今之医者,以其人房劳之后,或遗精之后,感冒风寒而发热者,谓之阴症。病者遇此,
亦自
谓之阴症。罔顾其现症何如,总用参、术、附、桂、干姜、地黄等温热峻补之药,此可称绝
倒者也。夫所谓阴症者,寒邪中于三阴经也。房后感风,岂风寒必中肾经?即使中之,亦不
过散少阴之风寒,如《伤寒论》中少阴发热,仍用麻黄、细辛发表而已,岂有用辛热温补之
法耶?若用温补,则补其风寒于肾中矣。况阴虚之人而感风寒,亦必由太阳入,仍属阳邪,
其热必甚,兼以燥闷烦渴,尤宜清热散邪,岂可反用热药?若果直中三阴,则断无壮热之理
,必有恶寒倦卧,厥冷喜热等症,方可用温散,然亦终无用滋补之法。即如伤寒瘥后,房事不
慎,又发寒热,谓之女劳复。此乃久虚之
人,复患大症。根据今人之见,尤宜峻补者也。而古人治之,用竹皮一升,煎汤服。然则无病
而房后感风,更不宜用热补矣。故凡治病之法,总视目前之现证现脉。如果六脉沉迟,表里
绵畏寒,的系三阴之寒证,即使其本领强壮,又绝欲十年,亦从阴治。若系所现脉证,的系
阳邪,发热烦渴,并无三阴之症,即使其人本体虚弱,又复房劳过度,亦从阳治。如《伤寒
论》中阳明大热之证,宜用葛根、白虎等方者。瞬息之间,转入三阴,即改用温补。若阳症
转阳症,亦即用凉散,此一定之法也。近世惟喻嘉言先生能知此义,有《寓意草》中黄长人
之伤寒案可见。余人皆不知之,其杀人可胜道哉!
Contemporary physicians, upon observing patients who experience fever after sexual exertion or seminal emission, followed by exposure to wind and cold, label this condition as "Yin Syndrome" (Yin Zheng). Patients encountering such symptoms also self-diagnose as Yin Syndrome. Disregarding the actual clinical manifestations, they uniformly administer potent warming and tonifying herbs such as Renshen (Ginseng Radix), Baizhu (Atractylodis Rhizoma), Fuzi (Aconiti Lateralis Radix Praeparata), Rougui (Cinnamomi Cortex), Ganjiang (Zingiberis Rhizoma), and Dihuang (Rehmanniae Radix). This approach is truly absurd.
The so-called Yin Syndrome refers to Cold Pathogens invading the Three Yin Meridians (Taiyin, Shaoyin, Jueyin). After sexual activity, if one contracts wind, does it necessarily mean the wind-cold invades the Kidney Meridian? Even if it does, it merely involves dispersing wind-cold from the Shaoyin Meridian. As stated in *Shanghan Lun* (Treatise on Cold Damage Disorders), for Shaoyin fever, formulas containing Mahuang (Ephedrae Herba) and Xixin (Asari Radix et Rhizoma) are still used to release the exterior. How could one employ pungent-warming tonification methods? If warming tonification is used, it would effectively trap the wind-cold pathogen within the Kidneys.
Furthermore, when individuals with Yin Deficiency contract wind-cold, the pathogen inevitably enters via the Taiyang Meridian and remains a Yang Pathogen. The fever will likely be severe, accompanied by dryness, chest oppression, irritability, and thirst. In such cases, clearing heat and dispelling pathogens is particularly appropriate; how can hot-natured drugs be used instead? If the pathogen directly invades the Three Yin Meridians, there would absolutely be no high fever. Instead, symptoms such as aversion to cold, fatigue, desire to lie down, cold extremities, and preference for warmth would appear. Only then could warming dispersion be employed, yet even then, tonification should ultimately not be used.
Consider the case of "Nü Lao Fu" (Female Labor Recurrence), where chills and fever recur after recovery from Shanghan due to imprudent sexual intercourse. This affects individuals who have been chronically deficient and are now suffering from a major illness. By contemporary standards, potent tonification seems indicated. However, ancient texts prescribe treating this with Zhupi (Bambusae Caulis in Taedia), one sheng, decocted and taken orally. Therefore, those who are not ill but contract wind after sexual activity should certainly not use hot-tonifying methods.
Thus, the principle of treatment always depends on the current signs and pulse. If the six pulses are deep and slow, and there is aversion to cold throughout the interior and exterior, indicating a true Cold Syndrome of the Three Yin Meridians, treatment should follow the Yin pattern, even if the patient has a strong constitution and has abstained from sex for ten years. Conversely, if the presenting pulse and symptoms indicate a Yang Pathogen—manifesting as fever, irritability, and thirst, without any signs of the Three Yin Meridians—treatment should follow the Yang pattern, even if the patient is inherently weak and has suffered excessive sexual exertion. For instance, in *Shanghan Lun*, Yangming disease characterized by intense heat requires formulas like Gegen Tang (Puerariae Decoction) or Baihu Tang (White Tiger Decoction). If the condition shifts to the Three Yin Meridians within moments, the treatment must switch to warming tonification. If a Yang syndrome transitions to another Yang syndrome, cooling dispersion is used. This is an immutable rule.
Among modern practitioners, only Master Yu Jiayan understood this principle, as evidenced by the Shanghan medical case of Huang Changren in his work *Yuyi Cao*. Others fail to grasp this concept, and the number of lives lost due to their ignorance is incalculable!