（灵枢寿夭刚柔篇）
黄帝问于伯高曰∶余闻形有缓急，气有盛衰，骨有大小，肉有坚脆，皮有浓薄，其以立寿夭奈何？（此欲因人之形
体气质而知其寿夭也。）伯高答曰∶形与气相任则寿，不相任则夭。（任，相当也。盖形以寓气，气以充形，有是形当有
是气，有是气当有是形，故表里相称者寿，一强一弱而不相胜者夭。）皮与肉相果则寿，不相果则夭。（肉居皮之里，皮
为肉之表，肉坚皮固者是为相果，肉脆皮疏者是为不相果，相果者气必蓄故寿，不相果者气易失故夭。）血气经络胜形则
寿，不胜形则夭。（血气经络者，内之根本也。形体者，外之枝叶也。根本胜者寿，枝叶胜者夭也。）黄帝曰∶何谓形之
缓急？伯高答曰∶形充而皮肤缓者则寿，形充而皮肤急者则夭。（形充而皮肤和缓者，气脉从容，故当寿。形充而皮肤紧
急者，气脉促迫，故当夭。）形充而脉坚大者顺也，形充而脉小以弱者气衰，衰则危矣。（形充脉大者，表里如一，故曰
顺。形充脉弱者，外实内虚，故曰危。）若形充而颧不起者骨小，骨小则夭矣。（人之形体，骨为君，肉为臣，君胜臣者
顺，臣胜君者逆。颧者骨之本也，故形充而颧不起者，其骨必小，骨小肉充，臣胜君者也，故当夭。）形充而大肉 坚而
有分者肉坚，肉坚则寿矣；形充而大肉无分理不坚者肉脆，肉脆则夭矣。（大肉，臀肉也。 者，筋肉结聚之处坚而浓者
是也。有分者，肉中分理明显也。此言形体虽充，又必以肉之坚脆分寿夭，其必验于大肉者，以大肉为诸肉之宗也。故
凡形充而臀削者，必非福寿之兆。 ，劬允切。臀音豚。）此天之生命，所以立形定气而视寿夭者。必明乎此立形定气，
而后以临病患，决死生。黄帝曰∶余闻寿夭，无以度之。（度，入声。）伯高答曰∶墙基卑高不及其地者，不满三十而死；
其有因加疾者，不及二十而死也。（墙基者，面部四旁骨胳也。地者，面部之肉也。基墙不及其地者，骨衰肉胜也，所以
不寿；再加不慎而致疾，其夭更速，故不及二十而死也。按五色篇曰∶明堂者鼻也，阙者眉间也，庭者颜也，蕃者颊侧
也，蔽者耳门也，其间欲方大，去之十步皆见于外，如是者寿必中百岁。详脉色类三十二。）黄帝曰∶形气之相胜以立寿
夭奈何？伯高答曰∶平人而气胜形者寿；（人之生死由乎气，气胜则神全，故平人以气胜形者寿。设外貌虽充而中气不足
者，必非寿器。）病而形肉脱，气胜形者死，形胜气者危矣。（若病而至于形肉脱，虽其气尚胜形，亦所必死。盖气为阳，
形为阴，阴以配阳，形以寓气，阴脱则阳无所附，形脱则气难独留，故不免于死。或形肉未脱而元气衰竭者，形虽胜气，
不过阴多于阳，病必危矣。按∶本篇大义，乃自天禀而言；又如五常政大论以阴阳高下言人寿夭，则地势使然，又不可
不知也。详运气类十六。）
《灵枢·寿夭刚柔篇》
黄帝向伯高问道：我听说人的形体有松缓与紧促之分，气机有旺盛与衰弱之别，骨骼有大小之异，肌肉有坚实与脆弱之差，皮肤有厚薄之不同。如何根据这些特征来判定一个人的寿命长短呢？（这是想通过人的形体气质来预知他的寿夭。）
伯高回答说：形体与气机相互匹配则长寿，不匹配则短命。（“任”意为相当、匹配。形体是气的居所，气是形体的充实来源，有这样的形体就应当有这样的气，有这样的气就应当有这样的形体，所以表里相称的长寿，一强一弱且不相胜的短命。）皮肤与肌肉相互包裹契合则长寿，不契合则短命。（肌肉居于皮肤之内，皮肤为肌肉之外表，肌肉坚实、皮肤固密称为“相果”，肌肉脆弱、皮肤疏松称为“不相果”。相果者气机必能蓄积，故长寿；不相果者气机易流失，故短命。）血气经络胜过形体则长寿，不胜过形体则短命。（血气经络是内在的根本，形体是外在的枝叶。根本胜过枝叶的长寿，枝叶胜过根本的短命。）
伯高回答：形体充实而皮肤松缓的长寿，形体充实而皮肤紧促的短命。（形体充实且皮肤和缓的，气脉从容，所以应当长寿。形体充实但皮肤紧张的，气脉急促迫窄，所以应当短命。）形体充实而脉象坚实洪大的为顺证，形体充实而脉象细小虚弱的为气衰，气衰则危险了。（形体充实而脉大的，表里一致，所以叫顺。形体充实而脉弱的，外实内虚，所以叫危。）如果形体充实但颧骨不高，说明骨骼小，骨骼小则短命。（人的形体中，骨为主君，肉为臣属，君胜臣为顺，臣胜君为逆。颧骨是骨的根本，所以形体充实但颧骨不高的，其骨骼必然小。骨小肉多，是臣胜君的表现，所以应当短命。）形体充实且臀部肌肉坚实且有纹理分界的为肉坚，肉坚则长寿；形体充实但臀部肌肉无纹理分界且不坚实的为肉脆，肉脆则短命。（大肉指臀部肌肉。“腘”指筋肉结聚之处，坚实浓厚的就是。“有分”指肌肉中的纹理明显。这里说虽然形体充实，还必须以肉的坚脆来判断寿夭，之所以特别观察大肉，是因为大肉是各种肌肉的代表。所以凡是形体充实但臀部消瘦的，一定不是福寿的征兆。“腘”音同“允”。臀音同“豚”。）这是天生的生命规律，用来确立形体、定夺气机从而观察寿夭的方法。必须明白确立形体、定夺气机的道理，然后才能面对病患，决断生死。
黄帝说：我听闻关于寿夭的知识，但没有方法去衡量它。（“度”读入声，意为衡量。）
伯高回答：面部四周的骨骼（墙基）低矮，不及面部肌肉（地）宽厚的，活不到三十岁就会死亡；如果有因不慎加重疾病的，活不到二十岁就会死亡。（“墙基”指面部四周的骨骼。“地”指面部的肌肉。基墙不及地面的，是骨衰肉盛的表现，所以不长寿；再加上不慎致病，夭折更快，所以活不到二十岁。按《五色篇》所说：明堂指鼻子，阙指两眉之间，庭指额部，蕃指脸颊侧面，蔽指耳门。这些地方想要方正宽大，退后十步都能在外部看到，这样的人长寿，必定活到百岁。详见《脉色类》第三十二部分。）
伯高回答：普通人如果气胜过形则长寿；（人的生死取决于气，气胜则神志健全，所以普通人以气胜形者为长寿。假如外貌虽然充实但中气不足的，一定不是长寿之器。）患病时形体肌肉脱失，如果气还胜过形则死，如果形胜过气则危险了。（如果生病导致形体肌肉脱失，即使气尚且胜过形，也必然死亡。因为气属阳，形属阴，阴配合阳，形容纳气，阴脱则阳无所依附，形脱则气难以独自留存，所以不免于死。或者形体肌肉未脱但元气衰竭的，虽然形胜过气，不过是阴多于阳，病势必然危险。按：本篇的大义是从先天禀赋而言；又如《五常政大论》从阴阳高下来论述人寿夭，则是地势使然，也不可不知道。详见《运气类》第十六部分。）
*Lingshu: Shou Yao Gang Rou Chapter*
Huangdi asked Bogao: I have heard that human forms vary in laxity and tension, qi varies in abundance and decline, bones vary in size, muscles vary in firmness and fragility, and skin varies in thickness. How can one determine longevity or premature death based on these characteristics? (This seeks to predict longevity or premature death based on an individual's physical constitution and qi dynamics.)
Bogao replied: When form and qi are mutually balanced, there is longevity; when they are not balanced, there is premature death. ("Ren" means equivalent or balanced. Form houses qi, and qi fills form. With a certain form, there should be corresponding qi; with a certain qi, there should be corresponding form. Therefore, those whose interior and exterior are harmonious live long, while those where one aspect is strong and the other weak, failing to balance each other, die young.) When skin and muscle are mutually supportive, there is longevity; when they are not, there is premature death. (Muscle lies inside the skin, and skin is the exterior of muscle. Firm muscle and tight skin constitute mutual support; fragile muscle and loose skin constitute lack of mutual support. Those with mutual support retain qi effectively and thus live long; those without it lose qi easily and thus die young.) When blood, qi, and meridians surpass the form, there is longevity; when they do not surpass the form, there is premature death. (Blood, qi, and meridians are the internal root; the form is the external branch. When the root surpasses the branches, there is longevity; when the branches surpass the root, there is premature death.)
Huangdi asked: What is meant by the laxity and tension of form?
Bogao answered: When the form is full but the skin is lax, there is longevity; when the form is full but the skin is tense, there is premature death. (When the form is full and the skin is relaxed, the qi and pulses are leisurely, indicating longevity. When the form is full but the skin is tight, the qi and pulses are hurried and constrained, indicating premature death.) When the form is full and the pulse is firm and large, it is favorable; when the form is full but the pulse is small and weak, it indicates qi decline, which is dangerous. (A full form with a large pulse indicates consistency between interior and exterior, hence "favorable." A full form with a weak pulse indicates external excess and internal deficiency, hence "dangerous.") If the form is full but the cheekbones do not protrude, the bones are small; small bones indicate premature death. (In the human body, bone is the ruler, and flesh is the minister. When the ruler prevails over the minister, it is favorable; when the minister prevails over the ruler, it is adverse. The cheekbone is the root of the bone structure. Thus, if the form is full but the cheekbones do not protrude, the bones must be small. Small bones with abundant flesh represent the minister prevailing over the ruler, indicating premature death.) When the form is full, and the large muscles (buttocks) are firm with distinct separations, the flesh is firm, indicating longevity; when the form is full, but the large muscles lack distinct separations and are not firm, the flesh is fragile, indicating premature death. ("Large muscle" refers to the buttock muscles. "Gu" refers to areas where tendons and muscles cluster, being firm and dense. "With separation" means clear fascial lines within the muscle. This passage states that although the form is full, longevity or premature death must be judged by the firmness or fragility of the flesh. The reason for focusing on the large muscles is that they are the representatives of all muscles. Therefore, anyone whose form is full but whose buttocks are emaciated is unlikely to enjoy fortune and longevity. "Gu" is pronounced like "Yun". "Tun" is pronounced like "Tun".) These are the natural laws of life, used to establish form, determine qi, and observe longevity or premature death. One must understand how to establish form and determine qi before facing patients to decide life and death.
Huangdi said: I have heard about longevity and premature death, but I have no method to measure it. ("Duo" is pronounced with the entering tone, meaning to measure.)
Bogao replied: If the facial bone structure (wall base) is low and does not match the width of the facial flesh (ground), death will occur before thirty years of age; if illness is added due to negligence, death will occur before twenty years of age. ("Wall base" refers to the bones around the face. "Ground" refers to the flesh of the face. When the wall base does not reach the ground, it indicates declining bones and excessive flesh, leading to short life. If illness is contracted due to carelessness, death comes even faster, hence before twenty. According to the *Se Colors Chapter*: Ming Tang refers to the nose, Que refers to the area between the eyebrows, Ting refers to the forehead, Fan refers to the sides of the cheeks, and Bi refers to the ear gates. These areas should be square and broad, visible from ten steps away; such individuals live long, reaching at least a hundred years. See detailed discussion in *Pulse and Color Category*, Part 32.)
Huangdi asked: How do the mutual superiority and inferiority of form and qi determine longevity or premature death?
Bogao answered: In healthy individuals, if qi surpasses form, there is longevity. (Human life and death depend on qi; when qi is superior, spirit is complete. Thus, healthy individuals with qi surpassing form are long-lived. Even if the exterior appears full, if the middle qi is insufficient, they are not destined for longevity.) In diseased individuals, if the form and flesh are depleted but qi still surpasses form, death occurs; if form surpasses qi, the condition is critical. (If disease leads to depletion of form and flesh, even if qi temporarily surpasses form, death is inevitable. Qi belongs to Yang, and form belongs to Yin. Yin complements Yang, and form houses qi. If Yin depletes, Yang has no attachment; if form depletes, qi cannot remain alone, hence death is unavoidable. Alternatively, if form and flesh are not yet depleted but primal qi is exhausted, although form may appear to surpass qi, this represents Yin exceeding Yang, and the disease is critical. Note: The main theme of this chapter discusses innate endowment. As discussed in the *Wu Chang Zheng Da Lun* regarding longevity based on the high and low of Yin and Yang, geographical factors also play a role, which must also be understood. See detailed discussion in *Qi Movement Category*, Part 16.)