Huang Di Nei Jing Su Wen: An Annotated Translation of Huang Di’s Inner Classic – Basic Questions: 2 volumes

Chapter 74. Comprehensive Discourse on the Essentials of the Most Reliable

Chapter 74 Comprehensive Discourse on the essentials of the Most reliable 74-503-2 Huang Di asked: “The five qi interact and unite and they may abound or be depleted alternately. This I have come to know.1 The six qi govern separate [time sections]. When they control heaven and earth, what [effects are brought about] by their arrival?”2 Qi Bo paid reverence twice and responded: “a brilliant question, indeed! The great arrangements of heaven and earth, this is what all men and spirits correspond to.” [Huang] Di: “I should like to hear, ‘upper conjunction [results in] luminosity, lower conjunction [results in] obscurity.’ what does that mean?”3 1 Cheng shide et al.: “五氣 refers to the qi of the five periods.” In contrast, fang yaozhong: “五 refers to the five periods; 氣 refers to the six qi.” 2 Zhang Jiebin: “ ‘arrive’ is to say: ‘occupy their positions.’” fang yaozhong: “司天 地者 is: the qi controlling heaven and the qi at the fountain.” 3 fang yaozhong: “ ‘obvious’ refers to that which is visible in the regular course of natural change and transformation, i.e., spring, summer, autumn, and winter, dawn and dusk, day and night, wind, rain, darkness and light, etc. ‘obscure’ refers to that wich is not easily perceivable in the regular course of natural change and transformation , i.e., the generation of the five flavors and five colors, that which suits the five depots, differences in the qualities of drugs and food, etc.” our translation of 上合 and 下合 as “upper conjunction” and “lower conjunction”, respectively, is based in the astronomical terminology attested in the song dynastic history; it may have been in use already prior to the song dynasty. In cases of “upper conjunction”, an inner planet vanishes,seen from the earth,behind the sun.In cases of “lower conjunction”,an inner planet passes, seen from the earth, in front of the sun. 536 Huang Di nei jing su wen Qi Bo: “This is ruled by the Way. It is something which practitioners are uncertain about.”4 74-503-6 [Huang] Di: “I should like to hear about this Way.” Qi Bo: “When the ceasing yin controls heaven, its transformations are [apparent in] wind.5 When the minor yin controls heaven, its transformations are [apparent in] heat.6 When the major yin controls heaven, its transformations are [apparent in] dampness.7 When the minor yang controls heaven, its transformations are [apparent in] fire.8 When the yang brilliance controls heaven, its transformations are [apparent in] dryness.9 4 Zhang Jiebin and Zhang Zhicong have 道之所生, “this is generated by the Way.” Zhang Zhicong: “That which is generated by the Way; what is generates is only one. When practitioners do not know its essentials, [their words] flow erverywhere without ever exhausting [this topic] and they are constantly in doubt.”Cheng shide et al.: “ ‘Way’ refers to medical theory here.” 5 fang yaozhong: “all years associated with the branches si or hai are years when the ceasing yin [qi, i.e., wind and wood] controls heaven. In such years, the appearances of the transformations of things are closely related to a disproportionate dominance of wind qi.” 6 fang yaozhong: “all years associated with the branches zi or wu are years when the minor yin [qi, i.e.] ruler fire, controls heaven. In such years, the appearances of the transformations of things are closely related to a disproportionate dominance of heat qi.” 7 fang yaozhong: “all years associated with the branches chou or wei are years when the major yin [qi, i.e.,] dampness and soil, controls heaven. In such years, the appearances of the transformations of things are closely related to a disproportionate dominance of dampness qi.” 8 fang yaozhong: “all years associated with the branches yin or shen are years when the minor yang [qi, i.e.] minister fire, controls heaven. In such years, the appearances of the transformations of things is closely related to a disproportionate dominance of fire qi.” 9 fang yaozhong: “all years associated with the branches mao or you are years when the yang brilliance [qi, i.e.] dryness and metal, controls heaven. In such years, the Chapter 74 537 When the major yang controls heaven, its transformations are [apparent in] cold.10 on the basis of the positions of the depots where [the qi] has come down to, [it is possible to] name their diseases.”11 74-504-1 [Huang] Di: “What about the transformations of the earth...