Suwen · Further Discourse on the Five Zang

The text

The Yellow Emperor asked: I have heard that among the fangshi, some take the brain and marrow to be zang, some take the intestines and stomach to be zang, and some take them to be fu. They turn against one another, yet each claims to be right, and none knows the Dao. I wish to hear the account. Qi Bo replied: The brain, the marrow, the bones, the vessels, the gallbladder, and the woman's womb — these six are born of the qi of earth. All store in yin and take the image of earth; therefore they store and do not drain. They are called the extraordinary fu. The stomach, the large intestine, the small intestine, the sanjiao, and the bladder — these five are born of the qi of heaven. Their qi takes the image of heaven; therefore they drain and do not store. They receive the turbid qi of the five zang, and are called the fu of transmission and transformation. They cannot linger long; they pass and drain. The po-gate also serves the five zang, so that water and grain cannot remain stored. What are called the five zang store jing-qi and do not drain; thus they can be full but not packed solid. The six fu transmit and transform things and do not store; thus they can be packed solid but not full. Why is this so? When water and grain enter the mouth, the stomach is packed and the intestines are empty; when the food goes down, the intestines are packed and the stomach is empty. Therefore it is said: packed but not full; full but not packed. The Emperor said: Why is the qi-opening alone the master of the five zang? Qi Bo said: The stomach is the sea of water and grain, the great source of the six fu. The five flavors enter the mouth and are stored in the stomach, to nourish the qi of the five zang. The qi-opening is also taiyin. Thus the flavors and qi of the five zang and six fu all come forth from the stomach, and their changes appear at the qi-opening. Therefore the five qi enter the nose and are stored in the heart and lung; when heart and lung have illness, the nose is not free on their account. In treating any illness one must examine what is below, attend to the pulse, and observe the will and intent together with the illness. Those bound to ghosts and spirits cannot be spoken to of the highest virtue. Those who hate the needle and the stone cannot be spoken to of the highest skill. Those who will not permit treatment — the illness will certainly not be treated; treat it, and there is no result.

The line

What are called the five zang store jing-qi and do not drain; thus they can be full but not packed solid.

The note

The zang store and do not drain; the fu drain and do not store. Further, here, is the direction of a function. In the quarrel over brain, marrow, gut — first ask whether a thing keeps or goes.