六节脏象论云∶心为阳中之太阳,肺为阳中之太阴,肾为阴中之少阴,肝为阳中之少阳
。而
《灵枢》九针十二原云∶阳中之少阴肺也,阳中之太阳心也,阴中之少阳肝也,阴中之太阴
肾也。按《素》以肝为阳者,言其时;《灵》以肝为阴者,言其脏也。《素》以肺为太阴,
肾为少阴者,举其经之名;《灵》以肺为少阴,肾为太阴者,以肺为阴脏而居阳位,肾为阴
脏而居阴位也。二经之不同如此。
经脉十二,络脉十五,凡二十七气以上下。所出为井,所溜为荥,所注为 ,所过为
原,所行
为经,所入为合。故本输篇云∶膀胱出于至阴,为井;溜于通谷,为荥;注于束骨,为 ;
过于京骨,为原;行于昆仑,为经;入于委中,为合。胆出于窍阴,为井;溜于侠溪,注于
临泣,为 ;过于丘墟,为原;行于阳辅,为经;入于阳之陵泉,为合。胃出于厉兑,为井
;溜于内庭,为荥;注于陷谷,为 ;过于冲阳,为原;行于解溪,为经;入于下陵为合。
而《根结篇》云∶足太阳根起于至阴,溜于京骨,注于昆仑,入于天柱、飞扬。足少阳根起
于窍阴,溜于丘墟,注于阳辅,入于天容。足阳明根起于厉兑,溜于冲阳,注于下陵,入于
人迎、丰隆。是以井、荥、 、原、经、合之处,即一经所言,而亦有不同如此。
《素问·六节脏象论》中说:心是阳中之太阳,肺是阳中之太阴,肾是阴中之少阴,肝是阳中之少阳。而《灵枢·九针十二原》中说:阳中之少阴是肺,阳中之太阳是心,阴中之少阳是肝,阴中之太阴是肾。考察《素问》将肝归为阳,是从时令角度而言;《灵枢》将肝归为阴,是从脏腑属性而言。《素问》称肺为太阴、肾为少阴,是列举经脉的名称;《灵枢》称肺为少阴、肾为太阴,是因为肺作为阴脏却居于阳位,肾作为阴脏却居于阴位。两部经典的不同之处正是如此。
人体有十二条经脉和十五条络脉,共计二十七气上下运行。气血流注的起点称为井穴,刚流过之处称为荥穴,灌注之处称为输穴(此处原文缺字,通常指“注”),经过之处称为原穴,运行之处称为经穴,深入汇聚之处称为合穴。因此《灵枢·本输》篇中说:膀胱经的气出于至阴穴,这是井穴;流经通谷穴,这是荥穴;灌注于束骨穴,这是输穴;经过京骨穴,这是原穴;行于昆仑穴,这是经穴;入于委中穴,这是合穴。胆经的气出于窍阴穴,这是井穴;流经侠溪穴,灌注于临泣穴,这是输穴;经过丘墟穴,这是原穴;行于阳辅穴,这是经穴;入于阳陵泉穴,这是合穴。胃经的气出于厉兑穴,这是井穴;流经内庭穴,灌注于陷谷穴,这是输穴;经过冲阳穴,这是原穴;行于解溪穴,这是经穴;入于足三里(下陵)穴,这是合穴。然而《灵枢·根结》篇中说:足太阳膀胱经的根起于至阴穴,溜于京骨穴,注于昆仑穴,入于天柱穴和飞扬穴。足少阳胆经的根起于窍阴穴,溜于丘墟穴,注于阳辅穴,入于天容穴。足阳明胃经的根起于厉兑穴,溜于冲阳穴,注于足三里(下陵)穴,入于人迎穴和丰隆穴。由此可见,关于井、荥、输、原、经、合各穴的位置,在一部经典中的说法与另一部经典中有所不同,情况正是如此。
The *Suwen* (Plain Questions), chapter "Six Jie Zangxiang Lun" (Treatise on the Six Jie and Viscera Manifestations) states: The Heart is the Taiyang (Greater Yang) within the Yang; the Lung is the Taiyin (Greater Yin) within the Yang; the Kidney is the Shaoyin (Lesser Yin) within the Yin; the Liver is the Shaoyang (Lesser Yang) within the Yang. However, the *Lingshu* (Spiritual Pivot), chapter "Jiuzhen Shieryuan" (Nine Needles and Twelve Source Points) states: The Shaoyin (Lesser Yin) within the Yang is the Lung; the Taiyang (Greater Yang) within the Yang is the Heart; the Shaoyang (Lesser Yang) within the Yin is the Liver; the Taiyin (Greater Yin) within the Yin is the Kidney. Examining this, the *Suwen* classifies the Liver as Yang based on its corresponding season/time; the *Lingshu* classifies the Liver as Yin based on its visceral nature. The *Suwen* refers to the Lung as Taiyin and the Kidney as Shaoyin by citing their meridian names; the *Lingshu* refers to the Lung as Shaoyin and the Kidney as Taiyin because the Lung, although a Yin organ, resides in a Yang position (upper jiao/chest), and the Kidney, although a Yin organ, resides in a Yin position (lower jiao/abdomen). Such is the difference between these two classics.
There are twelve primary meridians (Jingmai) and fifteen collaterals (Luomai), totaling twenty-seven Qi pathways that circulate up and down. The points where Qi emerges are called Jing-Well (Jing) points; where it flows lightly are Ying-Spring (Ying) points; where it pours is the Shu-Stream (Shu) point [text missing in original, usually implies Shu]; where it passes is the Yuan-Source (Yuan) point; where it travels is the Jing-River (Jing) point; and where it enters deeply is the He-Sea (He) point. Therefore, the *Benshu* (Roots and Transmissions) chapter of the *Lingshu* states: The Bladder meridian emerges at Zhiyin (BL-66), which is the Jing-Well point; flows through Tonggu (BL-65), which is the Ying-Spring point; pours into Shugu (BL-64), which is the Shu-Stream point; passes through Jinggu (BL-64 is often cited as Shu/Yuan overlap or BL-64/Shugu context depending on text version, here strictly following text: Jinggu is Yuan), which is the Yuan-Source point; travels through Kunlun (BL-60), which is the Jing-River point; and enters Weizhong (BL-40), which is the He-Sea point. The Gallbladder meridian emerges at Qiaoyin (GB-44), which is the Jing-Well point; flows through Xiaxi (GB-43); pours into Linqi (GB-41), which is the Shu-Stream point; passes through Qiuxu (GB-40), which is the Yuan-Source point; travels through Yangfu (GB-38), which is the Jing-River point; and enters Yanglingquan (GB-34), which is the He-Sea point. The Stomach meridian emerges at Lidui (ST-45), which is the Jing-Well point; flows through Neiting (ST-44), which is the Ying-Spring point; pours into Xangu (ST-43), which is the Shu-Stream point; passes through Chongyang (ST-42), which is the Yuan-Source point; travels through Jiexi (ST-41), which is the Jing-River point; and enters Xialing (Zusanli, ST-36), which is the He-Sea point. However, the *Genjie* (Roots and Knots) chapter of the *Lingshu* states: The root of the Foot-Taiyang Bladder meridian begins at Zhiyin, flows to Jinggu, pours into Kunlun, and enters Tianzhu (BL-10) and Feiyang (BL-58). The root of the Foot-Shaoyang Gallbladder meridian begins at Qiaoyin, flows to Qiuxu, pours into Yangfu, and enters Tianrong (SI-17). The root of the Foot-Yangming Stomach meridian begins at Lidui, flows to Chongyang, pours to Xialing (Zusanli), and enters Renying (ST-9) and Fenglong (ST-40). Thus, regarding the locations of the Jing-Well, Ying-Spring, Shu-Stream, Yuan-Source, Jing-River, and He-Sea points, the descriptions differ between the two texts in this manner.