Lingshu · The Five Inspections and Five Envoys

The text

The Yellow Emperor asked Qi Bo: I have heard that needling has the five offices and the five inspections, by which one looks at the five qi. The five qi are the envoys of the five zang, the deputies of the five seasons. I wish to hear how the five envoys should come out. Qi Bo said: The five offices are the inspections of the five zang. The Yellow Emperor said: I wish to hear where they come out, so they may serve as a constant. Qi Bo said: The vessels issue at the qi-opening; color is seen at the Bright Hall. The five colors come out by turns, answering to the five seasons, each as its constant. When channel-qi enters the zang, you must put the inner in order. The Emperor said: Good. Are the five colors decided at the Bright Hall alone? Qi Bo said: When the five offices are already told apart, the Gate-towers and Courtyard must be spread, and then the Bright Hall is established. The Bright Hall broad and large, the Fences and Screens seen from without, square walls, high foundation, the hanging corners sitting without — then the five colors are in order, even, ample, and broad; the years meet a hundred. Seeing such a one, needling will surely end it. In a person like this, blood and qi have a remainder, the flesh is firm and fine — therefore one may trouble them with the needle. The Yellow Emperor said: I wish to hear of the five offices. Qi Bo said: The nose is the office of the lung. The eyes are the office of the liver. The mouth and lips are the office of the spleen. The tongue is the office of the heart. The ears are the office of the kidney. The Yellow Emperor said: What does one watch by the offices? Qi Bo said: One watches the five zang. Thus in illness of the lung: panting, the nose spread. In illness of the liver: the canthi green. In illness of the spleen: the lips yellow. In illness of the heart: the tongue rolled and short, the cheekbones red. In illness of the kidney: the cheekbones and the forehead black. The Yellow Emperor said: How do the five vessels come out in peace, how are the five colors seen in peace — and those of ordinary color who are still in danger, how is it? Qi Bo said: When the five offices are not told apart, the Gate-towers and Courtyard not spread, the Bright Hall made small, the Fences and Screens not seen, the walls also low, the wall below with no foundation, the hanging corners leaving the outer — such a one, even ordinary and at peace, is in danger; how much more when illness is added? The Yellow Emperor said: The five colors seen at the Bright Hall, by which one looks at the qi of the five zang — left and right, high and low, does each have a form? Qi Bo said: The five zang in the center each take their next lodging, left and right, above and below, each as its measure.

The line

Qi Bo said: The five offices are the inspections of the five zang.

The note

The five offices are the windows of the five zang. Inspection is letting a zang be seen of itself. An envoy is the window speaking for the zang.