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Chapter 64 of 78
黄帝内经·素问
Overall Paraphrase
This chapter, Discussion on the Conformity and Opposition of the Four Seasons in Acupuncture, primarily addresses two matters: first, the pathological conditions associated with the three Yin and three Yang channels when their qi and blood are in excess, deficiency, slippery, or rough states; and second, the superficial and deep distribution levels of the qi of the four seasons in the human body, along with the necessity for acupuncture to conform to the four seasons, as opposing them gives rise to chaotic qi.
🌿 Jueyin Channel
When the qi of the Jueyin Channel is in excess, it gives rise to yin bi (bi syndrome偏于阴寒的痹痛); when in deficiency, it gives rise to heat bi (bi syndrome偏于热的痹痛); when the pulse is slippery, one is prone to fox-shaped hernia wind (a type of hernia that wanders and appears and disappears intermittently); when the pulse is rough, one is prone to accumulation of qi in the lower abdomen (stagnation of qi movement in the lower abdomen).
🌿 Shaoyin Channel
When the qi of the Shaoyin Channel is in excess, it gives rise to skin bi and latent rash (skin obstruction and latent urticarial wheals); when in deficiency, it gives rise to lung bi; when the pulse is slippery, one is prone to lung wind hernia; when the pulse is rough, one is prone to accumulation with blood in the urine.
🌿 Taiyin Channel
When the qi of the Taiyin Channel is in excess, it gives rise to flesh bi and cold in the middle (muscular bi pain and exuberant cold in the middle burner); when in deficiency, it gives rise to spleen bi; when the pulse is slippery, one is prone to spleen wind hernia; when the pulse is rough, one is prone to accumulation with frequent abdominal distension in the heart and abdomen.
🌿 Yangming Channel
When the qi of the Yangming Channel is in excess, it gives rise to vessel bi with the body experiencing frequent fever; when in deficiency, it gives rise to heart bi; when the pulse is slippery, one is prone to heart wind hernia; when the pulse is rough, one is prone to accumulation with frequent易惊 (being easily startled).
🌿 Taiyang Channel
When the qi of the Taiyang Channel is in excess, it gives rise to bone bi with heaviness of the body; when in deficiency, it gives rise to kidney bi; when the pulse is slippery, one is prone to kidney wind hernia; when the pulse is rough, one is prone to accumulation with frequent disorders of the head.
🌿 Shaoyang Channel
When the qi of the Shaoyang Channel is in excess, it gives rise to sinew bi with fullness and distension in the flanks and ribs; when in deficiency, it gives rise to liver bi; when the pulse is slippery, one is prone to liver wind hernia; when the pulse is rough, one is prone to accumulation with frequent sinew spasms and eye pain.
Therefore, spring qi is in the channels and vessels, summer qi is in the minute collaterals (fine collateral vessels), long summer qi is in the muscles, autumn qi is in the skin, and winter qi is in the bone marrow.
The Yellow Emperor asked the reason for this. Qi Bo replied:
Thus, pathogenic qi often invades the human body according to the superficial and deep levels where the qi and blood of the four seasons reside. By the time the pathogenic qi changes, it is extremely difficult to fully fathom, but treatment must nonetheless conform to where the channel qi of the four seasons is located in order to eliminate the pathogenic qi; once the pathogenic qi is eliminated, chaotic qi will not arise.
The Yellow Emperor asked: If one violates the four seasons in acupuncture, what is the resulting chaotic qi like?
Qi Bo replied:
In all cases of these four seasonal acupuncture methods, serious violations will lead to major illnesses and must not be disregarded. If one contravenes them, chaotic qi will arise, mutually invading and causing disease. Therefore, if one does not know the location of the channel qi of the four seasons when needling and mistakes what is conforming for what is opposing, one will cause the upright qi to become internally chaotic, contending with the essential qi. One must carefully examine the nine indications to ensure that the upright qi does not become disordered and the essential qi does not reverse.
The Yellow Emperor said: Excellent.
Instances where acupuncture erroneously injures the five viscera: erroneous injury to the heart results in death within one day, and the characteristic change is eructation; erroneous injury to the liver results in death within five days, and the characteristic change is excessive talking; erroneous injury to the lung results in death within three days, and the characteristic change is coughing; erroneous injury to the kidney results in death within six days, and the characteristic change is sneezing and yawning; erroneous injury to the spleen results in death within ten days, and the characteristic change is swallowing. When acupuncture injures the five viscera, death is inevitable, and the pre-death changes can be ascertained according to the corresponding pathology of the organ that was injured.
The central idea of this chapter is the integrated concept of "four seasons—qi and blood—acupuncture methods," which represents the concentrated embodiment within the Plain Questions of the theory of adapting to seasonal conditions in the field of acupuncture.
The Six Channel Pathologies Reflect the State of Qi and Blood
The ancients utilized excess, deficiency, slippery, and rough to summarize the relative exuberance, debilitation, and movement states of the channel qi and blood. Excess mostly indicates repletion, deficiency mostly indicates vacuity, slipperiness points to free and smooth qi movement with pathologies leaning toward wind hernia, and roughness points to astringed and stagnant qi and blood with pathologies leaning toward accumulations. This reflects the early diagnostic approach of correlating "channel qi—pulse signs—symptoms".
The Qi and Blood of the Four Seasons Have Varying Levels of Superficiality and Depth
In spring, qi resides in the channels and vessels; in summer, in the minute collaterals; in long summer, in the muscles; in autumn, in the skin; and in winter, in the bone marrow, indicating that human qi and blood undergo rising and falling, floating and sinking, opening and closing at various superficial and deep levels depending on the season. The correspondence between heaven and humanity is not an abstract slogan but is concretely applied to specific levels.
Treatment Must "Follow the Channel Qi"
Pathogenic qi invades according to the location of the qi and blood of the four seasons; hence, treatment should likewise conform to the channel qi of the four seasons to "dispel and eliminate the pathogen." If one opposes the superficial and deep levels of the four seasons, it will disturb proper qi and blood, generating new chaotic qi.
The Prognostic View of Injuring the Five Viscera with Acupuncture
Through anatomical and clinical observation, the ancients already recognized that erroneous acupuncture injuring internal organs carries fatal risks and used characteristic changes such as "eructation, excessive talking, coughing, sneezing and yawning, and swallowing" as assessment criteria. This essential part serves as an acupuncture safety admonition.
Warm reminder: This content is derived from ancient classical Chinese medicine texts and is provided solely for traditional culture study and research. It does not in any way constitute medical diagnosis, medication, or treatment advice. If you experience discomforts of any kind, kindly consult a healthcare professional in a timely manner.
请将以上内容翻译为英文，保持原有的格式和结构。