玉版论要篇

Yu Ban Lun Yao

(Methods of Palpation for Measuring and Distinguishing the Disease Recorded on the Jade Tablet)

黄帝问曰：余闻揆度奇恒，所指不同，用之奈何?岐伯对曰：揆度者，度病之浅深也。奇恒者，奇恒者，言奇病也。请【林校引全本“请”作“谓”】言道之至数，五色脉变、揆度奇恒，道在于一。神转不回，回【《太素》“回”作“迴”】则不转，乃失其机，至数之要，迫近以微，著之玉版，命曰合玉【俞樾说:“合”字衍】机。

Yellow Emperor asked:"I am told the two methods for measuring and distinguishing disease by palpation are different, how can they be applied in relation with each other?" Qibo answerd; "Measuring is to estimate the degree of seriousness of the disease, and distinguishing is to identify the irregular disease. I suppose the variations of the complexion and the pulse condition are the axioms of diagnosis. The main point of measuring and distinguishing is to take hold of the corresponding relation between the complexion and the pulse condition.

The energy and blood of a human body is always operatng. If it stops, the vitality will be lost. This principle is very important and is recorded on the jade tablet, which is called the principle of preserving health recorded on the jade tablet.

容【《太素》“容”作“客”】色见上下左右，各在其要，其色见浅者，汤液主治，十日已。其见深者，必齐主治，二十一日已。其见大深者，醪酒【“酒”应作“醴”】主治，百日已。色天【《太素》“夭”作“赤”】面脱，不治。百日尽已【按“百日”上疑脱“色不夭面不脱”二字】。脉短气绝死。病温虚甚死。

"The colour other than the energy of the corresponding viscera in the complexion is called the guest colour. It appears on the different position of the upper, lower, right or left side of the nose, and one should inspect its variation in different shades carefully. When the guest colour appears to be light, it indicates the disease is slight, which can be cured in

about ten days by treating with decoction of the five grains; when the guest colour is heavy, it is neccessary to treat with medical decoction, and the disease can be cured in about twenty one days. If the guest colour appears to be very dark, it shows the disease is very serious, which is neccessary to treat with tincture, and it may be cured in about one hundred days. If the complexion of the patient is red, which shows the absense of stomach-energy which is yellow, and his face is thin, the disease can by no means to be cured,If the complexion of the patient is not red, and the face is not thin, the disease can be healed after one hundred days.

"Besides, if the patient's pulse is short, failing to reach both the position of Guan and Chi pulses, it indicates the severing of Yin and Yang energies, and the patient will die. If the disease contracted is seasonal febrile disease and the vital energy is in utmost deficiency, the patient will die.