小儿无专方,以上诸方,折为小剂用之。今儿科开口即曰食、曰惊、曰风、曰疳 ,所
用之药 ,大抵以钩藤、秦艽、防风、羌活、独活、天麻、前胡、全蝎、僵蚕为祛风之品;
朱砂、牛黄、胆星、石菖蒲、天竺黄、代赭石、青黛、赤芍,金银煎汤,为定惊之品;以山
楂、神曲、麦芽、谷芽、莱菔子、枳壳、浓朴、槟榔、草果为消食之品;以芜荑、榧子、使
君子、螟蛉土、五谷虫为治疳之品。如杏仁、葶苈、酒芩、桑白皮、半夏曲、苏陈皮、贝母
、天花粉之类,谓为通用调气化痰之善药。父传子,师传徒,其专方皆杀人之具也。钱仲阳
以金石之药为倡,犹有一二方近道处,至《铁镜》采薇汤则乱道甚矣。近日儿科,只用以上
所列诸药,任意写来,造孽无已,实堪痛恨!
客有问于余曰∶医之为道,乃古圣人泄天地之秘,夺造化之权,起死回生,非读破万卷
书,参透事事物物之理者不能。今非通儒而业此,亦能疗人病获盛名,何也?余曰∶天地间
有理有数,理可胜数,则有学问之医,远近崇之,遂得以尽其活人之道。然仲景为医中之圣
,尚未见许于当时,观《伤寒论》之序文可见,犹宣圣以素王老其身,天之意在万世,不在
一时也。仲景之后,名贤辈出,类皆不得志于时,闭门着书,以为传道之计;而喻嘉言、柯
韵伯二先生书,尤感愤而为不平之鸣,此理数之可言而不可言者矣。今之业医者,无论不足
为通儒,而求其识字者,则为良医矣。无论其识多字也,只求其识一字者,亦可以为良医矣
。客曰∶此何字也,得毋所谓丁字乎?余曰∶亦其类耳。不必他求,即人字是也。人乃阴精
阳气合而成之者也,左为阳,左边一 ,阳之位也;右为阴,右边一HT ,阴之位也。作
书者,遇 处自然轻手挥之,阳主乎气,轻清之象也;遇HT 处自然重手顿之,阴主乎精
,重浊之象也。两画不相离,阴阳互根之道也;两画各自位置,阴阳对待之道也。 在左者
不可使之右,HT 在右者不可使之左,阴阳不离之道也。左 由重而轻,万物生于水,即
男女媾精,万物化生之义,由阴而阳也。右HT 由轻而重,形生于气,即大哉干元,乃通
统天,至哉坤元,乃顺承天之义,阳统乎阴也。二者合之则成人,合之之义,医书谓之曰抱
,《周易》名之曰交,交则为泰矣。试以形景浅言之,人之鼻下口上水沟穴,一名人中,取
人身居乎天地中之义也(天气通于鼻,地气通于口。天食人以五气,鼻受之;地食人以五味
,口受之。穴居其中,故曰人中)。自人中而上,目、鼻、耳皆两窍(偶画),自人中而下,
口与二便皆单窍(奇画)。上三画偶而为阴,下三画奇而为阳,取天地之义,合成泰卦也。形
景主外,犹必合阴阳之象而成人,况人之所以生之理乎,人之为义大矣哉!子若遇医者,问
此一字,恐高车驷马,诩诩以名医自负者,亦一字不识也。客闻予言,亦大笑而去。
Pediatrics does not have exclusive prescriptions; the aforementioned formulas should be used in reduced doses. Currently, pediatricians immediately attribute illnesses to food retention (Shi Ji), wind-stroke (Jing Feng), wind-pathogens (Feng Xie), and infantile malnutrition (Gan Ji). The medicines they generally use include Gouteng (Uncariae Ramulus cum Uncis), Qinjiao (Gentianae Macrophyllae Radix), Fangfeng (Saposhnikoviae Radix), Qianghuo (Notopterygii Rhizoma et Radix), Duhuo (Angelicae Pubescentis Radix), Tianma (Gastrodiae Rhizoma), Qianhu (Peucedani Radix), Quanxie (Scorpio), and Jiangcan (Bombyx Batryticatus) as agents for dispelling wind (Qu Feng); Zhusha (Cinnabaris), Niuhuang (Calculus Bovis), Dansheng (Arisaematis Cum Bile), Shichangpu (Acori Tatarinowii Rhizoma), Tianzhuhuang (Calamus Indicus), Daizheshi (Haematitum), Qingdai (Indigo Naturalis), Chishao (Paeoniae Radix Rubra), and Yinjin Tang (Decoction of Flos Lonicerae et Flos Forsythiae) as agents for calming fright (Ding Jing); ShanZha (Crataegi Fructus), Shenqu (Massa Medicata Fermentata), Maiya (Hordei Fructus Germinatus), Guya (Oryzae Fructus Germinatus), Laifuzi (Raphini Semen), Zhiqiao (Aurantii Fructus Immaturus), Houpo (Magnoliae Officinalis Cortex), Binglang (Arecae Semen), and Caoguo (Tsaoko Fructus) as agents for digesting food (Xiao Shi); Wuyi (Pyrethri Farfarii Flos), Feizi (Torreyaegracilis Semen), Shijunzi (Quisqualis Fructus), Minglingtu (Terra Pingbeiensis), and Wu Gu Chong (Larva Bombycis Mori) as agents for treating Gan Ji (infantile malnutrition). Items such as Xingren (Armeniacae Semen Amarum), Tinglizi (Lepidii Semen), Jiu Huangqin (Scutellariae Radix prepared with wine), Sangbaipi (Mori Cortex), Banxia Qu (Pinelliae Preparata), Su Chenpi (Citri Reticulatae Pericarpium prepared with Perillae Folium), Beimu (Fritillariae Cirrhosae Bulbus), and Tianhuafen (Trichosanthis Radix) are considered good general-purpose medicines for regulating Qi (vital energy) and resolving phlegm (Tan). Fathers pass them down to sons, teachers to disciples; these so-called exclusive prescriptions are instruments of death. Qian Zhongyang (Qian Yi) pioneered the use of mineral drugs; although a few of his formulas were close to the correct principles, the Caiwei Tang (Herb-Picking Decoction) from *Tie Jing* is extremely absurd. Recent pediatricians merely use the aforementioned listed drugs arbitrarily, committing endless karmic offenses, which is truly detestable!
A guest asked me: Medicine is a Dao (Way/Path) wherein ancient sages revealed the secrets of Heaven and Earth, seized the power of creation, raised the dead back to life, and cannot be mastered without reading tens of thousands of books and thoroughly comprehending the principles of all things. Why can those who are not erudite scholars practice this profession, cure people's diseases, and gain great fame? I replied: In the world, there are Li (Principles/Reasons) and Shu (Numbers/Fates). When Li prevails over Shu, physicians with profound learning are revered by people near and far, thereby fully realizing the Way of saving lives. However, Zhang Zhongjing, revered as the Sage of Medicine, was not accepted in his own time, as seen in the preface to *Shanghan Lun* (Treatise on Cold Damage Disorders). Just as Confucius lived out his life as a "Su Wang" (King without a crown), Heaven's will lies in ten thousand generations, not in a single era. After Zhang Zhongjing, numerous famous virtuous men emerged, most of whom failed to achieve success in their times. They closed their doors to write books, intending to transmit the Dao. The works of Mr. Yu Jiayan and Mr. Ke Yunbo especially expressed indignation and cried out against injustice. This involves aspects of Li and Shu that can be spoken of yet remain unspoken. Today's practitioners, regardless of whether they qualify as erudite scholars, if they are required only to recognize characters, can become good physicians. Regardless of how many characters they know, if they are required only to recognize one character, they can also become good physicians. The guest asked: What is this character? Could it be the character "Ding" (丁)? I said: It is of that category. There is no need to seek elsewhere; it is the character "Ren" (人, Human). Humans are formed by the union of Yin Essence (Yin Jing) and Yang Qi (Yang Qi). The left side represents Yang; the left stroke (丿) is the position of Yang. The right side represents Yin; the right stroke (㇏) is the position of Yin. When writing, one naturally brushes lightly at the left stroke, as Yang governs Qi, representing lightness and clarity. One naturally presses heavily at the right stroke, as Yin governs Essence, representing heaviness and turbidity. The two strokes do not separate, illustrating the principle of Yin and Yang rooting each other (Hu Gen). The two strokes maintain their respective positions, illustrating the principle of Yin and Yang opposing each other (Dui Dai). The left stroke must not move to the right, and the right stroke must not move to the left, demonstrating the principle that Yin and Yang do not depart from each other. The left stroke goes from heavy to light, symbolizing that all things are born from water, meaning the conjunction of male and female essences leads to the generation of all things, transitioning from Yin to Yang. The right stroke goes from light to heavy, symbolizing that form is born from Qi, meaning the Great Qian Yuan (乾元) commands the Heavenly Dao, and the Supreme Kun Yuan (坤元) follows and receives the Heavenly Dao, where Yang commands Yin. These two combined form a human. The meaning of their combination is called "Bao" (Embrace/Hold) in medical texts and "Jiao" (Intersection/Communion) in the *I Ching* (Book of Changes). Intersection leads to Tai Hexagram (Peace). Speaking superficially using physical forms: the acupoint below the nose and above the mouth, known as Shuigou or Renzhong (GV26), takes its name from the meaning that humans reside between Heaven and Earth (Heavenly Qi connects through the nose, Earthly Qi connects through the mouth. Heaven feeds humans with Five Qi, received by the nose; Earth feeds humans with Five Flavors, received by the mouth. The acupoint is in the middle, hence called Renzhong). Above Renzhong, the eyes, nose, and ears are paired apertures (even numbers/broken lines); below Renzhong, the mouth and the two excretions are single apertures (odd numbers/solid lines). The upper three lines are even, belonging to Yin; the lower three lines are odd, belonging to Yang. Taking the meaning of Heaven and Earth, they combine to form the Tai Hexagram. Physical forms are external, yet still require the image of Yin and Yang to form a human, let alone the principle of human life. The significance of "Ren" is indeed great! If you encounter a physician and ask about this character, I fear that those driving high carriages with four horses, boasting proudly as famous doctors, would not recognize a single character. Upon hearing my words, the guest laughed heartily and departed.