素问·五藏别论 Further Discourse on the Five Viscera
黄帝问曰：余闻方士，或以脑髓为藏，或以肠胃为藏，或以为府，敢问更相反皆自谓是不知其道，愿闻其说。歧伯对曰：脑髓骨脉胆女子胞，此六者地气之所生也，皆藏于阴而象于地，故藏而不写，名曰奇恒之府。夫胃大肠小肠三焦膀胱，此五者，天气之所生也，其气象天故写而不藏，此受五藏浊气，名曰传化之府，此不能久留输写者也。魄门亦为五藏，使水谷不得久藏。所谓五藏者，藏精气而不写也，故满而不能实。六府者，传化物而不藏，故实而不能满也。所以然者，水谷入口，则胃实而肠虚；食下，则肠实而胃虚。故曰：实而不满，满而不实也。
帝曰：气口何以独为五藏主。歧伯曰：胃者水谷之海，六府之大源也。五味入口，藏于胃以养五藏气，气口亦太阴也。是以五藏六府之气味，皆出于胃，变见于气口。故五气入鼻，藏于心肺，心肺有病而鼻为之不利也。
凡治病必察其下，适其脉，观其志意，与其病也。拘于鬼神者，不可与言至德。恶于针石者，不可与言至巧。病不许治者病必不治，治之无功矣。
Huangdi asked: I have heard that some practitioners of the arts consider the brain and marrow to be viscera, while others consider the intestines and stomach to be viscera, and still others consider them to be bowels. Daring to ask — these views contradict one another, yet each claims to be correct, and I do not understand the reasoning behind them. I wish to hear your explanation. Qibo replied: The brain, the marrow, the bones, the blood vessels, the gallbladder, and the uterus — these six are generated by the qi of earth; they all store yin and take earth as their model, and so they store without discharging; they are called the extraordinary bowels. As for the stomach, large intestine, small intestine, triple burner, and bladder — these five are generated by the qi of heaven; their qi resembles heaven, and so they discharge without storing. These receive the turbid qi of the five viscera and are called the bowels of conveyance and transformation; they cannot retain their contents for long, but convey and discharge them. The anus also serves the five viscera, ensuring that water and grain are not retained for long. What are called the five viscera store essential qi without discharging it, and so they may be full but cannot be replete. The six bowels convey and transform substances without storing them, and so they may be replete but cannot be full. The reason for this is: when water and grain enter the mouth, the stomach becomes replete while the intestines remain empty; when the food descends, the intestines become replete while the stomach becomes empty. Hence it is said: replete but not full, full but not replete.
Huangdi said: Why is the qi opening at the wrist alone able to serve as the governor of the five viscera? Qibo said: The stomach is the sea of water and grain, the great source of the six bowels. The five flavors enter the mouth and are stored in the stomach, which nourishes the qi of the five viscera. The qi opening is also connected to the greater yin. Thus the qi and flavor of the five viscera and six bowels all issue from the stomach and manifest as changes at the qi opening. Therefore, the five qi enter through the nose and are stored in the heart and lung; when the heart and lung are diseased, the nose in turn becomes obstructed.
In treating disease, one must always examine the patient's lower condition, adjust to the pulse, and observe the patient's intentions and state of mind, as well as their illness. With those bound by superstition of ghosts and spirits, one cannot speak of the utmost virtue of medicine; with those who abhor needles and stone lancets, one cannot speak of the utmost skill. If a patient refuses treatment, the disease certainly cannot be cured, and treating it will be without effect.