葛根半筋 黄芩三两 黄连三两 甘草(炙)二两
右四味,以水八升,先煮葛根,减二升,内诸药,煮取二升,去滓,分温再服。
【集解】
柯琴曰:外热不除,是表不解;下利不止,是里未和。误下致利,病因则同。一则脉
微弱,心下痞□,是脉不足而证有余也;一则脉促而喘反汗自出,是脉有余而证不足
也。表里、虚实,当从脉辨,况弱脉见于数下后,则痞□为虚,更可知也。故用理中
之辛甘温补,止下利化痞□,,又加桂枝以解表。先煮四味,后内桂枝,和中之力饶
,而解肌之气锐,是于两解中寓权宜法也。桂枝证本脉缓,误下后而反促,阳气内盛
,邪蒸于外,故汗出也;热暴于内,火逆上冲,故为喘也;暴注下迫,故为利也。故
君清轻升发之葛根,以解肌而止利;佐苦寒清肃之芩连,以止汗而定喘;又加甘草以
和中。先煮葛根,后内诸药,解肌之力纯,而清中之气锐,又与补中逐邪者殊法矣。
太阳病,下之后,脉促胸满者,桂枝去芍药汤主之。若微恶寒者,去芍药方中,加附
子汤主之。
【按】
若微恶寒者,当是汗出微恶寒方合。若无「汗出」二字,乃表未解,无取乎加附子也
。
【注】
太阳病,表未解而下之,胸实邪陷,则为胸满,气上冲咽喉不得,息瓜蒂散证也。胸
虚邪陷,则为气上冲,桂枝汤证也。今下之后,邪陷胸中,胸满脉促,似乎胸实而无
冲喉不得息之证,似乎胸虚又见胸满之证,故不用瓜蒂散以治实,亦不用桂枝汤以治
虚,惟用桂枝之甘辛,以和太阳之表,去芍药之酸收,以避胸中之满。若汗出微恶寒
,去芍药方中加附子主之者,以防亡阳之变也。
【按】
上条脉促,喘而汗出不恶寒,下利不止,云属实热。此条脉促胸满,汗出微恶寒,不
喘不下利,反属虚寒者何也?上条是里热蒸越之汗,故汗出不恶寒,阳实也,喘而下
利,皆为热也。此条乃表阳不固之汗,故汗出微恶寒,阳虚也,即不喘利亦为寒也。
要知仲景立法,每在极微处设辨,恐人微处易忽也。今以微恶寒发其义,却不在汗出
上辨寒热,而在汗出恶寒、不恶寒上辨寒热;不在脉促上辨寒热,而在脉促之有力、
无力辨寒热。于此又可知不惟在胸满上辨虚实,而当在胸满之时满、时不满、常常满
而不减上辨虚实矣。
【集注】
喻昌曰:此条之微恶寒,合上条观之,则脉促、胸满、喘而汗出之内,原伏有虚阳欲
脱之机。故仲景于此条,特以「微恶寒」三字发其义,可见阳虚则恶寒矣。又可见汗
不出之恶寒,即非阳虚矣。
程应旄曰:有阳盛而见促脉,亦有阳虚而见促脉者,当辨之于有力无力,仍须辨之于
外证也。
沈明宗曰:误下扰乱阴阳之气则脉促,邪入胸膈几成结胸,但结满而未痛耳!故以桂
枝汤单提胸膈之邪,使从表解。去芍药者,恶其酸收,引邪内入故也。若脉促胸满、
而微恶寒,乃虚而跼踖,阳气欲脱,又非阳实之比,所以加附子固护真阳也。然伤风
下后之恶寒,与未下之恶寒,回然有别。而汗后之恶寒,与未汗之恶寒亦殊。
Radix Puerariae (Ge Gen) 8 liang, Radix Scutellariae (Huang Qin) 3 liang, Rhizoma Coptidis (Huang Lian) 3 liang, Radix Glycyrrhizae (Gan Cao), prepared (Zhi) 2 liang.
The above four ingredients are decocted with eight sheng of water. First, boil the Radix Puerariae until the volume decreases by two sheng. Then add the remaining herbs, and continue boiling until two sheng of liquid remains. Strain out the dregs, and divide into two doses to be taken warm.
[Collected Explanations]
Ke Qin stated: The persistence of external heat indicates that the exterior syndrome is not resolved; the continuous diarrhea indicates that the interior qi is not harmonized. Although the etiology of diarrhea caused by erroneous purgation is the same, there are distinctions. In one case, the pulse is faint and weak, and there is epigastric fullness and obstruction (Pi Zhang); this indicates that the pulse reflects deficiency of righteous qi while the symptoms reflect excess of pathogenic factors. In another case, the pulse is rapid and intermittent (Cu Mai), accompanied by wheezing and spontaneous sweating; this indicates that the pulse reflects excess of pathogenic factors while the symptoms reflect deficiency of righteous qi. Exterior vs. Interior, and Deficiency vs. Excess should be differentiated based on the pulse. Moreover, since a weak pulse appears after multiple erroneous purgations, it can be further deduced that the epigastric fullness and obstruction is due to deficiency. Therefore, the acrid-sweet-warm tonifying method of Lizhong Tang is used to stop diarrhea and resolve epigastric fullness and obstruction, and Guizhi Tang (Cinnamon Twig Decoction) is added to release the exterior. By decocting the first four ingredients first and adding Guizhi later, the power to harmonize the middle jiao is profound, while the energy to relieve the muscle layer is sharp. This embodies a flexible approach within simultaneous resolution of both exterior and interior. The Guizhi pattern originally presents with a slow pulse; after erroneous purgation, the pulse becomes rapid and intermittent, indicating internal abundance of yang qi and pathogenic steaming outward, causing sweating. Heat raging internally causes fire to rebel and rush upward, resulting in wheezing; sudden urgent diarrhea results in purging. Therefore, Ge Gen, which is clear, light, ascending, and stimulating, is used as the sovereign herb to relieve the muscle layer and stop diarrhea; Huang Qin and Huang Lian, which are bitter and cold, clearing and肃 (descending), are used as assistant herbs to stop sweating and calm wheezing; Gan Cao is added to harmonize the middle. By decocting Ge Gen first and adding other herbs later, the power to relieve the muscle layer is pure, and the qi to clear the interior is sharp, which is distinct from methods that tonify the middle and expel pathogens.
In Taiyang disease, if after purgation the pulse is rapid and intermittent (Cu Mai) and there is chest fullness, Guizhi Qu Shaoyao Tang (Cinnamon Twig Decoction without Paeonia) is the primary formula. If there is slight aversion to cold, Fuzi Tang (Aconite Decoction) added to the Guizhi Qu Shaoyao Tang formula is the primary treatment.
[Commentary]
If there is slight aversion to cold, it should correspond to the pattern of "sweating with slight aversion to cold." Without the phrase "sweating," it indicates the exterior is not yet resolved, and there is no need to use the formula with added Fuzi.
[Annotation]
In Taiyang disease, if the exterior is not resolved and purgation is erroneously applied, real pathogenic factors sinking into the chest cause chest fullness, with qi rushing up to the throat causing dyspnea; this is the indication for Goudi San (Melon Seed Powder). If deficient pathogenic factors sink into the chest, it causes qi rushing upward, which is the indication for Guizhi Tang. Now, after purgation, pathogenic factors sink into the chest, causing chest fullness and a rapid and intermittent pulse. It seems like a chest excess pattern but lacks the symptom of qi rushing to the throat causing dyspnea; it seems like a chest deficiency pattern but presents with chest fullness. Therefore, Goudi San is not used to treat excess, nor is Guizhi Tang used to treat deficiency. Instead, the sweet and acrid nature of Guizhi is used to harmonize the Taiyang exterior, and the sour-astringent nature of Shaoyao is removed to avoid aggravating the chest fullness. If there is sweating and slight aversion to cold, adding Fuzi to the Guizhi Qu Shaoyao Tang formula is used to prevent the complication of Yang collapse.
[Commentary]
The previous clause described a rapid and intermittent pulse, wheezing, sweating, aversion to cold absent, and continuous diarrhea, classified as an Excess-Heat syndrome. This clause describes a rapid and intermittent pulse, chest fullness, sweating, slight aversion to cold, no wheezing, and no diarrhea, classified as a Deficiency-Cold syndrome. Why? The sweating in the previous clause was caused by internal heat steaming outward, hence sweating without aversion to cold, representing Yang Excess; wheezing and diarrhea were both Heat syndromes. The sweating in this clause was caused by failure of Exterior Yang to secure, hence sweating with slight aversion to cold, representing Yang Deficiency; even without wheezing or diarrhea, it is a Cold syndrome. One must understand that Zhang Zhongjing established his principles by distinguishing at extremely subtle points, fearing that people might overlook these subtleties. Here, he uses "slight aversion to cold" to elucidate the meaning. The differentiation of Cold vs. Heat is not based on "sweating," but on "sweating with aversion to cold" versus "sweating without aversion to cold"; it is not based on "rapid and intermittent pulse," but on whether the pulse is "forceful" or "weak." From this, we can also know that differentiation of Deficiency vs. Excess is not only based on chest fullness, but also on whether the fullness is intermittent or constant and unrelenting.
[Collected Notes]
Yu Chang said: Observing the "slight aversion to cold" in this clause together with the previous one reveals that within the rapid and intermittent pulse, chest fullness, wheezing, and sweating, there was originally a latent mechanism of collapsing deficient Yang. Thus, Zhang Zhongjing specifically used the three characters "slight aversion to cold" to elucidate the principle, showing that Yang deficiency leads to aversion to cold. It also shows that aversion to cold without sweating is not due to Yang deficiency.
Cheng Yingmao said: There are cases where Yang excess presents with a rapid and intermittent pulse, and cases where Yang deficiency presents with such a pulse. One must differentiate based on forcefulness or weakness, and still rely on external symptoms for differentiation.
Shen Mingzong said: Erroneous purgation disturbs the qi of Yin and Yang, leading to a rapid and intermittent pulse. Pathogens enter the chest and diaphragm, nearly forming Jie Xiong (Chest Binding), but there is only fullness and obstruction without pain. Therefore, Guizhi Tang is used to lift the pathogen from the chest and diaphragm so it may be resolved from the exterior. Shaoyao is removed because its sour-astringent nature is disliked, as it would draw pathogens inward. If the pulse is rapid and intermittent, there is chest fullness, and slight aversion to cold, this indicates deficiency and constriction, with Yang Qi about to collapse, which is not comparable to Yang Excess. Therefore, Fuzi is added to protect the True Yang. However, aversion to cold after purgation for wind injury is completely different from aversion to cold before purgation. Similarly, aversion to cold after sweating is different from aversion to cold before sweating.