Classica Sinica Medica

Deciding the Qi

决氣

Jué qì

A single question, asked twice: if a person has essence, qi, jin, ye, blood and vessels, is that not one qi under six names? Qibo answers by defining each in turn, and the definitions are the chapter. Essence is what is there before the body. Qi is what the upper burner diffuses like mist and dew. Jin is sweat. Ye is the thick moisture that enters the bones and replenishes the marrow. Blood is what the middle burner transforms into red. The vessels are what holds the camp qi in place so it cannot escape.The chapter is short and its structure is almost algebraic: six terms, six definitions, six signs of loss, and a closing statement that all six depend on the same source — the five grains and the stomach. It ends by naming that source a great sea, the same image the book uses for the stomach elsewhere.决 in the title means to decide or divide; the chapter decides what was thought to be one thing into six. The base text writes 漑 for 溉 and 溱溱 for the abundance of sweat, both kept as written.

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黃帝曰：余聞人有精氣津液血脉，余意以爲一氣耳。今乃辨爲六名，余不知其所以然。 黄帝曰：余闻人有精气津液血脉，余意以为一气耳。今乃辨为六名，余不知其所以然。
Huáng Dì yuē: yú wén rén yǒu jīng qì jīn yè xuè mài, yú yì yǐ wéi yī qì ěr. jīn nǎi biàn wéi liù míng, yú bù zhī qí suǒ yǐ rán.
黄帝说：我听说人有精气津液血脉，我原以为只是一气罢了。现在分辨为六个名称，我不知道它为什么这样。
The Yellow Emperor said: I have heard that a person has essence, qi, jin, ye, blood and vessels, and I had thought this was a single qi. Now it is distinguished into six names, and I do not know why it should be so.
歧伯曰：兩神相搏，合而成形，常先身生，是謂精。 歧伯曰：两神相搏，合而成形，常先身生，是谓精。
Qí Bó yuē: liǎng shén xiāng bó, hé ér chéng xíng, cháng xiān shēn shēng, shì wèi jīng.
岐伯说：男女两神相合而成形体，常常在身体生成之前就有了，这叫做精。
Qibo said: the two spirits join and form the body; that which is always there before the body is born is called essence.
何謂氣？ 何谓气？
hé wèi qì?
什么叫做气？
What is called qi?
歧伯曰：上焦開發，宣五榖味，熏膚充身，澤毛若霧露之漑，是謂氣。 歧伯曰：上焦开发，宣五榖味，熏肤充身，泽毛若雾露之漑，是谓气。
Qí Bó yuē: shàng jiāo kāi fā, xuān wǔ gǔ wèi, xūn fū chōng shēn, zé máo ruò wù lù zhī gài, shì wèi qì.
岐伯说：上焦开发，宣散五谷的味，熏蒸皮肤，充养身体，润泽毛发，像雾露灌溉一样，这叫做气。
Qibo said: the upper burner opens and diffuses the flavours of the five grains, steaming the skin, filling the body, moistening the hair like mist and dew irrigating — this is called qi.
何謂津？ 何谓津？
hé wèi jīn?
什么叫做津？
What is called jin?
歧伯曰：腠理發泄，汗出溱溱，是謂津。 歧伯曰：腠理发泄，汗出溱溱，是谓津。
Qí Bó yuē: còu lǐ fā xiè, hàn chū zhēn zhēn, shì wèi jīn.
岐伯说：腠理发泄，汗出盛多，这叫做津。
Qibo said: the interstices open and sweat comes forth abundantly — this is called jin.
何謂液？ 何谓液？
hé wèi yè?
什么叫做液？
What is called ye?
歧伯曰：榖入氣滿，淖澤注于骨，骨屬屈伸，洩澤，補益腦髓，皮膚潤澤，是謂液。 歧伯曰：榖入气满，淖泽注于骨，骨属屈伸，泄泽，补益脑髓，皮肤润泽，是谓液。
Qí Bó yuē: gǔ rù qì mǎn, nào zé zhù yú gǔ, gǔ shǔ qū shēn, xiè zé, bǔ yì nǎo suǐ, pí fū rùn zé, shì wèi yè.
岐伯说：谷食入胃，气满而化，稠厚的津液注入骨中，使骨节屈伸，渗泄润泽，补益脑髓，润泽皮肤，这叫做液。
Qibo said: grain enters and the qi is full; the thick moisture pours into the bones, so that the joints bend and stretch, seeping and moistening, replenishing the brain and marrow and moistening the skin — this is called ye.
何謂血？ 何谓血？
hé wèi xuè?
什么叫做血？
What is called blood?
歧伯曰：中焦受氣，取汁變化而赤，是謂血。 歧伯曰：中焦受气，取汁变化而赤，是谓血。
Qí Bó yuē: zhōng jiāo shòu qì, qǔ zhī biàn huà ér chì, shì wèi xuè.
岐伯说：中焦接受水谷之气，取出汁液，变化而成为赤色，这叫做血。
Qibo said: the middle burner receives the qi, takes the juice, transforms it and makes it red — this is called blood.
何謂脉？ 何谓脉？
hé wèi mài?
什么叫做脉？
What is called the vessels?
歧伯曰：壅遏營氣，令無所避，是謂脉。 歧伯曰：壅遏营气，令无所避，是谓脉。
Qí Bó yuē: yōng è yíng qì, lìng wú suǒ bì, shì wèi mài.
岐伯说：壅塞遏止营气，使它无处逃避，这叫做脉。
Qibo said: that which blocks and holds the camp qi so that it has nowhere to escape — this is called the vessels.
黃帝曰：六氣者，有餘不足，氣之多少，腦髓之虚實，血脉之清濁，何以知之？ 黄帝曰：六气者，有余不足，气之多少，脑髓之虚实，血脉之清浊，何以知之？
Huáng Dì yuē: liù qì zhě, yǒu yú bù zú, qì zhī duō shǎo, nǎo suǐ zhī xū shí, xuè mài zhī qīng zhuó, hé yǐ zhī zhī?
黄帝说：六气有余不足，气的多少，脑髓的虚实，血脉的清浊，怎样知道呢？
The Emperor said: how does one know when the six qi are excessive or deficient, their amount, the fullness or emptiness of brain and marrow, and the clarity or turbidity of blood and vessels?
歧伯曰：精脱者，耳聾；氣脱者，目不明；津脱者，腠理開，汗大泄；液脱者，骨屬屈伸不利，色夭，腦髓消，脛痠，耳數鳴；血脱者，色白，夭然不澤，其脉空虚。此其𠉀也。 歧伯曰：精脱者，耳聋；气脱者，目不明；津脱者，腠理开，汗大泄；液脱者，骨属屈伸不利，色夭，脑髓消，胫酸，耳数鸣；血脱者，色白，夭然不泽，其脉空虚。此其𠉀也。
Qí Bó yuē: jīng tuō zhě, ěr lóng; qì tuō zhě, mù bù míng; jīn tuō zhě, còu lǐ kāi, hàn dà xiè; yè tuō zhě, gǔ shǔ qū shēn bù lì, sè yāo, nǎo suǐ xiāo, jìng suān, ěr shuò míng; xuè tuō zhě, sè bái, yāo rán bù zé, qí mài kōng xū. cǐ qí hòu yě.
岐伯说：精脱的，耳聋；气脱的，目不明；津脱的，腠理开而汗大泄；液脱的，骨节屈伸不利，面色枯夭，脑髓消减，小腿酸软，耳中常鸣；血脱的，面色苍白，枯槁不润，脉中空虚。这就是它的征候。
Qibo said: when essence is lost, the ears go deaf; when qi is lost, the eyes see dimly; when jin is lost, the interstices open and sweat pours; when ye is lost, the joints will not bend and stretch, the complexion is withered, the brain and marrow diminish, the shanks ache and the ears ring often; when blood is lost, the complexion is white, dry and lustreless, and the vessels are empty within. These are the signs.
黃帝曰：六氣者，貴賤何如？ 黄帝曰：六气者，贵贱何如？
Huáng Dì yuē: liù qì zhě, guì jiàn hé rú?
黄帝说：六气的贵贱怎样？
The Emperor said: how do the six qi rank in nobility?
歧伯曰：六氣者，各有部主也，其貴賤善惡，可爲常主，然五榖與胃，爲大海也。 歧伯曰：六气者，各有部主也，其贵贱善恶，可为常主，然五榖与胃，为大海也。
Qí Bó yuē: liù qì zhě, gè yǒu bù zhǔ yě, qí guì jiàn shàn è, kě wéi cháng zhǔ, rán wǔ gǔ yǔ wèi, wéi dà hǎi yě.
岐伯说：六气各有分属的主宰，它们的贵贱善恶，可以作为常主；然而五谷与胃，是它们的大海。
Qibo said: each of the six qi has its own domain and master; their nobility and baseness, good and bad, may serve as constant rulers — yet the five grains and the stomach are their great sea.

Textual notes

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

  1. 兩神相搏，合而成形兩神相搏

    兩神，謂男女之精氣；相搏，交合也。搏讀 bó，非摶 tuán。合而成形，常先身生，故謂之精，此爲精之定義。

  2. 澤毛若霧露之漑澤毛若霧露之溉

    漑即溉，讀 gài。上焦開發，宣散五穀之味，熏膚充身，潤澤毛髮如霧露之溉，故謂之氣。此以霧露喻氣之彌散。

  3. 汗出溱溱汗出溱溱

    溱讀 zhēn，盛也。腠理發泄而汗出盛多，是謂津。津者，體液之清而外達者，與液之濁而內注者相對成文。

  4. 淖澤注于骨淖澤注於骨

    淖讀 nào，濕也。穀入氣滿，化爲淖澤而注於骨，骨屬屈伸，洩澤以補益腦髓、潤澤皮膚，是謂液。

  5. 壅遏營氣，令無所避壅遏營氣

    壅遏，壅塞遏止也。脉者，約束營氣使之不得逃避，故謂之脉。此以功能定義脉，較以形質言者爲簡而要。

  6. 精脱者，耳聾精脫者，耳聾

    脫，耗失也。精脫則耳聾，氣脫則目不明，津脫則腠理開而汗大泄，液脫則骨屬屈伸不利，血脫則色白不澤。

  7. 各有部主也各有部主

    部主，謂各有分屬之主。六氣雖分，然皆資於五穀與胃，故曰五穀與胃爲大海。此章以六氣收束，與《營衛生會》相表裏。

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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.). Jué qì 决氣 [Deciding the Qi], Chapter 30. 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/deciding-the-qi/

MLA

"Jué qì 决氣 [Deciding the Qi]." Huangdi Neijing · Lingshu 黃帝內經靈樞, chapter 30, Classica Sinica Medica, 2026, https://classicstcm.com/classics/huangdi-neijing-lingshu/deciding-the-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·决氣》（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/deciding-the-qi/。

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