夫阴阳之道,一阴一阳,分而为三阴三阳。三阴三阳,应脏腑之十二经脉,是无形之气,合于有形之
经,在经脉有手足之分,在六气止论三阴三阳,而无分手与足也。风、寒、暑、湿、燥、火,天之阴阳
也,在人亦有此阴阳之六气。如太阳之上,寒水主之。寒水者,膀胱之水也。太阳者,巨阳之气,水中
之生阳也。《灵枢经》曰∶膀胱者,毫毛其应。是太阳寒水之在下,而巨阳之气卫于通体皮毛之间。夫邪
之中人,必先始于皮毛,故凡伤于寒,则为病热,是天之寒邪,病太阳之阳气,得阳气而寒反化热也。(
天之寒邪,病寒水之气,同气相感也。)太阳寒水之经脉,上循于头项,故见头项强痛之证,此病气而及于经,非经气之
兼病也。如邪溜于经,则为桃仁承气之下证,不复再传阳明矣。经曰∶厥阴之右,少阴治之,少阴之右,
太阴治之;太阴之右,少阳治之;少阳之右,阳明治之,阳明之右,太阳治之。是以一日太阳,二日阳明,
三日少阳,四日太阴,五日少阴,六日厥阴,七日来复于太阳,如不作再经,而病自愈矣。此六气之相传
也。如邪留于阳明,则见白虎汤之渴证,承气汤之燥证,不复再传少阳矣,如邪留于少阳,则见往来寒热
之柴胡汤证,不复再传太阴矣;如邪留于太阴,则见脾家实腹满时痛之腹证,不复再传少阴矣;如邪留于
少阴,则见自利而渴之经证,不复再传厥阴矣;如邪留于厥阴,则见下利脓血之热证,不来复于太阳矣。此
始病太阳之气,得阳气已化热,故虽传留于三阴而皆为热证,至于不能化热,及直中三阴之阴证,又当别
论。夫六气相传,止见太阳之头痛,至七日以上自愈者,以行其经尽,而来复于太阳,不见六经之证也。
如见少阳证,则为邪留少阳;见少阴证,则为邪留少阴。非病在少阳,而再传太阴;病在少阴,而再传厥
阴之理也。先贤见太阳病而复见阳明证者,曰此循经传也,见太阳病而后见少阳证者,曰此越经传也;见
太阳病而后见太阴证,曰此误下传也;见太阳证而后见少阴证者,曰此表里传也。(越经、误下之说,皆系杜撰。)夫
太阳之邪,传留于某经,则见某经之病,不复再传别经,非六气相传,而七日来复于太阳之传经也。皆缘
不明阴阳经气之道,不识仲景之书,而妄为臆说如此。又太阳标阳而本寒,少阴标阴而本热,阴阳水火
之气,交相感召,故有病太阳而传于少阴者,此亦气相感而不涉于经也。有病在太阳而为心下烦闷者,先
辈曰此壬水逆传于丙,丙丁兄妹相传,此更为不通之说也。(以上论六气相传,以下论传足不传手。)夫六气营运,
四时代序,总属寒暑往来,而皆归于地,故人亦应之。如
君、相二火,发原在肾,太阳之气生于膀胱,风气本于肝木,湿气本于脾土,燥气本于胃金,腰以上为天,
腰以下为地。三阴三阳之气,皆从阴而生,自下而上,故《素问·厥论》曰∶阳气起于足五指之表,阴气起
于足五指之里。是以阴阳六气,止合足之六经。《灵枢·本输篇》曰∶五脏六腑之输,五五二十五输,六
六三十六输,六腑皆出足之三阳,上合于手者也。是三阴三阳之气,止合足之六经,足之六经,上合于手
者也。是以天之寒邪,始病太阳膀胱之气,六气相传,止见足经之证,而不与手经相涉。(天之六淫,病患之六气,太
阳之上,寒气治之,与手太阳之小肠火,毫无干涉。)先辈有以手经皆为
有余,足经皆为不足之说者;有以足六经属水土木,手六经属金与火之说者;有以上体多受风热,下体多
感寒湿之说者。嗟嗟!伤寒之理甚难,挈其纲领,示以大道,尚不能窥仲景之藩篱,若再多旁岐之说,使
后学更无归着矣。予故设此辩,匪敢政前贤之是非,聊以俟后人之详审尔!
The principle of Yin and Yang is one Yin and one Yang, which divides into Three Yin and Three Yang. The Three Yin and Three Yang correspond to the twelve meridians of the Zang-Fu organs; this is formless Qi (vital energy) combining with有形 (form) meridians. In terms of meridians, there is a distinction between Hand and Foot meridians, but in the discussion of the Six Qi (Six Energies), only Three Yin and Three Yang are discussed, without distinguishing between Hand and Foot. Wind, Cold, Summer-heat, Dampness, Dryness, and Fire are the Yin and Yang of Heaven; humans also possess these Six Qi of Yin and Yang within them. For instance, above Taiyang (Greater Yang), Cold-Water governs. Cold-Water refers to the water of the Bladder. Taiyang represents the Qi of Ju Yang (Giant Yang), which is the Yang Qi generated from Water. The *Ling Shu* states: "The Bladder corresponds to the body hair." Thus, Taiyang Cold-Water is located below, while the Qi of Ju Yang guards the skin and hair of the entire body. Pathogenic factors invading the human body must first start at the skin and hair; therefore, any injury by Cold results in a Heat disease. This means that Heavenly Cold pathogenic factors attack the Yang Qi of Taiyang; upon encountering Yang Qi, Cold transforms into Heat. (Heavenly Cold pathogenic factors attack Cold-Water Qi, responding through similar energies.) The meridian of Taiyang Cold-Water runs up to the head and nape, hence presenting symptoms of stiffness and pain in the head and nape. This indicates that the pathogenic Qi affects the meridian, rather than the meridian Qi itself being primarily diseased. If pathogenic factors linger in the meridian, it leads to the lower syndrome treatable with Tao Ren Cheng Qi Tang (Peach Kernel Order the Qi Decoction), and transmission to Yangming ceases. The classic text states: "To the right of Jueyin, Shaoyin governs; to the right of Shaoyin, Taiyin governs; to the right of Taiyin, Shaoyang governs; to the right of Shaoyang, Yangming governs; to the right of Yangming, Taiyang governs." Therefore, on the first day, Taiyang; second day, Yangming; third day, Shaoyang; fourth day, Taiyin; fifth day, Shaoyin; sixth day, Jueyin; on the seventh day, it returns to Taiyang. If no further transmission occurs, the disease heals spontaneously. This is the transmission of the Six Qi. If pathogenic factors linger in Yangming, symptoms such as thirst seen in Bai Hu Tang (White Tiger Decoction) cases or dryness seen in Cheng Qi Tang (Order the Qi Decoction) cases appear, and transmission to Shaoyang ceases. If pathogenic factors linger in Shaoyang, alternating chills and fever seen in Chai Hu Tang (Bupleurum Decoction) cases appear, and transmission to Taiyin ceases. If pathogenic factors linger in Taiyin, abdominal fullness and intermittent pain due to Spleen excess appear, and transmission to Shaoyin ceases. If pathogenic factors linger in Shaoyin, spontaneous diarrhea with thirst seen in meridian syndromes appear, and transmission to Jueyin ceases. If pathogenic factors linger in Jueyin, heat syndromes involving bloody pus in stool appear, and return to Taiyang ceases. This is because the initial illness involves Taiyang Qi, which, having encountered Yang Qi, has already transformed into Heat. Thus, even if transmitted to the Three Yin, all present as Heat syndromes. However, cases where transformation into Heat does not occur, or direct invasion into the Yin syndromes of the Three Yin, require separate discussion. Regarding the transmission of the Six Qi, only Taiyang headache resolving after seven days is observed, because the meridian cycle completes and returns to Taiyang, without presenting syndromes of the six meridians. If Shaoyang syndromes appear, it means pathogenic factors linger in Shaoyang; if Shaoyin syndromes appear, it means pathogenic factors linger in Shaoyin. It is not that the disease is in Shaoyang and then transmits to Taiyin, nor that the disease is in Shaoyin and then transmits to Jueyin. Ancient sages, seeing Taiyang disease followed by Yangming syndromes, called this "transmission along the meridians"; seeing Taiyang disease followed by Shaoyang syndromes, they called this "skipping meridians transmission"; seeing Taiyang disease followed by Taiyin syndromes, they called this "transmission due to erroneous purgation"; seeing Taiyang syndromes followed by Shaoyin syndromes, they called this "interior-exterior transmission". (The concepts of skipping meridians and erroneous purgation transmission are fabricated.) When Taiyang pathogenic factors linger in a specific meridian, that meridian's disease appears, and it does not transmit to other meridians. This is not the transmission of the Six Qi returning to Taiyang after seven days. These errors arise from failing to understand the principles of Yin-Yang meridian Qi and failing to comprehend Zhang Zhongjing's writings, leading to such wild speculation. Furthermore, Taiyang has Surface Yang and Root Cold; Shaoyin has Surface Yin and Root Heat. The Qi of Yin-Yang and Water-Fire interact and resonate; thus, there are cases where disease starts in Taiyang and transmits to Shaoyin. This is also Qi resonance not involving the meridians. There are cases of disease in Taiyang presenting with vexation and oppression in the epigastrium; predecessors claimed this was Ren Water transmitting inversely to Bing, and Bing-Ding siblings transmitting to each other, which is an even more absurd and untenable theory. (The above discusses the transmission of the Six Qi; the following discusses transmission to Foot meridians only, not Hand meridians.) The operation of the Six Qi and the sequence of the four seasons belong to the alternation of Cold and Heat, ultimately returning to Earth; thus, humans respond accordingly. For example, Ministerial Fire and Sovereign Fire originate in the Kidney; Taiyang Qi is born in the Bladder; Wind Qi originates in Liver Wood; Dampness Qi originates in Spleen Earth; Dryness Qi originates in Stomach Metal. Above the waist is Heaven; below the waist is Earth. The Qi of Three Yin and Three Yang all arise from Yin, moving from bottom to top. Therefore, the *Su Wen: Jue Lun* states: "Yang Qi arises from the exterior of the five toes of the foot; Yin Qi arises from the interior of the five toes of the foot." Hence, the Six Qi of Yin and Yang only combine with the Foot Six Meridians. The *Ling Shu: Ben Shu* chapter states: "The Shu points of the Five Zang and Six Fu organs consist of five sets of five, totaling twenty-five Shu points, and six sets of six, totaling thirty-six Shu points. The Six Fu organs all emerge from the Three Yang meridians of the foot and connect upwards to the hand [meridians]." Thus, the Qi of Three Yin and Three Yang only combines with the Foot Six Meridians, and the Foot Six Meridians connect upwards to the Hand meridians. Consequently, Heavenly Cold pathogenic factors initially attack the Qi of Taiyang Bladder; during the transmission of the Six Qi, only Foot meridian syndromes are seen, with no involvement of Hand meridians. (The Six Excesses of Heaven and the Six Qi of patients, governed by Cold Qi above Taiyang, have absolutely no relation to the Fire of the Hand-Taiyang Small Intestine.) Some predecessors held the view that Hand meridians are always in excess and Foot meridians are always deficient; others believed the Foot Six Meridians belong to Water, Wood, and Earth, while the Hand Six Meridians belong to Metal and Fire; still others argued that the upper body is mostly affected by Wind-Heat, while the lower body is mostly affected by Cold-Dampness. Alas! The principles of Shanghan (Cold Damage) are very difficult. Even if we extract the key guidelines and indicate the great way, we still cannot penetrate the threshold of Zhang Zhongjing's work. If there are more divergent and side-line theories, how will later learners find their footing? Therefore, I set forth this debate, not daring to judge the right and wrong of predecessors, but merely waiting for later scholars to examine it carefully!