遗其变。俱补出少阴主枢之义。今试再详之。第三十四节。谓少阴病下利。白通汤主之。示少阴下利以
此为专方。第三十五节。谓少阴病下利脉微者。与白通汤。利不止。厥逆无脉。干呕烦者。白通加猪胆汁
汤主之。服汤脉暴出者死。微续者生。此言寒盛骤投热药而拒格。必取热因寒用之法也。第三十六节。
谓少阴病二三日不已。至四五日腹痛。小便不利。四肢沉重疼痛。自下利者。此为有水气。其人或咳。或
小便利。或下利。或呕者。真武汤主之。此言水中无火。则土虚不能制水。此为有水气五字最重。为少阴
之侧面文章。非白通四逆之为正面文章也。第三十七节。谓少阴病下利清谷。里寒外热。手足厥逆。脉
微欲绝。身反不恶寒。其人面赤色。或腹痛。或干呕。或咽痛。或利止脉不出者。通脉四逆汤主之。此言内
真寒而外假热。为少阴之正面文章。又为四逆证之进一步文章也。自三十一节至此。承上第三十节
下利立论。为少阴证下水作一 也。
第三十八节。谓少阴四逆。其人或咳。或悸。或小便不利。或腹中痛。或泄利下重者。四逆散主之。此承四
逆不专主于虚寒。复设和解一法。以示变动不居之意。所以暗补出主枢之义也。第三十九节。谓少阴
下利六七日。咳而呕渴。心烦不得眠者。猪苓汤主之。此承下利虽属于下焦。至六七日寒变为热。而气
复上行。病见咳呕渴烦不眠等证。所谓下行极而上也。复设一清利法。遵经旨邪气自下而上者。仍须
从下引而出之。亦所以暗补出主枢之义也。跟上第三十节全节大意主枢作一 也。所以然者。少阴
为性命之根。病有水火之分。治若焚溺之救。稍迟则不可挽矣。
第四十节云。少阴病得之二三日。口燥舌干者。急下之。宜大承气汤。此言少阴君火亢于上。不戢将自
焚也。第四十一节云。少阴病。自利清水。色纯青。心下必痛。口干燥者。急下之。宜大承气汤。此言少阴君
火亢于上。加以木火煽之。一水不能胜二火而立竭矣。第四十二节云。少阴病六七日。腹胀不大便者。
急下之。宜大承气汤。此言少阴君火不能从枢而出。逆于地中而为胀。即内经所谓一息不运。则针机
穷。必急下以运少阴之枢而使转之。少阴三急下证。宜于浅注而熟玩之。又有二急温症。第四十三节
云。少阴病脉沉迟者。急温之。宜四逆汤。言少阴为性命之根。起首脉沉。预知已伏四逆吐利烦燥之机。
即易履霜坚冰至之义。盖于人所易忽者。独知所重而急治之也。第四十四节云。少阴病。饮食入口则
吐。心中温温欲吐。复不能吐。(阴寒拒格不纳露出枢象)始得之。手足寒。脉弦迟者。此胸中实。不可下也。
当吐之。(借胸中实可吐证叙出急温症。)若膈上有寒饮。干呕者。不可吐也。急温之。宜四逆汤。此少阴阴
气上 寒饮。不同于胸实。盖人所摇移者。得所独断而急治之也。究而言之。少阴重在救阳。而真阴亦不可伤。
第四十五节云。少阴病下利。脉微(阳虚)涩(阴虚)。呕而汗出。(阳虚则阴寒上逆而为呕。阴虚则阴不内守而汗出)
必数更衣。反少者。(七字是一节之眼目。阳虚则气下坠。阴虚则动努矣)当温其上灸之。
言当灸百会一穴。以温其上。不可偏温其下。以灼真阴。言外见对待之阴阳。分而为两。互根之阴阳。合
而为一也。少阴篇文本空灵幻变。不可方物。老子其犹龙矣乎。
The variations of Shaoyin disease are omitted. Here, the significance of Shaoyin as the "pivot" (Zhu Shu) is supplemented. Let us examine this in detail now. Section 34 states that for Shaoyin disease presenting with diarrhea, Baotong Tang (White Tongue Decoction) is the primary treatment. This indicates that Baotong Tang is the specific formula for Shaoyin diarrhea. Section 35 states that for Shaoyin disease with diarrhea and a faint pulse, Baotong Tang is administered; if diarrhea persists, accompanied by cold extremities, absence of pulse, dry retching, and irritability, Baotong Tang plus Porcine Bile Decoction (Baotong Jia Zhudan Huang Tang) is used. If the pulse suddenly emerges violently after taking the decoction, it indicates death; if the pulse slowly resumes, it indicates survival. This explains that when cold pathogenic factors are extreme, sudden administration of hot herbs causes rejection (Ge Ju), necessitating the method of "using heat for cold" (Re Yin Han Yong). Section 36 states that if Shaoyin disease does not improve after two or three days, and by the fourth or fifth day presents with abdominal pain, dysuria, heaviness and pain in the four limbs, and spontaneous diarrhea, this is due to the presence of water qi (Shui Qi). The patient may also have cough, clear urination, diarrhea, or vomiting; in such cases, Zhenwu Tang (True Warrior Decoction) is indicated. This describes a condition where there is no fire (Yang Qi) within the water, leading to Spleen Earth deficiency and an inability to control water dampness. The phrase "presence of water qi" is most critical; it represents the lateral aspect of Shaoyin disease, distinct from the frontal aspects represented by Baotong Tang and Sini Tang. Section 37 states that for Shaoyin disease with diarrhea of undigested food, internal cold with external false heat, cold extremities, and a pulse so faint it is nearly imperceptible, yet the body feels no aversion to cold and the face appears red, or if accompanied by abdominal pain, dry retching, sore throat, or cessation of diarrhea without pulse recovery, Tongmai Sini Tang (Pulse-Reviving Sini Decoction) is used. This describes true internal cold with false external heat, representing the frontal aspect of Shaoyin disease and a progression of the Sini syndrome. From Section 31 to here, following the discussion on diarrhea in Section 30, this serves as a summary for water-related disorders in Shaoyin syndrome.
Section 38 states that for Shaoyin disease presenting with cold extremities, and optionally cough, palpitations, dysuria, abdominal pain, or tenesmus during diarrhea, Sini San (Four Counterflow Powder) is used. This follows up by indicating that cold extremities are not exclusively due to deficiency-cold, thereby establishing a harmonizing method to demonstrate the dynamic nature of the disease. Thus, it implicitly supplements the significance of Shaoyin as the pivot. Section 39 states that for Shaoyin diarrhea persisting for six or seven days, accompanied by cough, vomiting, thirst, irritability, and insomnia, Zhu Ling Tang (Polyporus Decoction) is used. This follows the principle that although diarrhea originates in the lower jiao, after six or seven days the cold transforms into heat, and the qi moves upward again, manifesting as cough, vomiting, thirst, irritability, and insomnia—what is termed "descending to the extreme leads to ascending." A clearing and draining method is established, adhering to the classic principle that pathogens moving upward from below should still be guided out from below. This also implicitly supplements the significance of Shaoyin as the pivot, aligning with the main theme of Section 30 regarding the pivot. This is because Shaoyin is the root of life and destiny; diseases are divided into water and fire types, and treatment must be as urgent as rescuing someone from fire or drowning, for any delay renders it irretrievable.
Section 40 states: "For Shaoyin disease developing over two or three days, with dry mouth and tongue, immediate purgation is required, using Da Chengqi Tang (Major Order the Qi Decoction)." This explains that when Minister Fire (Jun Huo) of Shaoyin is hyperactive above, failure to restrain it will lead to self-burning. Section 41 states: "For Shaoyin disease with spontaneous discharge of clear watery stool, purely green in color, with必 (must) pain in the epigastrium and dry mouth/throat, immediate purgation is required, using Da Chengqi Tang." This explains that Shaoyin Minister Fire is hyperactive above, exacerbated by Wood-Fire stirring, causing Kidney Water to fail against the two Fires and collapse immediately. Section 42 states: "For Shaoyin disease lasting six or seven days, with abdominal distension and constipation, immediate purgation is required, using Da Chengqi Tang." This explains that Shaoyin Minister Fire fails to exit via the pivot, reversing into the earth element causing distension. As stated in the *Neijing*: "If movement ceases for a breath, the efficacy of acupuncture ends." One must urgently purge to move the Shaoyin pivot and restore its rotation. The three urgent purgation syndromes of Shaoyin should be carefully studied in shallow annotations. There are also two urgent warming syndromes. Section 43 states: "For Shaoyin disease with a deep and slow pulse, urgent warming is required, using Sini Tang." This emphasizes that Shaoyin is the root of life; a deep pulse at the onset predicts the latent mechanism of cold extremities, vomiting, diarrhea, and irritability, akin to the meaning of "treading on frost implies hard ice is coming." It highlights focusing on what others easily overlook and treating it urgently. Section 44 states: "For Shaoyin disease, if food is vomited upon entering the mouth, and there is a warm sensation in the heart with a desire to vomit but inability to do so... (indicating Yin-Cold rejection revealing pivot symptoms), and initially presenting with cold extremities and a string-taut, slow pulse, this is excess in the chest; purgation is contraindicated, but emesis is indicated. (Using the chest-excess emesis case to narrate the urgent warming syndrome.) If there is cold-fluid retention above the diaphragm causing dry retching, emesis is contraindicated; urgent warming is required, using Sini Tang." This describes Shaoyin Yin-Qi rising with cold-fluid retention, differing from chest excess. In moments of hesitation, one must make a unique decision to treat urgently. Ultimately, Shaoyin focuses on saving Yang, while True Yin must not be damaged. Section 45 states: "For Shaoyin disease with diarrhea, a faint (Yang deficiency) and choppy (Yin deficiency) pulse, vomiting and sweating... (Yang deficiency leads to Yin-Cold counterflow causing vomiting; Yin deficiency leads to insecure Yin causing sweating), frequent trips to the toilet but scant output... (these seven characters are the key: Yang deficiency causes Qi sinking; Yin deficiency causes straining). One should warm the upper part with moxibustion." This means moxa should be applied to Baihui (GV20) to warm the upper region, avoiding excessive warming of the lower part which could scorch True Yin. The implication is that opposing Yin and Yang divide into two, while mutually rooting Yin and Yang unite as one. The text of the Shaoyin chapter is ethereal and变幻 (transformative), indescribable; Laozi was perhaps like a dragon.