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Huangdi Neijing · The Yellow Emperor’s Inner Canon
Suwen 13 · Shifting Essence and Transforming Qi
Read in English. Switch to Original for word notes, or select text to ask a question.
The Yellow Emperor asked: “I have heard that ancient treatment merely shifted essence and transformed qi, and could end illness through zhu you invocations. Today, potent medicinals treat within and needles and stones outside; some recover and some do not. Why?”
Qi Bo replied: “People of old lived among birds and beasts, moved to avoid cold and dwelt in shade to avoid heat. Within they had no burden of attachment and longing; outside no striving for official advancement. In that tranquil age, harmful influences could not enter deeply. Potent medicinals had no internal illness to treat, nor needles and stones external illness: shifting essence and invocation could suffice.
Today is different. Worry afflicts within and hardship injures the form outside. People lose accord with the seasons and oppose what cold and heat require. Injurious winds repeatedly arrive and deficient evils act morning and evening, reaching the five zang organs, bones and marrow within, and injuring openings, skin and flesh outside. Slight illness must become severe and grave illness fatal. Thus invocation alone cannot end it.”
The Emperor said: “Good. I wish to attend the sick, observe life and death, and resolve uncertainty. May I hear the essentials as clearly as sunlight and moonlight?”
Qi Bo said: “Color and pulse were prized by the ancient sovereign and transmitted by earlier teachers. In antiquity, Jiu Dai Ji was charged with ordering color and pulse to communicate with spiritual brightness, joining them with Metal, Wood, Water, Fire and Earth, the four seasons, eight winds and six directions, without leaving their regular pattern. Their transformations shift among one another: observe the subtle and know the essential. Color and pulse are that essential. Color responds to the sun and pulse to the moon. Continually seek their essential pattern, and it is found.
Changes of color correspond to seasonal pulses. This was prized by the ancient sovereign because it joins spiritual brightness, keeping death distant and life near. Extending the Way of life is called sage kingship.
In middle antiquity, illness was treated upon arrival. Decoctions for ten days removed disorders of the eight winds and five obstructions. If ten days did not end them, treatment used herb preparations with roots and stems, root and tip assisting one another. With branch and root properly understood, harmful qi submitted.
In the declining age, treatment is otherwise. It is not rooted in the seasons, does not understand sun and moon, and does not examine contrary and following courses. Only when the illness’s form is established do practitioners seek to use fine needles outside and decoctions within. Unskilled practitioners rush aggressively, believing they can attack. Before the old illness ends, new illness arises.”
Reading note: The herbal passage is not assigned an unrecorded plant species or formula. Wang Bing explains the supplied herb words through preparations of roots, shoots and stems.
The Emperor said: “I wish to hear the essential Way.”
Qi Bo said: “The utmost essential of treatment is not to lose color and pulse. Apply them without confusion: this is treatment’s great rule. Reverse the contrary and following courses and fail to grasp branch and root, and spirit is lost and the realm forfeited. Leave the old and approach the new; then the True Person is obtained.”
The Emperor said: “I have heard the essentials from you. You say not to depart from color and pulse; this I already know.”
Qi Bo said: “Treatment reaches its utmost in one.”
The Emperor asked: “What is one?”
Qi Bo said: “The one is obtained through inquiry.”
Reading note: The supplied compressed 因得之 follows Wang Bing’s explanation, 因問而得之, obtaining it through questioning.
The Emperor asked: “How?”
Qi Bo said: “Close the door and block the windows. Direct attention to the patient and repeatedly ask about the circumstances, following their intention. One who obtains spirit flourishes; one who loses spirit perishes.”
The Emperor said: “Good.”
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