Classica Sinica Medica

The Camp Qi

營氣

Yíng qì

No one asks a question in this chapter. Huang Di simply states how the camp qi goes round, and the statement is the whole of it: grain enters the stomach, is transmitted to the lungs, and from the lungs the pure part enters the channel tunnels and is carried through the twelve channels in fixed order, returning to the lung to begin again. What the chapter supplies is that order — hand tai yin, hand yang ming, foot yang ming, foot tai yin, and so on through the six pairs.The route is traced with unusual physical precision. The qi does not simply fill the channels; it climbs the arm, crosses the axilla, emerges at the cheekbone, reaches the inner canthus, goes over the vertex and down the nape, turns at the sacrum, and comes back up the front of the body through the umbilicus. One branch runs up the spine as the du vessel, and the chapter ends where it began, at the tai yin.Read against the fifty circuits of the preceding chapter, this is the same circulation described from the inside. The earlier chapter counted how long one turn takes; this one says what the turn passes through.

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黃帝曰：營氣之道，内榖爲寶，榖入于胃，乃傳之肺，流溢于中，布散于外，精専者行于經隧，常營無已，終而復始，是謂天地之紀。 黄帝曰：营气之道，内榖为宝，榖入于胃，乃传之肺，流溢于中，布散于外，精専者行于经隧，常营无已，终而复始，是谓天地之纪。
Huáng Dì yuē: yíng qì zhī dào, nèi gǔ wéi bǎo, gǔ rù yú wèi, nǎi chuán zhī fèi, liú yì yú zhōng, bù sàn yú wài, jīng zhuān zhě xíng yú jīng suì, cháng yíng wú yǐ, zhōng ér fù shǐ, shì wèi tiān dì zhī jì.
黄帝说：营气运行的道路，以水谷之精为最可宝贵。水谷入胃，化生的精气上传到肺，在体内流溢，向外布散；其中精纯的部分行于经脉隧道，营运周身没有休止，终而复始，这就是天地运行的纲纪。
Huang Di said: In the course of the camp qi, the essence of grain and water is the treasure. Grain enters the stomach and is transmitted to the lungs; it overflows within and spreads without. Its purest part moves through the channel tunnels, circulating without cease, ending and beginning again — this is called the order of Heaven and Earth.
故氣從太陰出，注手陽眀，上行注足陽眀，下行至跗上，注大指間，與太陰合，上行抵髀，從脾注心中。 故气从太阴出，注手阳眀，上行注足阳眀，下行至跗上，注大指间，与太阴合，上行抵髀，从脾注心中。
gù qì cóng tài yīn chū, zhù shǒu yáng míng, shàng xíng zhù zú yáng míng, xià xíng zhì fū shàng, zhù dà zhǐ jiān, yǔ tài yīn hé, shàng xíng dǐ bì, cóng pí zhù xīn zhōng.
所以营气从手太阴肺经发出，流注手阳明大肠经，上行注入足阳明胃经，下行到足背，注入足大趾间，与足太阴脾经会合；再上行抵达髀部，从脾注入心中。
Thus the qi issues from the tai yin, pours into the hand yang ming, ascends to pour into the foot yang ming, descends to the instep, pours into the space between the great toes and joins the tai yin. Ascending, it reaches the thigh and from the spleen pours into the heart.
循手少陰，出腋下臂，注小指，合手太陽；上行乘腋出䪼内，注目内眦，上巔下項，合足太陽；循脊下尻，下行注小指之端；循足心，注足少陰，上行注腎，從腎注心，外散于胸中；循心主脉，出腋下臂，出兩筋之間，入掌中，出中指之端，還注小指次指之端，合手少陽。 循手少阴，出腋下臂，注小指，合手太阳；上行乘腋出䪼内，注目内眦，上巅下项，合足太阳；循脊下尻，下行注小指之端；循足心，注足少阴，上行注肾，从肾注心，外散于胸中；循心主脉，出腋下臂，出两筋之间，入掌中，出中指之端，还注小指次指之端，合手少阳。
xún shǒu shào yīn, chū yè xià bì, zhù xiǎo zhǐ, hé shǒu tài yáng; shàng xíng chéng yè chū zhuō nèi, zhù mù nèi zì, shàng diān xià xiàng, hé zú tài yáng; xún jí xià kāo, xià xíng zhù xiǎo zhǐ zhī duān; xún zú xīn, zhù zú shào yīn, shàng xíng zhù shèn, cóng shèn zhù xīn, wài sàn yú xiōng zhōng; xún xīn zhǔ mài, chū yè xià bì, chū liǎng jīn zhī jiān, rù zhǎng zhōng, chū zhōng zhǐ zhī duān, hái zhù xiǎo zhǐ cì zhǐ zhī duān, hé shǒu shào yáng.
又沿手少阴心经，出腋下，沿臂下行，注入小指，与手太阳小肠经会合；上行越过腋部，出于䪼内，注入眼内角，上达巅顶，下至项后，与足太阳膀胱经会合；沿脊下行至尻部，再下行注入足小趾尖端；沿足心，注入足少阴肾经，上行注入肾，从肾注入心，向外散于胸中；又沿心主手厥阴心包经，出腋下，沿臂下行，出两筋之间，入掌中，出中指端，回注无名指端，与手少阳三焦经会合。
It follows the hand shao yin, emerges at the axilla and descends along the arm, pours into the little finger and joins the hand tai yang. Ascending past the axilla it emerges within the cheekbone, pours into the inner canthus, rises to the vertex and descends the nape, joining the foot tai yang. It follows the spine down to the sacrum and descends to pour into the tip of the little toe; following the sole it pours into the foot shao yin, ascends to pour into the kidney, and from the kidney pours into the heart, scattering outward in the chest. Following the heart master’s vessel it emerges at the axilla, descends the arm, comes out between the two sinews, enters the palm, emerges at the tip of the middle finger, returns to pour into the tip of the little and ring fingers and joins the hand shao yang.
上行注膻中，散于三焦，從三焦注膽，出脅，注足少陽；下行至跗上，復從跗注大指間，合足厥陰。上行至肝，從肝上注肺，上循喉嚨，入頏顙之竅，究于畜門。 上行注膻中，散于三焦，从三焦注胆，出胁，注足少阳；下行至跗上，复从跗注大指间，合足厥阴。上行至肝，从肝上注肺，上循喉咙，入颃颡之窍，究于畜门。
shàng xíng zhù dàn zhōng, sàn yú sān jiāo, cóng sān jiāo zhù dǎn, chū xié, zhù zú shào yáng; xià xíng zhì fū shàng, fù cóng fū zhù dà zhǐ jiān, hé zú jué yīn. shàng xíng zhì gān, cóng gān shàng zhù fèi, shàng xún hóu lóng, rù háng sǎng zhī qiào, jiū yú xiù mén.
再上行注入膻中，散于三焦，从三焦注入胆，出胁部，注入足少阳胆经；下行到足背，再从足背注入足大趾间，与足厥阴肝经会合。上行至肝，从肝上注于肺，上沿喉咙，进入颃颡的孔窍，深入畜门。
Ascending, it pours into the dan zhong, scatters into the triple burner, and from the triple burner pours into the gallbladder, emerges at the ribs and pours into the foot shao yang. Descending to the instep, it pours again from the instep into the space between the great toes and joins the foot jue yin. Ascending to the liver, it pours from the liver up into the lungs, ascends along the throat, enters the orifice of the hang sang and reaches the gate of xu.
其支别者，上額循巔，下項中，循脊入骶，是督脉也。絡陰器，上過毛中，入臍中，上循腹裏，入缺盆，下注肺中，復出太陰。此營氣之所行也，逆順之常也。 其支别者，上额循巅，下项中，循脊入骶，是督脉也。络阴器，上过毛中，入脐中，上循腹里，入缺盆，下注肺中，复出太阴。此营气之所行也，逆顺之常也。
qí zhī bié zhě, shàng é xún diān, xià xiàng zhōng, xún jí rù dǐ, shì dū mài yě. luò yīn qì, shàng guò máo zhōng, rù qí zhōng, shàng xún fù lǐ, rù quē pén, xià zhù fèi zhōng, fù chū tài yīn. cǐ yíng qì zhī suǒ xíng yě, nì shùn zhī cháng yě.
它的支脉别出，上额沿巅顶，下项中，沿脊入骶骨，这就是督脉。另有一支绕络阴器，上过毛际，入脐中，上沿腹里，入缺盆，下注肺中，再出于手太阴。这就是营气运行的道路，也是逆顺的常规。
Its branch separates, ascends the forehead, follows the vertex, descends the middle of the nape, follows the spine into the sacrum — this is the du vessel. Another branch nets the genitals, passes above the pubic hair, enters the umbilicus, ascends along the inside of the abdomen, enters the supraclavicular fossa, pours down into the lungs and issues again from the tai yin. Such is the course of the camp qi, the constant of reverse and forward.

Textual notes

Readings follow the base edition; significant variants are recorded here.

  1. 精専者行于經隧精專者行于經隧

    「専」爲「專」之異寫，从寸者正。精専，謂水穀之精純不雜者。此篇「専」字一見，與「眀」「眦」同屬趙府本鐫刻舊形，今仍底本。

  2. 注手陽眀注手陽明

    「眀」爲「明」之異寫，从目不从日。此篇「陽眀」兩見，字形一律；本書它篇亦或作「眀」。音義無別，今仍底本，不強歸一律。

  3. 上行乘腋出䪼内上行乘腋，出䪼內

    腋下爲臂，䪼爲面顴，二字不連讀；通行本於「腋」下斷句。底本句讀從省，一氣貫下，義仍可通，今照錄而不另加逗。

  4. 注目内眦注目內眥

    「眦」爲「眥」之異體，目之兩角。此篇「内眦」兩見，皆作「眦」；《脉度》篇「屬目内眦」亦然，可見非偶然之訛。

  5. 究于畜門究于畜門，畜讀如蓄

    畜門者，頏顙深處、鼻後之竅，氣之所究極。畜有積畜之義，定讀 xiù，此從讀音裁定。門者，竅也，非戶牖之門。

  6. 是督脉也是督脈也

    「脉」字全書作「脉」，不从肉旁之「脈」，與《素問》刻本一律。督脉行於背中，總督諸陽，故名督。此句爲其支别之歸宿。

Cite this page

APA

Huangdi Neijing · Lingshu 黃帝內經靈樞 (Compiled over the same span as the Suwen; the present text was put in order in the Tang.). Yíng qì 營氣 [The Camp Qi], Chapter 16. In Classica Sinica Medica. Base text: 《黃帝素問靈樞經》十二卷八十一篇，宋·史崧校定并音釋。據上海涵芬樓《四部叢刊》子部影印明趙府居敬堂刊本錄入，卷首牌記題「上海涵芬樓景明趙府居敬堂刊本」，並記原書版匡高營造尺六寸三分、寬四寸四分。目錄末行作「元二十四卷今併爲十二卷計八十一篇」。底本與影印本均屬公有領域。 Retrieved 29 October 2026, from https://classicstcm.com/classics/huangdi-neijing-lingshu/the-camp-qi/

MLA

"Yíng qì 營氣 [The Camp Qi]." Huangdi Neijing · Lingshu 黃帝內經靈樞, chapter 16, Classica Sinica Medica, 2026, https://classicstcm.com/classics/huangdi-neijing-lingshu/the-camp-qi/. Accessed 29 Oct. 2026. Base text: 《黃帝素問靈樞經》十二卷八十一篇，宋·史崧校定并音釋。據上海涵芬樓《四部叢刊》子部影印明趙府居敬堂刊本錄入，卷首牌記題「上海涵芬樓景明趙府居敬堂刊本」，並記原書版匡高營造尺六寸三分、寬四寸四分。目錄末行作「元二十四卷今併爲十二卷計八十一篇」。底本與影印本均屬公有領域。

Chinese scholarly

《黃帝內經靈樞·營氣》（Huángdì Nèijīng Língshū）。《黃帝素問靈樞經》十二卷八十一篇，宋·史崧校定并音釋。據上海涵芬樓《四部叢刊》子部影印明趙府居敬堂刊本錄入，卷首牌記題「上海涵芬樓景明趙府居敬堂刊本」，並記原書版匡高營造尺六寸三分、寬四寸四分。目錄末行作「元二十四卷今併爲十二卷計八十一篇」。底本與影印本均屬公有領域。Classica Sinica Medica，2026 年 10 月 29 日 存取，https://classicstcm.com/classics/huangdi-neijing-lingshu/the-camp-qi/。

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