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Huangdi Neijing · The Yellow Emperor’s Inner Canon
Lingshu 34 · Five Disorders
Read in English. Switch to Original for word notes, or select text to ask a question.
The Yellow Emperor said: “The twelve channel vessels are distinguished by the five phases and divided among the four seasons. What do they lose to become disordered, and gain to become ordered?”
Qi Bo said: “The five phases have their sequence, and the four seasons their divisions. Mutual accord brings order; mutual opposition brings disorder.”
The Yellow Emperor said: “What is mutual accord?”
Qi Bo said: “The twelve channel vessels correspond to the twelve months, and the twelve months divide into four seasons—spring, summer, winter and autumn—each with different qi. When nutritive and defensive qi follow one another, yin and yang harmonize, and clear and turbid do not interfere, this is accord and order.”
The Yellow Emperor said: “What is opposition producing disorder?”
“Clear qi is in yin and turbid qi in yang. Nutritive qi follows the vessels, while defensive qi travels against the course. Clear and turbid interfere and disorder the chest: this is called great oppression.
“Disordered qi in the Heart brings vexation, silent withdrawal, a lowered head and still, crouching repose. In the Lung it brings panting and loud breathing whether bending or straightening, with joined hands while calling or breathing out. In the intestines and Stomach it causes sudden vomiting and diarrhea. In arms and shins it causes reversal of the four limbs. In the head it causes reversal counterflow, a heavy head, dizziness and collapse.”
The supplied answer lacks an explicit speaker label. Its compressed joined-hands phrase is retained without inventing a particular posture or maneuver.
The Yellow Emperor said: “Is there a method of needling these five disorders?”
Qi Bo said: “There is a route by which they come and a route by which they leave. Knowing these routes precisely is the treasure of the body.”
The Yellow Emperor said: “Good. I wish to hear the method.”
Qi Bo said: “For qi in the Heart, address the transporting sites of Hand Shaoyin and the Heart Ruler. For qi in the Lung, address the spring of Hand Taiyin and the transporting site of Foot Shaoyin. For qi in the intestines and Stomach, address Foot Taiyin and Yangming; if it does not descend, address Sanli. For qi in the head, address Tianzhu and Dazhu; if there is no response, address the spring and transporting sites of Foot Taiyang. For qi in the arms and feet, first remove blood from vessels, then address the spring and transporting sites of their Yangming and Shaoyang channels.”
The Yellow Emperor said: “How are supplementation and draining performed?”
Qi Bo said: “Slow insertion and slow withdrawal are called guiding qi. Supplementation and draining without visible form are called joining the essences. This concerns neither excess nor insufficiency, but disordered qi crossing and interfering.”
The Yellow Emperor said: “Trustworthy is the Way, clear is the discussion! Let it be written on jade tablets and named the Ordering of Disorder.”
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