狂

kuáng

Mania · kuang

Also rendered: Mania (this site; the single graph as chapter 55 uses it, kept apart from the compound 怒狂 that chapter 46 uses) · Madness; 狂证 (the received pair in later medicine; broader than this chapter's case, which is a vessel state rather than a behaviour)

Reviewed · 2026-10-02

At a glance

Pinyin
kuáng
Simplified
狂
Literal
狂 — from 犬, the dog: 《說文》 glosses it 狾犬也, a mad dog, and the human illness keeps the dog in it, wildness rather than mere anger. The chapter gives it no gloss and no cure, only a place and a sign: 病在諸陽脉,且寒且熱,諸分且寒且熱,名曰狂 — when the yang vessels are affected and both cold and heat are present, the partings sharing the alternation, the illness is called mania. The needle empties the vessel and waits for the partings to run hot, which is the same instruction every entry in the chapter gives.
Shuowen
《說文解字》:「狂,狾犬也,从犬㞷聲」;「陽,高明也」;「脉,血理分袤行體者」;「視,瞻也」。「狂」讀 kuáng、**本篇1見**;「陽」讀 yáng、**「諸陽脉」之陽讀 yáng,本篇1見**;「脉」讀 mài、**本篇5見**;「且」讀 qiě、**「且寒且熱」之且讀 qiě,本篇8見**;「寒」讀 hán、**本篇10見**;「熱」讀 rè、**本篇11見**;「分」讀 fēn、**「諸分」之分讀 fēn,本篇10見**;「虚」讀 xū、**「刺之虚脉」之虚讀 xū,本篇1見**;「視」讀 shì、**「視分盡熱」之視讀 shì,本篇2見**;「盡」讀 jìn、**本篇4見**;「止」讀 zhǐ、**本篇9見**;「刺」讀 cì、**本篇26見**

In brief

Mania, as chapter 55 names it: not a temperament and not an attack of rage, but an illness of the yang vessels in which the partings are by turns cold and hot. The site already carries 怒狂 nù kuáng, rage and mania, the compound chapter 46 uses when yang qi is abruptly checked. Here the word stands alone, and the chapter’s business with it is only this — needle so as to empty the vessel, and stop once the partings everywhere run hot.

Senses in the classical corpus

1
The graph 狂
从犬,《說文》「狂,狾犬也」;人之狂疾取狂犬之義,言其狂亂而不止
名曰狂 — Suwen 55
2
Where it sits 病在諸陽脉
陽脉受邪,陽盛則狂
病在諸陽脉 — Suwen 55
3
The sign 且寒且熱,諸分且寒且熱
脉與分肉皆乍寒乍熱;「且」讀 qiě,猶「又……又……」
諸分且寒且熱 — Suwen 55
4
The needling 刺之虚脉
刺而虚其脉,瀉其陽之實邪
刺之虚脉 — Suwen 55
5
When to stop 視分盡熱,病已止
分肉盡熱,則陽氣流布不并於一,病已
視分盡熱,病已止 — Suwen 55
6
How it differs from the compound 怒狂
第四十六篇作「怒狂」,為陽氣遏抑而善怒;此作單字「狂」,為陽脉受邪而寒熱相間
名曰狂 — Suwen 55

Occurrences in the classics

Passages where the term does real work, with the original, pinyin and English on the same line.

Display
5 passages
Suwen 55 Suwen 55 · 長刺節論 Read in context →
深者刺無傷脉肉爲故,其道大分小分,骨熱,病已止,病在諸陽脉,且寒且熱,諸分且寒且熱,名曰狂。 深者刺无伤脉肉为故,其道大分小分,骨热,病已止,病在诸阳脉,且寒且热,诸分且寒且热,名曰狂。
Shēn zhě cì wú shāng mài ròu wéi gù, qí dào dà fēn xiǎo fēn, gǔ rè, bìng yǐ zhǐ, bìng zài zhū yáng mài, qiě hán qiě rè, zhū fēn qiě hán qiě rè, míng yuē kuáng.
Go deep, but make it the rule to do no harm to the vessels and the flesh; the way in lies still through the greater and lesser partings. When the bone is hot the illness is over and you stop. When the trouble is in the various yang vessels, by turns cold and hot, and the partings share that alternation, the illness is called mania.
**「狂」本篇1見——「狂」讀 kuáng、**本篇1見**;「陽」讀 yáng、**本篇1見**;「脉」讀 mài、**本篇5見**;「且」讀 qiě、**「且寒且熱」讀 qiě,本篇8見**;「寒」讀 hán、**本篇10見**;「熱」讀 rè、**本篇11見**;「分」讀 fēn、**本篇10見**;「虚」讀 xū、**「刺之虚脉」讀 xū,本篇1見**;「視」讀 shì、**本篇2見**;「盡」讀 jìn、**本篇4見**;**此句與上文「骨熱,病已止」相連:來稿句讀以逗相承,字序仍从底本**
素問·調經論 Suwen 62 · 調經論 Read in context →
血并於陰,氣并於陽,故爲驚狂;血并於陽,氣并於陰,乃爲炅中;血并於上,氣并於下,心煩惋善怒;血并於下,氣并於上,亂而喜忘。 血并于阴,气并于阳,故为惊狂;血并于阳,气并于阴,乃为炅中;血并于上,气并于下,心烦惋善怒;血并于下,气并于上,乱而喜忘。
Xuè bìng yú yīn, qì bìng yú yáng, gù wéi jīng kuáng; xuè bìng yú yáng, qì bìng yú yīn, nǎi wéi jiǒng zhōng; xuè bìng yú shàng, qì bìng yú xià, xīn fán wǎn shàn nù; xuè bìng yú xià, qì bìng yú shàng, luàn ér xǐ wàng.
Blood pooling in yin and qi in yang makes fright and madness; blood pooling in yang and qi in yin makes heat in the interior; blood pooling above and qi below makes the heart fret and a man quick to anger; blood pooling below and qi above makes confusion and forgetfulness.
「血并於陰,氣并於陽,故爲驚狂」——**「狂」本篇1見,在血氣相并之證中**:**血并於陰、氣并於陽則陽氣盛於上而為驚狂——驚與狂相因而見**;**本目出第五十五篇,本篇之「驚狂」與之同實**;**「狂」讀 kuáng、「驚」讀 jīng**
素問·氣交變大論 Suwen 69 · 氣交變大論 Read in context →
歲火太過,炎暑流行,金肺受邪。民病瘧,少氣欬喘,血溢,血泄,注下,嗌燥耳聾,中熱,肩背熱。上應熒惑星。甚則胸中痛,脅支滿,脅痛,膺背肩胛間痛,兩臂内痛,身熱骨痛,而爲浸淫。收氣不行,長氣獨明,雨水霜寒。上應辰星。上臨少陰少陽,火燔爇,冰泉涸,物焦槁。病反譫妄狂越,欬喘息鳴,下甚血溢,泄不已。太淵絶者,死不治。上應熒惑星。 岁火太过,炎暑流行,金肺受邪。民病疟,少气欬喘,血溢,血泄,注下,嗌燥耳聋,中热,肩背热。上应荧惑星。甚则胸中痛,胁支满,胁痛,膺背肩胛间痛,两臂内痛,身热骨痛,而为浸淫。收气不行,长气独明,雨水霜寒。上应辰星。上临少阴少阳,火燔爇,冰泉涸,物焦槁。病反谵妄狂越,欬喘息鸣,下甚血溢,泄不已。太渊绝者,死不治。上应荧惑星。
Suì huǒ tài guò, yán shǔ liú xíng, jīn fèi shòu xié. Mín bìng nüè, shǎo qì kài chuǎn, xuè yì, xuè xiè, zhù xià, yì zào ěr lóng, zhōng rè, jiān bèi rè. Shàng yìng yíng huò xīng. Shèn zé xiōng zhōng tòng, xié zhī mǎn, xié tòng, yīng bèi jiān jiǎ jiān tòng, liǎng bì nèi tòng, shēn rè gǔ tòng, ér wéi jìn yín. Shōu qì bù xíng, zhǎng qì dú míng, yǔ shuǐ shuāng hán. Shàng yìng chén xīng. Shàng lín shào yīn shào yáng, huǒ fán ruò, bīng quán hé, wù jiāo gǎo. Bìng fǎn zhān wàng kuáng yuè, kài chuǎn xī míng, xià shèn xuè yì, xiè bù yǐ. Tài yuān jué zhě, sǐ bù zhì. Shàng yìng yíng huò xīng.
In a year of fire in surplus, blazing summer heat spreads and moves and the metal of the lung receives evil. The people are ill with malaria, scantness of qi, coughing and panting, blood escaping upward, blood discharged downward, pouring below, dryness of the throat and deafness, heat in the centre and heat in the shoulder and back; it answers above to Mars. If it is severe there is pain in the chest, propping fullness and pain in the flanks, pain between the breast, the back and the shoulder blades, pain on the inner side of both arms, heat of the body and pain in the bones, and the soaking spread of the illness. The qi of gathering does not move and the qi of growth shines alone; rain, water, frost and cold arrive; it answers above to Mercury. If lesser yin or lesser yang presides above, fire blazes and scorches, the icy springs dry up and things are burnt and withered; the illness turns to delirious speech and raving, coughing and panting with a noisy breath, and, below, severe bleeding and unending discharge. Where Taiyuan is cut off there is death and no cure; it answers above to Mars.
「病反譫妄狂越,欬喘息鳴,下甚血溢,泄不已」——**「狂」本篇1見,止此一見,在「譫妄狂越」**;**狂越者,狂亂而越其常度;本篇在歲火太過、上臨少陰少陽之甚者**;**「狂」讀 kuáng**
素問·生氣通天論 Suwen 3 · 生氣通天論 Read in context →
歧伯曰:陰者,藏精而起亟也;陽者,衞外而爲固也。陰不勝其陽,則脉流薄疾,并乃狂。陽不勝其陰,則五藏氣爭,九竅不通。 歧伯曰:阴者,藏精而起亟也;阳者,卫外而为固也。阴不胜其阳,则脉流薄疾,并乃狂。阳不胜其阴,则五脏气争,九窍不通。
Qí bó yuē: yīn zhě, cáng jīng ér qǐ qì yě; yáng zhě, wèi wài ér wéi gù yě. yīn bù shèng qí yáng, zé mài liú bó jí, bìng nǎi kuáng. yáng bù shèng qí yīn, zé wǔ zàng qì zhēng, jiǔ qiào bù tōng.
Qi Bo said: yin stores the jing and rises again and again to answer yang; yang defends the outside and makes it firm. If yin does not match its yang, the flow in the vessels turns thin and swift, and union brings mania. If yang does not match its yin, the qi of the five viscera contend and the nine orifices do not open.
「并乃狂」——陰不勝其陽,則脉流薄疾,陽氣相并而上逆乃狂;狂讀 kuáng;**「狂」本篇1見**
Suwen 70 Suwen 70 · 五常政大論 Read in context →
赫曦之紀,是謂蕃茂。陰氣内化,陽氣外榮,炎暑施化,物得以昌。其化長,其氣高,其政動,其令鳴顯,其動炎灼妄擾,其色赤、白、𤣥,其味苦、辛、鹹,其象夏,其經手少陰、太陽,手厥陰、少陽,其藏心、肺,其蟲羽鱗,其物脉濡,其病笑瘧、瘡瘍,血流,狂妄,目赤。上羽與正徴同,其收齊,其病痓,上徴而收氣後也。暴烈其政,藏氣乃復,時見凝慘,甚則雨水、霜雹切寒,邪傷心也。 赫曦之纪,是谓蕃茂。阴气内化,阳气外荣,炎暑施化,物得以昌。其化长,其气高,其政动,其令鸣显,其动炎灼妄扰,其色赤、白、𤣥,其味苦、辛、咸,其象夏,其经手少阴、太阳,手厥阴、少阳,其藏心、肺,其虫羽鳞,其物脉濡,其病笑疟、疮疡,血流,狂妄,目赤。上羽与正徵同,其收齐,其病痓,上徵而收气后也。暴烈其政,藏气乃复,时见凝惨,甚则雨水、霜雹切寒,邪伤心也。
Hè xī zhī jì, shì wèi fán mào. Yīn qì nèi huà, yáng qì wài róng, yán shǔ shī huà, wù dé yǐ chāng. Qí huà zhǎng, qí qì gāo, qí zhèng dòng, qí lìng míng xiǎn, qí dòng yán zhuó wàng rǎo, qí sè chì, bái, xuán, qí wèi kǔ, xīn, xián, qí xiàng xià, qí jīng shǒu shào yīn, tài yáng, shǒu jué yīn, shào yáng, qí zàng xīn, fèi, qí chóng yǔ lín, qí wù mài rú, qí bìng xiào nüè, chuāng yáng, xuè liú, kuáng wàng, mù chì. Shàng yǔ yǔ zhèng zhǐ tóng, qí shōu qí, qí bìng chì, shàng zhǐ ér shōu qì hòu yě. Bào liè qí zhèng, zàng qì nǎi fù, shí xiàn níng cǎn, shèn zé yǔ shuǐ, shuāng báo qiè hán, xié shāng xīn yě.
The era of Blazing Sunlight is called luxuriant growth: the yin qi transforms within, the yang qi flourishes without, blazing heat spreads its transformation, and beings are thereby made abundant. Its transformation growth, its qi high, its governance movement, its command clamour and display, its movement blazing and scorching, reckless and disturbing, its colour red, white and black, its flavour bitter, acrid and salty, its image summer, its channels the hand lesser yin and greater yang, the hand ceasing yin and lesser yang, its viscera the heart and lung, its creature the feathered and the scaly, its thing the vessels, moist. Its illness laughter, malaria, boils and sores, blood flowing out, madness and raving, red eyes. Where the upper is yu it is one with the upright zhi, its harvest is even and its illness convulsion; where the upper is zhi the qi of harvest comes late. If its governance is violent the qi of storage takes its revenge, and now and again bleak congealing appears; in the extreme, rain, frost, hail and biting cold, and evil injures the heart.
**「狂」本篇1見,止在赫曦之紀「狂妄」**;**「血流,狂妄,目赤」三證連舉,皆火太過之病**

Compounds built on this term

狂
kuáng
mania
本篇一見(名曰狂)
諸陽脉
zhū yáng mài
the various yang vessels
本篇一見,狂之所病
刺之虚脉
cì zhī xū mài
needling so as to empty the vessel
本篇一見
視分盡熱
shì fēn jìn rè
watching for the partings to be hot throughout
本篇一見,止鍼之候

How it has been translated

Every rendering below is a decision about which reader is being addressed. There is no neutral option.

This sitemaniaan illness of the yang vessels with the partings alternately cold and hot, emptied by the needle
Later medicine狂 kuáng, 狂证a derangement of the spirit with its own causes and prescriptions, often paired with 癲 as 癲狂
Modern editionsmania, psychosisclassified among mental disorders; what drops away is the sign the chapter goes by — cold and heat alternating in the partings, and heat arriving as the cure

Entry status

Review pending — who reviews this?

2026-10-02

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