五脏者，中之守也。（五脏者，各有所藏。藏而弗失，则精神完固，故为中之守也。）中盛脏满，
气胜伤恐者，声如从室中言，是中气之湿也；（中，胸腹也；脏，脏腑也。盛满，胀急也；气胜，喘
息也；伤恐者，肾受伤也；声如从室中言，混浊不清也，是皆水气上逆之
候，故为中气之湿症，此脾肺肾三脏之失守也。）言而微，终日乃复言者，此夺气也；（气虚之盛，故声不接
续，肺脏失守也。）衣被不敛，言语善恶不避亲疏者，此神明之乱也。（神明将脱，故昏乱若此，
心脏之失守也。）仓廪不藏者，是门户不要也；（要，约束也。幽门、阑门、魄门，皆仓廪之门户，门户不
能固则肠胃不能藏，所以泄利不禁，脾脏之失守也。）水泉不止者，是膀胱不藏也；（膀胱与肾为表里，所
以藏津液，水泉不止而遗溲失禁，肾脏之失守也。）得守者生，失守者死。（五脏得守，则无以上诸病，故
生，失守则神去而死矣。）夫五脏者，身之强也。（此下言形气之不守，而内应乎五脏也。脏气充则形体
强，故五脏为身之强。）头者精明之府，头倾视深，精神将夺矣；（五脏六腑之精气皆上升于头，以成七窍之
用，故头为精明之府。头倾者，低垂不能举也；视深者，目陷无光也。脏气失强，故精神之夺如此。）背
者胸中之府，背曲肩随，府将坏矣；（背乃脏俞所系，故为胸中之府。背曲肩随亦脏气之失强也。）腰者肾
之府，转摇不能，肾将惫矣；（此肾脏之失强也。）膝者筋之府，屈伸不能，行则偻俯，筋
将惫矣。（筋虽主于肝，而维络关节，以立此身者，惟膝 之筋为最，故膝为筋之府。筋惫若是，则诸经之
失强也。）骨者髓之府，不能久立，行则振掉，骨将惫矣。（髓充于骨，故骨为髓之府，髓空则骨弱
无力，此肾之失强者也。）得强则生，失强则死。（脏强则气强，故生；失强则气竭，故死。此不专言
夫病者，人不至于是不止，可胜悼哉！）
五脏，是体内精气神志的守持者。（五脏各自藏纳精气。若藏纳而不失泄，则精神完固，因此称为体内的守持者。）如果胸腹部胀满盛实，喘息急促且肾气受损出现恐惧感，说话声音如同从密闭房间中传出般浑浊不清，这是中焦湿气阻滞的表现；（中，指胸腹部位；脏，指脏腑。盛满，指胀急不适；气胜，指喘息急促；伤恐者，指肾脏受损；声音像从屋里传出来一样，指声音混浊不清。这些都是水气上逆的征候，所以属于中气湿症，这是脾、肺、肾三脏功能失守的表现。）如果说话声音低微，整天才说几句话，这是元气大虚耗损的表现；（气虚严重，所以声音断续不接，这是肺脏功能失守的表现。）如果穿衣盖被不能自理，言语不分好坏，不顾及亲疏关系，这是神明（心神）混乱的表现。（心神即将脱散，所以昏乱到这种地步，这是心脏功能失守的表现。）如果肠胃无法固摄收纳，这是幽门、阑门、魄门等门户约束无力所致；（要，意为约束。幽门、阑门、魄门，都是肠胃收纳排泄的门户，门户不能固守则肠胃无法藏纳，从而导致泄泻痢疾、二便不禁，这是脾脏功能失守的表现。）如果小便淋漓不止，这是膀胱无法固摄津液的表现；（膀胱与肾互为表里，负责藏纳津液，水泉不止即遗尿失禁，这是肾脏功能失守的表现。）能够保持守持功能的就生存，失去守持功能的就死亡。（五脏若能保持守持，就不会出现上述各种病症，所以能生存；若失去守持，则神气离去而死亡。）五脏，是身体强健的根本。（下文论述形体之气不能守持，进而内应影响五脏。脏气充盛则形体强健，所以五脏是身体强健的基础。）头部，是精明之府，如果头低垂不能抬起，目眶深陷无光，说明精神即将耗夺；（五脏六腑的精气都上升汇聚于头部，以形成七窍的功能，所以头是精明之府。头倾，指头低垂不能举起；视深，指眼睛凹陷没有光泽。脏气失去强健，所以精神耗夺到如此程度。）背部，是胸中（心肺）之府，如果背部弯曲、双肩下垂，说明胸中之府将要败坏；（背部是脏腑俞穴所在之处，所以是胸中之府。背曲肩随也是脏气失去强健的表现。）腰部，是肾脏之府，如果转侧摇动困难，说明肾脏将要衰惫；（这是肾脏功能失去强健的表现。）膝盖，是筋脉之府，如果屈伸不利，行走时弯腰驼背，说明筋脉将要衰惫。（筋虽然主要由肝脏所主，但维系联络关节、支撑身体的，主要是膝盖处的筋，所以膝是筋之府。筋衰惫到这种地步，说明各条经脉都失去了强健。）骨骼，是骨髓之府，如果不能久站，行走时身体颤抖摇晃，说明骨骼将要衰惫。（骨髓充盈于骨骼之中，所以骨是髓之府，骨髓空虚则骨骼软弱无力，这是肾脏失去强健的表现。）能够保持强健的就生存，失去强健的就死亡。（脏气强健则正气强盛，所以生存；失去强健则正气衰竭，所以死亡。这里不仅仅是在谈论疾病，人如果不达到这种地步尚且可以忍受，但如果到了这种地步，真是令人悲痛啊！）
The Five Zang Organs are the guardians within. (The Five Zang Organs each store essence. If they store without losing, the spirit and vitality remain complete and solid, thus they are called the guardians within.) When there is fullness and distension in the center (chest and abdomen), excessive Qi causing panting, and injury to the Kidney manifesting as fear, with speech sounding muffled as if coming from a confined room, this indicates dampness in the Middle Jiao Qi. (Center refers to the chest and abdomen; Zang refers to the organs. Fullness and distension refer to bloating and tightness; excessive Qi refers to panting; injury to fear refers to Kidney injury; speech sounding like it comes from a room refers to turbid and unclear voice. These are all signs of rebellious Water Qi, hence constituting a dampness syndrome of the Middle Qi, representing the loss of control by the Spleen, Lung, and Kidney.) When speech is faint and only uttered once after a whole day, this indicates depletion of Qi. (Severe Qi deficiency causes discontinuous speech, indicating loss of control by the Lung.) When one cannot gather clothes and blankets properly, and speaks indiscriminately regarding good or bad matters without avoiding relatives or strangers, this indicates chaos of the Shen (Spirit). (The Shen is about to scatter, leading to such confusion, indicating loss of control by the Heart.) When the Granary (digestive system) fails to store, it is because the gates lack restraint. (Restraint refers to controlling function. The pylorus, ileocecal valve, and anus are all gates of the Granary. If these gates cannot be secured, the intestines and stomach cannot store, resulting in uncontrolled diarrhea and dysentery, indicating loss of control by the Spleen.) When the water springs (urine) do not stop, it is because the Bladder fails to store. (The Bladder and Kidney are exterior-interior paired, responsible for storing fluids. Unstopping urine and incontinence indicate loss of control by the Kidney.) Those who maintain control live; those who lose control die. (If the Five Zang maintain control, the aforementioned diseases will not occur, hence life; if control is lost, the spirit departs and death ensues.) The Five Zang are the strength of the body. (The following discusses the failure of form and Qi to maintain control, which internally corresponds to the Five Zang. When Zang Qi is abundant, the physical form is strong, thus the Five Zang constitute the strength of the body.) The head is the mansion of clarity and intelligence. If the head droops and cannot be lifted, and the eyes are sunken and devoid of luster, the spirit and vitality are about to be depleted. (Essence and Qi of the Five Zang and Six Fu organs all ascend to the head to facilitate the functions of the seven orifices, thus the head is the mansion of clarity. Drooping head means inability to lift the head; sunken eyes mean hollow orbits without light. Loss of strength in the Zang leads to such depletion of spirit.) The back is the mansion of the chest. If the back is curved and shoulders sag, the mansion is about to deteriorate. (The back is where the Shu points of the Zang organs are located, thus it is the mansion of the chest. Curved back and sagging shoulders also indicate loss of strength in the Zang.) The waist is the mansion of the Kidney. If turning and shaking is difficult, the Kidney is about to become exhausted. (This indicates loss of strength in the Kidney.) The knees are the mansion of the sinews. If flexion and extension are impossible, and walking requires stooping, the sinews are about to become exhausted. (Although sinews are primarily governed by the Liver, the sinews at the knees are most crucial for connecting joints and supporting the body, thus the knee is the mansion of sinews. Such exhaustion of sinews indicates loss of strength in the meridians.) The bones are the mansion of the marrow. If one cannot stand for long, and trembles while walking, the bones are about to become exhausted. (Marrow fills the bones, thus bone is the mansion of marrow. Empty marrow leads to weak and powerless bones, indicating loss of strength in the Kidney.) Those who maintain strength live; those who lose strength die. (Strong Zang Qi leads to strong Zheng Qi, hence life; loss of strength leads to exhaustion of Zheng Qi, hence death. This does not solely discuss disease; humans may endure up to a certain point, but reaching this state is truly lamentable!)