凡发热恶寒其脉浮者,伤于阳也。若下太早,则邪尽入于里,而为结胸。如不发热
而恶寒,其脉沉紧者,伤于阴也。若早下之,则邪聚结于心下而为痞。《经》曰∶浊
气在上,则生 胀。又曰∶病发于阴,而反下之,因作痞是也。然必结心下者,以阴
受气之处也,结胸则满而痛为实,痞则满而不痛为虚,痞满下利者为虚,便闭者为实。
若小便不利,其状如痞,攻而不散者,是水饮内蓄,以致津液不行,治宜散水则愈。若
心下痞而恶寒者,是表里症俱未解,当先解表,后与攻痞可也。大抵诸痞皆热,故攻之
多寒剂,所以诸泻心汤,皆治伤寒痞满,盖满在心胸,不在胃也。或杂病痞满,有寒热
虚实之不同,《保命集》云∶脾不能行气于四脏,结而不散,则为痞。凡伤寒之痞,从
外之内,故宜苦泻。杂病之痞,从内之外,故宜辛散。更有素因有积,又遇伤寒,寒气
入里,与积相合而为痞,乃使脏气结而不通,此亦为脏结,必痛引少腹,入阴筋而死。
温热之病,因外感内伤,触动郁火自内而发之于外,初则表里俱热,宜用辛凉之
剂,两除表里之热。久则表热微而里热甚,又宜如承气汤。苦寒之剂以泻之,则热退身
凉,而病自己也。倘不谙伏气温热之症,表里俱热者,而认作即病伤寒之症,用麻黄汤
辛温之剂以发表,则内热愈甚,而斑黄狂乱之症起矣。或未用辛凉之剂以解表,便用承
气汤苦寒之剂以攻里,则表热未去,而结胸虚痞之症见矣。
Whenever there is fever and aversion to cold with a floating pulse, it indicates an injury by Yang pathogenic factors. If purgation is employed too early, the pathogenic factors will fully enter the interior, resulting in Jie Xiong (Chest Binding). If there is no fever but only aversion to cold, with a deep and tight pulse, it indicates an injury by Yin pathogenic factors. If purgation is employed too early, the pathogenic factors will gather and knot at the epigastrium, forming Pi Syndrome (Epigastric Fullness and Obstruction). The *Classic* states: "When turbid Qi remains in the upper part, distension occurs." It also states: "When a disease originates from the Yin level, and purgation is wrongly applied, Pi Syndrome results." This refers to the aforementioned situation. However, Pi Syndrome must knot at the epigastrium, as this is where the Yin levels receive Qi. Jie Xiong presents with fullness and pain, indicating an Excess condition; Pi Syndrome presents with fullness without pain, indicating a Deficiency condition. Pi Syndrome accompanied by diarrhea indicates Deficiency, while constipation indicates Excess. If urination is difficult, and the presentation resembles Pi Syndrome but does not resolve with attacking methods, this is due to internal accumulation of Water-Fluids, leading to impaired fluid metabolism; treatment should focus on dispersing Water-Fluids for recovery. If there is epigastric fullness accompanied by aversion to cold, it indicates that both exterior and interior syndromes remain unresolved. One should first release the exterior, and subsequently treat the Pi Syndrome. Generally, various Pi Syndromes are heat-related, so treatment often employs cold-natured agents. Therefore, various Xi Xin Tang (Drain the Epigastrium Decoctions) are used to treat Pi and fullness caused by Shang Han (Cold Damage), because the fullness is located in the chest and heart region, not in the Stomach. Alternatively, Pi and fullness arising from miscellaneous diseases may differ in Cold, Heat, Deficiency, and Excess. *Bao Ming Ji* (Collection for Preserving Life) states: "If the Spleen cannot transport Qi to the four Zang organs, and Qi knots without dispersing, Pi Syndrome forms." For Pi Syndrome caused by Shang Han, which proceeds from the exterior to the interior, bitter-draining methods are appropriate. For Pi Syndrome caused by miscellaneous diseases, which proceeds from the interior to the exterior, acrid-dispersing methods are appropriate. Furthermore, if a patient has pre-existing accumulations and then contracts Shang Han, cold pathogenic factors entering the interior combine with these accumulations to form Pi Syndrome. This causes Zang Qi to knot and become obstructed, also known as Zang Jie (Zang Knotting). It necessarily involves pain radiating to the lower abdomen and penetrating into the genitalia, leading to death.
Wen Re Bing (Warm-Heat Diseases) arise from external contraction or internal injury, which stirs up latent Fire accumulating within, causing it to erupt from the interior to the exterior. In the initial stage, both the exterior and interior present with heat, so acrid-cool agents should be used to clear heat from both levels. After a prolonged period, exterior heat becomes mild while interior heat becomes severe; at this point, Cheng Qi Tang (Order the Qi Decoction) and other bitter-cold agents should be used to purge the interior. Once the heat recedes and the body cools, the disease resolves. If one is unfamiliar with Fu Wen Re (Latent Warm-Heat) syndromes, and mistakes the simultaneous exterior and interior heat for Ji Bing Shang Han (Immediate Cold Damage upon contraction), using Ma Huang Tang (Ephedra Decoction), an acrid-warm agent for releasing the exterior, will cause internal heat to intensify, leading to symptoms such as macules, jaundice, mania, and confusion. Or, if one fails to use acrid-cool agents to release the exterior and instead immediately uses Cheng Qi Tang, a bitter-cold agent to attack the interior, the exterior heat will not have dissipated, yet symptoms of Jie Xiong or Xu Pi (Deficient Epigastric Fullness) will appear.