Classica Sinica Medica

The Five Evils

五邪

Wǔ xié

Five paragraphs, five organs, and the same shape every time: the evil lodges here, these are the symptoms, these are the points. It reads like a formulary, and it is one, but the symmetry is the argument — evil takes up residence in whichever organ is open to it, and each organ then produces its own signature.Two details lift the chapter above a list. The first is the test for a lung point: press quickly with the hand, and where the patient feels relief, needle there — a clinical gesture rather than a theory. The second is yin bi, where pressing finds nothing because the pain is in the bone and not in the flesh: a negative finding used as a positive sign. Where evil is lodged, needle near it; where an organ is deficient, supplement its source; and the heart, which has no point of its own, is harmonised instead.

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5 paragraphs
邪在肺，則病皮膚痛，寒𤍠，上氣喘，汗出，欬動肩背。取之膺中外腧，背三節五藏之傍。以手疾按之，快然，乃刺之，取之缺盆中以越之。 邪在肺，则病皮肤痛，寒𤍠，上气喘，汗出，欬动肩背。取之膺中外腧，背三节五藏之傍。以手疾按之，快然，乃刺之，取之缺盆中以越之。
xié zài fèi, zé bìng pí fū tòng, hán rè, shàng qì chuǎn, hàn chū, kài dòng jiān bèi. qǔ zhī yīng zhōng wài shù, bèi sān jié wǔ zàng zhī bàng. yǐ shǒu jí àn zhī, kuài rán, nǎi cì zhī, qǔ zhī quē pén zhōng yǐ yuè zhī.
邪在肺，就会皮肤疼痛，发寒热，气上逆而喘，出汗，咳嗽时牵动肩背。治疗取胸膺中外侧的腧穴，以及背部第三椎旁的五脏俞穴。用手急按，病人觉得轻快，就在那里下针；再取缺盆以宣散邪气。
When evil is in the lungs the skin hurts, there is chill and fever, the qi rises and the patient pants, sweats, and coughs so that the shoulders and back are shaken. Take the shu points on the outer side of the chest and the five viscera shu beside the third vertebra of the back. Press quickly with the hand; where the patient feels relief, needle there; take also the supraclavicular fossa to disperse it.
邪在肝，則兩脅中痛，寒中，惡血在内，行善掣節，時脚腫。取之行間，以引脅下，補三里以温胃中，取血脉以散惡血，取耳間青脉，以去其掣。 邪在肝，则两胁中痛，寒中，恶血在内，行善掣节，时脚肿。取之行间，以引胁下，补三里以温胃中，取血脉以散恶血，取耳间青脉，以去其掣。
xié zài gān, zé liǎng xié zhōng tòng, hán zhōng, è xuè zài nèi, xíng shàn chè jié, shí jiǎo zhǒng. qǔ zhī xíng jiān, yǐ yǐn xié xià, bǔ sān lǐ yǐ wēn wèi zhōng, qǔ xuè mài yǐ sàn è xuè, qǔ ěr jiān qīng mài, yǐ qù qí chè.
邪在肝，就会两胁中痛，中焦寒冷，瘀血在体内，走路时容易抽掣关节，时常脚肿。取行间穴以引胁下之气，补足三里以温胃中，取血络以散瘀血，取耳间青脉以去掉抽掣。
When evil is in the liver both flanks hurt, there is cold in the middle, blood is stagnant within, walking brings frequent tugging at the joints, and the feet swell from time to time. Take xing jian to draw the qi of the flanks down, supplement san li to warm the middle of the stomach, take the blood vessels to scatter the stagnant blood, and take the green vessel beside the ear to remove the tugging.
邪在脾胃，則病肌肉痛，陽氣有餘，陰氣不足，則𤍠中善饑；陽氣不足，陰氣有餘，則寒中腸鳴腹痛；陰陽俱有餘，若俱不足，則有寒有𤍠，皆調于三里。 邪在脾胃，则病肌肉痛，阳气有余，阴气不足，则𤍠中善饥；阳气不足，阴气有余，则寒中肠鸣腹痛；阴阳俱有余，若俱不足，则有寒有𤍠，皆调于三里。
xié zài pí wèi, zé bìng jī ròu tòng, yáng qì yǒu yú, yīn qì bù zú, zé rè zhōng shàn jī; yáng qì bù zú, yīn qì yǒu yú, zé hán zhōng cháng míng fù tòng; yīn yáng jù yǒu yú, ruò jù bù zú, zé yǒu hán yǒu rè, jiē tiáo yú sān lǐ.
邪在脾胃，就会肌肉疼痛。阳气有余、阴气不足的，就热在中焦而容易饥饿；阳气不足、阴气有余的，就中焦寒冷、肠鸣腹痛；阴阳都有余，或者都不足的，就有寒有热，都要从足三里调治。
When evil is in spleen and stomach the flesh hurts. If yang qi is in excess and yin qi insufficient, there is heat in the middle and the patient is always hungry; if yang qi is insufficient and yin qi in excess, there is cold in the middle, rumbling and abdominal pain; if both are in excess, or both insufficient, there is both cold and heat, and all are harmonised at san li.
邪在腎，則病骨痛陰痺。陰痺者，按之而不得，腹脹腰痛，大便難，肩背頸項痛，時眩。取之涌泉、崑崙，視有血者盡取之。 邪在肾，则病骨痛阴痹。阴痹者，按之而不得，腹胀腰痛，大便难，肩背颈项痛，时眩。取之涌泉、昆仑，视有血者尽取之。
xié zài shèn, zé bìng gǔ tòng yīn bì. yīn bì zhě, àn zhī ér bù dé, fù zhàng yāo tòng, dà biàn nán, jiān bèi jǐng xiàng tòng, shí xuàn. qǔ zhī yǒng quán, kūn lún, shì yǒu xuè zhě jìn qǔ zhī.
邪在肾，就会骨痛而阴痹。阴痹的，按之而找不到痛处，腹胀腰痛，大便困难，肩背颈项疼痛，时时眩晕。取涌泉、昆仑，看到有瘀血的都刺去。
When evil is in the kidneys there is bone pain and yin bi. In yin bi, pressing does not find the place; the abdomen is full, the loins hurt, the stool is difficult, the shoulders, back, neck and nape hurt, and there is dizziness at times. Take yong quan and kun lun, and where blood is seen draw it all out.
邪在心，則病心痛，喜悲，時眩仆。視有餘不足而調之其輸也。 邪在心，则病心痛，喜悲，时眩仆。视有余不足而调之其输也。
xié zài xīn, zé bìng xīn tòng, xǐ bēi, shí xuàn pū. shì yǒu yú bù zú ér tiáo zhī qí shū yě.
邪在心，就会心痛，容易悲伤，时时眩晕跌倒。要看它有余还是不足，而调治它的输穴。
When evil is in the heart there is heart pain, a tendency to sadness, and dizziness with falling at times. Look at whether it is excess or deficient and harmonise its shu point.

Textual notes

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

  1. 取之膺中外腧取之膺中外俞

    「腧」爲「俞」之後起字，專指穴位。膺中外腧，指胸側之穴；本書多作「腧」，《素問》多作「俞」，各存其舊。

  2. 時脚腫時腳腫

    「脚」从肉作「腳」者正，底本作「脚」，从去，六朝俗寫。今仍底本。脚腫者，肝氣不達於下，水濕停於足脛。

  3. 取耳間青脉取耳間青脈

    「脉」字底本一律作「脉」，不作「脈」。青脉者，耳前絡脉之見青色者，刺之以去其掣，即今所謂放血。

  4. 則𤍠中善饑則熱中善饑

    「𤍠」爲「熱」之異寫，上體从冖。此篇兩見，皆作「𤍠」。饑，飢也，善饑謂消穀善食而肌肉不長。

  5. 陰痺者，按之而不得陰痹者，按之而不得

    「痺」从疒，與「痹」同。陰痺者，痛在骨而不在皮肉，故按之而不得其處，此以陰性徵象作正面憑據。

  6. 欬動肩背咳動肩背

    「欬」爲「咳」之古字，从欠。邪在肺則氣逆，故欬而牽動肩背。本書咳字多作「欬」，與《素問》同例。

  7. 以手疾按之，快然，乃刺之以手疾按之，快然乃刺之

    「快然」謂按之而病者覺快，此爲取穴之驗。他本或連讀作「快然乃刺之」，底本以逗斷之，語氣較緩，今仍底本。

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.). Wǔ xié 五邪 [The Five Evils], Chapter 20. 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 28 October 2026, from https://classicstcm.com/classics/huangdi-neijing-lingshu/the-five-evils/

MLA

"Wǔ xié 五邪 [The Five Evils]." Huangdi Neijing · Lingshu 黃帝內經靈樞, chapter 20, Classica Sinica Medica, 2026, https://classicstcm.com/classics/huangdi-neijing-lingshu/the-five-evils/. Accessed 28 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·五邪》（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 28 日 存取，https://classicstcm.com/classics/huangdi-neijing-lingshu/the-five-evils/。

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