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Chapter 70 of 78
黄帝内经·素问
The Yellow Emperor asked: The vast heavens are boundless, and the Five Movements 🌿 (the circulating qi of the five categories—Wood, Fire, Earth, Metal, and Water) revolve in close proximity, with differences of flourishing and decline, and loss and gain following in succession. I wish to hear how normal qi (movement qi attaining its constancy, neither biased nor hyperactive) is named and marked. Qi Bo replied: How clear is your question! The normal qi of the Wood movement is called Fuhe (gentle harmony), that of the Fire movement Shengming (ascending brilliance), that of the Earth movement Beihua (complete transformation), that of the Metal movement Shenping (measured peace), and that of the Water movement Jingshun (calm obedience).
The Yellow Emperor then asked about insufficiency and excess. Qi Bo replied: The insufficiency of the Wood movement is called Weihe (yielding harmony), that of Fire Fuming (hidden brightness), that of Earth Beijian (humble supervision), that of Metal Congge (following change), and that of Water Heliu (dried-up stream). The excess of the Wood movement is called Fasheng (bursting forth), that of Fire Hexi (blazing glory), that of Earth Dunfu (solid mound), that of Metal Jiancheng (firm completion), and that of Water Liuyan (overflowing spread).
The virtue of Wood circulates universally; yang qi is warm and expansive, yin qi is normally distributed. The five transformations—birth, growth, transformation, harvest, and storage—are balanced and harmonious. Its qi is upright, its nature is gentle and compliant, its function is like wood that can be bent or straightened, and its transformation produces flourishing. It corresponds to spring, wind, the liver, the eyes, sour flavors, the color azure, the dog, hemp, plum, drupe fruits, hairy creatures, and the number eight. Pathological conditions mostly involve constraint of liver qi manifesting as abdominal urgency and distending fullness.
Upright yang governs, light shines universally, and the five transformations are balanced. Its qi is rising and lofty, its nature is rapid, its function is like fire burning, and its transformation produces exuberance. It corresponds to summer, heat, the heart, the tongue, bitter flavors, the color red, the horse, wheat, apricot, netted fruits, feathered creatures, and the number seven. Pathological conditions mostly involve muscle twitching and cramping.
Earth qi coordinates with the beauty of heaven and earth, its virtue flows to the four corners, and the five transformations are complete and orderly. Its qi is peaceful, its nature is compliant, its function can be high or low, and its transformation produces abundance. It corresponds to late summer, dampness, the spleen, the mouth, sweet flavors, the color yellow, the ox, millet, jujube, fleshy fruits, naked creatures, and the number five. Pathological conditions mostly involve blockage and obstruction.
It harvests without contending, kills without harming, and the five transformations are clearly manifested. Its qi is pure and clean, its nature is firm and strong, its function is scattering and falling, and its transformation produces solidity and contraction. It corresponds to autumn, dryness, the lungs, the nose, pungent flavors, the color white, the rooster, rice, peach, shell fruits, shelled creatures, and the number nine. Pathological conditions mostly involve coughing.
It stores without harming things, governs below and is good at receiving below, and the five transformations are complete. Its qi is clear and bright, its nature tends downward, its function is moistening and irrigating, and its transformation produces coagulation and firmness. It corresponds to winter, cold, the kidneys, the two yin orifices, salty flavors, the color black, the pig, beans, chestnut, moist fruits, scaled creatures, and the number six. Pathological conditions mostly involve reversal cold of the four limbs.
Therefore, the essential meaning of normal qi is: generating without killing, growing without punishing, transforming without suppressing, harvesting without harming, and storing without repressing—this is normal qi.
Weihe (Wood insufficiency): Called "overcoming generation." The qi of generation does not govern; the qi of transformation develops and spreads; the qi of growth naturally levels off; the order of harvest arrives early. Cool rain falls at times, wind and clouds arise together; plants and trees flourish late and wither early; fruits are small but solid within. Disease mostly involves trembling, shaking, and fright—belonging to Wood being overcome by Metal qi and thus transforming following Metal. Subsequently, flying insects, maggots, pheasants, and similar phenomena may appear, even thunder and lightning.
Fuming (Fire insufficiency): Called "overcoming growth." The qi of growth is not expressed; cold qi spreads instead, and the summer order weakens. Living things do not grow well; yang qi lies latent and hidden; hibernating creatures hide early. Disease mostly involves confusion, grief, and forgetfulness—belonging to Fire being overcome by Water qi and thus transforming following Water. Subsequently, torrential rain may continue without end, with thunder shocking the heavens.
Beijian (Earth insufficiency): Called "reduced transformation." The qi of transformation cannot assume command; Wood qi alone flourishes; rain is delayed; wind and cold arise together. Plants and trees are beautiful but flower without fruiting; grains are mostly blighted. Disease mostly involves distension, fullness, blockage, and undigested diarrhea—belonging to Earth being overcome by Wood qi and thus transforming following Wood. Subsequently, great winds may sweep forth, plants and trees scatter and fall, and tigers and wolves cause havoc.
Congge (Metal insufficiency): Called "folding harvest." The qi of harvest is slow; Fire qi takes advantage of it; growth, transformation, and development become excessively vigorous. Disease mostly involves sneezing, coughing, and nosebleeds—belonging to Metal being overcome by Fire qi and thus transforming following Fire. Subsequently, blazing light may be followed by sudden transformation into ice, snow, frost, and hail, with the climate turning cold again.
Heliu (Water insufficiency): Called "reversed yang." The order of storage is not raised; yang qi floats outward; hibernating creatures do not hide; springs and streams diminish. Disease mostly involves wilting reversal and obstruction of urine and bowels—belonging to Water being overcome by Earth qi and thus transforming following Earth. Subsequently, dust storms may obscure the sky, sudden rains fall, plants and trees are broken, and foxes and raccoon dogs cannot rest securely in their dens.
Therefore, pathogenic qi often "travels when danger arises, arriving without invitation," violent and without virtue, and in the end disaster returns upon itself. What is slight is countered slightly; what is severe is countered severely—this is the constant pattern of qi movement.
Fasheng (Wood excess): Called "opening decay." Earth qi is loosened and drained; yang qi spreads transformation; the myriad things flourish early. Disease mostly involves dizziness, vertex disorders, irritability, and vomiting with diarrhea. If Wood qi is excessive and does not hold to its virtue, the Metal qi of autumn will come to retaliate, manifesting as killing and withering, and the liver will in turn be attacked by pathogens.
Hexi (Fire excess): Called "luxuriant growth." Yang qi flourishes outwardly, and the myriad things thrive. Disease mostly involves mania, red eyes, sores and ulcers, bleeding, and malaria. If Fire government is violent and fierce, the cold Water qi will come to restore, manifesting as freezing gloom, frost, and hail, and the heart will in turn be attacked by pathogens.
Dunfu (Earth excess): Called "expansive transformation." Earth qi is thick and still; the myriad things are fully formed; heavy rains fall at times; dampness qi is greatly employed. Disease mostly involves abdominal fullness and inability to raise the limbs. If damp Earth is excessive, the wind Wood qi will come to restore, manifesting as great winds arriving swiftly, and the spleen will in turn be attacked by pathogens.
Jiancheng (Metal excess): Called "drawing in." Dryness qi assumes government, and the myriad things become gathered and contracted. Disease mostly involves panting, chest fullness, lying with face uplifted, and coughing. If Metal qi is too hard, Fire qi will come to restore, manifesting as great flames spreading like flowing fire, and the lungs will in turn be attacked by pathogens.
Liuyan (Water excess): Called "sealing storage." Cold qi assumes government, and heaven and earth become frozen and severe. Disease mostly involves abdominal distension. If Water qi is excessive, Earth qi will come to restore, manifesting as heavy rains falling at times, and the kidneys will in turn be attacked by pathogens.
Therefore it is said: When one does not constantly hold to one's virtue, the qi that overcomes it will come in retaliation; when government orders conform to constancy, the qi that overcomes it transforms in harmony and causes no harm.
The Yellow Emperor asked: Heaven is insufficient in the northwest, Earth is insufficient in the southeast. Why is it that the northwest is cold on the left and cool on the right, while the southeast is hot on the right and warm on the left? Qi Bo replied: This is caused by the qi of yin and yang, the principle of height and lowness, and differences of excess and insufficiency. The southeast belongs to yang, and yang essence descends, so the right is hot and the left is warm; the northwest belongs to yin, and yin essence is offered upward, so the left is cold and the right is cool. Where the terrain is high, the qi is cold; where the terrain is low, the qi is hot. Those who encounter cold and cool easily develop abdominal distension; those who encounter warmth and heat easily develop sores and ulcerations. The descending method can resolve distension; the sweating method can resolve sores. This is the general principle of the opening and closing of the interstices.
Where yin essence is offered upward, people live long; where yang essence descends, people live somewhat shorter lives. In the northwest, where qi is cold and cool, treatment should disperse cold; in the southeast, where qi is warm and hot, treatment should warm and guard—this is called treating the same disease with different methods. In places where the qi is cold and cool, treat with cold and cool, and water-soaking can be used; in places where the qi is warm and hot, treat with warmth and heat, strengthening the interior and guarding it. One must conform to its qi to achieve peace; if there are false appearances, then take the opposite course.
Even within the same region, because of differences in terrain elevation, there are differences in transformation, growth, longevity, and early death. Where the terrain is high, yin qi governs; where the terrain is low, yang qi governs. Where yang is predominant, things grow early and prosper; where yin is predominant, things mature late and harvest. Those in high places have long qi and long life; those in low places have short qi and early death. In treating disease, one must understand the ways of heaven, the principles of earth, the alternation of yin and yang excess, the precedence and subsequence of qi, longevity and early death, and the periods of transformation and growth.
Each year there are cases where disease is not apparent and the zang qi does not respond or is not employed—this is due to the restraining of the qi of heaven. Qi Bo separately explains the influence of the six qi controlling from heaven:
The six qi have a controlling influence on the bearing and non-bearing of the five categories of creatures (hairy creatures, feathered creatures, shelled creatures, scaled creatures, and naked creatures): those of the same qi flourish, those of different qi decline. For example, when Jueyin governs heaven, hairy creatures are still, feathered creatures bear offspring, and shelled creatures do not complete their development. If this meets with an insufficient movement, the situation becomes even more severe. This demonstrates that "heaven governs color, earth governs form"—the flourishing and decline of each category of living being follows whatever qi is suitable for it.
The root of life is of two kinds: That which roots in the interior of the body is called Shenji (spirit mechanism) (animals); when the spirit departs, the mechanism ceases. That which roots in the exterior is called Qili (qi establishment) (plants); when qi stops, transformation is cut off. Therefore, without understanding the addition of yearly movements, the similarities and differences of qi, one is not qualified to discuss transformation and growth.
The myriad things are transformed and generated by qi; qi disperses and form exists; qi spreads and prosperity arises; qi ends and appearances change. But what the five flavors are supplied by, whether transformation and growth are thick or thin, and whether maturation is much or little, all differ—this is due to the restraining of the qi of earth. When Shaoyang is in the quaternary, cold poison does not arise, and flavors are pungent. When Yangming is in the quaternary, damp poison does not arise, and flavors are sour. When Taiyang is in the quaternary, heat poison does not arise, and flavors are bitter. When Jueyin is in the quaternary, clear poison does not arise, and flavors are sweet. When Shaoyin is in the quaternary, cold poison does not arise, and flavors are pungent. When Taiyin is in the quaternary, dry poison does not arise, and flavors are salty. These illustrate the influence of different regions and climates on the flavors of products.
Regulate according to the flourishing and decline of cold and heat: For disease above, take from below; for disease below, take from above; for disease in the middle, take from the sides. Treat heat with cold, but take it warm; treat cold with heat, but take it cool; treat warmth with clear, but take it cold; treat clear with warm, but take it hot. Dispersing, reducing, inducing vomiting, attacking downward, supplementing, and draining—for both new and chronic diseases, all must be applied according to syndrome differentiation.
For disease in the middle that gathers and scatters at times, if there is no accumulation, one should seek out the involved zang organ; if deficient, supplement it; use medicinals to expel pathogenic factors, use food to regulate, use water-soaking as external treatment, so that the interior and exterior are harmonized.
Toxic and non-toxic medicinals have their conventions of use: disease has new and chronic, prescriptions have large and small. The ancients held that when treating disease with greatly toxic medicinals, stop when the disease is six-tenths resolved; with normally toxic medicinals, stop at seven-tenths; with mildly toxic medicinals, stop at eight-tenths; with non-toxic medicinals, stop at nine-tenths. The rest rely on grains, meats, fruits, and vegetables for nourishment—do not over-damage the upright qi. One must conform to the yearly qi, not disturb the harmony of heaven, not make excess more excessive, not make deficiency more deficient, not assist pathogenic factors, and not lose the upright.
For those with chronic disease whose qi mechanism has already been harmonized but recovery does not occur, and who remain emaciated after the disease has resolved, the medical principle is this: transformation by qi cannot be replaced, and the sequence of seasons cannot be violated. Once the channels and vessels have been opened and blood qi harmonized, one only needs to supplement what is insufficient, regulate and nourish, wait quietly, guard the qi carefully, and not allow it to tilt to one side—then the body will gradually fill out, and the qi of life will gradually grow.
The core of this chapter is the "five regular governments"—the three states of the five movements: normal, excessive, and insufficient. The ancients believed that normal qi is the ideal state in which birth, growth, transformation, harvest, and storage each obtain their proper place; excess harms through hyperactivity, and insufficiency is controlled and becomes biased. Among the five elements, dynamic balance is maintained through mutual overcoming and insulting and responding qi—for example, excess of the Wood movement causes Earth to be attacked and Metal qi to come in response, forming a self-regulating view of "hyperactivity causing harm and receiving correction."
At the same time, this chapter incorporates time (the five movements and six qi, heaven-controlling and earth-maintaining qi) and space (geographic elevation, directional cold and warmth) into one system, explaining the influence of different years and regions on the human body and phenology. The treatment principles emphasize "must first understand the yearly qi, do not violate the harmony of heaven," "do not make the excessive more excessive, do not make the deficient more deficient," and "stop when the disease is resolved"—embodying the core philosophy of protecting upright qi and guiding according to circumstances.
The systems thinking of this chapter is worthy of recognition: it views climate, phenology, geography, and the human body as an interconnected whole, which resonates with contemporary ecological medicine and chronomedicine. Principles such as adapting to local conditions, treating the same disease with different methods, and individualized regulation remain inspiring to this day. "Stop when toxic medicinals resolve six-tenths of the disease" and "use grains, meats, fruits, and vegetables to complete nourishment" also implicitly contain modern pharmacological ideas of avoiding overdose and emphasizing lifestyle intervention.
However, it must be objectively pointed out that the specific deductions of the five movements and six qi—such as this year such creatures bear no young, a particular qi controlling heaven necessarily produces a certain disease, those in high places necessarily have long life and those in low places necessarily short life—represent the ancients' simple empirical summaries of natural phenomena, lacking precise modern scientific validation, and should not be used as predictive or diagnostic tools. The five-creature classifications and the disease correspondences of heaven-controlling and earth-maintaining qi should likewise not be mechanically applied to personal health judgments.
— Bu Gua This content is based on ancient Chinese medical classics and is provided solely for traditional cultural study and research. It does not constitute any medical diagnosis, medication, or treatment advice. If you feel unwell, please seek medical attention promptly.