Diagnostic Essentials and the End of the Meridians

In the first and second months heaven’s qi begins to order itself, earth’s qi begins to issue, and human qi is in the liver.

ORIGINAL正月二月，天气始方，地气始发，人气在肝。

zhèng yuè èr yuè，tiān qì shǐ fāng，dì qì shǐ fā，rén qì zài gān。

In the third and fourth months heaven’s qi is at its proper ordering, earth’s qi issues fully, and human qi is in the spleen.

ORIGINAL三月四月，天气正方，地气定发，人气在脾。

sān yuè sì yuè，tiān qì zhèng fāng，dì qì dìng fā，rén qì zài pí。

In the fifth and sixth months heaven’s qi is at its height, earth’s qi rises high, and human qi is in the head.

ORIGINAL五月六月，天气盛，地气高，人气在头。

wǔ yuè liù yuè，tiān qì shèng，dì qì gāo，rén qì zài tóu。

In the seventh and eighth months yin qi begins to kill, and human qi is in the lung.

ORIGINAL七月八月，阴气始杀，人气在肺。

qī yuè bā yuè，yīn qì shǐ shā，rén qì zài fèi。

In the ninth and tenth months yin qi begins to freeze, earth’s qi begins to close, and human qi is in the heart.

ORIGINAL九月十月，阴气始冰，地气始闭，人气在心。

jiǔ yuè shí yuè，yīn qì shǐ bīng，dì qì shǐ bì，rén qì zài xīn。

In the eleventh and twelfth months the ice returns, earth’s qi closes completely, and human qi is in the kidney.

ORIGINAL十一月十二月，冰复，地气合，人气在肾。

shí yī yuè shí èr yuè，bīng fù，dì qì hé，rén qì zài shèn。

In all needling of the chest and abdomen, the five viscera must be avoided.

ORIGINAL凡刺胸腹者，必避五脏。

fán cì xiōng fù zhě，bì bì wǔ zàng。

A wound to the heart kills within a day; to the spleen within five days; to the kidney within seven days; to the lung within five days. Wounds to the diaphragm all injure the interior: though the illness seem to improve, death comes within the year.

ORIGINAL中心者环死，中脾者五日死，中肾者七日死，中肺者五日死，中膈者皆为伤中，其病虽愈，不过一岁必死。

zhòng xīn zhě huán sǐ，zhòng pí zhě wǔ rì sǐ，zhòng shèn zhě qī rì sǐ，zhòng fèi zhě wǔ rì sǐ，zhòng gé zhě jiē wéi shāng zhōng，qí bìng suī yù，bù guò yī suì bì sǐ。

To avoid the five viscera in needling is to know the contrary and the concordant.

ORIGINAL刺避五脏者，知逆从也。

cì bì wǔ zàng zhě，zhī nì cóng yě。