肝苦急。急食甘以缓之。 心苦缓。急食酸以收之。
肺苦气上逆。急食苦以泄之。 脾苦湿。急食苦以燥之。
肾苦燥。急食辛以润之 开腠理。致津液。通气也。
肝欲散。急食辛以散之。 以辛补之。以酸泻之。
心欲软。急食咸以软之。 以咸补之。以甘泻之。
脾欲缓。急食甘以缓之。 以甘补之。以苦泻之。
肺欲收。急食酸以收之。 以酸补之。以辛泻之。
肾欲坚。急食苦以坚之。 以苦补之。以咸泻之。
此五者有辛酸甘苦咸。各有所利。或散、或收、或缓、或急、或软、或坚。四时五脏。病随五
味所宜也。
帝曰。方治君臣。何谓也。岐伯曰。主病之为君。佐君之为臣。应臣之为使。非上中下三品之
为也。帝曰。三品何谓。曰。所以明善恶之殊贯也。
凡药之所用者。皆以气味为主。补泻在味。随时换气。主病者为君。假令治风者、防风为君。
治上焦热、黄芩为君。中焦热、黄连为君。下焦湿热、防己为君。治寒、附子之类为君。看兼见何
证。以佐使药分治之。此制方之要也。本草说。上品药为君。各从其宜。
气交变论。说五运太过不及云云。夫五运之政。犹权衡也。高者抑之。下者举之。化者应之。
变者复之。此生长化成收藏之理。气之常也。失常则天地四塞矣。失常之理。则天地四时之气无所
营运。故动必有静。胜必有复。乃天地阴阳之道也。
The Liver dislikes tension (cramping/spasms). One should urgently consume Sweet flavors to relax it. The Heart dislikes flaccidity/laxity. One should urgently consume Sour flavors to astringe it.
The Lungs dislike the rebellion of Qi (Qi moving upward against its normal direction). One should urgently consume Bitter flavors to drain/descend it. The Spleen dislikes Dampness. One should urgently consume Bitter flavors to dry it.
The Kidneys dislike Dryness. One should urgently consume Pungent flavors to moisten it (by opening the interstices, promoting the generation of body fluids, and facilitating the flow of Qi).
The Liver desires dispersion. One should urgently consume Pungent flavors to disperse it. Use Pungent flavors to tonify it; use Sour flavors to sedate it.
The Heart desires softness/pliability. One should urgently consume Salty flavors to soften it. Use Salty flavors to tonify it; use Sweet flavors to sedate it.
The Spleen desires relaxation/ease. One should urgently consume Sweet flavors to relax it. Use Sweet flavors to tonify it; use Bitter flavors to sedate it.
The Lungs desire astringency/consolidation. One should urgently consume Sour flavors to astringe it. Use Sour flavors to tonify it; use Pungent flavors to sedate it.
The Kidneys desire firmness/stability. One should urgently consume Bitter flavors to firm it. Use Bitter flavors to tonify it; use Salty flavors to sedate it.
These five aspects involve the Sour, Pungent, Sweet, Bitter, and Salty flavors, each having its specific benefits, whether dispersing, astringing, relaxing, urgent treatment, softening, or firming. Diseases of the Four Seasons and Five Zang organs are treated according to the suitability of the Five Flavors.
The Yellow Emperor asked: What is meant by the Jun-Chen-Zuo-Shi (Monarch-Minister-Assistant-Courier) principle in prescription formulation? Qibo answered: The herb that treats the main disease is called the Monarch (Jun); herbs that assist the Monarch are called Ministers (Chen); herbs that respond to and coordinate with the Ministers are called Envoys (Shi). This does not refer to the classification of Upper, Middle, and Lower grades found in materia medica. The Yellow Emperor asked: Then what do these three grades mean? Qibo answered: They serve to clarify the distinct categories of beneficial and harmful properties of herbs.
In the use of all herbs, aroma and flavor are primary. Tonification and sedation depend on flavor, while the use of Qi (aroma/energy) varies with the season. The herb treating the main disease serves as the Monarch. For example, for treating Wind diseases, Fangfeng (Saposhnikovia Root) is the Monarch; for treating Heat in the Upper Jiao, Huangqin (Scutellaria Root) is the Monarch; for treating Heat in the Middle Jiao, Huanglian (Coptis Rhizome) is the Monarch; for treating Damp-Heat in the Lower Jiao, Fangji (Stephania Root) is the Monarch; for treating Cold conditions, herbs like Fuzi (Aconite Lateral Root) serve as the Monarch. Depending on accompanying syndromes, Assistant (Zuo) and Envoy (Shi) herbs are used for targeted treatment. This is the essence of prescription formulation. Materia medica texts state that Upper-grade herbs serve as Monarchs, each following their appropriate suitability.
The "Treatise on Changes in Qi Intercourse" discusses the concepts of excess and deficiency of the Five Movements (Wu Yun). The governance of the Five Movements is like a balance scale: high points are suppressed, low points are elevated, transformations are responded to, and alterations are restored. This is the principle of growth, transformation, and storage, which is the normal state of Qi. If this normal state is lost, Heaven and Earth become blocked. The reason for losing the normal state is that the Qi of Heaven, Earth, and the Four Seasons cannot operate normally. Therefore, movement must be followed by stillness, and dominance (excess) must be followed by reaction (rebound). This is the Way of Yin and Yang in Heaven and Earth.