平人绝谷/Ping Ren Jue Gu

(The Fast of an Ordinary Man)

黄帝日:愿闻人之不食，七日而死何也?伯高曰:臣请言其故。胃大一尺五寸，径五寸，长二尺六寸，横屈受水谷三斗[《太素》卷十三《肠度》无“五升”二字]五升。其中之谷常留二斗，水一斗五升[《太素》卷十三《肠度》无“五升”二字]而满。上焦泄气，出其精微，僳悍滑疾，下焦下溉诸肠。小肠大二寸半，径八分分之少半，长三丈二尺，受谷二斗四升，水六升三合合之大半。回肠大四寸，径一寸寸之少半，长二丈一尺。受谷一斗，水七升半。广肠大八寸，径二寸寸之大半，长二尺八寸，受谷九升三合八分合之一。肠胃之长，凡五丈八尺四寸[《太素》卷十三《肠度》作“六丈四寸四分”]，受水谷九斗二升一合合之大半，此肠胃所受水谷之数也。

Yellow Emperor said: "I am told that when a man does not eat, he will die in seven days and what is the reason?" Bogao said:"Let me tell you the reason. The circumference of the stomach is one foot and five inches, its diameter is five inches and its length is two feet and six inches, its capacity of holding the cereals and water is thirty litres, constantly, there are twenty litres of food and ten litres of fluid filling in the stomach. Through the dispersing function of the upper warmer, the refined substance of food is transported outside, as its energy is valiant, slippery and swift, it spreads to nourish the whole body. The function of the lower warmer is washing and cleaning the food and then the food is transported into the small intestine. The small intestine is two and half inches in size, its diameter is eight and one eighth fen, and its length is thirty two feet, its capacity is twenty four litres for holding the food and six litres and three and two third ge for holding the fluid. The circumference of the large intestine is four inches, its diameter is one and one third inches, its length is twenty one feet, it capacity for holding the food is ten litres and that holding the fluid is seven and half litres. The circunference of the wide intestine (rectum) is eight inches, its diameter is two and two third inches, its length is two feet and eight inches and its capacity of holding the dregs is nine litres three ge eight and one eighth fen. The total length of the intestine and stomach is sixty feet four inches and four fen, the overall capacity of holding the cereals and water is ninety two litres one and two third ge.

平人则不然，胃满则肠虚，肠满则胃虚，更虚更满，故气得上下，五脏安定，血脉和利，精神乃居，故神者，水谷之精气也。故肠胃之中，当留谷二斗，水一斗五升。故平人日再后，后二升半，一日中五升，七日五七三斗五升，而留水谷尽矣。故平人不食饮七日而死者，水谷精气津液皆尽故也。

"For an ordinary man, when his stomach is filled with food, his intestine is still empty; when his intestine is filled with the food which is transported from the stomach, his stomach will be empty, as the stomach and the intestine are filled and become empty now and then, it enables the ascent and descent of the functional activities of vital energy, the stability of the five viscera, the harmony of the channels and the tranquility of the spirit. So, it is supposed that the spirit of man is converted from the essential substance of food. Therefore, for an ordinary man without disease, there are always twenty litres of food and fifteen litres of fluid retained in his intestine and stomach, he urinates twice a day, and in each urination, the urine is two and half litres, that is, in one day, the urination is five litres, and in seven days, it will be thirty five litres, thus, after seven days, the water and cereals in the intestine and stomach will be exhausted. Therefore, when one fails to take food and drink for seven days he will die, it is due to the exhaustion of the cereals and fluid in his intestine and stomach."

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