人与天地相参也,阴阳肇基,爰有祖气,祖气者,人身之太极也。祖气初凝,美恶攸分,清浊
纯杂,是不一致,浓薄完缺,亦非同伦,后日之灵蠢寿夭,贵贱贫富,悉于此判,所谓命秉于
生初也。祖气之内,含抱阴阳。阴阳之间,是谓中气。中者土也,土分戊己,中气左旋则为己土,中气
右转则为戊土,戊土为胃,己土为脾。己土上行阴升而化阳,阳升于左则为肝,升于上则为心。戊土
下行,阳降而化阴,阴降于右则为肺,降于下则为肾。肝属木而心属火,肺属金而肾属水,是人之五行也。
五行之中,各有阴阳。阴生五脏,阳生六腑。肾为癸水,膀胱为壬水,心为丁火,小肠为丙火,肝为乙
木,胆为甲木,肺为辛金,大肠为庚金。五行各一,而火分君、相。脏有心主,相火之阴,腑有三焦,相
火之阳也。
肝藏血,肺藏气,而气原于胃,血本于脾。盖脾土左旋,生发之令畅,故温暖而生乙木。胃土右
转,收敛之政行,故清凉而化辛金。午半阴生,阴生则降,三阴右降,则为肺金,肺金即
心火之清降者也。故肺气清凉,而性收敛,子半阳生,阳生则升三阳,左升则为肝木,肝木即肾水之温升
者也。故肝血温暖,而性生发,肾水温升而化木者,缘己土之左旋也。是以脾为生血之本,心火清降而
化金者,缘戊土之右转也。是以胃为化气之原,气统于肺。凡脏腑经络之气,皆肺金之所宣布也。
其在脏腑,则曰气,而在经络则为卫;血统于肝,凡脏腑经络之血,皆肝血之所流注也。其在脏腑则曰血
,而在经络则为营,营卫者,经络之血气也。
人与天地相互参合,阴阳是根本基础,于是产生了祖气。祖气,就是人身体的太极。祖气刚刚凝结时,禀赋的美丑优劣就由此区分开来,清浊、纯杂各不相同,浓淡、完整或缺失也非同一般,日后的聪明愚笨、寿命长短、地位贵贱、财富贫富,全都由此判定,这就是所说的命运在出生之初就已注定。祖气内部,包容着阴阳。阴阳之间,被称为中气。中气对应的是土,土分为戊和己,中气向左旋转就成为己土,中气向右旋转就成为戊土,戊土对应胃,己土对应脾。己土向上运行,阴气上升转化为阳气,阳气向左上升就成为肝,向上升腾就成为心。戊土向下运行,阳气下降转化为阴气,阴气向右下降就成为肺,向下降沉就成为肾。肝属木而心属火,肺属金而肾属水,这是人的五行结构。五行之中,各自又包含阴阳。阴生成五脏,阳生成六腑。肾为癸水,膀胱为壬水,心为丁火,小肠为丙火,肝为乙木,胆为甲木,肺为辛金,大肠为庚金。五行各有一个,但火分君火和相火。脏中有手厥阴心包络(心主),它是相火的阴体;腑中有三焦,它是相火的阳体。
肝藏血,肺藏气,而气起源于胃,血本源于脾。因为脾土向左旋转,生发的功能通畅,所以温暖而生发乙木(肝)。胃土向右旋转,收敛的功能施行,所以清凉而化生辛金(肺)。午时过半阴气始生,阴生则下行,三阴经向右下降,就化为肺金,肺金就是心火清降后的产物。所以肺气清凉,性质具有收敛作用。子时过半阳气始生,阳生则上行,三阳经向左上升,就化为肝木,肝木就是肾水温升后的产物。所以肝血温暖,性质具有生发作用。肾水温升而化生肝木,是因为己土(脾)向左旋转的缘故。因此,脾是生血的根基;心火清降而化生肺金,是因为戊土(胃)向右旋转的缘故。因此,胃是化气的源头,气统属于肺。凡是脏腑经络之气,都是肺金所宣布布散的。在脏腑内部称为气,而在经络中则称为卫气;血统属于肝,凡是脏腑经络之血,都是肝血所流注的。在脏腑内部称为血,而在经络中则称为营气,营气和卫气,就是经络中的气血。
Human beings are interconnected with Heaven and Earth. Yin and Yang serve as the foundational basis, from which originates the Ancestral Qi (Zu Qi). The Ancestral Qi is the Taiji (Supreme Ultimate) of the human body. When the Ancestral Qi first condenses, distinctions in quality—whether auspicious or inauspicious—are determined. Variations in clarity and turbidity, purity and mixture, density and thinness, completeness and deficiency, all differ; these factors dictate future intelligence or dullness, longevity or brevity of life, nobility or baseness, wealth or poverty. Thus, destiny is established at the beginning of life. Within the Ancestral Qi, Yin and Yang are contained. Between Yin and Yang lies the Middle Qi (Zhong Qi), which corresponds to the Earth element. Earth is divided into Wu Earth and Ji Earth. When the Middle Qi rotates to the left, it becomes Ji Earth; when it rotates to the right, it becomes Wu Earth. Wu Earth corresponds to the Stomach, and Ji Earth corresponds to the Spleen.
Ji Earth moves upward; as Yin rises, it transforms into Yang. Rising Yang moving to the left becomes the Liver; rising further to the top becomes the Heart. Wu Earth moves downward; as Yang descends, it transforms into Yin. Descending Yin moving to the right becomes the Lungs; descending further to the bottom becomes the Kidneys. The Liver belongs to Wood and the Heart to Fire; the Lungs belong to Metal and the Kidneys to Water. This constitutes the Five Phases (Wu Xing) of the human body. Within each of the Five Phases, there is both Yin and Yang. Yin generates the Five Zang Organs, and Yang generates the Six Fu Organs. The Kidney is Gui Water, and the Bladder is Ren Water. The Heart is Ding Fire, and the Small Intestine is Bing Fire. The Liver is Yi Wood, and the Gallbladder is Jia Wood. The Lungs are Xin Metal, and the Large Intestine is Geng Metal. While each of the Five Phases has one representation, Fire is divided into Ministerial Fire (Xiang Huo) and Sovereign Fire (Jun Huo). Among the Zang organs, the Pericardium (Heart Master) represents the Yin aspect of Ministerial Fire. Among the Fu organs, the Sanjiao (Triple Burner) represents the Yang aspect of Ministerial Fire.
The Liver stores Blood, and the Lungs store Qi. However, Qi originates from the Stomach, and Blood stems from the Spleen. Because Spleen Earth rotates to the left, its generating function flows smoothly, creating warmth that generates Yi Wood (Liver). Because Stomach Earth rotates to the right, its consolidating function operates, creating coolness that transforms into Xin Metal (Lungs). At midday (Wu hour), Yin begins to generate; as Yin generates, it descends. The three Yin meridians descend to the right, transforming into Lung Metal. Lung Metal is the clarified descent of Heart Fire. Therefore, Lung Qi is cool and possesses a contracting nature. At midnight (Zi hour), Yang begins to generate; as Yang generates, it ascends. The three Yang meridians ascend to the left, transforming into Liver Wood. Liver Wood is the warm ascent of Kidney Water. Therefore, Liver Blood is warm and possesses a generating nature. The reason Kidney Water warms and ascends to transform into Wood is due to the leftward rotation of Ji Earth (Spleen). Hence, the Spleen is the root of Blood generation. The reason Heart Fire clarifies and descends to transform into Metal is due to the rightward rotation of Wu Earth (Stomach). Hence, the Stomach is the source of Qi transformation. Qi is governed by the Lungs. All Qi within the Zang and Fu organs and meridians is disseminated by Lung Metal. Within the organs, it is called Qi; within the meridians, it is called Wei Qi (Defensive Qi). Blood is governed by the Liver. All Blood within the Zang and Fu organs and meridians is infused by Liver Blood. Within the organs, it is called Blood; within the meridians, it is called Ying Qi (Nutritive Qi). Ying Qi and Wei Qi constitute the Qi and Blood within the meridians.