肝苦急。急食甘以缓之。欲散。急食辛以散之。用辛补之。酸泻之。心苦缓。急食酸以收之。欲 。急食咸以软之。
用咸补之。甘泻之。脾苦湿。急食苦以燥之。欲缓。急食甘以缓之。而苦泻之。甘补之。肺苦气上逆。急食苦以泄之。
欲收。急食酸以收之。用酸补之。辛泻之。肾苦燥。急食辛以润之。欲坚。急食苦以坚之。用苦补之。咸泻之。
五脏苦欲药味补泻。前人王好古有论。然凿住药味。胶柱鼓瑟。其于五脏之性情。五味之即泻即补未之知也。夫肝为少
阳木。其性疏达而不能屈抑。故常过中而苦急。急则以刚乘刚。其发暴怒。故不耐郁而欲散。苦急欲散者。肝之性情也。
甘味性和而缓。肝急得之。可以平其中。而制其有余。故当甘以缓之。辛味发散。与肝同性。为肝之所欲。故当辛以散
之。然肝既欲散。而辛适投其所欲。是不唯散之。正以补之矣。故曰以辛补之也。酸为木之本味。而云泻之者。盖以酸
先入肝。故即借其先入之势。以巽入而渐以敛焉。则木不急而肝可和。故谓之泻也。甘缓酸泻者。皆以制其有余。甘以
缓其前。酸以泻其后。辛散辛补者。皆以益其不足。散以充其力。而去其郁。补以顺其性。而养其神。此调肝之法也。
心为太阳火。其用则明。其官则思。而每苦离照之不充。是以病常苦缓。治之者。以酸味饮之。使安于内而不外驰也欲
者。思虑之极。猝难安妥。每喜和靖以镇之。咸。水味也。能济火之有余。故当咸以 之。心 。而后心不虚。是即
咸能补之也。甘泻者。以其神用不休。乃以甘性之和缓。即用其神而休之。故曰甘能泻之也。盖神明之用。常见不足。
苦缓欲 者。皆不足之为也。酸收咸 者。皆补心之法也。故即甘之为泻。亦不过少为缓之。以使神明之克安。而要非
实有事于泻也。脾为土德喜燥。而主乎健运。故常苦湿。苦能下滞。滞去则湿去也。土性乎奠而和缓故欲缓。维稼穑作
甘。是其本性。故甘可用以缓。亦可用以补也。甘以益其元。苦以散其滞。是之谓苦泻甘补也。肺主治节。得职则其气
下行。失职则其气上行。故苦气上逆为火。苦性清寒而能下。故泻之以苦。肺金居上。其性常散而不能聚。故欲收。惟
酸味能收。以此收之。自使清肃之令。底于容平。此以酸收。即以酸补也。盖苦气上逆。为肺气上不足。苦泻其火。所
以制外来之侮。酸收且补。所以益不敛之金。若本家自壅。则直以本金之辛味而泻之可也。肾主藏真水。而行客水。燥
则真水自病。故苦燥。辛以润之者。辛为金味。金能生水而兼溢。又能活水也。然肾虽得润。而或肾气不坚。则与客水
相汨。势必使相火煽。而精不守。此蛰藏之本。所以必欲其坚也。苦之性味寒而且清。寒能静龙火之出入。清能别淄渑
之本源。故苦之味可以坚可以补也。王氏谓无泻法。则本经以咸泻之之谓。何不知肾司行水。客水不行。则真水不藏。
古方补肾填精。必兼行水之品。有补必有泻也。唯不护其精而泻之。乃为不可耳。但肾家有水火二守。水减则火炎。火
衰则水泛。燥与不坚。两病俱甚。则壮水之主。与益火之源。乃治肾之要也。
The Liver dislikes tension and urgency; promptly consume sweet flavors to slacken it. The Liver desires dispersion; promptly consume pungent flavors to disperse it. Use pungent flavors to tonify it, and sour flavors to drain it. The Heart dislikes flaccidity; promptly consume sour flavors to astringe it. The Heart desires softening; promptly consume salty flavors to soften it. Use salty flavors to tonify it, and sweet flavors to drain it. The Spleen dislikes dampness; promptly consume bitter flavors to dry it. The Spleen desires relaxation; promptly consume sweet flavors to relax it. Use bitter flavors to drain it, and sweet flavors to tonify it. The Lung dislikes rebellious Qi ascending; promptly consume bitter flavors to purge it. The Lung desires astringency; promptly consume sour flavors to astringe it. Use sour flavors to tonify it, and pungent flavors to drain it. The Kidney dislikes dryness; promptly consume pungent flavors to moisten it. The Kidney desires firmness; promptly consume bitter flavors to firm it. Use bitter flavors to tonify it, and salty flavors to drain it.
Regarding the preferences and aversions of the Five Zang organs and the tonification and drainage of medicinal flavors, Wang Haogu (Wang Haogu) previously discussed this. However, he rigidly adhered to specific flavors, like fixing the bridges on a zither with glue, failing to understand the nature of the Five Zang organs and the principle that flavors can simultaneously drain and tonify. The Liver belongs to Shaoyang Wood; its nature is free-flowing and cannot be suppressed. Thus, it often exceeds the mean state and suffers from tension (Ku Ji). When urgent, rigidity meets rigidity, leading to violent anger; therefore, it cannot tolerate stagnation and desires dispersion. "Suffering from tension" and "desiring dispersion" are the nature of the Liver. Sweet flavors are mild and slackening; when the Liver is tense, they can calm the interior and restrain excess. Hence, one should use sweet flavors to slacken it. Pungent flavors disperse and share the same nature as the Liver, being what the Liver desires. Hence, one should use pungent flavors to disperse it. Since the Liver desires dispersion, and pungent flavors accord with this desire, this is not merely dispersing but indeed tonifying it. Therefore, it is said, "Use pungent flavors to tonify it." Sour is the original flavor of Wood. It is called "draining" because sour enters the Liver first; borrowing this initial momentum, it enters smoothly and gradually astringes, so that Wood is no longer tense and the Liver harmonizes. Thus, it is termed "draining." Sweet slackening and sour draining both serve to restrain excess: sweet slackens it initially, and sour drains it subsequently. Pungent dispersing and pungent tonifying both serve to benefit deficiency: dispersing replenishes strength and removes stagnation, while tonifying follows its nature and nourishes the Shen (Spirit). This is the method for regulating the Liver.
The Heart belongs to Taiyang Fire; its function is illumination, and its organ governs thought. It often suffers from insufficient Li Zhao (Heart Yang/Illumination), thus frequently manifesting as "Ku Huan" (suffering from flaccidity/laxity). Treatment involves administering sour flavors to keep the Qi secure within and prevent it from scattering outward. "Desiring softening" refers to extreme mental exertion where peace is hard to achieve; one prefers harmony and tranquility to settle it. Salty flavor belongs to Water and can balance the excess of Fire; hence, one should use salty flavors to soften it. Once the Heart is softened, it is not deficient; this is how salty flavors tonify the Heart. "Sweet draining" occurs because the Spirit's activity never rests; using the mild and relaxing nature of sweet flavors allows the Spirit to rest. Thus, it is said that sweet flavors can drain the Heart. Generally, the use of the Spirit often appears deficient. "Suffering from flaccidity" and "desiring softening" are both due to deficiency. Astringing with sour and softening with salty are methods to tonify the Heart. Even when sweet acts as a draining agent, it merely slightly relaxes to allow the Spirit to find peace, rather than performing a substantial draining action.
The Spleen possesses Earth virtue, delights in dryness, and governs robust transformation. Thus, it often suffers from dampness. Bitter flavors descend and remove stagnation; once stagnation is removed, dampness dissipates. Earth's nature is stable and relaxed, so the Spleen desires relaxation. Grain cultivation produces sweetness, which is its inherent nature; thus, sweet flavors can be used to relax and also to tonify. Sweet flavors benefit its Yuan Qi (Original Qi), and bitter flavors scatter its stagnation. This is referred to as "bitter draining and sweet tonifying."
The Lung governs regulation and rhythm. When functioning correctly, its Qi descends; when dysfunctional, its Qi ascends. Thus, it dislikes rebellious Qi transforming into Fire. Bitter flavors are clear, cold, and descending; therefore, bitter flavors are used to purge it. Metal resides in the upper Jiao; its nature is often dispersive and unable to gather, so the Lung desires astringency. Only sour flavors can astringe. Using this astringency ensures that the clear and肃 (solemn/clearing) command reaches a state of calm stability. This is using sour to astringe, which is also using sour to tonify. Rebellious Qi indicates a deficiency in the upper aspect of Lung Qi; purging Fire with bitter flavors controls external pathogenic invasion. Astringing and tonifying with sour benefits the Metal that fails to gather. If the blockage originates internally within the Lung itself, one should directly use the pungent flavor of the Lung's own element to drain it.
The Kidney stores True Water and circulates Guest Water. Dryness causes True Water to become diseased, hence "suffering from dryness." Using pungent flavors to moisten works because pungent is the flavor of Metal; Metal generates Water and has overflowing/moistening properties, and can activate water flow. Although the Kidney receives moisture, if Kidney Qi is not firm, Guest Water will mix with it, likely causing Ministerial Fire to flare up and Essence to leak. This is the foundation of hibernation/storage, so firmness is essential. Bitter flavors are cold and clear; cold calms the entry and exit of Dragon/Fire (Ministerial Fire), and clarity distinguishes the source of pure and turbid waters. Thus, bitter flavors can firm and tonify the Kidney. Wang claimed there is no draining method, referring to the Classic's statement "use salty to drain." Why does he not know that the Kidney governs water movement; if Guest Water does not move, True Water cannot be stored? Ancient formulas for tonifying the Kidney and filling Essence must include herbs that promote water circulation; there is tonification and necessarily draining. However, draining without protecting Essence is inadvisable. The Kidney houses both Water and Fire guardians. If Water decreases, Fire flares; if Fire declines, Water floods. If both dryness and lack of firmness are severe, strengthening the master of Water (nourishing Kidney Yin) and benefiting the source of Fire (warming Kidney Yang) becomes the key to treating the Kidney.