火之为病,其害甚大,其势生彰,其死甚暴。何者?盖能燔灼焚焰,飞走狂越,销铄万
物,
莫能过之,游行于三焦虚实之两途。故凡动皆属火化,火不妄动,随触而发。夫人在气交之
中
,多动少静,欲无触发可得乎?火一妄行,元气更伤,动之极也,遂与元气不两立。经云∶
一水不能胜二火之火,出于天造。曰∶君火、人火也,曰相火、龙火、雷火也。经所谓一水
不胜五火之火,出于人为。盖大怒则火起于肝,醉饱则火起于胃,房劳则火起于肾,悲哀动
中则火起于肺,心为君主,自焚而死,此五志厥阳之火也。又考《内经》病机一十九条,而
属火者五,可见火热致病者甚多。然五志之火,详于河间;君相二火,辨自丹溪,可谓无漏
义矣!其见之于证也,上为喘呕吐酸,吐血衄血,气逆 胀,瞀 冒昧,喉痹耳鸣 等证;下
为暴注下迫,下血溺血,小便淋沥,大便闭结,霍乱转筋等证;或为疮肿痈疽,寒热战栗,
扰躁狂越,证见于外;或为悲哭谵妄,惊悸怔忡,骨蒸咳嗽,证发于内。凡诸火邪,不一而
足,其形之于脉也。浮而洪数为虚火,沉而实大为实火,见于两寸为上焦之火,心肺是也;
见于两关为中焦之火,脾胃肝胆是也;见于两尺为下焦之火,肾与膀胱是也。滑数而举按皆
有力,真火也;浮而重按全无,假火也。其药之所主也,君火可以经伏,可以水灭,可以直
折,黄连之属可以制之。相火不可以水折,当从其性而伏之,惟黄柏之属可以降之。然黄连
泻心火,黄芩泻肺火,芍药泻脾火,柴胡泻肝火,知母泻肾火,此皆苦寒之味,能泻有形之
火耳。若饮食劳倦,内伤元气之火,宜以甘温之剂除之。如阳亢阴微,煎熬血液之火,宜以
甘寒之剂降之。如门冬、地黄之属。若左肾真阴失守而火炽。则地黄、元参之类,可以壮水
制阳。若右肾命门虚弱火衰,则桂、附之类,可以消阴益火。若胃虚过食冷物,抑遏阳气于
脾土之中,则升麻、葛根、可以升散郁火。不明此类而求治火病,未免实实虚虚之误矣。
Diseases caused by Fire pathogen are extremely harmful, their manifestations are obvious, and death can occur violently. Why? Because Fire can scorch and burn, fly and move wildly, melt and destroy all things, surpassing nothing else in its power, traveling through the pathways of deficiency and excess in the San Jiao (Triple Burner). Therefore, any movement belongs to the transformation of Fire; Fire does not move recklessly but arises upon contact. Humans exist within the intersection of Qi, moving more and resting less; is it possible to avoid triggering Fire? Once Fire moves recklessly, Yuan Qi (Original Qi) is further injured, reaching the extreme of movement, thus becoming incompatible with Yuan Qi. The Classics state: "One water cannot overcome two Fires," which originates from natural creation. These refer to Jun Fire (Monarch Fire) and Ren Fire (Human Fire), as well as Xiang Fire (Minister Fire), Long Fire (Dragon Fire), and Lei Fire (Thunder Fire). The Classics' statement that "One water cannot overcome five Fires" stems from human factors. Great anger causes Fire to arise in the Liver; drunkenness and overeating cause Fire to arise in the Stomach; sexual exhaustion causes Fire to arise in the Kidneys; sorrow and emotional disturbance cause Fire to arise in the Lungs; the Heart, being the Monarch, burns itself to death—these are the Five Emotions' Jue Yang Fire (Rebellious Yang Fire). Furthermore, examining the Nineteen Pathogenesis Patterns in the *Nei Jing* (Inner Canon), five belong to Fire, indicating that Heat-Fire diseases are numerous. However, the Five Emotions' Fire is detailed by Hejian (Liu Wansu); the distinction between Jun and Xiang Fire was clarified by Danxi (Zhu Zhenheng), leaving no gaps in meaning! In terms of clinical manifestations, upper symptoms include wheezing, vomiting, acid regurgitation, hematemesis, epistaxis, rebellious Qi causing distension, dizziness and confusion, throat obstruction, and tinnitus; lower symptoms include sudden diarrhea with tenesmus, lower bleeding, hematuria, dysuria, constipation, cholera with muscle cramps; or external signs such as sores, swellings, carbuncles, chills and fever, restlessness, mania, and wild behavior; or internal signs such as weeping, delirium, palpitations, fright, bone-steaming cough. Various Fire pathogens are too numerous to list. Regarding pulse diagnosis: floating and rapid/hurrying indicates Deficient Fire; deep and full/large indicates Excess Fire. Appearing at both Cun (Inch) positions indicates Upper Jiao Fire, involving the Heart and Lungs; appearing at both Guan (Bar) positions indicates Middle Jiao Fire, involving the Spleen, Stomach, Liver, and Gallbladder; appearing at both Chi (Cubit) positions indicates Lower Jiao Fire, involving the Kidneys and Bladder. Slippery and rapid, forceful upon light and heavy pressure, indicates True Fire; floating but empty upon heavy pressure indicates False Fire. Regarding pharmacological treatment: Jun Fire can be subdued via meridian techniques, extinguished by water, or directly reduced; herbs like Huanglian (Coptidis Rhizoma) can control it. Xiang Fire cannot be reduced by water alone; one should follow its nature to subdue it; only herbs like Huangbai (Phellodendri Cortex) can descend it. However, Huanglian drains Heart Fire, Huangqin (Scutellariae Radix) drains Lung Fire, Shaoyao (Paeoniae Radix) drains Spleen Fire, Chaihu (Bupleuri Radix) drains Liver Fire, and Zhimu (Anemarrhenae Rhizoma) drains Kidney Fire; these are all bitter-cold substances capable of draining tangible Fire. If Fire arises from dietary irregularities and fatigue injuring Yuan Qi, sweet-warm formulas should be used to eliminate it. If Yang is hyperactive and Yin is weak, burning blood fluids, sweet-cold formulas should be used to descend it, such as Dongdong (Ophiopogonis Radix) and Dihuang (Rehmanniae Radix). If Left Kidney True Yin is lost and Fire blazes, Dihuang (Rehmanniae Radix) and Yuanshen (Scrophulariae Radix) can strengthen Water to control Yang. If Right Kidney Mingmen (Gate of Life) is weak and Fire declines, Guizhi (Cinnamomi Ramulus) and Fuzi (Aconiti Lateralis Radix Praeparata) can dissipate Yin and benefit Fire. If Stomach deficiency leads to excessive consumption of cold foods, suppressing Yang Qi within Spleen Earth, Shengma (Cimicifugae Rhizoma) and Gegen (Puerariae Lobatae Radix) can ascend and disperse constrained Fire. Failure to understand these categories when treating Fire diseases inevitably leads to errors of reinforcing Excess and depleting Deficiency.