黄帝曰。愿闻脉度。岐伯答曰。手之六阳。从手至头。长五尺。五六三丈。手之六阴从手至胸中。三尺五寸。三六
一丈八尺。五六三尺。合二丈一尺。足之六阳。从足上至头。八尺。六八四丈八尺。足之六阴。从足至胸中。六尺五寸。
六六三丈六尺。五六三尺。合三丈九尺。（手足各以六阴六阳纪数是各经左右两脉气行有先后矣而跷脉阴阳只叙其一此事
乃本经中一大疑团也）跷脉从足至目。七尺五寸。二七一丈四尺。二五一尺。合一丈五尺。督脉任脉。各四尺五寸。二
四八尺。二五一尺。合九尺。凡都合一十六丈二尺此气之大经隧也。经脉为里。支而横者为络。络之别者为孙。盛而血
者疾诛之。盛者泻之虚者饮药以补之。（以上为第一节论脉度而以治法束之是实发题面之文）五脏常内阅于上七窍也。故
肺气通于鼻。肺和则鼻能知臭香矣。心气通于舌。心和则舌能知五味矣。肝气通于目。肝和则目能辨五色矣。脾气通于
口。脾和则口能知五谷矣。肾气通于耳。肾和则耳能闻五音矣。五脏不和。则七窍不通。六腑不和。则留为痈。故邪在
腑。则阳脉不和。阳脉不和。则气留之。气留之。则阳气盛矣。阳气太盛。则阴不利。阴脉不利。则血留之。血留之。
则阴气盛矣。（此热盛灼津而血涩者也）阴气太盛。则阳气不能荣也。故曰关。阳气太盛。则阴气弗能荣也。故曰格。阴
阳俱盛。不得相荣。故曰关格。关格者。不得尽期而死也。（以上为第五节是接发内溉脏腑外濡腠理之常变也）黄帝曰。
跷脉安起安止。何气荣之。岐伯答曰。跷脉者少阴之别。起于然骨之后。上内踝之上。直上循阴股。入阴。上循胸里。
入缺盆。上出人迎之前。入 。属目内 。合于太阳阳跷而上行。气并相还。则为濡目。气不荣。则目不合。（以上为第
二节是接叙跷脉之起止以补首节未尽之义也）黄帝曰。气独行五脏。不荣六腑。何也。岐伯答曰。气之不得无行也。如
水之流。如日月之行不休。故阴脉荣其脏。阳脉荣其腑。如环之无端莫知其纪终而复始。其流溢之气内溉脏腑外濡腠理。
（以上为第四节因上编营气内注只言五脏不及六腑而疑之也）黄帝曰。跷脉有阴阳。何脉当其数。岐伯答曰。男子数其
阳。女子数其阴。当数者为经。其不当数者为络也。（以上为第三节即第二节之尾也）
词气圆润静雅。足供揣摩。独怪承接有于理解难通之处。僭拟移置分注篇中。以俟高明指正。
黄帝说：我想了解经脉的长度。岐伯回答说：手部的六条阳经，从手部走向头部，每条长五尺，六条合计三丈。手部的六条阴经，从手部走向胸中，每条长三尺五寸，六条合计一丈八尺，再加上余下的三尺，总共二丈一尺。足部的六条阳经，从足部走向头部，每条长八尺，六条合计四丈八尺。足部的六条阴经，从足部走向胸中，每条长六尺五寸，六条合计三丈六尺，再加上余下的三尺，总共三丈九尺。（手足各以六阴六阳纪数是各经左右两脉气行有先后矣而跷脉阴阳只叙其一此事乃本经中一大疑团也）跷脉从足部走向眼部，每条长七尺五寸，两条合计一丈四尺，再加上余下的一尺，总共一丈五尺。督脉和任脉，每条长四尺五寸，两条合计八尺，再加上余下的一尺，总共九尺。以上所有经脉加起来共十六丈二尺，这是人体气血运行的大通道。经脉在里，分支横向分布的是络脉，络脉再细分的是孙脉。如果络脉中血液充盈旺盛，就应迅速刺破放血；邪气盛实的用泻法，虚弱的用药饮来补益。（以上为第一节论脉度而以治法束之是实发题面之文）五脏的气机通常内通于上部的七个孔窍。所以肺气通于鼻，肺气调和则鼻子能辨别气味；心气通于舌，心气调和则舌头能辨别五味；肝气通于目，肝气调和则眼睛能辨别五色；脾气通于口，脾气调和则嘴巴能辨别五谷的味道；肾气通于耳，肾气调和则耳朵能辨别五音。五脏功能失调，则七窍不通畅；六腑功能失调，则邪气滞留化为痈肿。所以邪气在腑，就会导致阳脉不和；阳脉不和，则气机停留；气机停留，则阳气亢盛。阳气过于亢盛，则阴气不利；阴脉不利，则血液停滞；血液停滞，则阴气亢盛。（此热盛灼津而血涩者也）阴气过于亢盛，则阳气不能滋养；所以称为“关”。阳气过于亢盛，则阴气不能滋养；所以称为“格”。阴阳都亢盛，彼此不能相互滋养，所以称为“关格”。患有关格病的人，无法活到自然寿命的期限就会死亡。（以上为第五节是接发内溉脏腑外濡腠理之常变也）黄帝说：跷脉从哪里起始，到哪里终止？由什么气来滋养？岐伯回答说：跷脉是足少阴肾经的别支，起始于然骨之后，向上经过内踝上方，沿大腿内侧直上，进入阴部，向上沿胸部内部，进入缺盆，向上出于人迎穴之前，进入目内眦，与足太阳膀胱经的阳跷脉汇合后上行。两股气并行且相互返还，就能滋润眼睛；如果气不能滋养，则眼睛闭合不全。（以上为第二节是接叙跷脉之起止以补首节未尽之义也）黄帝说：为什么气只在五脏运行，而不滋养六腑呢？岐伯回答说：气是不可能不运行的，就像水流一样，像日月运行一样不停歇。所以阴脉滋养其所属的脏，阳脉滋养其所属的腑，如环无端，不知终结，循环往复。其流溢之气向内灌溉脏腑，向外滋润腠理。（以上为第四节因上编营气内注只言五脏不及六腑而疑之也）黄帝说：跷脉有阴有阳，哪一条脉计算在长度之内？岐伯回答说：男子计算阳跷脉，女子计算阴跷脉。被计算的那条作为经，不被计算的那条作为络。（以上为第三节即第二节之尾也）
这段文字辞气圆润静雅，值得细细揣摩。唯独奇怪的是，承接之处有些难以理解的地方。我擅自将其移置到分注篇中，以此等待高明之士指正。
Huangdi said, "I wish to hear about the lengths of the meridians." Qibo replied, "The six Yang meridians of the hand extend from the hands to the head, each measuring five chi. Six times five equals three zhang. The six Yin meridians of the hand extend from the hands to the chest center, each measuring three chi and five cun. Six times three is one zhang and eight chi; adding the remaining three chi makes a total of two zhang and one chi. The six Yang meridians of the foot extend from the feet to the head, each measuring eight chi. Six times eight equals four zhang and eight chi. The six Yin meridians of the foot extend from the feet to the chest center, each measuring six chi and five cun. Six times six is three zhang and six chi; adding the remaining three chi makes a total of three zhang and nine chi. (Note: Counting the six Yin and six Yang meridians for both hands and feet implies that the Qi flow in the left and right meridians has a sequence, yet only one of the Yin and Yang Chongmai [Rising Vessels] is described here, which constitutes a major puzzle in this classic.) The Chongmai extends from the feet to the eyes, each measuring seven chi and five cun. Two times seven is one zhang and four chi; adding the remaining one chi makes a total of one zhang and five chi. The Du Mai [Governing Vessel] and Ren Mai [Conception Vessel] each measure four chi and five cun. Two times four is eight chi; adding the remaining one chi makes a total of nine chi. In total, these sum up to sixteen zhang and two chi, which are the great conduits of Qi and Blood. The Jingmai [Main Meridians] lie within, while branches running horizontally are called Luomai [Collaterals]. Further subdivisions of the collaterals are called Sunluo [Sun Collaterals]. If a collateral is full of blood, it should be pricked quickly to release blood. Excess conditions are treated with draining methods, while deficiency conditions are treated with herbal decoctions to tonify. (This concludes the first section on meridian lengths, summarizing therapeutic methods, which directly addresses the topic.) The Qi of the Zang organs typically connects internally to the seven orifices above. Thus, Lung Qi connects to the nose; when Lung Qi is harmonious, the nose can distinguish odors. Heart Qi connects to the tongue; when Heart Qi is harmonious, the tongue can distinguish the five flavors. Liver Qi connects to the eyes; when Liver Qi is harmonious, the eyes can distinguish the five colors. Spleen Qi connects to the mouth; when Spleen Qi is harmonious, the mouth can distinguish the taste of grains. Kidney Qi connects to the ears; when Kidney Qi is harmonious, the ears can distinguish the five tones. When the Zang organs are disharmonious, the seven orifices become blocked. When the Fu organs are disharmonious, pathogens stagnate and transform into abscesses. Therefore, if pathogens are in the Fu organs, the Yang meridians become disharmonious. If Yang meridians are disharmonious, Qi stagnates. If Qi stagnates, Yang Qi becomes excessive. If Yang Qi is excessively excessive, Yin Qi is obstructed. If Yin meridians are obstructed, Blood stagnates. If Blood stagnates, Yin Qi becomes excessive. (This refers to heat excess scorching fluids and causing blood stasis.) If Yin Qi is excessively excessive, Yang Qi cannot nourish; this is called Guan [Obstruction]. If Yang Qi is excessively excessive, Yin Qi cannot nourish; this is called Ge [Rebellion]. If both Yin and Yang are excessively excessive and cannot mutually nourish, this is called Guan-Ge [Obstruction and Rebellion]. Those suffering from Guan-Ge will die before reaching their natural lifespan. (This concludes the fifth section, connecting to the normal and abnormal states of internal irrigation of Zang-Fu and external moistening of the Couli [interstices].) Huangdi said, "Where do the Chongmai originate and terminate? By what Qi are they nourished?" Qibo replied, "The Chongmai is a branch of the Shaoyin [Kidney] channel. It originates behind Ran Gu [the medial malleolus], ascends above the medial malleolus, goes straight up along the inner thigh, enters the genital region, ascends along the interior of the chest, enters Que Pen [Clavicular Fossa], ascends anterior to Ren Ying [St9], enters the inner canthus, and merges with the Yang Chongmai of the Taiyang [Bladder] channel to ascend. When the Qi of both runs together and returns, it nourishes the eyes. If Qi fails to nourish, the eyes fail to close properly. (This concludes the second section, describing the origin and termination of the Chongmai to supplement the incomplete meaning of the first section.) Huangdi said, "Why does Qi circulate only in the Zang organs and not nourish the Fu organs?" Qibo replied, "Qi cannot but circulate, like flowing water or the unceasing movement of the sun and moon. Thus, Yin meridians nourish their respective Zang organs, and Yang meridians nourish their respective Fu organs. Like a circle without beginning or end, unknown in its cycle, it repeats endlessly. Its overflowing Qi internally irrigates the Zang and Fu organs and externally moistens the Couli. (This concludes the fourth section, addressing the doubt arising from the previous discussion where Ying Qi [Nutritive Qi] was said to enter the Zang but not mention the Fu organs.) Huangdi said, "The Chongmai has Yin and Yang aspects. Which meridian counts towards the length calculation?" Qibo replied, "For men, the Yang Chongmai is counted; for women, the Yin Chongmai is counted. The one counted is considered a Jingmai [Meridian], and the one not counted is considered a Luomai [Collateral]. (This concludes the third section, which is the tail end of the second section.)"
The language is smooth, elegant, and serene, worthy of careful study. However, I find the transitions somewhat difficult to understand in certain places. I have presumptuously moved this passage to the annotated section for correction by those more knowledgeable.