素问·标本病传论 Discourse on Root and Branch and the Transmission of Disease
黄帝问曰：病有标本，刺有逆从，柰何。歧伯对曰：凡刺之方，必别阴阳，前后相应，逆从得施，标本相移。故曰：有其在标而求之于标，有其在本而求之于本，有其在本而求之于标，有其在标而求之于本，故治有取标而得者，有取本而得者，有逆取而得者，有从取而得者。故知逆与从，正行无问，知标本者，万举万当，不知标本，是谓妄行。
夫阴阳逆从，标本之为道也，小而大，言一而知百病之害，少而多，浅而博，可以言一而知百也。以浅而知深，察近而知远，言标与本，易而勿及，治反为逆，治得为从。先病而后逆者治其本，先逆而后病者治其本，先寒而后生病者治其本，先病而后生寒者治其本，先热而后生病者治其本，先热而后生中满者治其标，先病而后泄者治其本，先泄而后生他病者治其本，必且调之，乃治其他病，先病而后先中满者治其标，先中满而后烦心者治其本。人有客气有同气，小大不利治其标，小大利治其本。病发而有馀，本而标之，先治其本，后治其标。病发而不足标而本之，先治其标后治其本。谨察间甚，以意调之，闲者并行，甚者独行，先小大不利而后生病者治其本。
夫病传者，心病先心痛，一日而咳，三日脇支痛，五日闭塞不通，身痛体重，三日不已，死，冬夜半，夏日中。肺病喘咳，三日而脇支满痛，一日身重体痛，五日而胀，十日不已，死，冬日入，夏日出。肝病头目眩脇支满，三日体重身痛，五日而胀，三日腰脊少腹痛胫酸，三日不已，死，冬日入，夏早食。脾病身痛体重，一日而胀，二日少腹腰脊痛胫酸，三日背𦛗筋痛小便闭，十日不已，死，冬人定，夏晏食。肾病少腹腰脊痛䯒酸，三日背𦛗筋痛小便闭，三日腹胀，三日两脇支痛，三日不已，死，冬大晨，夏晏晡。胃病胀满，五日少腹腰脊痛䯒酸，三日背𦛗筋痛小便闭，五日身体重，六日不已，死，冬夜半后，夏日昳。膀胱病小便闭，五日少腹胀腰脊痛䯒酸，一日腹胀，一日身体痛，二日不已，死，冬鸡鸣，夏下晡。诸病以次是相传，如是者，皆有死期。不可刺。闲一藏止，及至三四藏者，乃可刺也。
Huangdi asked: In disease there is root and branch; in needling there is contrariety and compliance. How is this? Qibo replied: In general, the method of needling must distinguish yin and yang, so that front and back correspond to one another and contrariety and compliance can be properly applied, with root and branch shifting into each other. Hence it is said: there are cases where the trouble is in the branch and one seeks it in the branch; there are cases where it is in the root and one seeks it in the root; there are cases where it is in the root and one seeks it in the branch; there are cases where it is in the branch and one seeks it in the root. Therefore in treatment there are cases where taking the branch achieves success, cases where taking the root achieves success, cases where taking it contrary to its course achieves success, and cases where taking it compliant with its course achieves success. Hence, if one understands contrariety and compliance, one may act correctly without hesitation; if one understands root and branch, then every action taken will be fitting; if one does not understand root and branch, this is called acting recklessly.
Now, the contrariety and compliance of yin and yang, and the way of root and branch, extend from the small to the great: speaking of one thing, one can know the harm of a hundred diseases; from the few to the many, from the shallow to the broad, one can speak of one and know a hundred. By the shallow one may know the deep; by observing the near one may know the far. To speak of branch and root is easy, yet to reach its full application is not. Treating against the true condition is contrariety; treating so as to achieve cure is compliance. When disease comes first and counterflow comes afterward, treat the root. When counterflow comes first and disease comes afterward, treat the root. When cold comes first and disease is generated afterward, treat the root. When disease comes first and cold is generated afterward, treat the root. When heat comes first and disease is generated afterward, treat the root. When heat comes first and fullness in the middle is generated afterward, treat the branch. When disease comes first and diarrhea follows, treat the root. When diarrhea comes first and another disease is generated afterward, treat the root — one must first regulate the diarrhea, and only then treat the other disease. When disease comes first and fullness in the middle follows, treat the branch. When fullness in the middle comes first and vexation of the heart follows, treat the root. When a person has both guest qi and host qi together, if urination and defecation are inhibited, treat the branch; if they are free, treat the root. When disease arises with excess, treat the root before the branch. When disease arises with deficiency, treat the branch before the root. One must carefully examine whether the condition is mild or severe and regulate it by judgment: when mild, treat both together; when severe, treat one alone. When inhibited urination and defecation come first and disease is generated afterward, treat the root.
Now, as for the transmission of disease: in heart disease there is first heart pain; after one day, coughing; after three days, pain and distension in the rib-side; after five days, blockage and stoppage of the bowels, with pain and heaviness throughout the body; if this does not resolve after three more days, death follows — in winter at midnight, in summer at midday. In lung disease there is panting and coughing; after three days, distension and pain in the rib-side; after one day, heaviness and pain of the body; after five days, distension; if this does not resolve after ten days, death follows — in winter at sunset, in summer at sunrise. In liver disease there is headache, dizziness, and fullness in the rib-side; after three days, heaviness and pain of the body; after five days, distension; after three more days, pain in the lumbar spine and lower abdomen with aching of the shins; if this does not resolve after three more days, death follows — in winter at sunset, in summer at the morning meal. In spleen disease there is pain and heaviness of the body; after one day, distension; after two days, pain in the lower abdomen and lumbar spine with aching of the shins; after three days, pain in the muscles of the back and spine with blocked urination; if this does not resolve after ten days, death follows — in winter at nightfall, in summer at the late meal. In kidney disease there is pain in the lower abdomen and lumbar spine with aching of the shins; after three days, pain in the muscles of the back and spine with blocked urination; after three more days, abdominal distension; after three more days, pain and distension in both rib-sides; if this does not resolve after three more days, death follows — in winter at early dawn, in summer in the late afternoon. In stomach disease there is fullness and distension; after five days, pain in the lower abdomen and lumbar spine with aching of the shins; after three days, pain in the muscles of the back and spine with blocked urination; after five more days, heaviness of the body; if this does not resolve after six days, death follows — in winter after midnight, in summer in the early afternoon. In bladder disease there is blocked urination; after five days, distension of the lower abdomen and pain in the lumbar spine with aching of the shins; after one day, abdominal distension; after one more day, pain of the body; if this does not resolve after two days, death follows — in winter at the cock's crow, in summer in the late afternoon. All these diseases are transmitted in this sequence, and when this occurs each has a fixed time of death, and one must not needle. But if the transmission skips a viscus and stops, or reaches the third or fourth viscus, then needling may be undertaken.