黄帝问于岐伯曰。愿闻五脏之俞出于背者。岐伯曰。背中大俞。在杼骨之端。肺俞在三焦之间。
心俞在五焦之间。膈俞在七焦之间。肝俞在九焦之间。脾俞在十一焦之间。肾俞在十四焦之间。皆挟脊
相去三寸所。则欲得
而验之按其处。应在中而痛解。乃其俞也。灸之则可。刺之则不可。气盛则泻之。虚则补之。以火
补者。毋吹其火。须自灭也。以火泻者。疾吹其火。傅其艾。须其火灭也。
倪冲之曰。五脏六腑之俞。皆在于背。帝只问五脏之俞者。脏腑雌雄相合。论地之五行也。焦、
椎也。在脊背骨节之交。督脉之所循也。大杼在第一椎端之两旁。肺俞在三椎之间。心俞在五椎之
间。膈俞在七椎之间。肝俞在九椎之间。脾俞在十一椎之间。肾俞在十四椎之间。皆挟脊相去三寸所。
左右各间中行一寸五分也。按其俞。应在中而痛解者。太阳与督脉之相通也。是以问五脏之俞。而先
言大杼者。乃项后大骨之端。督脉循于脊骨之第一椎也。问五脏而言七焦之膈俞者。五脏之气。皆从
内膈而出。故曰七节之旁。中有小心。中膈者。皆为伤中。其病虽愈。不过一岁必死。夫五脏之俞皆
附于足太阳之经者。膀胱为水府。地之五行。本于天一之水也。按、太阳之经而应于督脉者。太阳寒
水之气。督脉总督一身之阳。阴阳水火之气交也。灸之则可者。能启脏阴之气也。刺之则不可者。中心
者环死。中脾者五日死。中肾者七日死。中肺者五日死。盖逆刺其五脏之气。皆为伤中。非谓中于脏
形也。以火补之者。以火济水也。以火泻之者。艾名冰台。能于水中取火。能启发阴脏之气。故疾吹其
火。即傅上其艾。以导引其外出也。朱氏曰。太阳之上。寒水主之。是以标阳而本寒。秉水火阴阳之
气者也。督脉环绕于周身之前后。从阴而上行者。循阴气。别绕臀。上股内后廉。贯脊属肾。从阳而下
行者。与太阳起于目内 。上额交巅。入络脑。还出别下项。挟脊抵腰中。下循膂络肾。是督脉环绕
于前后上下。而属络于两肾者也。天一生水。地二生火。此太极始分之阴阳。人秉先天之水火。化生五
行以成此形。是以五脏之俞。皆本于太阳。而应于督脉也。
岐伯回答说：背部的大腧穴，位于脊柱棘突的末端。肺俞穴位于第三胸椎棘突之间；心俞穴位于第五胸椎棘突之间；膈俞穴位于第七胸椎棘突之间；肝俞穴位于第九胸椎棘突之间；脾俞穴位于第十一胸椎棘突之间；肾俞穴位于第十四胸椎棘突之间。这些穴位都夹着脊柱两侧，彼此相距大约三寸。想要验证穴位是否准确，可以按压该处，如果感到中间疼痛且疼痛随即缓解，那就是正确的俞穴。对这些穴位进行艾灸是可以的，但针刺则不可取。如果邪气盛实应当用泻法，正气虚弱应当用补法。用火补法时，不要吹灭火焰，让它自然熄灭即可；用火泻法时，要快速吹旺火焰，并紧贴皮肤放置艾炷，直到火焰熄灭。
倪冲之说：五脏六腑的背俞穴都在背部。黄帝只询问五脏的俞穴，是因为脏腑阴阳相合，论述的是地上的五行关系。“焦”指的是脊椎骨节，“椎”也是指脊椎。它们位于脊背骨节的交接处，是督脉循行的路径。大杼穴在第一胸椎棘突的两旁；肺俞穴在第三胸椎棘突之间；心俞穴在第五胸椎棘突之间；膈俞穴在第七胸椎棘突之间；肝俞穴在第九胸椎棘突之间；脾俞穴在第十一胸椎棘突之间；肾俞穴在第十四胸椎棘突之间。这些穴位都夹着脊柱，左右各距正中线一寸五分。按压俞穴，若正中部位疼痛且痛感解除，是因为足太阳膀胱经与督脉相通。所以询问五脏俞穴时，先提到大杼穴，因为它是项后大骨的末端，督脉循行于脊骨第一椎处。询问五脏时提到第七胸椎处的膈俞穴，是因为五脏之气都从内膈发出，所以说“七节之旁，中有小心”。中膈受损称为“伤中”，即使病愈，一年内也必死。五脏的俞穴都依附于足太阳膀胱经，膀胱是水液汇聚之所，地上的五行本源于一天的水气。按摸太阳经而对应督脉，是因为太阳寒水之气与督脉总督一身阳气，这是阴阳水火之气的交汇。艾灸可行，是因为能激发脏阴之气；针刺不可行，是因为刺中心脏者环周而死，刺中脾脏者五日死，刺中肾脏者七日死，刺中肺脏者五日死。这是因为逆刺五脏之气都会损伤内脏根本，并非指刺中了脏器的形体。用火补法，是用火来济助水（肾）；用火泻法，艾草又名冰台，能从水中取火，能启发阴脏之气，所以要快速吹旺火焰，立即贴上艾炷，以引导邪气外出。
朱氏说：足太阳膀胱经之上，由寒水主令，因此其标为阳而其本为寒，禀受了水火阴阳之气。督脉环绕身体前后，从阴向上行走的分支，循行阴气，别绕臀部，上行至大腿内侧后缘，贯穿脊柱归属于肾脏；从阳向下行走的分支，与足太阳膀胱经起于目内眦，上额交会于头顶，入络于脑，复出别下行至项部，夹脊柱抵达腰中，向下循行肌肉络属肾脏。可见督脉环绕前后上下，并属络于两肾。天一生水，地二生火，这是太极初分时产生的阴阳。人禀受先天的水火之气，化生五行而形成此形体。因此五脏的俞穴，都本源於足太阳膀胱经，而应合於督脉。
Huangdi asked Qibo, saying: "I wish to hear about the back-shu points of the five zang organs and how they emerge from the back."
Qibo replied: "The major shu points in the back are located at the ends of the spinous processes. The Feishu (BL13) is between the third thoracic vertebra; the Xinshu (BL15) is between the fifth thoracic vertebra; the Geshushu (BL17) is between the seventh thoracic vertebra; the Ganshu (BL18) is between the ninth thoracic vertebra; the Pishu (BL20) is between the eleventh thoracic vertebra; and the Shenshu (BL23) is between the fourteenth thoracic vertebra. All these points flank the spine, spaced approximately three cun apart. To verify them, press on the spot; if tenderness is felt in the center and subsides upon pressure, that is the correct shu point. Moxibustion is permissible, but needling is not. If qi is excess, apply draining method; if deficient, apply tonifying method. For tonification with fire, do not blow out the flame; let it extinguish naturally. For draining with fire, quickly blow up the flame, apply the moxa cone closely, and let it extinguish."
Ni Chongzhi stated: "The back-shu points of the five zang and six fu organs are all located on the back. The Emperor only asked about the shu points of the five zang organs because zang and fu organs pair as yin and yang, discussing the Five Elements of the Earth. 'Jiao' refers to the vertebral joints, and 'zhui' also refers to the vertebrae. They are located at the junctions of the spinal segments, which is the pathway of the Du Mai (Governing Vessel). Dazhushu (BL11) is on both sides of the first thoracic vertebra; Feishu (BL13) is between the third thoracic vertebra; Xinshu (BL15) is between the fifth thoracic vertebra; Geshushu (BL17) is between the seventh thoracic vertebra; Ganshu (BL18) is between the ninth thoracic vertebra; Pishu (BL20) is between the eleventh thoracic vertebra; and Shenshu (BL23) is between the fourteenth thoracic vertebra. All flank the spine, with one and a half cun between the left/right sides and the midline. Pressing the shu points results in pain relief in the center because the Taiyang Bladder Meridian communicates with the Du Mai. Therefore, when asking about the five zang shu points, Dazhushu is mentioned first, as it is the end of the large bone at the nape, where the Du Mai runs along the first thoracic vertebra. When asking about the five zang organs, the Geshushu (BL17) at the seventh thoracic vertebra is mentioned because the qi of the five zang organs emerges from the inner diaphragm. Thus it is said, 'Beside the seven segments, there is the Small Heart.' Injury to the diaphragm is called 'injury to the middle'; even if the disease heals, death will occur within a year. The shu points of the five zang organs are all attached to the Foot-Taiyang Bladder Meridian. The Bladder is the residence of water, and the Five Elements of the Earth originate from the Water of Tian Yi (One Heaven). Palpating the Taiyang meridian corresponds to the Du Mai because the Cold-Water Qi of Taiyang intersects with the Yang Qi of the whole body governed by the Du Mai, representing the intersection of Yin-Yang and Water-Fire. Moxibustion is permissible because it can initiate the Yin Qi of the zang organs. Needling is not permissible because piercing the Heart leads to death around the circumference; piercing the Spleen leads to death in five days; piercing the Kidney leads to death in seven days; piercing the Lung leads to death in five days. This is because reverse needling of the qi of the five zang organs causes injury to the central essence, not merely injuring the physical form of the organs. Tonifying with fire means using fire to assist water (Kidney). Draining with fire uses Moxa (Ai Ye), also known as Bingtai, which can extract fire from water and inspire the qi of the yin zang organs. Therefore, one must quickly blow up the flame and immediately apply the moxa to guide the pathogenic factors outward.
Zhu stated: "Above the Foot-Taiyang, Cold-Water governs. Thus, its mark is Yang while its root is Cold, possessing the Qi of Water-Fire and Yin-Yang. The Du Mai (Governing Vessel) surrounds the front and back of the body. The branch ascending from Yin follows the Yin Qi, bypasses the buttocks, ascends along the posterior medial aspect of the thigh, penetrates the spine, and connects to the Kidneys. The branch descending from Yang starts with the Taiyang at the inner canthus, crosses the vertex, enters the network of the brain, emerges again, descends separately to the nape, flanks the spine, reaches the waist, descends along the muscles, and connects to the Kidneys. Thus, the Du Mai surrounds the front, back, upper, and lower aspects and connects to both Kidneys. One Heaven generates Water, Two Earth generates Fire; this is the Yin-Yang initially divided from the Supreme Ultimate. Humans inherit the primordial Water and Fire, transforming into the Five Elements to form this body. Therefore, the shu points of the five zang organs all originate from the Taiyang and correspond to the Du Mai."