Classica Sinica Medica

A Discourse on Taiyin and Yangming

太陰陽明論

Tài yīn yáng míng lùn

Chapter 29 takes one question and works it until it yields a whole physiology. The question is almost pedantic: Taiyin and Yangming are exterior and interior to each other, they are the vessels of spleen and stomach, so why do they make people ill in different ways? The answer given first is a matter of position — yin and yang do not stand in the same place, and so they alternate, in vacuity and repletion, in counterflow and compliance. What follows is the division the rest of Chinese medicine never stops using. Yang is the qi of heaven and governs the outside; it takes the winds and the empty evils that strike from without, and what it takes goes to the six palaces, producing fever, sleeplessness and panting. Yin is the qi of earth and governs the inside; it takes the damage done by eating and drinking without measure and by keeping hours that do not belong to the season, and what it takes goes to the five depots, producing distension, blockage and flux below. The same logic then explains why wind strikes the upper body first and damp the lower, why yang disease rises to the extreme before it descends while yin disease does the reverse, and why the throat is called the organ of heaven's qi while the pharynx is the organ of earth's. The second half of the chapter is about the spleen, and it is here that the chapter becomes more than a classification. The four limbs cannot receive the qi of water and grain directly from the stomach; the spleen has to carry it to them, and when the spleen fails, the limbs have nothing to grow on and simply stop working. Asked why the spleen rules no season of its own, Qibo answers that it rules the centre and is present in all four — eighteen days at the turn of each season — because earth is what grows the ten thousand things. Asked how a spleen joined to the stomach by nothing but a membrane can do this work, he answers with anatomy: Taiyin's vessel penetrates the stomach, belongs to the spleen and networks the pharynx, and it is through that vessel that the fluids move. It is the earliest statement of the spleen-stomach axis in the literature, and it is argued, not asserted.

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黃帝問曰：太陰陽明爲表裏，脾胃脉也，生病而異者，何也？ 黄帝问曰：太阴阳明为表里，脾胃脉也，生病而异者，何也？
Huáng dì wèn yuē: tài yīn yáng míng wéi biǎo lǐ, pí wèi mài yě, shēng bìng ér yì zhě, hé yě?
黄帝问道：太阴与阳明互为表里，是脾胃的经脉；
The Yellow Emperor asks: Taiyin and Yangming are exterior and interior to one another — they are the vessels of spleen and stomach. When they give rise to illness, the illnesses differ. Why is that?
歧伯對曰：陰陽異位，更虚更實，更逆更從，或從内，或從外，所從不同，故病異名也。 歧伯对曰：阴阳异位，更虚更实，更逆更从，或从内，或从外，所从不同，故病异名也。
Qí bó duì yuē: yīn yáng yì wèi, gēng xū gēng shí, gēng nì gēng cóng, huò cóng nèi, huò cóng wài, suǒ cóng bù tóng, gù bìng yì míng yě.
歧伯回答说：阴阳所处的位置不同，
Qibo answers: yin and yang stand in different positions. They alternate in vacuity and in repletion, they alternate in counterflow and in compliance; sometimes the illness follows from within, sometimes from without. What it follows from is not the same, and so the illnesses are named differently.
帝曰：願聞其異狀也。 帝曰：愿闻其异状也。
Dì yuē: yuàn wén qí yì zhuàng yě.
黄帝说：我希望听听它们不同的表现。
The Emperor says: I wish to hear how the two differ in their manifestations.
歧伯曰：陽者天氣也，主外；陰者地氣也，主内。 歧伯曰：阳者天气也，主外；阴者地气也，主内。
Qí bó yuē: yáng zhě tiān qì yě, zhǔ wài; yīn zhě dì qì yě, zhǔ nèi.
歧伯说：阳是天气，主司外部；阴是地气，主司内部。
Qibo says: yang is the qi of heaven and governs the outside; yin is the qi of earth and governs the inside.
故陽道實，陰道虚。 故阳道实，阴道虚。
Gù yáng dào shí, yīn dào xū.
所以阳的常道是实，阴的常道是虚。
Therefore the way of yang is repletion, and the way of yin is vacuity.
故犯賊風虚邪者，陽受之；食飲不節，起居不時者，陰受之。 故犯贼风虚邪者，阳受之；食饮不节，起居不时者，阴受之。
Gù fàn zéi fēng xū xié zhě, yáng shòu zhī; shí yǐn bù jié, qǐ jū bù shí zhě, yīn shòu zhī.
所以触犯贼风虚邪的，由阳承受；
Therefore the one who offends against thieving wind and empty evil — yang receives it. The one whose eating and drinking are without measure and whose rising and resting are out of season — yin receives it.
陽受之則入六府，陰受之則入五藏。 阳受之则入六府，阴受之则入五藏。
Yáng shòu zhī zé rù liù fǔ, yīn shòu zhī zé rù wǔ zàng.
阳承受的就进入六腑，阴承受的就进入五藏。
What yang receives enters the six palaces; what yin receives enters the five depots.
入六府則身熱不時卧，上爲喘呼；入五藏則䐜滿閉塞，下爲飱泄，久爲腸澼。 入六府则身热不时卧，上为喘呼；入五藏则䐜满闭塞，下为飧泄，久为肠澼。
Rù liù fǔ zé shēn rè bù shí wò, shàng wéi chuǎn hū; rù wǔ zàng zé chēn mǎn bì sè, xià wéi sūn xiè, jiǔ wéi cháng pì.
进入六腑就身体发热、不能按时安卧，在上表现为喘息呼叫；
Entering the six palaces, there is heat in the body and sleep out of season, and above, panting and calling out. Entering the five depots, there is distension, fullness and blockage, and below, food-diarrhoea, which in time becomes intestinal flux.
故喉主天氣，咽主地氣。 故喉主天气，咽主地气。
Gù hóu zhǔ tiān qì, yān zhǔ dì qì.
所以喉主司天气，咽主司地气。
Thus the throat governs the qi of heaven, and the pharynx governs the qi of earth.
故陽受風氣，陰受濕氣。 故阳受风气，阴受湿气。
Gù yáng shòu fēng qì, yīn shòu shī qì.
所以阳承受风气，阴承受湿气。
Thus yang receives wind qi, and yin receives damp qi.
故陰氣從足上行至頭，而下行循臂至指端；陽氣從手上行至頭，而下行至足。 故阴气从足上行至头，而下行循臂至指端；阳气从手上行至头，而下行至足。
Gù yīn qì cóng zú shàng xíng zhì tóu, ér xià xíng xún bì zhì zhǐ duān; yáng qì cóng shǒu shàng xíng zhì tóu, ér xià xíng zhì zú.
所以阴气从足上行到头，再下行沿臂到指端；阳气从手上到头，再下行到足。
Thus yin qi travels up from the foot to the head, and then descends, following the arm to the finger tips; yang qi travels up from the hand to the head, and then descends to the foot.
故曰：陽病者，上行極而下；陰病者，下行極而上。 故曰：阳病者，上行极而下；阴病者，下行极而上。
Gù yuē: yáng bìng zhě, shàng xíng jí ér xià; yīn bìng zhě, xià xíng jí ér shàng.
所以说：阳病先向上行到极点，然后向下；阴病先向下行到极点，然后向上。
Hence it is said: in yang disease, the evil travels upward to its extreme and then downward; in yin disease, it travels downward to its extreme and then upward.
故傷於風者，上先受之；傷於濕者，下先受之。 故伤于风者，上先受之；伤于湿者，下先受之。
Gù shāng yú fēng zhě, shàng xiān shòu zhī; shāng yú shī zhě, xià xiān shòu zhī.
所以被风伤的，上部先受邪；被湿伤的，下部先受邪。
Thus the one harmed by wind is affected above first; the one harmed by damp is affected below first.
帝曰：脾病而四支不用，何也？ 帝曰：脾病而四支不用，何也？
Dì yuē: pí bìng ér sì zhī bù yòng, hé yě?
黄帝说：脾有病而四肢不能活动，是什么道理？
The Emperor says: when the spleen is diseased the four limbs cannot be used. Why is that?
歧伯曰：四支皆稟氣於胃，而不得至經。 歧伯曰：四支皆禀气于胃，而不得至经。
Qí bó yuē: sì zhī jiē bǐng qì yú wèi, ér bù dé zhì jīng.
歧伯说：四肢都从胃禀受气，但这气不能直接到达经脉。
Qibo says: the four limbs all receive their qi from the stomach, but it does not reach the channels by itself.
必因於脾，乃得禀也。 必因于脾，乃得禀也。
Bì yīn yú pí, nǎi dé bǐng yě.
必须依靠脾的转输，才能真正禀受。
It must depend on the spleen before they can obtain it.
今脾病不能爲胃行其津液，四支不得稟水榖氣，氣日以衰，脉道不利，筋骨肌肉，皆無氣以生，故不用焉。 今脾病不能为胃行其津液，四支不得禀水谷气，气日以衰，脉道不利，筋骨肌肉，皆无气以生，故不用焉。
Jīn pí bìng bù néng wèi wèi xíng qí jīn yè, sì zhī bù dé bǐng shuǐ gǔ qì, qì rì yǐ shuāi, mài dào bù lì, jīn gǔ jī ròu, jiē wú qì yǐ shēng, gù bù yòng yān.
如今脾有病，不能替胃运行津液，四肢就禀受不到水谷的精气，
Now, when the spleen is diseased and cannot move the fluids on behalf of the stomach, the four limbs do not receive the qi of water and grain. The qi weakens day by day, the ways of the vessels do not flow freely, and the sinews, bones, muscles and flesh all have no qi with which to live — hence they cannot be used.
帝曰：脾不主時，何也？ 帝曰：脾不主时，何也？
Dì yuē: pí bù zhǔ shí, hé yě?
黄帝说：脾不单独主一个时令，是什么道理？
The Emperor says: the spleen does not govern a season. Why is that?
歧伯曰：脾者，土也，治中央，常以四時長四藏，各十八日寄治，不得獨主於時也。 歧伯曰：脾者，土也，治中央，常以四时长四藏，各十八日寄治，不得独主于时也。
Qí bó yuē: pí zhě, tǔ yě, zhì zhōng yāng, cháng yǐ sì shí zhǎng sì zàng, gè shí bā rì jì zhì, bù dé dú zhǔ yú shí yě.
歧伯说：脾属土，位居中央，
Qibo says: the spleen is earth. It rules the centre, and constantly, through the four seasons, it grows the four depots — governing by delegation for eighteen days in each. It cannot govern a season by itself.
脾藏者，常著胃土之精也。 脾藏者，常著胃土之精也。
Pí zàng zhě, cháng zhuó wèi tǔ zhī jīng yě.
所谓脾藏，是常常著见胃土所化之精气的。
The spleen depot is that which constantly bears the essence of the earth of the stomach.
土者，生萬物而法天地，故上下至頭足，不得主時也。 土者，生万物而法天地，故上下至头足，不得主时也。
Tǔ zhě, shēng wàn wù ér fǎ tiān dì, gù shàng xià zhì tóu zú, bù dé zhǔ shí yě.
土能生养万物而取法于天地，
Earth gives birth to the ten thousand things and takes heaven and earth as its law; therefore it reaches above to the head and below to the feet, and cannot govern a season.
帝曰：脾與胃以膜相連耳，而能爲之行其津液，何也？ 帝曰：脾与胃以膜相连耳，而能为之行其津液，何也？
Dì yuē: pí yǔ wèi yǐ mó xiāng lián ěr, ér néng wèi zhī xíng qí jīn yè, hé yě?
黄帝说：脾与胃不过以一层薄膜相连罢了，却能为胃运行津液，是什么道理？
The Emperor says: the spleen and the stomach are joined to each other by nothing but a membrane — how then can it move the fluids on its behalf?
歧伯曰：足太陰者，三陰也，其脉貫胃屬脾絡嗌，故太陰爲之行氣於三陰。 歧伯曰：足太阴者，三阴也，其脉贯胃属脾络嗌，故太阴为之行气于三阴。
Qí bó yuē: zú tài yīn zhě, sān yīn yě, qí mài guàn wèi shǔ pí luò yì, gù tài yīn wèi zhī xíng qì yú sān yīn.
歧伯说：足太阴是三阴，
Qibo says: foot Taiyin is the third yin. Its vessel penetrates the stomach, belongs to the spleen and networks the pharynx; therefore Taiyin moves the qi for it through the three yin.
陽明者表也，五藏六府之海也，亦爲之行氣於三陽。 阳明者表也，五藏六府之海也，亦为之行气于三阳。
Yáng míng zhě biǎo yě, wǔ zàng liù fǔ zhī hǎi yě, yì wèi zhī xíng qì yú sān yáng.
阳明是表，是五藏六府之海，也为它们运行气于三阳。
Yangming is the exterior; it is the sea of the five depots and six palaces, and it likewise moves the qi for them through the three yang.
藏府各因其經，而受氣於陽明，故爲胃行其津液。 藏府各因其经，而受气于阳明，故为胃行其津液。
Zàng fǔ gè yīn qí jīng, ér shòu qì yú yáng míng, gù wèi wèi xíng qí jīn yè.
五藏六府各随其经脉而从阳明受气，所以阳明能为胃运行津液。
The depots and palaces each, along their own channels, receive qi from Yangming; therefore it moves the fluids on behalf of the stomach.
四支不得稟水榖氣，日以益衰，陰道不利，筋骨肌肉無氣以生，故不用焉。 四支不得禀水谷气，日以益衰，阴道不利，筋骨肌肉无气以生，故不用焉。
Sì zhī bù dé bǐng shuǐ gǔ qì, rì yǐ yì shuāi, yīn dào bù lì, jīn gǔ jī ròu wú qì yǐ shēng, gù bù yòng yān.
四肢禀受不到水谷的精气，就日益衰弱，阴的经道不通利，
The four limbs do not receive the qi of water and grain, and so grow weaker day by day; the ways of yin do not flow freely, and the sinews, bones, muscles and flesh have no qi with which to live — hence they cannot be used.

Textual notes

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

  1. 四支皆稟氣於胃四支皆禀气于胃

    「稟」讀 bǐng，受也、承也。底本「稟」三見、「禀」一見（「乃得禀也」），同篇二形並見，各从底本。

  2. 四支不得稟水榖氣四支不得禀水谷气

    「榖」讀 gǔ，本篇二見，从木不从禾，即「穀」之異體；通行本多作穀，簡化作谷。

  3. 入五藏則䐜滿閉塞入五藏则䐜满闭塞

    「䐜」讀 chēn，脹起也，本篇惟此一見；與「瞋」（張目也）形近音同而義別。「塞」讀 sè，不讀 sāi。

  4. 下爲飱泄，久爲腸澼下为飧泄，久为肠澼

    「飱」讀 sūn，即「飧」之異體，本篇惟此一見，謂完穀不化之泄；「澼」讀 pì，腸澼即後世之痢疾、便膿血。

  5. 身熱不時卧身热不时卧

    底本作「不時卧」，王冰以降多訓為「不得臥」；姑从底本照錄而著其異。

  6. 更虚更實更虚更实

    「更」讀 gēng，更迭也，本篇二見（「更虚更實」「更逆更從」），不讀 gèng。

  7. 常以四時長四藏常以四时长四藏

    「長」讀 zhǎng，長養也，本篇惟此一見，不讀 cháng。

  8. 常著胃土之精也常著胃土之精也

    「著」讀 zhuó，附著也，本篇惟此一見；不作「着」，不讀 zhù。

  9. 今脾病不能爲胃行其津液今脾病不能为胃行其津液

    「爲」本篇九見：篇首「爲表裏」讀 wéi（是也、作為也），此處及下文「而能爲之行其津液」讀 wèi（替也），同篇二讀並見。

  10. 其脉貫胃屬脾絡嗌其脉贯胃属脾络嗌

    「嗌」讀 yì，咽喉也，本篇惟此一見，與上文「咽」讀 yān 者義近而字別。

  11. 四支不得稟水榖氣，日以益衰四支不得禀水谷气，日以益衰

    此節與篇中「氣日以衰，脉道不利」一段重出而文小異，疑傳寫之異，各从底本兩存。

Cite this page

APA

Huangdi Neijing · Suwen 黃帝內經素問 (c. 3rd c. BCE – 1st c. CE; recension c. 762 CE). Tài yīn yáng míng lùn 太陰陽明論 [A Discourse on Taiyin and Yangming], Chapter 29. 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 11 October 2026, from https://classicstcm.com/classics/huangdi-neijing-suwen/taiyin-and-yangming/

MLA

"Tài yīn yáng míng lùn 太陰陽明論 [A Discourse on Taiyin and Yangming]." Huangdi Neijing · Suwen 黃帝內經素問, chapter 29, Classica Sinica Medica, 2026, https://classicstcm.com/classics/huangdi-neijing-suwen/taiyin-and-yangming/. Accessed 11 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·太陰陽明論》（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 11 日 存取，https://classicstcm.com/classics/huangdi-neijing-suwen/taiyin-and-yangming/。

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