Lingshu · The Measures of the Vessels

The text

The Yellow Emperor said: I wish to hear of the measures of the vessels. Qi Bo replied: The six yang of the hand, from hand to head, are five chi each; five times six is three zhang. The six yin of the hand, from hand to the chest, are three chi five cun; three times six is one zhang eight chi, five times six is three chi, together two zhang one chi. The six yang of the foot, from foot up to the head, are eight chi; six times eight is four zhang eight chi. The six yin of the foot, from foot to the chest, are six chi five cun; six times six is three zhang six chi, five times six is three chi, together three zhang nine chi. The qiao vessels, from foot to eye, are seven chi five cun; two times seven is one zhang four chi, two times five is one chi, together one zhang five chi. The governor vessel and the conception vessel are each four chi five cun; two times four is eight chi, two times five is one chi, together nine chi. In all, sixteen zhang two chi. These are the great channel tunnels of qi. The channels are the inner; what branches and runs across are the collaterals; the divergences of the collaterals are the minute vessels. When they are full and have blood, punish them at once; when full, drain them; when vacuous, drink medicine to fill them. The five zang constantly look inward upon the upper seven openings. Thus lung-qi communicates with the nose; when the lung is in accord, the nose can know foul and fragrant. Heart-qi communicates with the tongue; when the heart is in accord, the tongue can know the five flavors. Liver-qi communicates with the eyes; when the liver is in accord, the eyes can distinguish the five colors. Spleen-qi communicates with the mouth; when the spleen is in accord, the mouth can know the five grains. Kidney-qi communicates with the ears; when the kidney is in accord, the ears can hear the five tones. When the five zang are not in accord, the seven openings do not communicate; when the six fu are not in accord, what stays becomes abscess. Thus when pathogen is in the fu, the yang vessels are not in accord; when the yang vessels are not in accord, qi stays; when qi stays, yang-qi is abundant. When yang-qi is too abundant, the yin vessels do not move freely; when the yin vessels do not move freely, blood stays; when blood stays, yin-qi is abundant. When yin-qi is too abundant, yang-qi cannot nourish — this is called a lock. When yang-qi is too abundant, yin-qi cannot nourish — this is called a block. When yin and yang are both abundant and cannot nourish each other — this is called lock-and-block. One with lock-and-block cannot complete their years, and dies. The Yellow Emperor said: Where do the qiao vessels start and stop? What qi nourishes the water? Qi Bo replied: The qiao vessel is a divergence of shaoyin. It starts behind the burning bone, rises above the inner ankle, goes straight up the inner thigh, enters the yin, follows the inner chest upward, enters the empty basin, emerges above in front of the person's welcome, enters the cheekbone, belongs to the inner canthus, and joins taiyang. Yang qiao rises; when their qi join and return, they moisten the eyes; when qi does not nourish, the eyes will not close. The Yellow Emperor said: Qi travels the five zang alone and does not nourish the six fu — why? Qi Bo replied: Qi cannot but travel, like water flowing, like the sun and moon traveling without rest. Thus the yin vessels nourish their zang; the yang vessels nourish their fu — like a ring with no end, no one knows their calendar, ending and beginning again. The qi that overflows irrigates the zang and fu within, and moistens the texture of the skin without. The Yellow Emperor said: The qiao vessels have yin and yang. Which vessel answers to the count? Qi Bo replied: In men, count the yang; in women, count the yin. The one that answers to the count is a channel; the one that does not answer to the count is a collateral.

The line

Qi Bo replied: The six yang of the hand, from hand to head, are five chi each; five times six is three zhang.

The note

Vessels have measures, as roads have miles. Only when the measures are complete do you know how far ying-qi travels in a day and a night. Number, here, is reverence — not display.