs.
肝高则上支贲切，胁挽（别本作悗），为息贲；If the liver is located high, there will be upward distension and tightness in the upper part, and discomfort and pain in the ribs, which is called qi reversal.
肝下则逼胃胁下空，胁下空则易受邪。If the liver is located low, it will press against the stomach and leave an empty space under the ribs. When there is an empty space under the ribs, it is easy to be invaded by pathogenic factors.
肝坚则藏安难伤；肝脆则善病消瘅易伤。If the liver is firm, the internal organ will be at peace and difficult to be damaged. If the liver is fragile, it is prone to diseases such as wasting-thirst and is easily damaged.
肝端正则和利难伤；肝偏倾则胁下痛也。If the liver is in a proper and upright position, it will function harmoniously and are difficult to be damaged. If the liver is in a deviated and inclined position, there will be pain under the ribs.
脾小则脏安，难伤于邪也；脾大则苦凑䏚而痛，不能疾行。If the spleen is small, the internal organ will be at peace and difficult to be damaged by pathogenic factors. If the spleen is large, there will be pain in the flanks due to congestion and one cannot walk quickly.
脾高则䏚引季胁而痛；脾下则下加于大肠，下加于大肠，则脏苦受邪。If the spleen is located high, there will be pain in the flanks that extends to the lower ribs. If the spleen is located low, it will press against the large intestine. When it presses against the large intestine, the internal organ is prone to be invaded by pathogenic factors.
脾坚则脏安难伤；脾脆则善病消瘅易伤。If the spleen is firm, the internal organ will be at peace and difficult to be damaged. If the spleen is fragile, it is prone to diseases such as wasting-thirst and is easily damaged.
脾端正则和利难伤；脾偏倾则善满善胀也。If the spleen is in a proper and upright position, it will function harmoniously and are difficult to be damaged. If the spleen is in a deviated and inclined position, there will be a tendency to feel full and distended.
肾小则脏安难伤；肾大则善病腰痛，不可以俛仰，易伤以邪。If the kidney is small, the internal organ will be at peace and difficult to be damaged. If the kidney is large, it is prone to diseases such as low back pain, and one cannot bend or stretch, and is easily damaged by pathogenic factors.
肾高则苦背膂痛，不可以俛仰；肾下则腰尻痛，不可以俛仰，为狐疝。If the kidney is located high, there will be pain in the back and spine, and one cannot bend or stretch. If the kidney is located low, there will be pain in the lower back and buttocks, and one cannot bend or stretch, which is called hernia of the fox type.
肾坚则不病腰背痛；肾脆则善病消瘅易伤。If the kidney is firm, there will be no diseases of low back pain or back pain. If the kidney is fragile, it is prone to diseases such as wasting-thirst and is easily damaged.
肾端正则和利难伤；肾偏倾则苦腰尻痛也。If the kidney is in a proper and upright position, it will function harmoniously and are difficult to be damaged. If the kidney is in a deviated and inclined position, there will be pain in the lower back and buttocks.
凡此二十五变者，人之所苦常病。”All these twenty-five variations are the common diseases that people suffer from."
黄帝曰：何以知其然也？The Yellow Emperor asked, "How can we know this is the case?"
岐伯曰：“赤色小理者，心小；麤理者，心大。无𩩲骬者，心高；𩩲骬小、短、举者，心下。Qi Bo replied, "Those with a small texture and red complexion have a small heart; those with a coarse texture have a large heart. Those without the xiphoid process have a high heart; those with a small, short, and raised xiphoid process have a low heart.
𩩲骬长者，心下（别本无下字）坚；𩩲骬弱小以薄者，心脆。Those with a long xiphoid process have a firm heart; those with a weak and thin xiphoid process have a fragile heart.
𩩲骬直下不举者，心端正；𩩲骬倚一方者，心偏倾也。Those with the xiphoid process going straight down without being raised have a proper and upright heart; those with the xiphoid process leaning to one side have a deviated and inclined heart.
白色小理者，肺小；麤理者，肺大。巨肩反膺陷喉者，肺高；合腋张胁者，肺下。Those with a small texture and white complexion have a small lung; those with a coarse texture have a large lung. Those with broad shoulders and a concave throat have a high lung; those with closed armpits and spread ribs have a low lung.
好肩背厚者，肺坚；肩背薄者，肺脆。Those with good shoulders and a thick back have a firm lung; those with a thin back have a fragile lung.
背膺厚者，肺端正；胁偏疏（《医部全录》注曰：疏，当作竦）者，肺偏倾也。Those with a thick back and chest have a proper and upright lung; those with sparse ribs (Note: In "The Complete Record of the Medical Department", it is noted that "sparse" should be "erect") have a deviated and inclined lung.
青色小理者，肝小；麤理者，肝大。广胸反骹者，肝高；合胁兔骹者，肝下。胸胁好者，肝坚；胁骨弱者，肝脆。Those with a small texture and green complexion have a small liver; those with a coarse texture have a large liver. Those with a broad chest and reversed knees have a high liver; those with closed ribs and rabbit-like knees have a low liver. Those with good chest and ribs have a firm liver; those with weak rib bones have a fragile liver.
膺腹好相得者，肝端正；胁骨偏举者，肝偏倾也。黄色小理者，脾小；麤理者，脾大。Those with a good match between the chest and abdomen have a proper and upright liver; those with the rib bones raised to one side have a deviated and inclined liver. Those with a small texture and yellow complexion have a small spleen; those with a coarse texture have a large spleen.
揭唇者，脾高；唇下纵者，脾下。唇坚者，脾坚；唇大而不坚者，脾脆。Those who lift their lips have a high spleen; those with drooping lips have a low spleen. Those with firm lips have a firm spleen; those with large and not firm lips have a fragile spleen.
唇上下好者，脾端正；唇偏举者，脾偏倾也。黑色小理者，肾小；麤理者，肾大。Those with good upper and lower lips have a proper and upright spleen; those with the lips raised to one side have a deviated and inclined spleen. Those with a small texture and black complexion have a small kidney; those with a coarse texture have a large kidney.
高耳者，肾高；耳后陷者，肾下。耳坚者，肾坚；耳薄而不坚者，肾脆。Those with high ears have a high kidney; those with ears that are sunken behind have a low kidney. Those with firm ears have a firm kidney; those with thin and not firm ears have a fragile kidney.
耳好前居牙车者，肾端正；耳偏高者，肾偏倾也。Those with ears that are well-positioned in front of the jawbone have a proper and upright kidney; those with ears that are raised to one side have a deviated and inclined kidney.
凡此诸变者，持则安，减则病也。”All these variations are such that maintaining a proper state leads to health, while a deviation from it leads to diseases.
帝曰：“善。然非余之所问也，愿闻人之有不可病者，至尽天寿，虽有深扰（别本作忧）大恐，怵惕之志，犹不能减（别本作感）也，甚寒大热，不能伤也；The Emperor said, "Good. However, this is not what I was asking about. I would like to hear about those who are immune to diseases, can live out their natural lifespan, and even when faced with great distress and intense fear, their state of mind remains unshaken, and neither extreme cold nor intense heat can harm them.
其有不离屏蔽室内，又无怵惕之恐，然不免于病者，何也？愿闻其故。”There are also those who stay indoors all the time without any fear or apprehension, yet still cannot avoid getting sick. Why is this? I would like to hear the reason."
岐伯曰：“五脏六腑，邪之舍也，请言其故。Qi Bo said, "The five zang-organs and six fu-organs are the places where pathogenic factors reside. Let me explain the reason.
五脏皆小者，少病，苦憔心，大愁扰（别本作忧）；五脏皆大者，缓于事，难使以扰（别本作忧）。When all the five zang-organs are small, a person will have fewer diseases but will often be worried and greatly troubled by melancholy. When all the five zang-organs are large, a person will be slow in handling affairs and not easily affected by worry.
五脏皆高者，好高举措；五脏皆下者，好出人下。When all the five zang-organs are located high, a person will like to take actions on a grand scale. When all the five zang-organs are located low, a person will like to place himself beneath others.
五脏皆坚者，无病；五脏皆脆者，不离于病。When all the five zang-organs are firm, a person will be free from diseases. When all the five zang-organs are fragile, a person will always be afflicted with diseases.
五脏皆端正者，和利得人心；五脏皆偏倾者，邪心而善盗，不可以为人平，反复言语也。”When all the five zang-organs are in a proper and upright position, a person will be harmonious, beneficial, and liked by others. When all the five zang-organs are in a deviated and inclined position, a person will have an evil mind, be prone to stealing, and cannot be fair to others, often repeating words inconsistently. "
黄帝曰：愿闻六腑之应。The Yellow Emperor said, "I would like to hear about the corresponding conditions of the six fu-organs."
岐伯答曰：“肺合大肠，大肠者，皮其应。心合小肠，小肠者，脉其应。肝合胆，胆者，筋其应。Qi Bo replied, "The lungs are related to the large intestine. As for the large intestine, it corresponds to the skin. The heart is related to the small intestine. As for the small intestine, it corresponds to the meridians. The liver is related to the gallbladder. As for the gallbladder, it corresponds to the tendons.
脾合胃，胃者，肉其应。肾合三焦膀胱，三焦膀胱者，腠理毫毛其应。”The spleen is related to the stomach. As for the stomach, it corresponds to the muscles. The kidney is related to the triple energizer and the urinary bladder. As for the triple energizer and the urinary bladder, they correspond to the striae of the skin and the fine hairs."
黄帝曰：应之奈何？The Yellow Emperor asked, "How do they correspond?"
岐伯曰：“肺应皮。皮厚者大肠厚；皮薄者大肠薄。Qi Bo said, "The lungs correspond to the skin. If the skin is thick, the large intestine will be thick; if the skin is thin, the large intestine will be thin.
皮缓、腹里大者，大肠大而长；皮急者，大肠急而短。皮滑者，大肠直；皮肉不相离者，大肠结。If the skin is loose and the abdomen is large, the large intestine will be large and long; if the skin is tight, the large intestine will be tight and short. If the skin is smooth, the large intestine will be straight; if the skin and the flesh are closely attached, the large intestine will be knotted.
心应脉。皮厚者，脉厚，脉厚者，小肠厚；皮薄者，脉薄，脉薄者，小肠薄。The heart corresponds to the meridians. If the skin is thick, the meridians will be thick, and if the meridians are thick, the small intestine will be thick; if the skin is thin, the meridians will be thin, and if the meridians are thin, the small intestine will be thin.
皮缓者，脉缓，脉缓者，小肠大而长；If the skin is loose, the meridians will be loose, and if the meridians are loose, the small intestine will be large and long;
皮薄而脉冲小者，小肠小而短。诸阳经脉皆多纡屈者，小肠结。if the skin is thin and the pulse is small, the small intestine will be small and short. If all the yang meridians are mostly tortuous, the small intestine will be knotted.
脾应肉。肉䐃坚大者，胃厚；肉䐃么（别本作糜）者，胃薄。The spleen corresponds to the muscles. If the muscles are firm and large, the stomach will be thick; if the muscles are small and soft (in some versions, "soft" is replaced by "mushy"), the stomach will be thin.
肉䐃小而么（别本作糜）者，胃不坚；肉䐃不称身者，胃下，胃下者，下管约不利。If the muscles are small and soft (in some versions, "soft" is replaced by "mushy") and not firm, the stomach will not be firm; if the muscles do not match the body shape, the stomach will be located low, and if the stomach is located low, the lower esophageal sphincter will not function properly.
肉䐃不坚者，胃缓；肉䐃无小里累者，胃急。If the muscles are not firm, the stomach will be loose; if the muscles have no small nodules inside, the stomach will be tight.
肉䐃多少里累者，胃结，胃结者，上管约不利也。If the muscles have many small nodules inside, the stomach will be knotted, and if the stomach is knotted, the upper esophageal sphincter will not function properly.
肝应爪。爪厚色黄者，胆厚；爪薄色红者，胆薄；爪坚色青者，胆急；The liver corresponds to the nails. If the nails are thick and yellow in color, the gallbladder will be thick; if the nails are thin and red in color, the gallbladder will be thin; if the nails are firm and blue in color, the gallbladder will be tight;
爪濡色赤者，胆缓；爪直色白无约者，胆直；爪恶色黑多纹者，胆结也。If the nails are moist and red in color, the gallbladder will be loose; if the nails are straight and white in color without any constriction, the gallbladder will be straight; if the nails are ugly in color and black with many lines, the gallbladder will be knotted.
肾应骨。密理厚皮者，三焦膀胱厚；麤理薄皮者，三焦膀胱薄。The kidney corresponds to the bones. If the texture of the skin is fine and the skin is thick, the triple energizer and the urinary bladder will be thick; if the texture of the skin is coarse and the skin is thin, the triple energizer and the urinary bladder will be thin.
疏腠理者，三焦膀胱缓；皮急而无毫毛者，三焦膀胱急。If the striae of the skin are loose, the triple energizer and the urinary bladder will be loose; if the skin is tight and there are no fine hairs, the triple energizer and the urinary bladder will be tight.
毫毛美而麤者，三焦膀胱直，稀毫毛者，三焦膀胱结也。”If the fine hairs are beautiful and coarse, the triple energizer and the urinary bladder will be straight; if the fine hairs are sparse, the triple energizer and the urinary bladder will be knotted."
黄帝曰：厚薄美恶皆有形，愿闻其所病。The Yellow Emperor said, "The thickness, beauty, and ugliness all have their physical manifestations. I would like to hear about the diseases they are associated with."
岐伯答曰：视其外应，以知其内脏，则知所病矣。Qi Bo replied, "By observing the external correspondences, one can know the internal organs, and then one can know the diseases."
