黄帝曰。卫气之留于腹中。蓄积不行。苑蕴不得常所。使人支胁。胸中满。喘呼逆息者。何以去之。伯高曰。其气
积于胸中者。上取之。积于腹中者。下取之。上下皆满者。旁取之。黄帝曰。取之奈何。伯高对曰。积于上。泻大迎天
突喉中。积于下者。泻三里与气街。上下皆满者。上下取之。与季胁之下一寸。重者。鸡足取之。诊视其脉。大而弦急。
及绝不至者。及腹皮急甚者。不可刺也。黄帝曰善。黄帝问于伯高曰。何以知皮肉气血筋骨之病也。伯高曰。色起两眉
薄泽者。病在皮。唇色青黄赤白黑者病在肌肉。营气霈然者。病在血脉。（脉一作气非此即上编伤于湿气藏于血脉之中也）
目色青黄赤白黑者。病在筋。耳焦枯如受尘垢者。病在骨。黄帝曰。病形何如。取之奈何。伯高曰。夫百病变化。不可
胜数。然皮有部。肉有柱。血气有输。骨有属。黄帝曰。愿闻其故。伯高曰。皮之部。输于四末。肉之柱。在臂胫诸阳
分肉之间。与足少阴分间。血气之输。输于诸络气血留居。则盛而起。筋部无阴无阳。无左无右。候病所在。骨之属者。
骨空之所以受益而益脑髓者也。黄帝曰。取之奈何。伯高曰。夫病变化。浮沉深浅。不可胜穷。各在其处。病间者浅之。
甚者深之。间者小之。甚者众之。随变而调气。故曰上工。黄帝问于伯高曰。人之肥瘦大小寒温。有老壮少小。别之奈
何。伯高对曰。人年五十以上为老。二十以上为壮。十八以上为少。六岁以上为小。黄帝曰。何以度知其肥瘦。伯高曰。
人有肥。有膏。有肉。黄帝曰。别此奈何。伯高曰。 肉坚。皮满者肥。 肉不坚。皮缓者膏。皮肉不相离者肉。黄帝
曰。身之寒温何如。伯高曰。膏者。其肉淖。而粗理者身寒。细理者身热。脂者。其肉坚。细理者热。粗理者寒。黄帝
曰。其肥瘦大小奈何。伯高曰。膏者。多气而皮纵缓。故能纵腹垂腴。肉者。身体容大。脂者。其身收小。黄帝曰。三
者之气血多少。何如。伯高曰。膏者多气。多气者热。热者耐寒。肉者多血。多血则充形。充形则平。脂者其血清。气
滑少。故不能大。此别于众人者也。黄帝曰。众人奈何。伯高曰。众人皮肉脂膏。不相加也。血与气不能相多。故其形
不小不大。各自称其身。命曰众人。黄帝曰。善。治之奈何。伯高曰。必先别其三形。血之多少。气之清浊。而后调之。
无失常经。是故膏人。纵腹垂腴。肉人者。上下容大。脂人者。虽脂不能大也。
前后三事文义不贯。文气亦不接续。
黄帝说：卫气停留在腹中，积聚而不运行，郁结蕴滞不能正常分布，导致胁肋部支撑胀满、胸中痞闷、气喘呼吸急促，用什么方法去除它呢？
伯高说：卫气积聚在胸中的，从上部取穴治疗；积聚在腹中的，从下部取穴治疗；上下都胀满的，从侧面取穴治疗。
黄帝说：具体怎么取穴呢？
伯高回答说：积聚在上部的，泻大迎穴、天突穴和喉中的穴位；积聚在下部的，泻足三里和气街穴；上下都胀满的，上下兼取，并取季胁下一寸处的穴位。病情严重的，用“鸡足”刺法（即在一穴周围斜刺三针）进行治疗。诊察脉象，如果脉象大而弦急，或者脉搏断绝不至，以及腹部皮肤极度紧绷的，都不可针刺。
黄帝说：好。
伯高说：两眉部位色泽浮薄润泽的，病在皮；嘴唇呈现青、黄、赤、白、黑各色异常的，病在肌肉；营气盛大外现的，病在血脉。（注：“脉”字一作“气”，非此意，指上编所述伤于湿气藏于血脉之中）眼睛颜色呈现青、黄、赤、白、黑各色的，病在筋；耳朵干枯焦黑像蒙受尘垢的，病在骨。
黄帝说：病症表现如何？如何取穴治疗？
伯高说：各种疾病的变化，数不胜数。然而皮有分部，肉有柱石（指肌肉隆起处），气血有输注之处，骨有归属。
黄帝说：我想听听其中的道理。
伯高说：皮的输注部位，在四肢末端；肉的柱石，位于手臂和小腿各阳经分肉之间，以及足少阴肾经的分野之间；气血的输注，在于各络脉，气血停留聚集，就会充盈突起；筋的部位没有阴阳左右之分，只需观察病痛所在之处；骨的归属，是骨空接受精气从而补益脑髓的地方。
黄帝说：具体怎么取穴治疗呢？
伯高说：疾病的变化，有浮沉深浅，无法穷尽，各自存在于不同的部位。病轻浅的，针刺宜浅；病深重的，针刺宜深。病轻的，取穴宜少；病重的，取穴宜多。随着病情变化来调治气机，这就叫作“上工”（高明的医生）。
黄帝问伯高说：人的肥瘦、大小、寒温，以及老、壮、少、小的区别，如何辨别呢？
伯高回答说：人年五十岁以上为老，二十岁以上为壮，十八岁以上为少，六岁以上为小。
黄帝说：如何度量判断人的肥瘦呢？
伯高说：人有肥、膏、肉三种类型。
黄帝说：如何区分它们呢？
伯高说：肌肉坚实、皮肤丰满的是肥；肌肉不坚实、皮肤松弛的是膏；皮肉紧密结合不相分离的是肉。
黄帝说：身体的寒温情况如何？
伯高说：膏型的人，肌肉柔润，纹理粗疏的体质偏寒，纹理细密的体质偏热；脂型的人，肌肉坚实，纹理细密的体质偏热，纹理粗疏的体质偏寒。
黄帝说：这三类人的肥瘦大小有何不同？
伯高说：膏型的人，气多而皮肤纵缓，所以腹部松弛下垂；肉型的人，身体宽大；脂型的人，身体收敛较小。
伯高说：膏型人气多，气多则身热，身热者耐寒；肉型人多血，多血则形体充盛，形体充盛则平和；脂型人血清稀，气行滑利但量少，所以身体不能长大。这是与普通大众的区别。
黄帝说：普通大众是什么样子的？
伯高说：普通大众的皮、肉、脂、膏比例适中，不相叠加，血与气也不偏多，所以身形不大不小，与身体相称，称为“众人”。
黄帝说：好。如何治疗呢？
伯高说：必须先辨别这三种体型，分辨血的多少、气的清浊，然后进行调治，不要违背常规经脉规律。因此，膏人表现为腹部松弛下垂；肉人表现为上下身形宽大；脂人虽然有脂肪，但身体不能长大。
（按语：前后三段文字义理不连贯，文气也不接续。）
Huangdi said: When Wei Qi (Defensive Qi) remains in the abdomen, accumulating and failing to circulate, becoming stagnant and unable to distribute normally, causing distending fullness in the hypochondrium, chest oppression, wheezing, and reverse flow of breath, how can it be eliminated?
Bo Gao said: If the Qi accumulates in the chest, treat by selecting points from the upper body; if it accumulates in the abdomen, treat by selecting points from the lower body; if both upper and lower are full, treat by selecting points from the sides.
Huangdi said: How should these points be selected?
Bo Gao replied: For accumulation in the upper part, reduce Da Ying (ST4), Tian Tu (CV22), and points in the throat region; for accumulation in the lower part, reduce Zu San Li (ST36) and Qi Chuan (ST30); for accumulation in both upper and lower parts, select points from both upper and lower regions, along with a point one cun below the costal margin. In severe cases, use the "Chicken Foot" needling technique (inserting needles obliquely around a central point). Upon pulse diagnosis, if the pulse is large, wiry, and rapid, or absent/interrupted, or if the abdominal skin is extremely tense, acupuncture is contraindicated.
Huangdi said: Excellent.
Huangdi asked Bo Gao: How can one identify diseases affecting the skin, flesh, Qi, blood, sinews, and bones?
Bo Gao said: If the luster appears thin and moist between the two eyebrows, the disease is in the skin. If the lips show colors of green, yellow, red, white, or black abnormally, the disease is in the muscle. If Ying Qi (Nutritive Qi) manifests vigorously externally, the disease is in the blood vessels. (Note: The character "Mai" [Pulse] is sometimes written as "Qi", which is incorrect here; it refers to dampness injuring the body and hiding within the blood vessels as mentioned in the previous chapter.) If the eye whites show colors of green, yellow, red, white, or black abnormally, the disease is in the sinews. If the ears appear dry, withered, and blackened like dust-covered, the disease is in the bone.
Huangdi said: What are the manifestations of these diseases, and how should points be selected for treatment?
Bo Gao said: The changes of all diseases are countless. However, the skin has its distribution areas, the muscle has its pillars (prominent muscle masses), the Qi and blood have their transport points, and the bone has its attachments.
Huangdi said: I wish to hear the reasoning behind this.
Bo Gao said: The transport points of the skin are located at the four extremities. The pillars of the muscle are located between the fleshy parts of the Yang meridians in the arms and shins, and between the territories of the Foot Shaoyin Kidney Meridian. The transport points of Qi and blood are located in the collateral vessels; when Qi and blood stagnate and accumulate, they become prominent and raised. The sinews do not distinguish between Yin/Yang or left/right; one must observe the location of the pathology. The attachments of the bone refer to the bone cavities that receive essence to nourish the brain and marrow.
Huangdi said: How should points be selected for treatment?
Bo Gao said: The changes of disease, whether floating/sinking or shallow/deep, are inexhaustible and exist in specific locations. For mild/shallow conditions, needle superficially; for severe/deep conditions, needle deeply. For mild conditions, use fewer points; for severe conditions, use more points. Adjust the Qi according to the changing condition; this is called being a "Superior Physician" (Shang Gong).
Huangdi asked Bo Gao: How can one differentiate people based on fat/thinness, size, cold/heat tolerance, and age groups (old, strong, young, small)?
Bo Gao replied: People aged fifty and above are considered old; those above twenty are strong; those above eighteen are young; those above six are small.
Huangdi said: How can one measure and determine fat versus thinness?
Bo Gao said: There are three types: Fei (Fat), Gao (Pasty), and Rou (Fleshy).
Huangdi said: How to distinguish them?
Bo Gao said: If the muscle is firm and the skin is full, it is Fei (Fat). If the muscle is not firm and the skin is lax, it is Gao (Pasty). If the skin and muscle are tightly adhered and not separable, it is Rou (Fleshy).
Huangdi said: What about the cold/heat constitution?
Bo Gao said: In Gao type, the muscle is soft. Those with coarse texture are cold-bodied; those with fine texture are hot-bodied. In Zhi (Lipid) type, the muscle is firm. Those with fine texture are hot-bodied; those with coarse texture are cold-bodied.
Huangdi said: How do they differ in fat/thinness and size?
Bo Gao said: Gao type individuals have abundant Qi and lax skin, resulting in a pendulous abdomen with hanging fat. Rou type individuals have a large, voluminous body. Zhi type individuals have a compact, smaller body.
Huangdi said: What are the differences in Qi and blood volume among these three types?
Bo Gao said: Gao type has abundant Qi. Abundant Qi leads to heat; hot-bodied individuals tolerate cold well. Rou type has abundant blood. Abundant blood fills the form; filled form indicates balance. Zhi type has thin blood and smooth but scarce Qi, thus cannot grow large. This distinguishes them from the general population.
Huangdi said: What characterizes the general population?
Bo Gao said: In the general population, skin, muscle, lipid, and pasty tissues are balanced without excess addition. Blood and Qi are neither excessive nor deficient relative to each other. Thus, their body size is neither too large nor too small, fitting their frame appropriately. They are called "Zhong Ren" (General People).
Huangdi said: Excellent. How should they be treated?
Bo Gao said: One must first distinguish the three body types, assess the volume of blood and the clarity/turbidity of Qi, then regulate accordingly, without deviating from the regular meridian patterns. Therefore, Gao type presents with a pendulous abdomen; Rou type presents with a large upper and lower body; Zhi type, despite having fat, does not have a large body.
(Note: The textual meaning of the preceding three sections is disjointed, and the literary flow is discontinuous.)