灵枢·营气 Miraculous Pivot·Nutrient Qi
黄帝曰：The Yellow Emperor said:
黄帝说：
"营气之道，内谷为宝。"The principle of nutrient qi emphasizes the importance of ingesting grains.
营气的道理，摄入谷物是最宝贵的。
谷入于胃，乃传之肺，流溢于中，布散于外。When grains enter the stomach, they are transmitted to the lungs. They spread internally and are distributed externally.
五谷入胃，经过脾胃运化之后，其中的水谷精微之气传到肺，通过肺的输布作用流动并充溢在体内，营养脏腑。
精专者行于经隧，常营无已，终而复始，是谓天地之纪。"The essence and concentrated parts travel through the meridians and channels, constantly circulating without cessation, ending and then renewing. This is called the order of heaven and earth."
同时，还分散的充溢在四肢百骸及皮肤肌表。而水谷精微中精纯的精华物质则运行于人体的经脉通路之中，流动不息。人体摄入的水谷滋养周身的过程就这样终而复始的循环，就像天地日月的规律一样。
故气从太阴出，注手阳明，上行（至面），注足阳明，下行至跗上，注大趾间，与太阴合。Therefore, qi emerges from the Taiyin meridian, flows into the Hand Yangming meridian, ascends to the face, then flows into the Foot Yangming meridian, descends to the instep, and merges with the Taiyin meridian between the big toes.
营气的运行，起始于手太阴经，流注到手阳明经，沿手阳明经上行到面部，在面部进入足阳明经，沿着足阳明经下行，到达足背，行至足大趾间后，与起始于这里的足太阴经相合。
上行抵髀（别本作脾），从髀（别本作脾）注心中。From there, it ascends to the hip (alternatively, some texts mention the spleen). From the hip (or spleen), it flows into the heart.
沿足太阴脾经向上行，到达脾脏。从脾注入心中。
循手少阴，出腋，下臂，注小指（之端），合手太阳。It follows the Hand Shaoyin meridian, emerges from the armpit, descends along the arm, and merges with the Hand Taiyang meridian at the tip of the little finger.
沿着手少阴心经从腋下循小臂注入小指尖，合于手太阳经，然后沿着手太阳经上行。
上行乘腋，出䪼内，注目内眦，上巅，下项，合足太阳。It then ascends along the armpit, emerges from the inner side of the zygomatic arch, focuses on the inner canthus of the eye, ascends to the vertex of the head, descends along the nape of the neck, and merges with the Foot Taiyang meridian.
越过腋窝，向上出颧骨的内侧，经过眼睛的内眼角，上行至头顶，再向下行至颈项部，在此与足太阳经相合。
循脊，下尻，下行注小趾之端，循足心注足少阴。It follows the spine, descends to the buttocks, further descends, and merges with the Foot Shaoyin meridian at the tip of the little toe. From there, it flows along the sole of the foot and merges with the Foot Shaoyin meridian again.
沿着脊柱向下经过臀部，向下一直到达足小指尖，行至足注入足少阴经。
上行注肾，从肾注心，外散于胸中。It ascends and merges with the kidneys. From the kidneys, it flows into the heart and is dispersed outward in the chest.
并沿着足少阴经到达肾脏。经过肾脏注入心包络中，并向外散布于胸中。
循心主脉，出腋，下臂，出两筋之间，入掌中，出中指之端，还注小指次指之端，合手少阳。It follows the meridian of the Heart Master, emerges from the armpit, descends along the arm, emerges between the two tendons, enters the palm, emerges from the tip of the middle finger, then returns to merge with the Hand Shaoyang meridian at the tip of the ring finger.
沿着心包经的主脉从腋下出，循臂下行，从小臂内侧的两条大筋之间注入掌中，达到中指的指端和无名指的指端，并在此合于手少阳经。
上行注膻中，散于三焦，从三焦注胆，出胁，注足少阳。It ascends and merges with the Tanzhong acupoint, is dispersed in the Triple Burner, from which it flows into the gallbladder. It emerges from the flank and merges with the Foot Shaoyang meridian.
上行注入两乳正中的膻中穴，并散布于三焦，从三焦注入胆，出胁部，注入足少阳经。
下行至跗上，复从跗注大趾间，合足厥阴，上行至肝，从肝上注肺。It descends to the instep and merges with the Foot Jueyin meridian between the big toes. From there, it ascends to the liver and merges with the lungs.
向下行至足背上，又从足背注入足大趾间，合于足厥阴经，上行至肝，从肝再上行注入肺中。
上循喉咙，入颃颡之窍，究于畜门。It ascends along the throat, enters the cavity of the pharynx and nasal cavity, and reaches the throat's opening.
向上沿着喉咙，进入鼻的内窍，终止于鼻的外孔道。
其支别者，上额，循巅，下项中，循脊，入骶，是督脉也。Its collateral branch ascends to the forehead, follows the vertex of the head, descends along the nape of the neck, follows the spine, and enters the sacrum. This is the Du Meridian.
而其循行的支别，再向上沿着额部上行至巅顶，向下沿颈项部下行，循脊柱两侧继续下行，进入骶骨，这正是督脉的循行路线。
络阴器，上过毛中，入脐中，上循腹里，入缺盆，下注肺中，复出太阴。It connects with the external genitalia, ascends through the pubic hair, enters the umbilicus, ascends along the inside of the abdomen, enters the supraclavicular fossa, descends, merges with the lungs, and emerges from the Taiyin meridian once again.
继而环绕阴器，再向前向上经过阴阜部的毛际之中，上行进入脐中，再向上进入腹中，上行进入缺盆之中，再向下注入肺中，再次进入手太阴经，也就是下一个循环的开始。
此营气之所行也，逆顺之常也。”This is the pathway of nutrient qi, the normal and orderly sequence of its forward and reverse movements.
这就是营气的循行路线，是气血循行的常规。
