In lieu of an abstract, here is a brief excerpt of the content:

Chapter 5 Comprehensive Discourse on Phenomena Corresponding to yin and yang 5-31-1 Huang Di: “as for yin and yang, they are the Way of heaven and earth,1 the fundamental principles [governing] the myriad beings,2 father and mother to all changes and transformations,3 the basis and beginning of generating life and killing,4 the palace of spirit brilliance.5 To treat diseases, one must search for the basis.6 1 Wang Bing: “This is to say, the Way of change and transformation, of creation and completion.” 2 Wang Bing: “This is their function of support and generation. The yang provides the [myriad beings] with proper qi so that they come to life and the yin provides them with support so that they may stand up. Hence [the text] states ‘they are the web holding the myriad beings.’ ” for an etymology of 綱紀 and its interpretation as 綱領, see 448/41. 3 Wang Bing:“This is their function [in the generation of] strange classes [of beings]. Why? now, hawks 鷹 are transformed to turtle-doves 鳩. Moles are transformed to quails. rotten grass is transformed to fireflies. When small birds enter a large water, they become ge-mussels 蛤. When pheasants enter a large water, they become shenmussels 蜃.This way all strange classes [of beings] are generated through changes and transformations [resulting from an interaction of yin and yang].” 4 Wang Bing: “This is their function [in the generation of] cold and summerheat. The myriad beings depend on the warmth of yang qi to come to life and they die because of the cold of yin qi. Hence it is obvious that the periodic movements of yin and yang [qi] are the source and origin of life and death.” 5 Wang Bing: “府 is 宮府,‘palace.’ That is to say, where many issues of life and death, of change and transformation are handled. Why? Because the spirit brilliance resides in them.” 6 Wang Bing: “The association of yin and yang with the life and death, the change and transformation of the myriad beings, is reflected in the human body. Hence [to grasp] the Way of treating diseases, one must first of all search for this [association of yin and yang with life and death in the human body].”Zhang Jiebin: “本 is ‘the source in yin and yang.’ Man’s depots and palaces, qi and blood, outer and inner, above and below, they all have their source in yin and yang. and outside and at the surface: the wind, the cold, the summerheat, and the dampness, as well as the the four seasons and the five agents, they all are associated with the two qi of yin and yang. When it comes 96 Huang Di nei jing su wen Hence, the accumulation of yang, that is heaven; the accumulation of yin, that is the earth. yin is tranquillity, yang is agitation. yang gives life, yin stimulates growth. yang kills, yin stores.7 yang transforms qi, yin completes physical appearance. 5-32-1 Cold at its maximum generates heat; heat at its maximum generates cold. Cold qi generates turbidity; heat qi generates clarity. When clear qi is in the lower [regions of the body], then this generates outflow of [undigested] food. When turbid qi is in the upper [regions], to the qi and flavors used in the treatment of disease, or to the left or right [side of the body] where the needles are applied,to the differentiation,in diagnosis,of complexion and [movement in the] vessels, to [therapeutic modes such as] pulling upwards or causing that which is above to move downwards, all these [phenomena] are part of the patterns of yin and yang. Hence [the text] states: ‘In order to treat diseases, one must search for their source.’ That is to say, one must search whether the source of the disease is a yin evil or a yang evil; one must search whether the disease is in the yang sector or in the yin sector, in the qi sector or in the blood sector. one must investigate which drugs are appropriate for use, whether it is the [ability of] qi to ascend, or of flavor to descend, of warmth to fill, or of bitter to drain.”448/42: “Why do we say that 本stands for yin and yang? Because in Su wen 3 it says: ‘生之本,本于陰陽.” (see 314 -10) see also Gu dian yi zhu xuan bianxiezu /57: “ ‘source’ refers to yin and yang.” 1186: “In the course of time, the four most pertinent explanations...

Share