Classica Sinica Medica

An Explanation of the Subtlest Points

解精微論

Jiě jīng wēi lùn

Suwen 81 解精微論 — An Explanation of the Subtlest Points.解 is to explain, 精微 the finest and most subtle: the chapter traces one small fact of tears back to the heart, the eye, the brain, the kidney and the will. It is a short chapter, and the most single-minded.The first movement (rows 1-9) is the setting. Huang Di is in the Bright Hall; Lei Gong recites what he was taught — classic discourses, form, yin and yang, needling, moxa, decoctions — yet admits that among those who practise it some are worthy and some are not, and that not one is sure of ten cases out of ten. He has heard the commonplaces; their reason he has not. So he asks what is not in the canon: when a man weeps, why do tears fail, or come with little snivel? Huang Di answers that it is in the canon — and that the question, though useless for treatment, is what the physician knows and where the way is born.The second movement (rows 10-14) is the anatomy of the tear. The heart is the concentrated essence of the five viscera, the eye its orifice, the bloom of the face its glory. With virtue a man's qi is at peace in the eye; with loss, grief shows in his face. Grief brings the tears down, and there the water is born. Its source is gathered water, gathered water is utmost yin, and utmost yin is the essence of the kidney — water the essence holds, supports and wraps, so that it does not run out.The third movement (rows 15-21) joins spirit and will. Water's essence is the will, fire's the spirit; they stir each other, and when spirit and will grieve together water rises in the eye. The heart's grief, says the proverb, is the will's grief: will and heart-essence gather in the eye, and when the spirit's qi passes into the heart-essence and not up to the will, the will grieves alone and tears come. Tears and snivel are the brain, and the brain is yin; marrow fills the bone, and what seeps from it becomes snivel. The will is the master of the bone: water flows, snivel follows — brothers, dying and living together.The fourth movement (rows 22-32) answers again, from the spirit. No tears, because the weeping is not grief; no weeping, because the spirit is not kind, and then the will does not grieve — yin and yang hold fast, and tears cannot come alone. Dismayed, the grieving will rushes on yin and leaves the eye; with it gone the spirit does not keep the essence, and tears come out. Then reversal: yang above, yin below, fire alone gives light, one water no match for five fires, and the corner of the eye goes blind. Wind on the eye brings tears — the yang qi guards the essence within while fire scorches it — as fierce fire raises a wind, and the wind brings rain.

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黄帝在明堂，雷公請曰： 黄帝在明堂，雷公请曰：
Huáng dì zài míng táng, léi gōng qǐng yuē:
黄帝坐在明堂，雷公问道：
Huang Di was in the Bright Hall. Lei Gong asked:
臣授業傳之行，教以經論，從容形法，陰陽刺灸，湯藥所滋， 臣授业传之行，教以经论，从容形法，阴阳刺灸，汤药所滋，
Chén shòu yè chuán zhī xíng, jiào yǐ jīng lùn, cóng róng xíng fǎ, yīn yáng cì jiǔ, tāng yào suǒ zī,
臣下所承受的学业，是老师传授下来付之实行的；老师用经论教导，从容讲说形法，以及阴阳、刺灸、汤药所滋养的道理，
“The learning your servant received is what the master handed down to be put into practice: he instructed me in the classic discourses, set out at leisure the methods of form, the yin and the yang, the needling and the moxa, and what decoctions and medicines nourish,”
行治有賢不肖，未必能十全。 行治有贤不肖，未必能十全。
Xíng zhì yǒu xián bù xiào, wèi bì néng shí quán.
可是施行治疗的人有贤能也有不肖，未必都能十全。
“yet among those who practise it some are worthy and some are not, and not one of them is sure of ten cases out of ten.”
若先言悲哀喜怒，燥濕寒暑，陰陽婦女，請問其所以然者， 若先言悲哀喜怒，燥湿寒暑，阴阳妇女，请问其所以然者，
Ruò xiān yán bēi āi xǐ nù, zào shī hán shǔ, yīn yáng fù nǚ, qǐng wèn qí suǒ yǐ rán zhě,
如果先讲悲哀喜怒、燥湿寒暑、阴阳男女，请问它们所以这样的缘故，
“If one first speaks of grief and joy, of damp and heat, of cold and summer heat, of yin and yang, of men and women, I ask what makes them so.”
卑賤富貴，人之形體，所從，群下通使，臨事以適道術，謹聞命矣。 卑贱富贵，人之形体，所从，群下通使，临事以适道术，谨闻命矣。
Bēi jiàn fù guì, rén zhī xíng tǐ, suǒ cóng, qún xià tōng shǐ, lín shì yǐ shì dào shù, jǐn wén mìng yǐ.
以及卑贱富贵、人的形体、所从来的缘由、众下人的往来差使，临事时怎样合于道术，这些臣已经恭敬地领受了。
“And as for high and low, rich and poor, the form of a man’s body, what he follows, the servants who go and come on his errands, and how in the event one fits himself to the art — these I have respectfully heard commanded.”
請問有毚愚仆漏之問，不在經者，欲聞其狀。 请问有毚愚仆漏之问，不在经者，欲闻其状。
Qǐng wèn yǒu chán yú pū lòu zhī wèn, bù zài jīng zhě, yù wén qí zhuàng.
只是还有浅陋愚拙、倾仆遗漏的问题，不在经文之中，想听一听它的情形。
“But there are shallow and foolish questions, halting and leaky, that are not in the canon; I wish to hear how they stand.”
帝曰：大矣。公請問：哭泣而淚不出者，若出而少涕，其故何也？ 帝曰：大矣。公请问：哭泣而泪不出者，若出而少涕，其故何也？
Dì yuē: dà yǐ. Gōng qǐng wèn: kū qì ér lèi bù chū zhě, ruò chū ér shǎo tì, qí gù hé yě?
黄帝说，问得真是广大啊。雷公问道，哭泣而眼泪不出来，或者出来了而鼻涕很少，这是什么缘故。
Huang Di said: “How great.” The duke asked: “When a man weeps and no tears come, or they come but the snivel is scant, what is the cause?”
帝曰：在經有也。復問：不知水所從生，涕所從出也？ 帝曰：在经有也。复问：不知水所从生，涕所从出也？
Dì yuē: zài jīng yǒu yě. Fù wèn: bù zhī shuǐ suǒ cóng shēng, tì suǒ cóng chū yě?
黄帝说，这在经文里已经有了。雷公又问，不知道水是从哪里生出来的，鼻涕是从哪里出来的。
Huang Di said: “It is in the canon.” He asked again: “I do not know where the water is born, nor whence the snivel comes.”
帝曰：若問此者，無益於治也，工之所知，道之所生也。 帝曰：若问此者，无益于治也，工之所知，道之所生也。
Dì yuē: ruò wèn cǐ zhě, wú yì yú zhì yě, gōng zhī suǒ zhī, dào zhī suǒ shēng yě.
黄帝说，问这些对治疗没有益处，但这是医生所应当知道的，也是道所生发的地方。
Huang Di said: “To ask this brings no gain to treatment, yet it is what the physician knows, and where the way is born.”
夫心者，五藏之專精也；目者，其竅也；華色者，其榮也。 夫心者，五藏之专精也；目者，其窍也；华色者，其荣也。
Fú xīn zhě, wǔ zàng zhī zhuān jīng yě; mù zhě, qí qiào yě; huá sè zhě, qí róng yě.
心是五脏精气的专主，眼睛是它的窍，面上的华彩是它的荣华。
The heart is the concentrated essence of the five viscera; the eye is its orifice; the bloom on the face is its glory.
是以人有德也，則氣和於目，有亡，憂知於色。 是以人有德也，则气和于目，有亡，忧知于色。
Shì yǐ rén yǒu dé yě, zé qì hé yú mù, yǒu wáng, yōu zhī yú sè.
所以人有德泽的时候，气就和畅地表现在眼睛上；有所失亡，忧愁就显现在面色上。
So when a man has virtue, his qi is at peace in his eye; when he has lost something, grief is known in his face.
是以悲哀則泣下，泣下，水所由生。 是以悲哀则泣下，泣下，水所由生。
Shì yǐ bēi āi zé qì xià, qì xià, shuǐ suǒ yóu shēng.
所以悲哀的时候眼泪就流下来，眼泪流下来，就是水所由生的地方。
Thus grief brings the tears down, and in the tears coming down is where the water is born.
水宗者，積水也。積水者，至陰也。至陰者，腎之精也。 水宗者，积水也。积水者，至阴也。至阴者，肾之精也。
Shuǐ zōng zhě, jī shuǐ yě. Jī shuǐ zhě, zhì yīn yě. Zhì yīn zhě, shèn zhī jīng yě.
水的本源是积水，积水属于至阴，至阴就是肾的精气。
The source of water is gathered water; gathered water is utmost yin; utmost yin is the essence of the kidney.
宗精之水所以不出者，是精持之也。輔之裹之，故水不行也。 宗精之水所以不出者，是精持之也。辅之裹之，故水不行也。
Zōng jīng zhī shuǐ suǒ yǐ bù chū zhě, shì jīng chí zhī yě. Fǔ zhī guǒ zhī, gù shuǐ bù xíng yě.
宗精的水之所以不流出来，是因为精把它持守住了；精辅助它、包裹它，所以水不妄行。
Why the water of the source essence does not come out is that the essence holds it; it supports it and wraps it, and so the water does not move.
夫水之精爲志，火之精爲神，水火相感，神志俱悲，是以目之水生也。 夫水之精为志，火之精为神，水火相感，神志俱悲，是以目之水生也。
Fú shuǐ zhī jīng wéi zhì, huǒ zhī jīng wéi shén, shuǐ huǒ xiāng gǎn, shén zhì jù bēi, shì yǐ mù zhī shuǐ shēng yě.
水的精气成为志，火的精气成为神，水火互相感应，神和志都悲伤，所以眼中的水就生出来了。
The essence of water is the will, the essence of fire is the spirit; water and fire stir each other, and when spirit and will grieve together, the water of the eye is born.
故諺言曰：心悲名曰志悲，志與心精共湊於目也，是以俱悲。 故谚言曰：心悲名曰志悲，志与心精共凑于目也，是以俱悲。
Gù yàn yán yuē: xīn bēi míng yuē zhì bēi, zhì yǔ xīn jīng gòng còu yú mù yě, shì yǐ jù bēi.
所以谚语说，心悲叫做志悲，志和心的精气一同汇聚到眼睛，所以两者都悲。
Hence the proverb says: the heart’s grief is called the will’s grief. The will and the heart’s essence gather together in the eye, and so both grieve.
則神氣傳於心精，上不傳於志，而志獨悲，故泣出也。 则神气传于心精，上不传于志，而志独悲，故泣出也。
Zé shén qì chuán yú xīn jīng, shàng bù chuán yú zhì, ér zhì dú bēi, gù qì chū yě.
于是神气传于心精，向上不传到志，而志独自悲伤，所以眼泪就出来了。
Then the spirit’s qi passes into the heart’s essence and does not pass upward to the will, and the will grieves alone; therefore the tears come out.
泣涕者，腦也；腦者，陰也。髓者，骨之充也。故腦滲爲涕。 泣涕者，脑也；脑者，阴也。髓者，骨之充也。故脑渗为涕。
Qì tì zhě, nǎo yě; nǎo zhě, yīn yě. Suǐ zhě, gǔ zhī chōng yě. Gù nǎo shèn wéi tì.
眼泪和鼻涕都属于脑，脑属于阴；髓是充养骨骼的。所以脑液渗出就成为鼻涕。
Tears and snivel are the brain; the brain is yin. The marrow fills the bones. So what seeps from the brain becomes snivel.
志者，骨之主也。是以水流而涕從之者，其行類也。 志者，骨之主也。是以水流而涕从之者，其行类也。
Zhì zhě, gǔ zhī zhǔ yě. Shì yǐ shuǐ liú ér tì cóng zhī zhě, qí xíng lèi yě.
志是骨的主宰。所以水流出而鼻涕跟着出来，是因为它们的运行属于同类。
The will is the master of the bone. So when the water flows and the snivel follows it, their course is of one kind.
夫涕之與泣者，譬如人之兄弟，急則俱死，生則俱生。 夫涕之与泣者，譬如人之兄弟，急则俱死，生则俱生。
Fú tì zhī yǔ qì zhě, pì rú rén zhī xiōng dì, jí zé jù sǐ, shēng zé jù shēng.
鼻涕和眼泪，就像人的兄弟，危急时一同死，生存时一同生。
Snivel and tears are like brothers: in extremity they die together, in life they live together.
其志以早悲，是以涕泣俱出而横行也。夫人涕泣俱出而相從者，所屬之類也。 其志以早悲，是以涕泣俱出而横行也。夫人涕泣俱出而相从者，所属之类也。
Qí zhì yǐ zǎo bēi, shì yǐ tì qì jù chū ér héng xíng yě. Fú rén tì qì jù chū ér xiāng cóng zhě, suǒ shǔ zhī lèi yě.
志早已悲伤，所以鼻涕和眼泪一同出来而横流。人的鼻涕眼泪一同出来而互相跟随，是因为它们所属同类。
The will grieves early, and so snivel and tears come out together and run across. That a man’s snivel and tears come out together and follow one another is because they belong to the same kind.
雷公曰：大矣。請問人哭泣而淚不出者，若出而少，涕不從之，何也？ 雷公曰：大矣。请问人哭泣而泪不出者，若出而少，涕不从之，何也？
Léi gōng yuē: dà yǐ. Qǐng wèn rén kū qì ér lèi bù chū zhě, ruò chū ér shǎo, tì bù cóng zhī, hé yě?
雷公说，讲得真是广大啊。请问人哭泣而眼泪不出，或者出来了却很少，鼻涕也不跟着出来，是什么缘故。
Lei Gong said: “How great.” I ask: when a man weeps and no tears come, or they come but are few, and the snivel does not follow, what is the cause?
帝曰：夫泣不出者，哭不悲也。不泣者，神不慈也。 帝曰：夫泣不出者，哭不悲也。不泣者，神不慈也。
Dì yuē: fú qì bù chū zhě, kū bù bēi yě. Bù qì zhě, shén bù cí yě.
黄帝说，眼泪不出来，是因为哭而不悲；不流泪，是因为神不慈爱。
Huang Di said: “That the tears do not come is that the weeping is not grief; that there is no weeping is that the spirit is not kind.”
神不慈則志不悲。陰陽相持，泣安能獨來？ 神不慈则志不悲。阴阳相持，泣安能独来？
Shén bù cí zé zhì bù bēi. Yīn yáng xiāng chí, qì ān néng dú lái?
神不慈爱，志就不悲伤。阴阳互相持守，眼泪怎么能单独出来。
“When the spirit is not kind the will does not grieve. Yin and yang hold each other fast: how could the tears come alone?”
夫志悲者惋，惋則冲陰，冲陰則志去目。 夫志悲者惋，惋则冲阴，冲阴则志去目。
Fú zhì bēi zhě wǎn, wǎn zé chōng yīn, chōng yīn zé zhì qù mù.
志悲伤就会惋怅，惋怅就冲逆于阴，冲逆于阴则志离开眼睛。
“When the will grieves it is dismayed; dismayed, it rushes upon yin; rushing upon yin, the will leaves the eye.”
志去則神不守精，精神去目，涕泣出也。 志去则神不守精，精神去目，涕泣出也。
Zhì qù zé shén bù shǒu jīng, jīng shén qù mù, tì qì chū yě.
志离开了，神就不能守住精，精神离开眼睛，鼻涕眼泪就出来了。
“The will gone, the spirit does not keep the essence; spirit and essence leave the eye, and snivel and tears come out.”
且子獨不誦不念夫經言乎？厥則目無所見。 且子独不诵不念夫经言乎？厥则目无所见。
Qiě zǐ dú bù sòng bù niàn fú jīng yán hū? Jué zé mù wú suǒ jiàn.
况且你难道不诵读、不记念经文吗。气厥的时候，眼睛就看不见东西。
“Moreover, do you not recite and bear in mind the words of the canon? In reversal the eye sees nothing.”
夫人厥則陽氣并於上，陰氣并於下。 夫人厥则阳气并于上，阴气并于下。
Fú rén jué zé yáng qì bìng yú shàng, yīn qì bìng yú xià.
人发生厥的时候，阳气并聚于上，阴气并聚于下。
“When a man falls into reversal, the yang qi gathers above and the yin qi gathers below.”
陽并於上，則火獨光也。陰并於下，則足寒，足寒則脹也。 阳并于上，则火独光也。阴并于下，则足寒，足寒则胀也。
Yáng bìng yú shàng, zé huǒ dú guāng yě. Yīn bìng yú xià, zé zú hán, zú hán zé zhàng yě.
阳气并聚于上，就像火独自发光；阴气并聚于下，脚就寒冷，脚寒冷就胀。
“Yang gathered above, the fire alone gives light; yin gathered below, the feet are cold, and cold feet swell.”
夫一水不勝五火，故目眦盲。是以衝風泣下而不止，夫風之中目也，陽氣内守於精。 夫一水不胜五火，故目眦盲。是以冲风泣下而不止，夫风之中目也，阳气内守于精。
Fú yī shuǐ bù shèng wǔ huǒ, gù mù zì máng. Shì yǐ chōng fēng qì xià ér bù zhǐ, fú fēng zhī zhòng mù yě, yáng qì nèi shǒu yú jīng.
一水不能胜过五火，所以目眦失明。因此迎风流泪不止，风邪侵入眼睛，阳气向内守在精中。
“One water cannot overcome five fires, and so the corner of the eye goes blind. Hence the tears fall without stopping when one faces the wind: when the wind strikes the eye, the yang qi keeps guard within, in the essence.”
是火氣燔目，故見風則泣下也。 是火气燔目，故见风则泣下也。
Shì huǒ qì fán mù, gù jiàn fēng zé qì xià yě.
这是火气燔灼眼睛，所以一遇风就流泪。
“This is the fire’s qi scorching the eye, and so at the sight of wind the tears fall.”
有以比之，夫火疾風生乃能雨，此之類也。 有以比之，夫火疾风生乃能雨，此之类也。
Yǒu yǐ bǐ zhī, fú huǒ jí fēng shēng nǎi néng yǔ, cǐ zhī lèi yě.
有一个比喻，火盛而急风生起，才能下雨，这与上面的情形是同一类。
“There is a comparison for it: when fire is fierce and a quick wind rises, then rain can come. This is of that kind.”

Textual notes

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

  1. 泣下，水所由生泣下，水所由生

    泣讀 qì，淚也；全篇「泣」十五見，皆讀 qì，不讀 sè。水，指淚水；此句點出全篇主腦，下文水宗、積水、至陰皆從此推。

  2. 涕泣俱出而横行涕泣俱出而横行

    横讀 héng，底本作「横」，不作「橫」。横行，橫流也，謂涕泣並出而漫流；此句承上兄弟之喻，狀其同出之勢。

  3. 所屬之類也所属之类也

    屬讀 shǔ，連屬也；類，同類。所屬之類，謂涕泣同屬一類，故相從而出；此句結上兄弟之喻，為全篇涕泣同源之斷語。

  4. 惋則冲陰惋则冲阴

    惋讀 wǎn，驚惋也。冲，底本作「冲」，與下「衝風」之「衝」二形並存，各隨底本，不并軌；冲陰，謂逆衝於陰，非陰氣自冲。

  5. 陽氣并於上阳气并于上

    并讀 bìng，聚也；底本作「并」，不作「並」。陽氣并於上，陰氣并於下，則下寒而脹，上則火獨光；此句與第八十篇「氣并於上」之文同一機軸。

  6. 故目眦盲故目眦盲

    眦讀 zì，目眶也，底本作「眦」，不作「眥」。盲，失明；一水不勝五火，故目眦失明，此全篇言目病之要語。

  7. 衝風泣下而不止冲风泣下而不止

    衝風，迎風也。底本此處作「衝」，上「冲陰」作「冲」，二形並存，各隨底本。風中於目，火氣燔目，故見風則泣下，此與上「目眦盲」相承。

Cite this page

APA

Huangdi Neijing · Suwen 黃帝內經素問 (c. 3rd c. BCE – 1st c. CE; recension c. 762 CE). Jiě jīng wēi lùn 解精微論 [An Explanation of the Subtlest Points], Chapter 81. In Classica Sinica Medica. Base text: 《重廣補註黃帝內經素問》二十四卷，唐·王冰注，宋·林億、孫奇、高保衡等校正，宋·孫兆重改誤。據上海涵芬樓《四部叢刊初編》影印明嘉靖二十九年（1550）顧從德覆宋刊本錄入，卷一牌記題「上海涵芬樓景印明顧氏翻宋本」。底本與影印本均屬公有領域。 Retrieved 28 October 2026, from https://classicstcm.com/classics/huangdi-neijing-suwen/explanation-of-the-subtlest-points/

MLA

"Jiě jīng wēi lùn 解精微論 [An Explanation of the Subtlest Points]." Huangdi Neijing · Suwen 黃帝內經素問, chapter 81, Classica Sinica Medica, 2026, https://classicstcm.com/classics/huangdi-neijing-suwen/explanation-of-the-subtlest-points/. Accessed 28 Oct. 2026. Base text: 《重廣補註黃帝內經素問》二十四卷，唐·王冰注，宋·林億、孫奇、高保衡等校正，宋·孫兆重改誤。據上海涵芬樓《四部叢刊初編》影印明嘉靖二十九年（1550）顧從德覆宋刊本錄入，卷一牌記題「上海涵芬樓景印明顧氏翻宋本」。底本與影印本均屬公有領域。

Chinese scholarly

《黃帝內經素問·解精微論》（Huángdì Nèijīng Sùwèn）。《重廣補註黃帝內經素問》二十四卷，唐·王冰注，宋·林億、孫奇、高保衡等校正，宋·孫兆重改誤。據上海涵芬樓《四部叢刊初編》影印明嘉靖二十九年（1550）顧從德覆宋刊本錄入，卷一牌記題「上海涵芬樓景印明顧氏翻宋本」。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-suwen/explanation-of-the-subtlest-points/。

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