灵枢·五味论
Miraculous Pivot·Discussion on the Five Flavors
黄帝问于少俞曰：“五味入于口也，各有所走，各有所病。The Yellow Emperor asked Shaoyu, "When the five flavors enter the mouth, each has its own pathway of movement and can cause certain disorders.
酸走筋，多食之，令人癃；咸走血，多食之，令人渴；Sour flavor moves along the sinews. Excessive consumption of sour foods can cause dysuria. Salty flavor moves along the blood vessels.
辛走气，多食之，令人洞心；Excessive consumption of salty foods can cause thirst. Pungent flavor moves along the qi. Excessive consumption of pungent foods can cause a feeling of hollowness in the heart.
苦走骨，多食之，令人变呕；甘走肉，多食之，令人悗心。Bitter flavor moves along the bones. Excessive consumption of bitter foods can cause nausea. Sweet flavor moves along the muscles. Excessive consumption of sweet foods can cause a feeling of stuffiness in the heart.
余知其然也，不知其何由？愿闻其故。”I know these phenomena, but I don't know the reasons. I'd like to hear the explanations."
少俞答曰：“酸入于胃，其气涩以收，上之两焦，弗能出入也，Shaoyu replied, "When sour flavor enters the stomach, its qi is astringent and restraining. It cannot move in and out of the upper and middle burners.
不出即留于胃中，胃中和温，则下注膀胱，膀胱之胞薄以懦，If it cannot go out, it will remain in the stomach. When the stomach is in a harmonious and warm state, it will then descend to the bladder. The bladder wall is thin and flaccid.
得酸则缩绻，约而不通，水道不行，故癃。When it encounters sourness, it will contract and constrict, resulting in obstruction and the inability of the water passage to function properly, thus causing dysuria.
阴者，积筋之所终也，故酸入而走筋矣。”The yin aspect is where the aggregated sinews end. Therefore, sour flavor enters and moves along the sinews."
黄帝曰：咸走血，多食之，令人渴，何也？The Yellow Emperor asked, "Salty flavor moves along the blood vessels. Excessive consumption of salty foods causes thirst. Why is that?"
少俞曰：“咸入于胃，其气上走中焦，注于脉，则血气走之，血与咸相得则凝，Shaoyu said, "When salty flavor enters the stomach, its qi ascends to the middle burner and infuses into the vessels, then the blood and qi will move accordingly. When blood and salty flavor combine, they will coagulate.
凝则胃中汁注之，注之则胃中竭，When coagulation occurs, the juice in the stomach will be infused into it. When the juice is infused, the stomach will become depleted.
竭则咽路焦，故舌本干而善渴。When the stomach is depleted, the throat passage will become parched. Therefore, the root of the tongue will become dry and one will be prone to thirst.
血脉者，中焦之道也，故咸入而走血矣。”The blood vessels are the pathways of the middle burner. Therefore, salty flavor enters and moves along the blood vessels."
黄帝曰：辛走气，多食之，令人洞心，何也？The Yellow Emperor asked, "Pungent flavor moves along the qi. Excessive consumption of pungent foods causes a feeling of hollowness in the heart. Why is that?"
少俞曰：“辛入于胃，其气走于上焦，上焦者，受气而营诸阳者也，Shaoyu said, "When pungent flavor enters the stomach, its qi moves to the upper burner. The upper burner is the place that receives qi and nourishes all the yang aspects.
姜韭之气熏之，营卫之气不时受之，久留心下，故洞心。The qi of ginger and leek fumigates, and the nutritive and defensive qi receive it irregularly. If it remains in the heart area for a long time, it will cause a feeling of hollowness in the heart.
辛与气俱行，故辛入而与汗俱出。”Pungent flavor moves together with the qi. Therefore, when pungent flavor enters, it will be excreted together with the sweat."
黄帝曰：苦走骨，多食之，令人变呕，何也？The Yellow Emperor asked, "Bitter flavor moves along the bones. Excessive consumption of bitter foods causes nausea. Why is that?"
少俞曰：“苦入于胃，五谷之气皆不能胜苦，苦入下脘，三焦之道皆闭而不通，故变呕。Shaoyu said, "When bitter flavor enters the stomach, the qi of the five grains cannot overcome the bitterness. When bitter flavor enters the lower epigastrium, the pathways of the triple burners will all be blocked and impassable, thus causing nausea.
齿者，骨之所终也，故苦入而走骨，故入而复出，知其走骨也。”The teeth are where the bones end. Therefore, bitter flavor enters and moves along the bones. That's why it enters and then comes out again, which shows that it moves along the bones."
黄帝曰：甘走肉，多食之。令人悗心，何也？The Yellow Emperor asked, "Sweet flavor moves along the muscles. Excessive consumption of sweet foods causes a feeling of stuffiness in the heart. Why is that?"
少俞曰：“甘入于胃，其气弱小，不能上至于上焦，而与谷留于胃中者。Shaoyu said, "When sweet flavor enters the stomach, its qi is weak. It cannot ascend to the upper burner and remains in the stomach together with the grains.
令人柔润者也，胃柔则缓，缓则虫动，虫动则令人悗心。It makes one feel soft and moist. When the stomach is soft, it will be slow. When it is slow, the worms will move. When the worms move, it will cause a feeling of stuffiness in the heart.
其气外通于肉，故甘走肉。”Its qi externally communicates with the muscles. Therefore, sweet flavor enters and moves along the muscles."
