《阴阳离合篇》曰∶东方青色,入通于肝,开窍于目,藏精干肝。南方赤色,入通
于心,开窍于耳,藏精于心。中央黄色,入通于脾,开窍于口,藏精于脾。西方白色,
入通于肺,开窍于鼻,藏精于肺。北方黑色,入通于肾,开窍于二阴,藏精于肾。天
覆地载,万物方生,未出地者,命曰阴处,名曰阴中之阴;(处阴之中,故曰阴处,形未
动出、亦是为阴,以阴居阴,故曰阴中之阴。)则出地者,名曰阴中之阳。(形动出者,是则为阳,
以阳居阴,故曰阴中之阳。阳予之正,阴为之主。(阳施正气,万物方生。阴为主持,群形乃立。)
故生因春,长因夏,收因秋,藏因冬,失常则天地四塞。(失其常道,则四时之气闭塞,阴
阳之气无所营运矣。)
《阴阳别论》曰∶脉有阴阳,知阳者知阴,知阴者知阳。(深知谓备识其变易。)凡阳有
五,五五二十五阳。(凡阳经有五,正以一腑之中包藏五腑之脉,故五五有二十五阳,由此推之。
则一脏之中包藏五脏之脉,亦五五有二十五阴。)所谓阴者,真脏也。见则为败,败必死矣。(所谓
阴者,五脏之真脉也。真脏来现,其脏已败,败者,必至于死也。故曰∶真脏脉见者死。)所谓阳者,
胃脘之阳也。(胃脘之阳,谓人迎之气也。察其气脉动静大小与脉口应否也。人迎在结喉两傍,脉动
应手,其脉之动,常左小而右大,左小常以候脏,右大常以候腑,盖胃为五脏六腑之大主,虽有五五二十
五阳之异,而实不外乎胃脉之见耳。若吉者为有胃气,而凶则无胃气也。)别于阳者,知病处也;别
于阴者,知死生之期。(阳者卫外而为固,然外邪所中,别于阳则知病处,阴者藏神而内守。若
考真正成败,别于阴则知病者死生之期。)三阳在头,三阴在手,所谓一也。(头,谓人迎。手,谓气口
两者相应,俱往俱来,若引绳小大齐等者,名曰平人,故言所谓一也。气口在手鱼际之后一寸,人
迎在结喉两旁一寸五分,皆可以候脏腑之气。)所谓阴阳者,去者为阴,至者为阳;静者为阴,动者为
阳;迟者为阴,数者为阳。(此言脉体分阴阳,脉有去来,即去至而阴阳分;脉有动静,即动静而阴阳
分;脉有迟数,即迟数而阴阳分。)所谓生阳死阴者,肝之心谓之生阳,(得阳则生,失阳则死,故曰生阳
死阴也。自肝传心,以水生火,得之生气,是谓生阳,不过四日而愈。)心之肺谓之死阴,(心传肺者,
为火克金,故谓死阴,不过三日死。)肺之肾谓之重阴,(肺金肾水,虽曰子母相传,而金水俱病,则
重阴而阳绝矣。)肾之脾谓之辟阴,死不治。(土本制水,而水反侮脾,是谓辟阴,辟阴者,放僻也。)
《阴阳离合篇》说:东方青色,内通于肝,开窍于目,精气藏于肝。南方赤色,内通于心,开窍于耳,精气藏于心。中央黄色,内通于脾,开窍于口,精气藏于脾。西方白色,内通于肺,开窍于鼻,精气藏于肺。北方黑色,内通于肾,开窍于前后二阴,精气藏于肾。天覆盖在上,地承载在下,万物开始生长。尚未破土而出的,称为处于阴位,名叫阴中之阴;(处于阴位之中,所以叫阴处,形体未动出地面,也是阴,以阴居于阴位,所以叫阴中之阴。)已经破土而出的,名叫阴中之阳。(形体活动而出土的,这就是阳,以阳居于阴位,所以叫阴中之阳。阳气给予正气,万物才开始生长;阴气作为主宰,各种形体才得以确立。)所以生长依靠春季,繁盛依靠夏季,收获依靠秋季,闭藏依靠冬季,如果违背了这种常道,天地四时的气机就会闭塞不通。(失去了正常的规律,那么四季的气机就会闭塞,阴阳之气就无法正常运行了。)
《阴阳别论》说:脉象有阴有阳,懂得阳就能懂得阴,懂得阴就能懂得阳。(深刻了解意味着全面认识其变化。)凡是阳经有五条,五五相乘就是二十五条阳脉。(所有的阳经共有五条,正是因为在每一腑中包含了其他四腑的脉气,所以五五相乘有二十五条阳脉,由此类推,则每一脏中也包含了其他四脏的脉气,同样五五相乘有二十五条阴脉。)所谓阴,指的是真脏脉。出现真脏脉就说明脏腑败坏,败坏必然导致死亡。(所谓阴,是指五脏的真脉。真脏脉显现,说明该脏已经败坏,败坏的结果必然是死亡。所以说:见到真脏脉的就会死亡。)所谓阳,指的是胃脘之阳。(胃脘之阳,是指人迎穴处的脉气。观察其气脉的动静大小是否与寸口脉相应。人迎穴位于结喉两侧,脉搏跳动应手,其脉动通常左侧小右侧大,左侧小通常用来候察脏气,右侧大通常用来候察腑气,因为胃是五脏六腑的大主,虽然有五五二十五种阳脉的差异,但实际上都不外乎胃脉的表现罢了。如果吉利就是有胃气,凶险就是没有胃气。)辨别阳脉,可以知道病变的部位;辨别阴脉,可以知道死生的期限。(阳脉护卫体表而固密,然而外邪侵袭时,通过辨别阳脉可以知道病在何处;阴脉藏神而内守。如果要考察真正的成败,通过辨别阴脉就可以知道病人的死生期限。)三阳脉在头部,三阴脉在手腕部,这说的是统一的整体。(头,指人迎穴。手,指气口穴。两者相互对应,往来一致,像拉紧的绳子一样大小整齐相等,这叫作平人,所以说这是统一的。气口穴在手鱼际后方一寸,人迎穴在结喉两旁一寸五分,都可以用来候察脏腑之气。)所谓阴阳,离去的是阴,到来的是阳;静止的是阴,搏动的是阳;迟缓的是阴,急促的是阳。(这里讲的是脉体区分阴阳,脉有去来,根据去来区分阴阳;脉有动静,根据动静区分阴阳;脉有迟数,根据迟数区分阴阳。)所谓生阳和死阴,肝传心叫做生阳,(得到阳气则生,失去阳气则死,所以叫生阳死阴。从肝传到心,是以水生火,得到生气,这叫生阳,不超过四天就会痊愈。)心传肺叫做死阴,(心传到肺,是火克金,所以叫死阴,不超过三天就会死亡。)肺传肾叫做重阴,(肺金肾水,虽然说是子母相传,但如果金水两脏都生病,就是重阴而阳气断绝了。)肾传脾叫做辟阴,属于死证无法治疗。(土本来克制水,但水反而侮犯脾土,这叫辟阴,辟阴的意思是放纵乖僻。)
The "Treatise on Yin-Yang Separation and Union" states: The green color of the East corresponds internally to the Liver (Zang organ), opens into the eyes, and stores essence in the Liver. The red color of the South corresponds internally to the Heart (Zang organ), opens into the ears, and stores essence in the Heart. The yellow color of the Center corresponds internally to the Spleen (Zang organ), opens into the mouth, and stores essence in the Spleen. The white color of the West corresponds internally to the Lung (Zang organ), opens into the nose, and stores essence in the Lung. The black color of the North corresponds internally to the Kidney (Zang organ), opens into the two yin orifices (anterior and posterior), and stores essence in the Kidney. Heaven covers from above, Earth supports from below, and all things begin to grow. Those that have not yet emerged from the earth are said to be in a yin position, named "yin within yin"; (Being in the midst of yin, it is called a yin position; the form has not moved out, which is also yin; residing in yin with yin, it is called "yin within yin".) Those that have emerged from the earth are named "yang within yin". (The form moves and emerges, thus becoming yang; residing in yin with yang, it is called "yang within yin". Yang provides the correct qi, allowing all things to grow; Yin acts as the master, establishing all forms.) Therefore, growth depends on Spring, flourishing depends on Summer, harvesting depends on Autumn, and storing depends on Winter. If this constant order is violated, the qi of heaven, earth, and the four seasons will become blocked. (Losing its normal course, the qi of the four seasons becomes obstructed, and the qi of yin and yang cannot circulate properly.)
The "Treatise on Yin-Yang Distinctions" states: Pulse qualities have yin and yang; knowing yang allows one to know yin, and knowing yin allows one to know yang. (Deep understanding implies comprehensive knowledge of their transformations.) There are five types of yang meridians, and five times five equals twenty-five yang pulses. (There are five yang meridians in total; precisely because each fu organ contains the pulse qualities of the other four fu organs, there are twenty-five yang pulses by multiplication. By extension, each zang organ also contains the pulse qualities of the other four zang organs, resulting in twenty-five yin pulses.) What is referred to as "yin" is the True Zang Pulse (True Organ Pulse). Its appearance indicates failure, and failure inevitably leads to death. (What is called "yin" refers to the true pulses of the five zang organs. When the true zang pulse appears, the organ has failed; failure means certain death. Thus it is said: seeing the true zang pulse indicates death.) What is referred to as "yang" is the Yang of the Stomach House (Yang of Wei Wan). (The Yang of the Stomach House refers to the qi at the Renying acupoint. One observes whether the movement, size, and nature of its pulse correspond to the Cun Kou pulse. Renying is located on both sides of the laryngeal prominence; the pulse beats under the finger. Its movement is typically smaller on the left and larger on the right. The smaller left pulse usually reflects zang qi, while the larger right pulse usually reflects fu qi. Since the Stomach is the great master of the five zang and six fu organs, although there are differences among the twenty-five yang pulses, they essentially do not go beyond the manifestation of the stomach pulse. Auspiciousness indicates the presence of Stomach Qi, while inauspiciousness indicates its absence.) Distinguishing yang reveals the location of the disease; distinguishing yin reveals the timing of life and death. (Yang protects the exterior and maintains solidity. However, when external pathogens strike, distinguishing yang identifies the disease site. Yin stores spirit and guards inwardly. To examine true success or failure, distinguishing yin reveals the patient's prognosis of life or death.) The three yang meridians are at the head, and the three yin meridians are at the hand; this refers to unity. (Head refers to Renying. Hand refers to Cun Kou. These two correspond to each other, moving together and arriving together; if they are equal in size like a taut rope, it is called a healthy person, hence "unity". Cun Kou is one cun behind the thenar eminence; Renying is 1.5 cun lateral to the laryngeal prominence; both can reflect the qi of the zang and fu organs.) Regarding yin and yang: departing is yin, arriving is yang; stillness is yin, motion is yang; slowness is yin, frequency is yang. (This discusses the division of pulse body into yin and yang. Pulses have departure and arrival, dividing yin and yang based on these movements; pulses have stillness and motion, dividing yin and yang based on these states; pulses have slow and rapid rates, dividing yin and yang based on these frequencies.) Regarding "Sheng Yang" (Life-giving Yang) and "Si Yin" (Death-inducing Yin): Transmission from Liver to Heart is called Sheng Yang, (Receiving yang leads to life, losing yang leads to death, hence the terms. Transmission from Liver to Heart follows Water generating Fire, receiving vital qi, thus called Sheng Yang; recovery occurs within four days.) Transmission from Heart to Lung is called Si Yin, (Transmission from Heart to Lung involves Fire overcoming Metal, thus called Si Yin; death occurs within three days.) Transmission from Lung to Kidney is called Chong Yin (Double Yin), (Lung Metal and Kidney Water, though mother-son transmission, if both Metal and Water are diseased, it results in Double Yin and extinction of Yang.) Transmission from Kidney to Spleen is called Pi Yin (Deviant Yin), which is incurable death. (Earth naturally controls Water, but if Water rebels against Spleen Earth, it is called Pi Yin. Pi Yin means deviance or perversity.)