五脏各有气化。即各有性情。有性情即有好恶。知其所恶即知治之之法。
心恶热。
世传五脏辨法。谓肝热筋灼。惊痫 。肺热咳嗽。气上口渴。脾热肉消。便秘潮热。肾热骨蒸。精枯髓竭。又上
焦热。则心烦口渴头咽目痛。中焦热则饮食减少。肿胀痢疟。下焦热则小便不利。大便失调。热之见证虽不一。而总之
归于心经。盖心为火脏。凡是火热。皆心所司。心化血以养火则火不亢而热除。若火太亢。则心血受伤。故心恶热。凡
治热证。无不用苦药。所以治心之火也。西医见热病即。以水置胸前。此热轻者可以立刻彻去若热重者。外被冰阻。则
热反内攻。为热毒伏心而死。现下香港疫证。为西医十治十死。皆此之故也。所以港人逃避。然则西医。亦当知变计矣。
肺恶寒。
肺气如天居至高布阳气。故在外则皮毛畏寒。恐伤其卫外之阳。在内则胸膈恶寒。恐伤其布护之气。寒伤皮毛。发
热咳嗽寒伤胸膈。停饮痹痛。
肝恶风。
肝木主风。而即恶风。盖血得和。气则流畅血得邪气则消。灼凝结老人中风小儿惊风一切风湿麻木瘙痒痉痫。盖无
一不当治肝。即无一不当养血。诚以风乃阴中之阳。血中之气。故惟风能鼓荡其血。亦惟血能调养其风。
脾恶湿。
飧泄洞泄痞满肿胀水饮等。证皆是湿气有余。脾土不能克化。五行惟土能制水。土胜则水受制。水胜则土无权。故
脾能治湿而反恶湿。脾居油膜之上。膜属三焦行水之道。油属脾。水遇油。则滑利不留。此即脾所以制水也。若水太多。
则油反受其浸渍。当分寒湿热湿以燥利之。
肾恶燥。
肾主藏精下通水道。上发津液。总系阴精之所运化者也。燥则伤其阴精。骨髓枯津液少。水道干涩。必用滋润之品
庶。几肾水得养。
以上二条。经文最简略。然包括之病甚多。但能触类引伸。便可通一毕万。
Each of the Five Zang Organs has its own Qi transformation, and thus possesses its own nature and disposition. With a nature and disposition comes preference and aversion. Knowing what they abhor reveals the method of treatment.
The Heart abhors Heat.
The popular methods for differentiating the Five Zang Organs state: Liver Heat causes burning in the sinews, leading to fright and epilepsy; Lung Heat causes coughing, upward rushing of Qi, and thirst; Spleen Heat causes emaciation of flesh, constipation, and tidal fever; Kidney Heat causes bone-steaming consumption, depletion of essence, and exhaustion of marrow. Furthermore, Upper Jiao Heat results in vexation, thirst, pain in the head, throat, and eyes; Middle Jiao Heat leads to reduced appetite, swelling, dysentery, and malaria; Lower Jiao Heat causes difficult urination and irregular bowel movements. Although the manifestations of Heat vary, they all ultimately relate to the Heart Meridian. This is because the Heart is the Fire Organ; all pathogenic Fire and Heat are governed by the Heart. The Heart transforms Blood to nourish its Fire, preventing Fire from becoming hyperactive and eliminating Heat. If Fire becomes too hyperactive, it injures Heart Blood; therefore, the Heart abhors Heat. In treating Heat syndromes, bitter herbs are invariably used to clear Heart Fire. Western medicine, upon seeing febrile diseases, places water on the chest (cold compress); this may instantly eliminate mild heat. However, if the heat is severe, external cold obstruction causes the heat to attack inward, resulting in death from Heat-Toxin lurking in the Heart. Currently, in Hong Kong epidemics, Western medicine fails ten out of ten cases due to this reason. Hence, people in Hong Kong flee. Thus, Western medicine should also consider changing its approach.
The Lungs abhor Cold.
Lung Qi resides at the highest position like Heaven, distributing Yang Qi. Therefore, externally, the skin and hair fear Cold, fearing injury to the Wei (Defensive) Yang that protects the exterior. Internally, the chest and diaphragm abhor Cold, fearing injury to the Qi that distributes and protects. Cold damaging the skin and hair causes fever and coughing; Cold damaging the chest and diaphragm leads to fluid retention and Bi (obstruction) pain.
The Liver abhors Wind.
The Liver belongs to Wood and governs Wind, and thus abhors Wind. When Blood is harmonious, Qi flows smoothly; when Blood is invaded by pathogenic factors, it is consumed, scorched, and coagulated. Elderly stroke, pediatric convulsions, and all conditions of Wind-Dampness, numbness, itching, spasms, and epilepsy must be treated by addressing the Liver, which means they must all be treated by nourishing Blood. Indeed, Wind is Yang within Yin, and Qi within Blood. Only Wind can stir and agitate Blood, and only Blood can nurture Wind.
The Spleen abhors Dampness.
Symptoms such as undigested stool diarrhea, profuse watery diarrhea, fullness, swelling, and fluid retention are all signs of excess Dampness that the Spleen Earth cannot control or transform. Among the Five Elements, only Earth controls Water. When Earth is strong, Water is controlled; when Water is strong, Earth loses its authority. Thus, although the Spleen manages Dampness, it abhors Dampness. The Spleen sits above the fatty membranes. These membranes belong to the San Jiao (Triple Burner), which is the pathway for water movement. Oil belongs to the Spleen. When water meets oil, it becomes slippery and does not stagnate; this is how the Spleen controls Water. If there is too much water, the oil becomes soaked. One must differentiate between Cold-Damp and Damp-Heat and treat with drying and draining methods.
The Kidneys abhor Dryness.
The Kidneys store Essence, connect downward to the water passages, and ascend to distribute fluids. They are the site where Yin Essence is transformed and transported. Dryness damages Yin Essence, leading to dry bone marrow, scanty fluids, and dry, obstructed water passages. Moistening and nourishing substances must be used so that Kidney Water can be sustained.
The above two sections (referring to the Heart abhorring Heat and Lungs abhorring Cold, etc.) are the most concise in the classic texts, yet they encompass numerous diseases. By applying analogy and extending the principles, one can understand all myriad illnesses.