脉度/Mai Du

(The Length of Channels)

黄帝曰:愿闻脉度。岐伯答曰:手之六阳，从手至头，长[长:《太素》卷五《十二水》杨注“长”下有“各”字]五尺，五六[五六:《难经・二十三难》“五六”下有“合”字]三丈。手之六阴，从手至胸中，三尺五寸，三六一丈八尺，五六三尺，合二丈一尺。足之六阳，从足上至头，八尺，六八四丈八尺。足之六阴，从足至胸中，六尺五寸，六六三丈六尺，五六三尺，合三丈九尺。蹻脉从足至目，七尺五寸，二七一丈四尺，二五一尺，合一丈五尺。督脉任脉各四尺五寸，二四八尺，二五一尺，合九尺。凡都合一十六丈二尺，此气之大经隧也。经脉为里，支而横者为络，络之别者为孙，盛而血者疾诛之，盛者泻之，虚者饮药以补之。

Yellow Emperor said: "I hope to hear about the length of the channels." Qibo said: "In the left and right six Yang channels of hand, the length from the hand to the head in each of them is five feet, and they are altogether thirty feet. In the left and right six Yin channels of hand, the length from the hand to the chest in each of them is three feet and five inches and they are altogether twenty one feet. In the left and right six Yang channels of foot from the hand to the top of head, the length in each of them is eight feet and they are altogether forty eight feet, In the left and right six Yin channels of foot from the foot to the chest, the length in each of them is six feet and five inches, and they are altogether thirty nine feet. In the left and right Jiao channel from the foot to the eye, the length in each of them is seven feet and five inches, and the length altogether is fifteen feet. The length in each of the Du channel and the Ren channel is four feet and five inches, and their length altogether is nine feet. The total length of the channels is one hundred and sixty two feet, These are the routes of channels for the channel energy to circulate. The channels lie deeply inside, and the branches separates from the channel which runs horizontally are the collaterals, and the branches from the collaterals are the minute collaterals. When the minute collaterals are full with stagnated blood, they should be treated immediately, when the evil energy is abundant, purge therapy should be applied, when the healthy energy is deficient, it should be invigorated with medical decoction.

五脏常内阅于上七窍也，故肺气通于鼻，肺[肺:《太素》卷六《脏・腑气液》，《甲乙》卷一第四并作“鼻”]和则鼻能和臭香矣;心气通于舌，心[心:《太素》卷六《》脏腑气液作“舌”]和则舌能知五味矣，肝气通于目，肝[肝:《太素》卷六《脏腑气液》作目]和则目能辨五色矣;脾气通于口，脾[脾:《难经・三十七难》，《甲乙》卷巻一第四并作“口”]和则口能知五谷矣;肾气通于耳，肾[肾:《太素》卷六《脏腑气液》并作“耳”]和则耳能闻五音矣。五脏不和则七窍不通，六腑不和则留为痈。故邪在腑则阳脉不和，阳脉不和的气留之，气留之则阳气[气:《难经・三十七难》作“脉”]盛矣。阳气太盛则阴不利，阴脉不利则血[血:《太素》卷六《脏腑气液》作“气”]留之，血留之则阴气[气:《难经・三十七难》作“脉”]盛矣。阴气太盛，则阳气不能荣也，故曰关。阳气太盛，则阴气弗能荣也，故日格。阴阳俱盛，不得相荣，故日关格。关格者，不得尽期而死也。

"The refined energy of the five-viscera often reaches the face through the body and appears on the seven orifices. The lung energy communicates with the nose orifices and when the energy of the nose is harmonious, the nose can distinguish the odour of fragrance and foul; the heart energy communicates with the tongue and when the energy of the tongue is harmonious the tongue can distinguish the five tastes; the liver energy communicates with the eye orifices and when the energy of the eyes is harmonious, the eyes can distinguish black and white; the spleen energy communicates with the mouth orifice, and when the energy of the mouth is harmonious, the mouth can distinguish the fragrances of the five cereals; the kidney comunicates with the ear orifices, and when the energy of the ear is harmonious, the ears can hear the five tones. When the five-viscera is inharmonious, the seven orifices will be obstructed, when the six-bowel is inharmonious, the carbuncle will occur due to the stagnation of the blood. Thus, when the evil is in the six-bowel, the Yang channel will be inharmonious to cause the stagnation of the Yang energy, and the stagnation of Yang energy causes the overabundance of the Yang channel; when the evil is in the five-viscera, the Yin channel will become disorderly to cause the stagnation of the Yin energy, and the stagnation of the the Yin energy causes the overabundance of the Yin channel. When the Yin energy is over-abundant, it causes the inability of the operation of the Yang energy, and it is called 'Guan'; when the Yang energy is overabundant, it causes the inability of the operation of the Yin energy, and it is called 'Ge'; when both the Yin and Yang are overabundant to cause the inability of mutual operating, it is called 'Guange' (failure of the mutual independing of the superficies and interior). When the patient appears to have the syndrome of Guange, he will not be able to live his natural life and dies early."