六经以次受病。其愈皆以七日为期。王叔和曰。其不两感于寒。更不传经。不加异气者
。至七日太阳病衰。头痛少愈。八日阳明病衰。身热小歇。九日少阳病衰。耳聋微闻。十日太阴
病衰。腹减如故。则思饮食。十一日少阴病衰渴止。舌干已而嚏。十二日厥阴病衰。囊纵。
少腹微下。大气皆去。精神爽慧也。此论本于素问从来注疏。不能无误。请更疏之。不两感
者。非表里双传也。更不传经者。邪在此经更不传彼经也。不加异气者。不复感寒。感风。
感温。感热。感湿。而变为他病也。如是则可以期六经病愈之日矣。太阳篇曰。发于阳者。
七日愈。以是计之。乃知六经之病。自一日受者。七日当衰。二日受者。八日当衰。故七日邪
在太阳。不传阳明。更无变症。则至七日。太阳病衰。头痛少愈。二日传阳明。更不传变。至
八日阳明病衰。身热少歇。三日传少阳。更不传变。至九日少阳病衰。耳聋微闻。四日传太阴。
更不传变。至十日太阴病衰。腹减如故。则思饮食。五日传少阴。更不传变。至十一日少阴
病衰。渴止。舌干已而嚏。六日传厥阴。至十二日。厥阴病衰。头痛少愈。大气皆去精神爽
慧。明乎此。而上章成氏之误。不辨自见矣。
仲景伤寒论。三百九十七法。一百一十三方。医者但能诵之。欲条分缕析以实其数者。
未之前闻也。余考太阳上编六十六法。中篇五十六法。下编三十八法。阳明篇七十七法。少阳篇
九法。太阴篇九法。少阴篇四十六法。厥阴篇五十四法。来病篇二十法。霍乱篇九法。阴阳
易。瘥后劳复篇七法。又据旧本太阳中篇不可汗六法。移在条辨十五篇内。共得三百九十七
法。太阳篇七十三方。阳明篇十方。少阳篇一方。太阴篇二方。少阴篇十四方。厥阴篇六方
。霍乱篇三方。阴阳易。瘥复四方。共得一百一十三方。统而论之。方者。定而不可易者
也。法者。活而不可拘者也。非法无以善其方。非方无以疗其症学人先以方法熟习之。后以
方法融会之。则方可以随时变。而不逾仲景之法。法可以随症立。而不外仲景之方。由是则
超于方。亦方也。逸于法。亦法也。若拘拘于一定之轨则。而不思变通。不惟胶柱鼓瑟。抑
且浩漫靡穷矣。
The Six Channels (Six Meridians) are affected sequentially, and their recovery is generally expected within a seven-day cycle. Wang Shuhe stated: If the disease does not involve "Liang Gan Yu Han" (simultaneous contraction of cold pathogen affecting both exterior and interior channels), does not transmit to other channels, and is not complicated by other external pathogens, then on the seventh day, the Taiyang disease declines, with headache slightly alleviated; on the eighth day, the Yangming disease declines, with body heat slightly subsiding; on the ninth day, the Shaoyang disease declines, with deafness slightly improving so that sounds can be faintly heard; on the tenth day, the Taiyin disease declines, abdominal distension reduces to normal, and appetite returns; on the eleventh day, the Shaoyin disease declines, thirst ceases, dry tongue resolves, and sneezing occurs; on the twelfth day, the Jueyin disease declines, the scrotum relaxes, the lower abdomen feels slightly heavy or sinking, the major pathogenic qi is expelled, and the spirit becomes clear and agile. This discussion originates from the *Suwen* (Basic Questions), but traditional commentaries have contained errors. Let me clarify them anew. "Not Liang Gan" means it is not a simultaneous transmission to both exterior and interior channels. "No further transmission" means the pathogen remains in this channel and does not transmit to another. "No addition of heterogeneous qi" means there is no subsequent contraction of cold, wind, warmth, heat, or dampness that transforms into other diseases. Under such conditions, one can predict the days of recovery for the Six Channel diseases. The *Taiyang Chapter* states: "Diseases originating from Yang recover in seven days." Based on this calculation, we know that for Six Channel diseases, those contracted on the first day should decline on the seventh day; those contracted on the second day should decline on the eighth day. Thus, if on the first day the pathogen is in Taiyang and does not transmit to Yangming, with no other complications, then on the seventh day, Taiyang disease declines, and headache slightly improves. If on the second day it transmits to Yangming and does not change further, then on the eighth day, Yangming disease declines, and body heat slightly subsides. If on the third day it transmits to Shaoyang and does not change further, then on the ninth day, Shaoyang disease declines, and deafness slightly improves. If on the fourth day it transmits to Taiyin and does not change further, then on the tenth day, Taiyin disease declines, abdominal distension reduces to normal, and appetite returns. If on the fifth day it transmits to Shaoyin and does not change further, then on the eleventh day, Shaoyin disease declines, thirst stops, dry tongue resolves, and sneezing occurs. If on the sixth day it transmits to Jueyin, then on the twelfth day, Jueyin disease declines, headache slightly improves, major pathogenic qi is expelled, and the spirit becomes clear and agile. Understanding this makes the errors of Cheng Wuji in the previous chapter self-evident without need for further debate.
Zhang Zhongjing's *Shanghan Lun* (Treatise on Cold Damage) contains 397 methods and 113 prescriptions. Physicians merely recite them; attempts to systematically analyze and verify these numbers have rarely been heard of before. I have examined the Taiyang Upper Section having 66 methods, Middle Section 56 methods, Lower Section 38 methods; Yangming Chapter 77 methods; Shaoyang Chapter 9 methods; Taiyin Chapter 9 methods; Shaoyin Chapter 46 methods; Jueyin Chapter 54 methods; Laibing Chapter 20 methods; Huoluan Chapter 9 methods; Yin-Yang Yi and Cha Hou Lao Fu Chapter 7 methods. Additionally, according to older editions, the six methods regarding "no sweating" in the Taiyang Middle Section were moved into fifteen sections of analysis, totaling 397 methods. The Taiyang Chapter has 73 prescriptions, Yangming Chapter 10, Shaoyang Chapter 1, Taiyin Chapter 2, Shaoyin Chapter 14, Jueyin Chapter 6, Huoluan Chapter 3, Yin-Yang Yi and Cha Fu Chapter 4, totaling 113 prescriptions. Generally speaking, prescriptions (Fang) are fixed and unchangeable, while methods (Fa) are flexible and should not be rigidly adhered to. Without methods, one cannot properly apply prescriptions; without prescriptions, one cannot treat symptoms. Students must first familiarize themselves with methods and prescriptions, then integrate them thoroughly. Then, prescriptions can vary with time and condition without exceeding Zhang Zhongjing's methods; methods can be established according to symptoms without departing from Zhang Zhongjing's prescriptions. In this way, one transcends the prescription yet embodies it; one moves beyond the method yet embodies it. If one rigidly sticks to fixed rules without considering flexibility, it is like playing a zither with glued bridges (metaphor for rigidity), and moreover, the endeavor becomes boundless and endless.