Suwen · Explaining the Yangming Channel

The text

The Yellow Emperor asked: When the foot Yangming vessel is ill, there is aversion to people and to fire; hearing the sound of wood, one startles in alarm. Bells and drums do not move them; yet hearing the sound of wood, they startle — why? I wish to hear the reason. Qi Bo answered: Yangming is the stomach vessel. The stomach is earth. Thus one who startles at the sound of wood — earth dislikes wood. The Emperor said: Good. Why the aversion to fire? Qi Bo said: Yangming governs the flesh. Its vessel is abundant in blood and qi. When pathogen lodges as a guest, there is heat; when heat is extreme, there is aversion to fire. The Emperor said: Why the aversion to people? Qi Bo said: When Yangming reverses, there is panting and vexed distress; in vexed distress, there is aversion to people. The Emperor said: Some pant and die; some pant and live. Why? Qi Bo said: If the reversal against joins the zang, there is death; if it joins the channels, there is life. The Emperor said: Good. When the illness is extreme, they cast off their clothes and run, climb high and sing; or they go several days without eating, vault walls and mount roofs — and the places they climb are none of them what they could do in ordinary life. Why can the illness do what they could not? Qi Bo said: The four limbs are the root of all yang. When yang is abundant, the four limbs are replete; when replete, they can climb high. The Emperor said: Why do they cast off their clothes and run? Qi Bo said: Heat is abundant in the body; therefore they cast off clothes and wish to run. The Emperor said: Why the wild speech, the cursing that does not spare near or far, and the singing? Qi Bo said: When yang is abundant, it makes a person speak wildly, curse without sparing near or far, and not wish to eat. Not wishing to eat, they therefore run without purpose.

The line

Qi Bo answered: Yangming is the stomach vessel. The stomach is earth. Thus one who startles at the sound of wood — earth dislikes wood.

The note

Aversion to people and fire; alarm at the sound of wood. What is being explained is not a quirk. Yangming is earth, is the stomach — earth dislikes wood, so the sound of wood startles.