灵枢经·顺气一日分为四时 According with Qi: The Day Divided into Four Seasons

Huangdi said: "Now, the hundred diseases, in their origin, always arise from dryness, warmth, cold, summer-heat, wind, and rain, from yin and yang, from joy and anger, from food and drink, and from one's dwelling and manner of living; when qi combines with these factors a form results, and once it settles into a particular viscus it acquires a name — this much I understand. But why is it that in most of the hundred diseases, the patient is clear-headed at dawn, calm during the day, worsens toward evening, and is most severe at night?" Qibo said: "This is brought about by the qi of the four seasons."

Huangdi said: "I wish to hear about the qi of the four seasons." Qibo said: "Spring brings forth life, summer brings growth, autumn brings gathering-in, and winter brings storage — this is the constant pattern of qi, and human beings correspond to it as well. If one divides a single day into the four seasons, dawn corresponds to spring, midday corresponds to summer, sunset corresponds to autumn, and midnight corresponds to winter. At dawn, human qi begins to be generated and the pathogenic qi of disease declines, and so the patient is clear-headed. At midday, human qi grows to its fullness, and in its fullness it overcomes the evil qi, and so the patient is calm. Toward evening, human qi begins to decline and evil qi begins to be generated, and so the illness worsens. At midnight, human qi withdraws into the viscera, and evil qi alone occupies the body, and so the illness is most severe."

Huangdi said: "Yet there are times when this pattern is reversed — why is this?" Qibo said: "This occurs when the disease does not correspond to the qi of the four seasons, but rather when a single viscus alone governs the disease; in such cases, the illness will necessarily worsen at the time when the viscus's own qi cannot overcome the prevailing seasonal qi, and will improve at the time when its qi does overcome it." Huangdi said: "How does one treat this?" Qibo said: "By following the timing of Heaven, one can anticipate the course of the disease. One who follows this principle is a skilled physician; one who goes against it is a crude one."

Huangdi said: "Excellent. I have heard that in needling there are five transformations, which govern the five transport points. I wish to hear their measure." Qibo said: "A person has five viscera, and the five viscera have five transformations. The five transformations correspond to five transport points, and so five times five gives twenty-five transport points, corresponding to the five seasonal periods."

Huangdi said: "I wish to hear of the five transformations." Qibo said: "The liver is a male viscus; its color is green-blue, its season is spring, its note is jue, its flavor is sour, and its days are Jia and Yi. The heart is a male viscus; its color is red, its season is summer, its days are Bing and Ding, its note is zhi, and its flavor is bitter. The spleen is a female viscus; its color is yellow, its season is late summer, its days are Wu and Ji, its note is gong, and its flavor is sweet. The lung is a female viscus; its color is white, its note is shang, its season is autumn, its days are Geng and Xin, and its flavor is pungent. The kidney is a female viscus; its color is black, its season is winter, its days are Ren and Gui, its note is yu, and its flavor is salty. These are the five transformations."

Huangdi said: "How do these govern the five transport points?" Qibo said: "The viscus governs winter, and in winter one needles the Well points. The color governs spring, and in spring one needles the Spring points. The season governs summer, and in summer one needles the Stream points. The note governs late summer, and in late summer one needles the River points. The flavor governs autumn, and in autumn one needles the Sea points. This is what is meant by the five transformations governing the five transport points."

Huangdi said: "But what of the Source points — how do they fit harmoniously among these, in relation to the five transport points?" Qibo said: "The Source points alone do not correspond to the five seasonal periods; they are joined together with the River points to correspond to their proper number, and so there are six times six, thirty-six transport points in total."

Huangdi said: "What is meant by saying that the viscus governs winter, the season governs summer, the note governs late summer, the flavor governs autumn, and the color governs spring? I wish to hear the reason for this." Qibo said: "When disease lies in the viscus itself, one selects the Well point. When disease manifests as a change in complexion, one selects the Spring point. When disease alternates between mild and severe at different times, one selects the Stream point. When disease manifests as a change in the voice, one selects the River point. When the channel is full and there is stagnant blood, the disease lies in the stomach; and when disease arises from irregular eating and drinking, one selects the Sea point — hence it is said that the flavor governs the Sea point. This is what is meant by the five transformations."