心之合脉也。其荣色也。其主肾也。肺之合脉也。其荣毛也。其主心也。肝之合脉也。其荣爪也。其主肺也。脾之
合肉也。其荣肌也。其主肝也。肾之合骨也。其荣发也。其主脾也。
五脏藏神主用。而职有贵贱。事有相使。内经明之矣。而于五行之相克。脏之受制。经反以为主而用之。则何也。
盖五
行之妙。每以相制为生。故内经于此特明五脏之养。受生之本。其道固有以逆而不以顺者。乃非以为克而以为生也。夫
心藏血脉。自当以合脉为主。而偏主于所畏之水。此养心之法也。何则。心以神用。则必取金多而用物宏。苟非太冲之
精腾上而调护之。则神空而无所丽。是神之所丽。唯有阴精承之。以为之济也。所以然者。心本纯阳。而其象反为 女。
内自含阴。故其象又为月窟。参同为 女之性冤而最神。得火则飞。不见埃尘。必使清静有匹以镇之。俾婴儿谐于 女。
而后月窟天根通其往来也。天使 女之有匹者。非其主之者耶。老氏云。上善若水。水善下而不争。此持心之道也。天
根月窟之往来。 女婴儿之谐偶。此养心之妙也。此可知肾之为心主矣。肺主气。而其象应秋。 敛清肃。肺之性与用
也。若寒凉过甚。则太和失而元气遂伤。此必有所相济以生其和。而后元气得行。能生其和者。非心德之暖乎。唯有火
德之暖。以益金体之清。是以金为丽泽。而沛雨露于天河之上。凡金之不燥不溢。得以治节体元加于众物之表。而不若
气上逆者。此物此志也。肝厥阴。而职风木。其气兆甲于艮。而凋落于兑。则燥金固所畏也。然肝之少阳。其少也苦稚。
其盛也苦怒。其横溢也苦逆。调之者唯在其金。而轻重治之。使稚者渐坚。怒者遽平。逆者敛缉。而后乃成其为少阳之
盛德。故其主肺也。至若太阴脾土。以浓德载物。而育之长之。尝苦于木之克制。是木为脾 也。然土泽而滞。每有水
火二窒。水湿则土泥而不生。火燥则土坚而不荣。唯有厥阴之气。以疏通之。而达其升德。则水不为濡。火不为燥。而
后能奔走诸经。以行津液。是脾不可一日不主肝也。至于土为肾主。则更有妙于此者。夫水由地中行者也。以流为性。
以险为习。惟是生于天。而涵于土。故源泉不竭。而泛溢无虞。是土能制水。正土能养水也。知乎此。则知肾之所以能
蛰藏者。固非土莫主也。由是言之。养心者莫若补肾。保肺者莫若宁心调肝者在于敛肺。扶脾者在于达肝。而滋肾者在
于葆脾。相克之道。转而相生。此五行五德之妙也。
心与脉相合。心的外在荣华表现在面色。心所制约的脏器是肾。肺与脉相合。肺的外在荣华表现在毛发。肺所制约的脏器是心。肝与脉相合。肝的外在荣华表现在爪甲。肝所制约的脏器是肺。脾与肌肉相合。脾的外在荣华表现在肌肉组织。脾所制约的脏器是肝。肾与骨骼相合。肾的外在荣华表现在头发。肾所制约的脏器是脾。
五脏贮藏神志并主宰功能，但在职责上有贵贱之分，事务上有相互驱使的关系。《内经》对此已有明确阐述。然而，在五行相克的理论中，关于脏腑之间受制于人的关系，《内经》反而将其作为“主”来运用，这是为什么呢？
大概五行的奥妙，往往通过相互制约来实现生机。所以《内经》在此特别阐明五脏的滋养之道，揭示生命产生的根本。其中的道理确实有以逆向（克制）而非顺向（相生）的方式存在的，但这并非为了强调克制，而是为了说明如何产生生机。
心脏贮藏血脉，按理应当以与其相合的脉为主，却偏偏以它所畏惧的水脏（肾）为主。这是滋养心脏的方法。为什么呢？心脏以神志为用，必然需要金（肺）多且作用宏大。如果不是太冲之精（肾中精气）上升而调护它，那么神志就会空虚而无依附之处。因此，神志所依附的，唯有阴精来承接它，以此作为济助。之所以这样，是因为心本属纯阳，但其形象反像“女”（阴）。内部自含阴气，所以它的形象又被称为“月窟”。参同契中说：“女”的性质冤屈而最显神灵，得到火则飞升，不见尘埃。必须使清静有所匹配以镇摄它，让婴儿（坎中之阳）和谐于女（离中之阴），然后月窟与天根才能互通往来。上天让“女”有所匹配，难道不是由它的主宰者（肾水）决定的吗？老子说：“上善若水，水善下而不争。”这是持守心神的方法。天根与月窟的往来，婴儿与女的谐偶，这是滋养心脏的奥妙。由此可知，肾作为心的主宰了。
肺主气，其形象对应秋季，收敛、清肃，这是肺的本性与功能。如果寒凉过度，那么太和之气丧失，元气就会受损。这必须有某种事物相互济助以生成和谐，然后元气才能运行。能生成和谐的，难道不是心的温暖德性吗？只有火的德性温暖，来增益金体（肺）的清肃。因此金成为丽泽（润泽），在天河之上沛降雨露。凡是金不干燥也不泛滥，能够治理节制本体元始，施加于众物表面，而不出现气机上逆的情况，都是这个志向所致。
肝属厥阴，职能对应风木。其气兆始于艮卦（东北，立春），凋落于兑卦（西，秋分），那么燥金（肺）固然是它所畏惧的。然而肝中的少阳之气，年少时苦于稚嫩，旺盛时苦于易怒，横溢时苦于气逆。调和它的关键在于金（肺），轻重地治理它，使稚嫩者逐渐坚固，愤怒者迅速平息，逆乱者收敛整理，然后才能成就其为少阳的盛德。所以肺是肝的主宰。
至于太阴脾土，以浓重的德性承载万物，养育生长它们，常常苦于木的克制，所以木是脾的主宰。然而土性湿润而停滞，常有水和火两种窒碍。水湿则泥土泥泞而不能生长，火燥则土地坚硬而不能荣润。唯有厥阴（肝）之气，来疏通它，通达其升发之德，那么水不会过于濡湿，火不会过于燥热，然后才能奔走于各条经脉，运行津液。所以脾不可一日没有肝的主宰。
至于土作为肾的主宰，其中更有比上述更奥妙的地方。水是在地中流动的，以流动为本性，以险阻为习性。只有生于天（源头），而涵养于土，所以源泉不枯竭，而泛滥也没有忧虑。这就是土能制约水，正是土能滋养水。明白这一点，就知道肾之所以能蛰藏精气，除了土之外没有其他主宰了。
由此而言，滋养心脏不如补肾；保全肺气不如宁心安神；调和肝脏在于收敛肺气；扶持脾气在于通达肝气；滋补肾精在于保养脾气。相克之道，转而相生。这就是五行五德的奥妙。
The Heart is harmonized with the Mai (Vessels). Its flourishing manifestation is in the complexion. Its controlling organ is the Shen (Kidney). The Lung is harmonized with the Mai (Vessels). Its flourishing manifestation is in the hair. Its controlling organ is the Xin (Heart). The Liver is harmonized with the Mai (Vessels). Its flourishing manifestation is in the nails. Its controlling organ is the Fei (Lung). The Spleen is harmonized with the Rou (Muscles). Its flourishing manifestation is in the Ji (Flesh/Muscle tissue). Its controlling organ is the Gan (Liver). The Kidney is harmonized with the Gu (Bones). Its flourishing manifestation is in the Fa (Hair). Its controlling organ is the Pi (Spleen).
The Zang organs store the Shen (Spirit) and govern functions, yet their duties have distinctions of nobility and baseness, and their affairs involve mutual direction. This has been clearly elucidated in the Nei Jing (Inner Canon). However, regarding the theory of Wu Xing (Five Elements) mutual overcoming, and how Zang organs are subjected to others, the Classic instead employs this concept as "Master" (Zhu). Why is this so?
Generally, the subtlety of Wu Xing (Five Elements) lies in generating life through mutual restriction. Therefore, the Nei Jing (Inner Canon) specifically clarifies here the nourishment of the five Zang organs, revealing the root of generation. The principle indeed involves methods that are contrary rather than compliant, but this is not for the sake of overcoming, but for the sake of generating life.
The Xin (Heart) stores blood vessels; logically, it should prioritize its harmonized partner, the Mai (Vessels), yet it peculiarly prioritizes the Water organ it fears. This is the method of nourishing the Xin (Heart). Why? Because the Xin (Heart) operates through Shen (Spirit), it necessarily requires abundant Jin (Metal/Lung) and macroscopic function. If the essence of Tai Chong (Kidney Essence) did not ascend to regulate and protect it, the Shen (Spirit) would be empty and have no place to attach. Thus, what the Shen (Spirit) attaches to is solely Yin Jing (Essence) receiving it, providing assistance. The reason for this is that the Xin (Heart) is originally pure Yang, yet its image resembles "Nu" (Female/Yin). Internally containing Yin, its image is also called "Yue Ku" (Cave of the Moon). The *Can Tong Qi* states: "The nature of Nu is grievous yet most spiritual; obtaining Fire, it flies, seeing no dust." It must be made quiet and matched to suppress it, allowing the Infant (Kan/Yang within Yin) to harmonize with Nu (Li/Yin within Yang), so that Yue Ku (Moon Cave) and Tian Gen (Heaven Root) can communicate freely. That Heaven allows Nu to have a match—is it not determined by its Master? Laozi said: "The highest good is like water; water benefits all things and does not compete." This is the way to maintain the Xin (Heart). The interaction between Tian Gen and Yue Ku, and the harmony between Infant and Nu—this is the subtlety of nourishing the Xin (Heart). From this, we know that the Shen (Kidney) serves as the Master of the Xin (Heart).
The Fei (Lung) governs Qi, and its image corresponds to Autumn, possessing contracting and clearing properties. This is the nature and function of the Fei (Lung). If coldness and coolness are excessive, then Tai He (Great Harmony) is lost, and Yuan Qi (Original Qi) is injured. There must be mutual assistance to generate harmony, after which Yuan Qi (Original Qi) can circulate. What generates harmony? Is it not the warmth of the De (Virtue/Function) of the Xin (Heart)? Only the warmth of Huo (Fire/Virtue) can benefit the Qing (Clear/Pure) constitution of Jin (Metal). Thus, Jin (Metal) becomes a moistened marsh, pouring rain and dew above the Heavenly River. Whenever Jin (Metal) is neither dry nor overflowing, able to govern and regulate its primal body upon all things, without Qi rising counterflow, this is due to this intention.
The Gan (Liver) belongs to Jue Yin and governs Wind-Wood. Its Qi manifests at Gen (Northeast/Spring) and withers at Dui (West/Autumn); thus, Dry Metal (Fei/Lung) is naturally feared. However, the Shao Yang (Lesser Yang) Qi within the Gan (Liver) suffers from immaturity when young, from anger when vigorous, and from rebellion when overflowing. Regulating it relies solely on Jin (Metal), treating it with appropriate weight to make the immature firm, the angry calm, and the rebellious restrained, thereby achieving the great virtue of Shao Yang. Hence, the Fei (Lung) is the Master of the Gan (Liver).
As for the Tai Yin Pi (Spleen-Earth), it carries things with dense virtue, nurturing and growing them, often suffering from Wood's control; thus, Wood is the Master of Pi (Spleen). However, Earth is moist and stagnant, often obstructed by Water and Fire. Water dampness makes Earth muddy and unproductive; Fire dryness makes Earth hard and barren. Only the Qi of Jue Yin (Gan/Liver) can dredge it, reaching its ascending virtue, so that Water is not overly damp and Fire is not overly dry, allowing it to run through the meridians to transport Jin Ye (Body Fluids). Thus, the Pi (Spleen) cannot be without the Master of the Gan (Liver) for a day.
Regarding Earth serving as the Master of the Shen (Kidney), there is an even greater subtlety. Water flows within the earth, taking flow as its nature and danger as its habit. Only by being born from Heaven and nurtured by Earth can the spring source be inexhaustible and flooding be without worry. This means Earth controls Water, precisely because Earth nourishes Water. Understanding this, one knows that the Shen (Kidney)'s ability to hibernate and store is primarily governed by Earth.
From this perspective: To nourish the Xin (Heart), nothing is better than tonifying the Shen (Kidney); To preserve the Fei (Lung), nothing is better than calming the Xin (Heart); To regulate the Gan (Liver), one must restrain the Fei (Lung); To support the Pi (Spleen), one must unblock the Gan (Liver); To nourish the Shen (Kidney), one must protect the Pi (Spleen). The path of mutual overcoming turns into mutual generation. This is the subtlety of the Five Elements and Five Virtues.