1
黃帝曰：願聞脉度。
黄帝曰：愿闻脉度。
Huáng Dì yuē: yuàn wén mài dù.
黄帝说：我想听听经脉的长度。
Huang Di said: I should like to hear the measure of the vessels.
2
歧伯答曰：手之六陽，從手至頭，長五尺，五六三丈。手之六陰，從手至胸中，三尺五寸，三六一丈八尺，五六三尺，合二丈一尺。足之六陽，從足上至頭，八尺，六八四丈八尺。足之六陰，從足至胸中，六尺五寸，六六三丈六尺，五六三尺，合三丈九尺。
歧伯答曰：手之六阳，从手至头，长五尺，五六三丈。手之六阴，从手至胸中，三尺五寸，三六一丈八尺，五六三尺，合二丈一尺。足之六阳，从足上至头，八尺，六八四丈八尺。足之六阴，从足至胸中，六尺五寸，六六三丈六尺，五六三尺，合三丈九尺。
Qí Bó dá yuē: shǒu zhī liù yáng, cóng shǒu zhì tóu, cháng wǔ chǐ, wǔ liù sān zhàng. shǒu zhī liù yīn, cóng shǒu zhì xiōng zhōng, sān chǐ wǔ cùn, sān liù yī zhàng bā chǐ, wǔ liù sān chǐ, hé èr zhàng yī chǐ. zú zhī liù yáng, cóng zú shàng zhì tóu, bā chǐ, liù bā sì zhàng bā chǐ. zú zhī liù yīn, cóng zú zhì xiōng zhōng, liù chǐ wǔ cùn, liù liù sān zhàng liù chǐ, wǔ liù sān chǐ, hé sān zhàng jiǔ chǐ.
岐伯回答说：手的六条阳经，从手到头，各长五尺，六条共三丈。手的六条阴经，从手到胸中，各长三尺五寸，六条共一丈八尺，再加六条的五寸合三尺，合计二丈一尺。足的六条阳经，从足上行到头，各长八尺，六条共四丈八尺。足的六条阴经，从足到胸中，各长六尺五寸，六条共三丈六尺，再加六条的五寸合三尺，合计三丈九尺。
Qi Bo replied: The six yang channels of the hand run from the hand to the head and are five chi long; six times five makes three zhang. The six yin channels of the hand run from the hand to the middle of the chest and are three chi five cun; six times three is one zhang eight chi, and the six five-cun parts make three chi, so two zhang one chi in all. The six yang channels of the foot run from the foot up to the head and are eight chi; six times eight makes four zhang eight chi. The six yin channels of the foot run from the foot to the middle of the chest and are six chi five cun; six times six is three zhang six chi, and the six five-cun parts make three chi, so three zhang nine chi in all.
3
蹻脉從足至目，七尺五寸，二七一丈四尺，二五一尺，合一丈五尺。督脉、任脉各四尺五寸，二四八尺，二五一尺，合九尺。
𫏋脉从足至目，七尺五寸，二七一丈四尺，二五一尺，合一丈五尺。督脉、任脉各四尺五寸，二四八尺，二五一尺，合九尺。 qiāo mài cóng zú zhì mù, qī chǐ wǔ cùn, èr qī yī zhàng sì chǐ, èr wǔ yī chǐ, hé yī zhàng wǔ chǐ. dū mài, rèn mài gè sì chǐ wǔ cùn, èr sì bā chǐ, èr wǔ yī chǐ, hé jiǔ chǐ.
蹻脉从足到目，长七尺五寸，两条共一丈四尺，再加两个五寸合一尺，合计一丈五尺。督脉、任脉各长四尺五寸，两条共八尺，再加两个五寸合一尺，合计九尺。
The qiao vessel runs from the foot to the eye and is seven chi five cun; twice seven is one zhang four chi, and the two five-cun parts make one chi, so one zhang five chi. The du and ren vessels are four chi five cun each; twice four is eight chi, and the two five-cun parts make one chi, so nine chi.
4
凡都合一十六丈二尺，此氣之大經隧也。
凡都合一十六丈二尺，此气之大经隧也。 fán dōu hé yī shí liù zhàng èr chǐ, cǐ qì zhī dà jīng suì yě.
总计十六丈二尺，这就是经气运行的大隧道。
Altogether this makes sixteen zhang two chi — the great channel tunnels through which the qi travels.
5
經脉爲裏，支而横者爲絡，絡之别者爲孫。盛而血者疾誅之，盛者寫之，虚者飲藥以補之，
经脉为里，支而横者为络，络之别者为孙。盛而血者疾诛之，盛者写之，虚者饮药以补之， jīng mài wéi lǐ, zhī ér héng zhě wéi luò, luò zhī bié zhě wéi sūn. shèng ér xuè zhě jí zhū zhī, shèng zhě xiè zhī, xū zhě yǐn yào yǐ bǔ zhī,
经脉行于深处，从经脉横向分出的支脉叫络，从络再分出的细小支脉叫孙络。络脉盛满而有瘀血的，就当急刺放血；邪气盛的用泻法，正气虚的用药补。
Where the channels lie within, the branches that run across them are the luo, and the branches of the luo are the grandsons. Where the luo is full and holds blood, pierce it at once and let the blood out; where the evil is full, drain it; where the upright is empty, drink medicine to supplement it.
6
五藏常内閲于上七竅也。故肺氣通於鼻，肺和則鼻能知臭香矣。心氣通于舌，心和則舌能知五味矣。肝氣通于目，肝和則目能辨五色矣。脾氣通于口，脾和則口能知五穀矣。腎氣通于耳，腎和則耳能聞五音矣。五藏不和則七竅不通，六府不和則留爲癰。
五藏常内阅于上七窍也。故肺气通于鼻，肺和则鼻能知臭香矣。心气通于舌，心和则舌能知五味矣。肝气通于目，肝和则目能辨五色矣。脾气通于口，脾和则口能知五谷矣。肾气通于耳，肾和则耳能闻五音矣。五藏不和则七窍不通，六府不和则留为痈。 wǔ zàng cháng nèi yuè yú shàng qī qiào yě. gù fèi qì tōng yú bí, fèi hé zé bí néng zhī xiù xiāng yǐ. xīn qì tōng yú shé, xīn hé zé shé néng zhī wǔ wèi yǐ. gān qì tōng yú mù, gān hé zé mù néng biàn wǔ sè yǐ. pí qì tōng yú kǒu, pí hé zé kǒu néng zhī wǔ gǔ yǐ. shèn qì tōng yú ěr, shèn hé zé ěr néng wén wǔ yīn yǐ. wǔ zàng bù hé zé qī qiào bù tōng, liù fǔ bù hé zé liú wéi yōng.
五脏的精气常常由内向上通于七窍。所以肺气通于鼻，肺气调和，鼻就能分辨香臭；心气通于舌，心气调和，舌就能辨别五味；肝气通于目，肝气调和，目就能分辨五色；脾气通于口，脾气调和，口就能尝出五谷；肾气通于耳，肾气调和，耳就能听出五音。五脏不调，七窍就不通利；六腑不调，邪气留滞就形成痈肿。
The five viscera constantly look inward from above through the seven orifices. Thus the qi of the lungs opens into the nose, and when the lungs are harmonious the nose can tell stench from fragrance. The qi of the heart opens into the tongue, and when the heart is harmonious the tongue can tell the five flavours. The qi of the liver opens into the eyes, and when the liver is harmonious the eyes can distinguish the five colours. The qi of the spleen opens into the mouth, and when the spleen is harmonious the mouth can tell the five grains. The qi of the kidneys opens into the ears, and when the kidneys are harmonious the ears can hear the five tones. When the five viscera are not harmonious the seven orifices are not open; when the six receptacles are not harmonious, what stays behind becomes a sore.
7
故邪在府則陽脉不和，陽脉不和則氣留之，氣留之則陽氣盛矣。陽氣太盛則陰不利，陰脉不利則血留之，血留之則陰氣盛矣。陰氣太盛則陽氣不能榮也，故曰關。陽氣太盛，則陰氣不能榮也，故曰格。陰陽俱盛，不得相榮，故曰關格。關格者，不得盡期而死也。
故邪在府则阳脉不和，阳脉不和则气留之，气留之则阳气盛矣。阳气太盛则阴不利，阴脉不利则血留之，血留之则阴气盛矣。阴气太盛则阳气不能荣也，故曰关。阳气太盛，则阴气不能荣也，故曰格。阴阳俱盛，不得相荣，故曰关格。关格者，不得尽期而死也。 gù xié zài fǔ zé yáng mài bù hé, yáng mài bù hé zé qì liú zhī, qì liú zhī zé yáng qì shèng yǐ. yáng qì tài shèng zé yīn bù lì, yīn mài bù lì zé xuè liú zhī, xuè liú zhī zé yīn qì shèng yǐ. yīn qì tài shèng zé yáng qì bù néng róng yě, gù yuē guān. yáng qì tài shèng, zé yīn qì bù néng róng yě, gù yuē gé. yīn yáng jù shèng, bù dé xiāng róng, gù yuē guān gé. guān gé zhě, bù dé jìn qī ér sǐ yě.
所以邪气在腑，阳脉就不调和；阳脉不调，气就留滞；气留滞，阳气就偏盛。阳气太盛，阴气就不得通利；阴脉不利，血就留滞；血留滞，阴气就偏盛。阴气太盛，阳气不能营运，这叫做关；阳气太盛，阴气不能营运，这叫做格；阴阳都盛，彼此不能相互营运，就叫做关格。到了关格的地步，就不能享尽天年而死了。
Thus when evil is in the receptacles the yang vessels are not harmonious; when the yang vessels are not harmonious the qi lingers; when the qi lingers the yang qi becomes excessive. When the yang qi is too abundant the yin is not benefited; when the yin vessels are not benefited the blood lingers; when the blood lingers the yin qi becomes excessive. When the yin qi is too abundant the yang qi cannot nourish it, and this is called the barrier. When the yang qi is too abundant the yin qi cannot nourish it, and this is called the obstruction. When yin and yang are both abundant and can neither nourish the other, this is called barrier and obstruction. In barrier and obstruction one cannot fulfil one’s term and dies.
8
黃帝曰：蹻脉安起安止，何氣榮水？
黄帝曰：𫏋脉安起安止，何气荣水？ Huáng Dì yuē: qiāo mài ān qǐ ān zhǐ, hé qì róng shuǐ?
黄帝说：蹻脉从哪里起、到哪里止？又是哪一气使它营运水流般的运行？
Huang Di said: Where does the qiao vessel begin and where does it end, and what qi keeps it running like water?
9
歧伯答曰：蹻脉者，少陰之别，起于然骨之後，上内踝之上，直上循陰股入陰，上循胸裏入缺盆，上出人迎之前，入頄，屬目内眦，合于太陽、陽蹻而上行，氣并相還則爲濡目，氣不榮則目不合。
歧伯答曰：𫏋脉者，少阴之别，起于然骨之后，上内踝之上，直上循阴股入阴，上循胸里入缺盆，上出人迎之前，入頄，属目内眦，合于太阳、阳𫏋而上行，气并相还则为濡目，气不荣则目不合。 Qí Bó dá yuē: qiāo mài zhě, shào yīn zhī bié, qǐ yú rán gǔ zhī hòu, shàng nèi huái zhī shàng, zhí shàng xún yīn gǔ rù yīn, shàng xún xiōng lǐ rù quē pén, shàng chū rén yíng zhī qián, rù qiú, zhǔ mù nèi zì, hé yú tài yáng, yáng qiāo ér shàng xíng, qì bìng xiāng hái zé wéi rú mù, qì bù róng zé mù bù hé.
岐伯回答说：蹻脉是少阴经的支别，起于然骨之后，上到内踝之上，直上沿大腿内侧进入阴部，再上沿胸里入缺盆，上出人迎之前，进入颧部，连属眼内角，与足太阳、阳蹻会合而上行。二气合并返流，就濡养眼目；气不能营运，眼就不能闭合。
Qi Bo replied: The qiao vessel is a branch of the shao yin. It begins behind the rangu bone, rises above the inner ankle, goes straight up along the inner thigh into the genitals, ascends along the inside of the chest into the supraclavicular fossa, emerges in front of the ren ying, enters the cheekbone and joins the inner canthus, where it meets the tai yang and the yang qiao and ascends. When the two qi are conjoined and return, they moisten the eye; when the qi does not nourish it, the eye cannot close.
10
黃帝曰：氣獨行五藏，不榮六府，何也？
黄帝曰：气独行五藏，不荣六府，何也？ Huáng Dì yuē: qì dú xíng wǔ zàng, bù róng liù fǔ, hé yě?
黄帝说：气只行于五脏，不营运六腑，这是为什么？
Huang Di said: The qi moves only through the five viscera and does not nourish the six receptacles — why is that?
11
歧伯答曰：氣之不得無行也，如水之流，如日月之行不休，故陰脉榮其藏，陽脉榮其府，如環之無端，莫知其紀，終而復始。其流溢之氣，内漑藏府，外濡腠理。
歧伯答曰：气之不得无行也，如水之流，如日月之行不休，故阴脉荣其藏，阳脉荣其府，如环之无端，莫知其纪，终而复始。其流溢之气，内漑藏府，外濡腠理。 Qí Bó dá yuē: qì zhī bù dé wú xíng yě, rú shuǐ zhī liú, rú rì yuè zhī xíng bù xiū, gù yīn mài róng qí zàng, yáng mài róng qí fǔ, rú huán zhī wú duān, mò zhī qí jì, zhōng ér fù shǐ. qí liú yì zhī qì, nèi gài zàng fǔ, wài rú còu lǐ.
岐伯回答说：气是不能不运行的，就像水的流动、日月的不停运转。所以阴脉营运五脏，阳脉营运六腑，像圆环一样没有起端，也无人知道它的纲纪，终而复始。它流溢出来的部分，在内灌溉脏腑，在外濡润腠理。
Qi Bo replied: The qi cannot but move. It is like the flowing of water, like the going of sun and moon without rest. Thus the yin vessels nourish the viscera and the yang vessels nourish the receptacles, like a ring without end, no one knowing its order, ending and beginning again. The qi that overflows irrigates the viscera within and moistens the interstices without.
12
黃帝曰：蹻脉有陰陽，何脉當其數？
黄帝曰：𫏋脉有阴阳，何脉当其数？ Huáng Dì yuē: qiāo mài yǒu yīn yáng, hé mài dāng qí shù?
黄帝说：蹻脉有阴蹻、阳蹻之分，哪一条脉才算在度数之内？
Huang Di said: The qiao vessels have yin and yang; which vessel is counted in the number?
13
歧伯答曰：男子數其陽，女子數其陰，當數者爲經，其不當數者爲絡也。
歧伯答曰：男子数其阳，女子数其阴，当数者为经，其不当数者为络也。
Qí Bó dá yuē: nán zǐ shù qí yáng, nǚ zǐ shù qí yīn, dāng shù zhě wéi jīng, qí bù dāng shù zhě wéi luò yě.
岐伯回答说：男子以阳蹻为经数，女子以阴蹻为经数；算在数内的为经，不算在数内的为络。
Qi Bo replied: In men the yang qiao is counted, in women the yin qiao; that which is counted is a channel, that which is not counted is a luo.