素问·异法方宜论 Discourse on Different Methods Suited to Different Regions
黄帝问曰：医之治病也，一病而治各不同皆愈何也。歧伯对曰：地势使然也。故东方之域，天地之所始生也，鱼盐之地，海滨傍水，其民食鱼而嗜咸，皆安其处，美其食，鱼者使人热中，盐者胜血，故其民皆黑色踈理，其病皆为痈疡，其治宜砭石，故砭石者，亦从东方来。
西方者，金玉之域，沙石之处，天地之所收引也，其民陵居而多风，水土刚强，其民不衣而褐荐，其民华食而脂肥，故邪不能伤其形体，其病生于内，其治宜毒药，故毒药者，亦从西方来。
北方者，天地所闭藏之域也，其地高陵居，风寒冰冽，其民乐野处而乳食，藏寒生满病，其治宜灸焫，故灸焫者，亦从北方来。
南方者，天地所长养，阳之所盛处也，其地下，水土弱，雾露之所聚也，其民嗜酸而食胕，故其民皆致理而赤色，其病挛痹，其治宜微针，故九针者，亦从南方来。
中央者，其地平以湿，天地所以生万物也众，其民食杂而不劳，故其病多痿厥寒热，其治宜导引按蹻，故导引按蹻者，亦从中央出也。故圣人杂合以治，各得其所宜，故治所以异而病皆愈者，得病之情，知治之大体也。
Huangdi asked: When physicians treat disease, for one and the same disease the treatments differ, yet all achieve a cure — why is this? Qibo replied: This is caused by the differing configurations of the land. Thus, in the eastern region, the place where heaven and earth first give birth to life, a land of fish and salt bordering the sea, its people eat fish and crave salty food; they are content with their dwelling places and relish their food. Fish causes heat to accumulate within a person, and salt overcomes the blood; thus the people there all have dark complexions and coarse skin texture, and their diseases are mostly abscesses and ulcers. Their proper treatment is stone lancets; hence stone lancets also originated from the east.
The western region is a land of metal and jade, of sand and stone, the place where heaven and earth gather in and draw together. Its people dwell on the highlands, and there is much wind; the water and soil are hard and strong. The people there do not wear cloth but coarse felt and mats; they eat rich food and are fat. Thus evil qi cannot injure their bodily form, and their diseases arise from within; the proper treatment is toxic medicines. Hence toxic medicines also originated from the west.
The northern region is the land where heaven and earth close up and store away. The land there is elevated, and the people dwell on the highlands, with wind, cold, and ice. The people there delight in living in the open wilds and subsist on milk; cold accumulates in the viscera, giving rise to diseases of fullness and distension. The proper treatment is moxibustion with burning artemisia; hence moxibustion also originated from the north.
The southern region is where heaven and earth foster growth, the place where yang is most abundant. Its land lies low, and the water and soil are weak; it is a place where mist and dew gather. Its people crave sour food and eat fermented foods; thus the people there all have fine skin texture and reddish complexions, and their diseases are cramp and numbness. The proper treatment is fine needles; hence the nine needles also originated from the south.
The central region has land that is flat and moist, and it is where heaven and earth produce the greatest abundance of the myriad things. Its people eat a mixed diet and do not labor much; thus their diseases are mostly wilting, cold reversal, cold, and heat. The proper treatment is guided stretching and massage; hence guided stretching and massage also originated from the center. Therefore the sage combines and integrates these methods in treatment, each suited to what is appropriate, so that although the treatments differ, the diseases are all cured — this comes from grasping the true nature of the disease and understanding the overall principles of treatment.