治湿淫于内, 脾胃不能克制, 有积饮, 痞膈, 中满者.
苍术 ( 米泔浸七日 ) 五斤 陈皮 ( 去白 ) 厚朴 ( 姜汁炒 ) 各
三斤 甘草 ( 炙 ) 三十两, 右为末, 每服二钱, 姜汤下, 日三服.
或水煎, 每服五钱.
【集注】柯琴曰: 『内经』以土运太过曰敦阜, 其病腹满; 不及曰卑
监,其病留满痞塞. 张仲景制三承气汤, 调胃土之敦阜. 李杲制平胃
散,平胃土之卑监. 培其卑者, 而使之平, 非削平之谓, 犹温胆汤用
凉剂, 温缓而使之和, 非用温之谓. 后之注本草者, 曰: 敦阜之土,
宜苍术以平之; 卑监之土, 宜白术以培之. 若以湿土为敦阜, 将以燥
土为卑监耶? 不审敦阜属燥, 卑监属湿之义, 因不知平胃之理矣. 二
术甘苦, 皆燥湿健脾之用, 脾燥则不滞, 所以能健运而得其平. 第二
术白者柔而缓, 苍者猛而悍, 此取其长于发汗, 迅于除湿, 故以苍术
为君耳. 不得以白补, 赤泻之说, 为二术拘也. 厚朴色赤苦温, 能助
少火以生气, 故以为佐. 湿因于气之不行, 气行则愈, 故更以陈皮佐
之.甘先入脾, 脾得补而健运, 故以炙甘草为使. 名曰平胃, 实调脾
承气之剂欤! 张洁古取『金匮』之枳术汤以为丸, 枳实之峻重于厚朴
,且无甘草以和之, 虽倍白术, 而消伐过于此方, 昧者以术为补而久
服之, 不思枳实峻削而不宜多服也.
Treats conditions where dampness overflows within the interior, and the Spleen and Stomach fail to control it, resulting in accumulation of fluid retention (Ji Yin), chest and diaphragm stuffiness (Pi Ge), and abdominal fullness (Zhong Man).
Cangzhu (Atractylodis Rhizoma, soaked in rice-washing water for seven days) 5 jin; Chenpi (Citri Reticulatae Pericarpium, white pith removed) and Houpo (Magnoliae Officinalis Cortex, stir-fried with ginger juice) each 3 jin; Zhigancao (Glycyrrhizae Radix et Rhizoma Preparatum, honey-fried or roasted) 30 liang. The above are ground into powder. Take 2 qian per dose, administered with ginger decoction, three times daily. Alternatively, decoct with water, taking 5 qian per dose.
[Collected Annotations] Ke Qin stated: *Neijing* states that when Earth Qi is excessive, it is called "Dunfu" (Piled High), manifesting as abdominal fullness; when Earth Qi is deficient, it is called "Beijian" (Low Monitor), manifesting as lingering fullness and blockage. Zhang Zhongjing formulated the Three Chengqi Decoctions to regulate the excessive Earth of the Stomach ("Dunfu"). Li Gao formulated Pingwei San to level the deficient Earth of the Stomach ("Beijian"). "Nourishing the deficient to bring it to balance" does not mean to flatten or reduce it; just as Wendan Tang uses cooling agents to gently harmonize rather than simply applying heat. Later commentators on Materia Medica stated: For Dunfu Earth, Cangzhu is suitable to level it; for Beijian Earth, Baizhu is suitable to nourish it. If one considers Damp Earth as Dunfu, would Dry Earth be considered Beijian? This reflects a failure to examine the meaning that Dunfu belongs to Dryness and Beijian belongs to Dampness, thus failing to understand the principle of Pingwei [Decoction]. Both Cangzhu and Baizhu have sweet and bitter flavors and functions of drying dampness and strengthening the Spleen. When the Spleen is dry, stagnation does not occur, allowing for robust transportation and achieving balance. Secondly, Baizhu is soft and mild, while Cangzhu is fierce and vigorous. Here, Cangzhu is chosen as the Sovereign herb because it excels at inducing sweating and rapidly eliminating dampness. One should not be constrained by the theory of "White tonifies, Red purges" regarding these two herbs. Houpo is red, bitter, and warm; it can assist the "Lesser Fire" to generate Qi, hence it serves as an Assistant. Dampness arises from the failure of Qi movement; when Qi moves, the condition resolves, so Chenpi is added as an Assistant. Sweet flavor enters the Spleen first; when the Spleen is tonified, it transports vigorously, so Zhi Gancao is used as an Envoy. Named Pingwei [San], it is essentially a formula that regulates the Spleen and Stomach, akin to the function of Chengqi formulas! Zhang Jiegou took Zhizhu Tang from *Jingui Yaolue* to make pills. Zhishi (Immature Bitter Orange) is more severe and heavy than Houpo, and lacks Gancao to harmonize it. Even with doubled Baizhu, its draining and reducing power exceeds this formula. Ignorant people consider Baizhu as a tonic and take it for long periods, failing to realize that Zhishi is severe and reducing, and thus unsuitable for prolonged use.