风之为病,最易误治。误治者,在不明其表里耳。盖外风者,八方之所中;内风者,五
脏之
本病也。八方自外而入,先有发热恶寒,头痛身痛之证,此因于外者,显然有可察也。五风
由内而病,则绝无外证,而忽病如风,其由内伤可知也,然既非外感,而经曰∶诸暴强直,
皆属于风。诸风掉眩,皆属于肝。何也?盖肝为东方之脏,其藏血,其主风,血病则无以养
筋,筋病则掉眩强直之类,诸变百出,此皆肝木之化,故云皆属于风。谓之属者,以五气各
有所主,如诸湿肿满,皆属于脾之类,其义同也。盖有所中者,谓之中外感也。无所中者,
谓
之类中内伤也。故王安道有类中真中之辨,后世不明此义,不惟以类风者认为真风,而且以
内夺暴厥等证,俱认为风,误亦甚矣!夫外盛者,邪袭肌表,故多阳实。内伤者,由于酒色
劳役七情口腹,致伤脏气,故多阴虚。凡脏气受伤,脾虚者,病在四肢,或多痰饮;肾病者
,或如在髓,或在二阴;心病者,或在血脉,或在神志;肺病者,或在营卫,或在声音;肝
病者,或在筋瓜,或在胁肋。故东垣曰∶有中风卒然昏愦不省人事者,此非外来之邪,乃本
气自病也。夫人生于阳而根于阴,凡阳虚则气衰耗,故病在元神,神志为之昏乱;阴亏则则
形体坏,病在精血,故肢体为之废弛。俗以神离形坏之证,不求根本之虚,而以风治,鲜
不危矣?然外感者,非云绝无虚证,气虚则虚也;内伤者,非曰必无实证,有滞则实也。治
虚者,当察其在阴在阳,而直补之;治实者,当察其因痰因气,而暂开之。此于内伤外感虚
实攻补之间,最当审其有无微甚,而配其治也。甚至有元气素弱,猝然仆倒,上无痰,下失
禁, 目昏沉,此厥竭之证,尤与风邪无涉。使非大剂参附,或七年之艾,破格挽回,又安
望其复真气于将绝之顷哉?倘不察表邪,不辨虚实,但以之为名,多用风药,不知风药
皆燥,燥复伤真阴,风药皆散,散复伤元气,以内伤为外感,以不足作有余,此促人之死也
。可不慎哉!
Diseases caused by Wind are most prone to misdiagnosis and mistreatment. The cause of such errors lies in the failure to distinguish between exterior (Biao) and interior (Li) patterns. External Wind is contracted from the eight directions (external environment); Internal Wind is a fundamental disease arising from the dysfunction of the five Zang organs. External Wind enters from the outside, initially presenting with symptoms such as fever, aversion to cold, headache, and body ache; this type, caused by external factors, is clearly observable. Internal Wind arises from internal pathology, presenting without any exterior signs, but rather with sudden onset resembling wind-stroke; thus, it can be known that this originates from internal injury. However, since it is not an external contraction, why does the *Huangdi Neijing* (Yellow Emperor's Inner Canon) state: "All sudden stiffness and rigidity belong to Wind"? And "All wind-induced tremors and vertigo belong to the Liver"? This is because the Liver is the organ associated with the East, it stores Blood, and governs Wind Wood Qi. When Blood is diseased, it fails to nourish the sinews (tendons); when sinews are diseased, various manifestations such as tremors, vertigo, stiffness, and rigidity emerge. These are all transformations of Liver Wood Qi, hence they are said to "belong to Wind." The term "belong to" implies that each of the Five Qi has its specific domain, similar to how "all dampness-induced swelling and fullness belong to the Spleen"; the principle is the same. "Zhong" (Struck/Midst) refers to external contraction (Exogenous Wind). "Bu Zhong" (Not Struck) refers to Lei Zhong (Stroke-like syndrome due to internal injury) and internal damage. Therefore, Wang Andao distinguished between Lei Zhong (stroke-like) and Zhen Zhong (true wind-stroke). Later generations failed to understand this principle, not only treating Lei Feng (wind-like) syndromes as true Wind, but also attributing conditions like sudden syncope due to depletion of vital energy to Wind pathogenic factors, which is a grave error! When external pathogens are prevalent, evil qi invades the muscle and surface, resulting mostly in Yang Excess patterns. Internal injuries result from alcohol consumption, sexual excess, overwork, emotional disturbances, or dietary indiscretion, damaging Zang Qi, resulting mostly in Yin Deficiency patterns. When Zang Qi is damaged: Spleen deficiency manifests in the four limbs or with phlegm-fluid retention; Kidney disease may manifest in the marrow or the two yin openings; Heart disease may manifest in the blood vessels or spirit/mind; Lung disease may manifest in Ying-Wei (Nutritive-Defensive) levels or voice; Liver disease may manifest in the sinews or hypochondrium. Thus, Li Dongyuan stated: "In cases of sudden stroke with coma and loss of consciousness, this is not an external pathogen, but a disease of the original Qi itself." Humans are born from Yang and rooted in Yin. When Yang is deficient, Qi declines and dissipates, causing disease in the Yuan Shen (Original Spirit), leading to mental confusion; when Yin is depleted, the physical form deteriorates, causing disease in Jing-Xue (Essence-Blood), leading to flaccidity and paralysis of the limbs. Laypeople, facing conditions where the spirit departs from the form and the body decays, fail to seek the root deficiency and instead treat with wind-dispelling methods, rarely avoiding critical danger. However, external contractions do not absolutely exclude deficiency patterns; Qi deficiency constitutes a deficiency pattern. Internal injuries do not absolutely exclude excess patterns; stagnation constitutes an excess pattern. To treat deficiency, one must ascertain whether the deficiency is in Yin or Yang and tonify directly. To treat excess, one must ascertain whether it is due to Phlegm or Qi stagnation and temporarily open/unblock it. In managing the interplay of internal vs. external, deficiency vs. excess, and purgative vs. tonifying treatments, it is crucial to carefully assess the presence and severity of these factors to match the treatment accordingly. There are even cases where the Original Qi is inherently weak, leading to sudden collapse, with no phlegm above, incontinence below, and blurred vision. This is a syndrome of Jue-Jie (collapse and exhaustion), which has little to do with Wind pathogenic factors. Unless large doses of Shenfu Tang (Ginseng and Aconite Decoction) or moxibustion with seven-year-old mugwort (Qi Nian Zhi Ai) are used to break protocol rules and rescue the patient, how can one hope to restore True Qi at the moment it is about to perish? If one fails to examine for exterior pathogens and differentiate between deficiency and excess, yet merely uses wind-dispelling herbs because the disease name contains "Wind," one ignores the fact that wind-dispelling herbs are mostly drying, and drying further injures True Yin; wind-dispelling herbs are mostly dispersing, and dispersing further injures Original Qi. Treating internal injury as external contraction, and insufficiency as sufficiency, is hastening death. Can one not be cautious?