诊要经终论篇

Zhen Yao Jing Zhong Lun

(The Essentials of Diagnosis and the Symptoms of the Severing of the Twelve Channels)

黄帝问曰：诊要何如?岐伯对曰：正月二月，天气始方，地气始发，人气在肝。三月四月，天气正方，地气定发，人气在脾。五月六月，天气盛、地气高、人气在头。七月八月，阴气始杀，人气在肺。九月十月，阴气始冰【王注“冰”作“凝”】，地气始闭，人气在心。十一月十二月，冰复，地气合，人气在肾。

Yellow Emperor asked:"What are the essentials of diagnosis?" Qibo answered:"In the first and second lunar months , the heaven energy begins to ascend, and the earth-energy begins to start up, by this time, the energy of man is in the liver.

"In the third and fourth lunar month, the heaven-energy is developing and the earth-energy is growing, at this time, the energy of man is in the spleen.

"In the fifth and sixth lunar month, the heaven energy is abundant and the earth-energy is ascending, at this time, the energy of man is on the head.

"In the seventh and eighth luner month, the solemn and killing weather begin to occur, at this time, the energy of man is in the lung.

"In the ninth and tenth lunar months, the Yin-energy becomes stagnated and the earth-energy begins to shut and hide, at this time, the energy of man is in the heart.

"In the eleventh and twelve lunar month, the land is ice bounded and the earth-energy is sealed, at this time, the energy of man is in the kidney.

故春刺散俞，及与分理，血出而止，甚者传气，间者环【林校引《太素》“也”作“已”】也。夏刺络俞，见血而止，尽气闭环，痛病必下，秋刺皮肤，循理，上下同法，神变而止。冬刺俞窍于【《甲乙》“于”上有“及”字】分理，甚者直下，间者散下，春夏秋冬，各有所刺，法其所在。

"When treating in spring, one should prick the scattered shu-points to reach the position of the muscle adhering to the bone, and stop the pricking immediately when the blood is seen. If the disease is serious, when the energy being dredged after pricking, the disease will be recovered gradually; if the disease is slight, it will be removed immediately.

"In summer, one should prick the shu-points of the minute collaterals, stop the pricking immediately when blood is seen. When the evil-energy is removed, the hole of the acupoint is closed, the pain will be eliminated.

"In autumn, one should prick the skin, but rub and press the vein of muscle to dispel the energy and blood first. The depth of pricking should be controlled like that stated above, to the extent that blood is seen. Observe the expression of the patient and stop the pricking whenever the complexion of the patient is changing.

"In winter, one should prick the shu-points deeply to reach the position of the muscle adhering to the bone. When the disease is serious, the pricking should be deep and direct without rubbing and pressing the vein of the muscle; when the disease is slight, direct pricking is not neccessary, but can prick up and down or left and right in a flexible way.

"In short, the ways of pricking in the four seasons are different, and the pricking in the four seasons are each having their different positions.

春刺夏分，脉乱气微，入淫骨髓，病不能愈，令入不嗜食，又且少气。春刺秋分，筋挛逆气，环为咳嗽，病不愈，令人时惊，又且哭。春刺冬分，邪气著藏，令人胀【《四时刺逆从论》“胀”上脱“腹”字】，病不愈。又且欲言语。

夏刺春分，病不愈，令人解堕。夏刺秋分，病不愈，令人心中欲无言，惕惕如人将捕之。

夏刺冬分，病不愈，令人少气【“少”疑作“上”】，时欲怒。

秋刺春分，病不已，令人惕然，欲有所为，起而忘之。秋刺夏分，病不已，令人益嗜卧，又且善梦。秋刺冬分，病不已，令人洒洒时寒。

冬刺春分，病不已，令人欲卧不能眠，眠而有见。冬刺夏分，病不愈，气上，发为诸痹。冬刺秋分，病不已，令人善渴。

"When one pricks the position of summer by mistake in spring, disorder of the pulse and the decline of energy will happen, and the evil-energy will invade into the bone rmarrow. The disease will not be healed and causes the patient to have no appetite and the deficiency of energy.

"When one pricks the position of autumn by mistake in spring, convulsion and adverseness of vital energy will occur, and cough will come in the wake of it. The disease will not be healed, and the patient will sometime becomes startled, and sometimes he wants to cry.

"When one pricks the winter position by mistake in spring, the evil-energy will harbour deep in the viscera to cause the distension of abdomen of the patient. The disease will not be healed, and cause the patient to become talkative.

When one pricks the position of spring in summer, the disease will not be healed, and the patient will become tired, weary and weak.

"When one pricks the position of autumn by mistake in summer, the disease will not be healed, the patient will be unwilling to talk by heart. and often feels uneasy as if some-one is trying to arrest him.

When one pricks the position of winter by mistake in summer, the disease will not be healed, the adverseness of vital energy of the patient will occur, and he is apt to get angry.

"When one pricks the position of spring by mistake in autumn, the disease will not be healed and the patient will be restless, when he wants to do something, he forgets what he wants to do right away.