《生气通天论》曰∶阳气者，若天与日，失其所则折寿而不彰，（人之有阳，若天之有日，天
失其所则日不明，人失其所则阳不固，人寿夭折。）故天运当以日光明，是故阳因而上，卫外者也。
（此以明阳气营运之部分，辅卫人身之正用也。）阳气者，精则养神，柔则养筋。（此又明阳
气之运养也。然阳气者，内化精微，养于神气，外为柔软，以固其筋。）故阳气者，一日而主外，
（昼则阳气在外，周身行二十五度。）平旦人气生，日中阳气隆，日西而阳气已虚，气门乃闭。
（隆，高也，盛也。夫气之有者，皆自少而之壮，积暖以成炎，炎极又凉，物之理也。故阳气平
晓生，日中盛，日西而已减虚也。气门，谓玄府也。发泄经脉营卫之气，故谓气门。）是故暮而收据，
无扰筋骨，无见雾露，反此三时，形乃困薄。（皆所以顺阳气也。阳出则出，阳藏则藏。暮，阳气
衰，内行阴分，故宜收敛以拒虚邪，扰筋骨则逆阳精耗，见雾露则寒湿俱便，故顺此三时，乃天真
久远也。）阴者，藏精而起亟也，阳者，卫外而为固也。（言在人之用也。）阴不胜其阳，则
脉流薄急，并乃狂。（薄急，谓极虚而急数也。并，谓盛实也。狂，谓狂走也。阳并于四肢则狂。四
肢，诸阳之本也。阳盛则四肢实，实则登高而歌，热盛于身，故弃衣而走也。如是者，皆谓阴不胜
其阳也。）阳不胜其阴，则五脏气争，九窍不通，（九窍者，内属于脏，外设为官，五脏气争，则
九窍不通。是以圣人陈阴阳，筋脉和同，骨髓坚固，气血皆从。如是则内外调和，邪不能害，耳目聪
明，气立如故。（邪气不克，故真气独立而如常。）阳强不能密，阴气乃绝，（阳自强而不能闭密，则
阴泄泻，而精气竭绝也。）阴平阳秘，精神乃治，（阴气和平，阳气闭密，则精神日益治也。）阴阳
离决，精气乃绝。（阴不和平，阳不闭密，强为施泻，损耗天真，则精气不化，乃绝流通也。）因于
露风，乃生寒热。（因于露体，触冒风邪，风气外侵，阳气内拒，风阳相薄，故寒热生。）是以春
伤于风，邪气留连，乃为洞泄。（风气通肝，春肝木王，木胜脾土，故洞泄生也。）夏伤于暑，秋为
疟。（夏热已甚，秋阳复收，阳热相攻，则为 疟。 ，老也，亦曰瘦也。）秋伤于湿，上逆而咳，（秋
湿既胜，冬水复旺，水来乘肺，故咳逆病生。）发为痿厥。（湿气内攻，则咳逆，外散筋脉则痿
弱。）冬伤于寒，春必温病。（冬寒且凝，春阳气发，寒不为释，阳怫于中，寒怫相持，故为温病。）四
时之气，更伤五脏。（寒暑温凉，递相胜负，四时之气，更伤五脏之和。）
《生气通天论》说：人体的阳气，就像天空中的太阳一样，如果失去了它正常的运行位置，就会折损寿命且不能显扬。（人拥有阳气，就像天拥有太阳；天失去正常位置则太阳不明亮，人失去正常位置则阳气不固守，人的寿命就会夭折。）所以天的运转依靠太阳的光明来维持，因此阳气位于人体上部，具有护卫体表的作用。（这里阐明阳气在体内运行的分布及其辅助护卫人身正气的主要功能。）阳气的作用，精纯时能滋养精神，柔和时能濡养筋脉。（这进一步说明阳气的运化与滋养作用。然而阳气在内能化生精微物质以滋养神气，在外表现为柔软状态以巩固筋脉。）所以阳气在白天主要行于体表，（白天阳气在体表，周身运行二十五周次。）清晨人气开始生发，中午阳气最旺盛，傍晚阳气已经虚弱，汗孔（气门）随之闭合。（“隆”意为高、盛。凡是气的存在，都是从少到壮，积累温暖而成炎势，极热之后又转凉，这是事物的规律。所以阳气在清晨生发，中午旺盛，傍晚就已经减少虚弱。“气门”指玄府，即汗孔，是发泄经脉中营卫之气的门户，所以称为气门。）因此傍晚应当收敛阳气，不要扰动筋骨，不要暴露于雾露之中，违背这三个时段的规律，形体就会困顿衰败。（这些都是为了顺应阳气。阳气外出则人外出，阳气内藏则人内藏。傍晚阳气衰退，向内进入阴分，所以适宜收敛以抵御虚邪，扰动筋骨会逆乱阳精导致耗损，暴露于雾露会使寒湿侵袭，所以顺应这三个时段，才能保持天真之气长久。）阴的功能，是贮藏精气并随时响应阳的需求；阳的功能，是护卫体表并使机体固密。（阐述阴阳在人体内的具体功用。）阴不能制约阳，则血脉流动急迫急促，阳气亢盛就会导致狂躁。（“薄急”指脉象极度虚弱而急数。“并”指盛实。“狂”指疯狂奔走。阳气并入四肢则发狂。四肢是诸阳之本。阳气盛则四肢充实，充实则登高唱歌，身体热盛所以脱衣奔走。像这样的情况，都叫做阴不胜阳。）阳不能制约阴，则五脏之气失调，九窍不通畅，（九窍内属于五脏，外设为感官器官，五脏之气失调，则九窍不通。所以圣人调和阴阳，使筋脉和谐，骨髓坚固，气血顺畅。这样内外调和，邪气不能侵害，耳目聪明，真气独立如常。（邪气不能克制，所以真气独立而保持常态。）阳气过强而不能闭密，阴气就会枯竭，（阳气自强盛而不能闭密，则阴液泄泻，精气竭绝。）阴气平和，阳气固密，精神就能正常运作，（阴气和平，阳气闭密，则精神日益调治。）阴阳分离决裂，精气就会断绝。（阴不和顺，阳不闭密，强行施泻，损耗天真之气，则精气无法化生，流通断绝。）因为遭受风寒露袭，就会产生寒热病。（因为身体暴露，触犯风邪，风气外侵，阳气在内抵抗，风与阳相搏结，所以产生寒热。）所以春天伤于风邪，邪气留连不去，就会发生洞泄（严重腹泻）。（风气通于肝，春季肝木当令，木气胜则克脾土，所以发生洞泄。）夏天伤于暑邪，秋天就会发生疟疾。（夏季热气极盛，秋季阳气复收，阳热相互攻冲，就发生疟疾。“疟”字义为老，也说瘦弱。）秋天伤于湿邪，气机上逆而咳嗽，（秋季湿气既胜，冬季水气复旺，水来乘肺，所以咳逆病生。）进而发展为痿证和厥证。（湿气内攻，则气逆咳嗽，外散于筋脉则导致痿弱。）冬天伤于寒邪，春天必定发生温病。（冬季寒气凝滞，春季阳气发动，寒邪未能解散，阳气郁结于内，寒与郁阳相持，所以发生温病。）四季的气候变化，交替伤害五脏。（寒暑温凉，递相胜负，四季之气交替伤害五脏的和顺状态。）
The *Treatise on the Interaction between Vital Qi and Heaven* states: The Yang Qi of the human body is like the sun in the sky; if it loses its proper position, longevity will be shortened and vitality will not be manifest. (Human possession of Yang Qi is akin to the sky possessing the sun; if the sky loses its proper order, the sun becomes obscure, and if humans lose their proper state, Yang Qi fails to consolidate, leading to premature death.) Therefore, the movement of heaven relies on the brightness of the sun; thus, Yang Qi resides above and serves to defend the exterior. (This clarifies the distribution of Yang Qi's circulation and its primary function of assisting and defending the upright Qi of the body.) The function of Yang Qi, when refined, nourishes the Shen (Spirit); when soft, it nourishes the Jin (Sinews/Tendons). (This further explains the transformative and nourishing role of Yang Qi. However, Yang Qi internally transforms into subtle essence to nourish the Shen and Qi, and externally manifests as softness to consolidate the sinews.) Thus, Yang Qi governs the exterior during the day. (During the day, Yang Qi is on the exterior, circulating through the entire body twenty-five times.) At dawn, the Ren Qi (Vital Qi) begins to generate; at noon, Yang Qi is at its peak; by evening, Yang Qi has weakened, and the Qi Gates (men kou, referring to sweat pores/xuanfu) close. ("Long" means high or abundant. The existence of Qi follows a pattern from scarcity to abundance, accumulating warmth to become intense heat, which eventually cools down—this is the principle of things. Thus, Yang Qi generates at dawn, peaks at noon, and diminishes by evening. "Qi Gate" refers to the Xuanfu (mysterious palace), i.e., sweat pores, which are the outlets for Ying and Wei Qi in the meridians, hence called the Qi Gate.) Therefore, in the evening, one should gather and conserve [Yang Qi], avoid disturbing the sinews and bones, and avoid exposure to fog and dew. Violating these three temporal patterns will cause the physical form to become exhausted and thin. (All these measures are to accord with Yang Qi. When Yang Qi goes out, one goes out; when Yang Qi hides, one hides. In the evening, Yang Qi declines and moves inward to the Yin aspects, so it is appropriate to converge and repel empty evils. Disturbing sinews and bones reverses Yang Essence causing depletion, while exposure to fog and dew invites cold-dampness. Thus, adhering to these three temporal patterns preserves innate truth and ensures longevity.) Yin functions to store Jing (Essence) and respond urgently; Yang functions to defend the exterior and maintain solidity. (Describing the application of Yin and Yang in the human body.) If Yin cannot overcome Yang, the vessels flow rapidly and urgently, and excess leads to mania. ("Bo Ji" refers to a pulse that is extremely deficient yet rapid and tense. "Bing" refers to excess and fullness. "Kuang" refers to manic running. When Yang merges into the four limbs, mania occurs. The four limbs are the root of all Yang. When Yang is excessive, the four limbs become solid; when solid, one climbs high and sings; when heat is excessive in the body, one discards clothes and runs. Such cases are termed "Yin failing to overcome Yang.") If Yang cannot overcome Yin, the Qi of the five zang organs conflicts, and the nine orifices become obstructed. (The nine orifices are internally connected to the zang organs and externally serve as sensory organs. Conflict in the Qi of the five zang organs leads to obstruction of the nine orifices. Therefore, the sages harmonize Yin and Yang, ensuring sinews and vessels are harmonious, marrow is solid, and Qi and Blood flow smoothly. In this state, interior and exterior are harmonized, evil cannot harm, ears and eyes are clear, and True Qi stands firm as usual. (Since evil cannot subdue, True Qi remains independent and normal.) If Yang is excessive but not dense/consolidated, Yin Qi will perish. (If Yang is overly strong but fails to consolidate, Yin fluids will leak, and Jing Essence will be exhausted.) When Yin is peaceful and Yang is consolidated, Spirit and Mind are regulated. (When Yin Qi is balanced and Yang Qi is consolidated, Spirit and Mind are increasingly regulated.) If Yin and Yang separate and决裂 (break apart), Jing Essence will perish. (If Yin is not peaceful and Yang is not consolidated, forced discharge depletes innate truth, Jing Essence fails to transform, and circulation ceases.) Exposure to wind and cold leads to alternating chills and fever. (Exposure of the body and contact with wind pathogenic factors cause wind to invade externally while Yang resists internally; the conflict between wind and Yang generates chills and fever.) Therefore, injury by wind in spring, with pathogenic factors lingering, leads to severe diarrhea (Dong Xie). (Wind Qi connects to the Liver; in spring, Liver Wood is dominant. Wood overcoming Spleen Earth causes severe diarrhea.) Injury by summerheat in summer leads to malaria in autumn. (Summer heat is extreme; autumn Yang recedes. The attack of Yang heat results in malaria. "Nue" implies old age or emaciation.) Injury by dampness in autumn leads to upward reversal and cough. (Autumn dampness prevails; winter Water Qi rises. Water attacking Lung Metal causes cough and reversal.) This may develop into flaccidity syndromes (Wei) and cold extremities syndromes (Jue). (Internal attack by dampness causes cough and reversal; external dispersion into sinews and vessels leads to flaccidity.) Injury by cold in winter leads to warm diseases in spring. (Winter cold is condensing; spring Yang Qi emerges. If cold is not released and Yang is constrained within, the persistence of cold and constrained Yang results in warm diseases.) The Qi of the four seasons alternately injures the five zang organs. (Cold, heat, warmth, and coolness succeed each other; the Qi of the four seasons alternately injures the harmony of the five zang organs.)