资生万物位坤宫,忌湿宜温益理中;血气源头从此化,先天化育赖为宗。土为万物之母
,在
蔻、陈皮、山药之类相投,深有补益。先天后天所生气血,由此而化。凡治百病,先观胃气
之有无,次察生死之变化。所至重者,惟中气耳,可不谨乎!
一点真阳寄坎中,固根须要药灵通,甘温有益寒无补,我笑丹溪错认功。水中之火,乃
先天真一之气,藏于坎中。其气自下而上,与后天胃气相接而生,乃人身之至宝。劳伤过度,损
竭真阴,以致精不能生气,气不能安神,使相火妄动飞腾,而现有余之证,非真有余,是因
下元不足之故也。火与元气,势不两立,若执丹溪法,降火滋阴,而用黄柏、知母治之,恐
其愈投愈损。(王胥山曰∶丹溪以四物汤加黄柏、知母,为滋阴降火之妙剂,亦是一法,若
以慎斋所言之证,而以丹溪之法治之,大非所宜矣。炳章按∶语甚精奥,然以此诋丹溪则不
可,王氏批语甚为的当焉。)若见此证,宜温补于下,而火自归原,病即愈矣。如元气骤脱
,相火亦衰,脉微足冷厥逆,各脱阳证,更宜大剂温补,缓则不能救矣。
肺为华盖主皮毛,金体由来畏火烧,便竭皮枯津液涸,滋干润燥见功劳。润治之方,其
理不出乎滋阴润燥,流通血气。夫人身之中,水一火五,阳实阴虚。若嗜欲无节,以致肾水受伤
,虚火为患,肾虚恶燥,或前后闭结,或痰在咽喉中干咯,此皆津液不足之故。而火动元阳
,焉能全其化育?理宜补养肺金,使金水相生。(肺金,钱本作肾中之金。)自然出入升降,
The Spleen resides in the Kun Palace (Earth), serving as the foundation for nourishing all things; it abhors dampness and favors warmth to benefit the Middle Jiao (Middle Burner); it is the source of Qi and Blood generation, and the congenital transformation relies on it as the patriarch. Earth (Spleen) is regarded as the mother of all things; when relevant conditions arise, using herbs such as *Amomi Fructus Rotundus* (Cardamom), *Citri Reticulatae Pericarpium* (Tangerine Peel), and *Dioscoreae Rhizoma* (Chinese Yam) for treatment yields profound tonifying effects. The Qi and Blood generated from both the congenital and postnatal sources are transformed here. In treating all diseases, one must first observe the presence or absence of Stomach Qi (Stomach's digestive vitality), and subsequently examine changes indicating life or death. Among these, the Middle Qi (Central Qi) is of utmost importance; how can one not be cautious?
A trace of True Yang resides within Kan (Kidney); securing the root requires effective and unobstructed medicinal intervention. Sweet-warm substances offer benefits, whereas cold substances provide no tonification; I laugh at Zhu Danxi for misinterpreting this merit. Fire within Water refers to the congenital True One Qi, hidden within Kan. This Qi moves upward from below, connecting with postnatal Stomach Qi to generate vitality, representing the body's supreme treasure. Excessive labor and injury deplete True Yin, causing Essence to fail to generate Qi, and Qi to fail to calm Shen (Spirit), leading to the reckless movement and soaring of Ministerial Fire (Xiang Huo). This manifests as symptoms appearing to indicate excess, but this is not true excess; rather, it stems from deficiency in the Lower Yuan (Lower Origin). Fire and Original Qi are mutually exclusive. If one adheres strictly to Zhu Danxi’s method of descending fire and nourishing Yin, using *Phellodendri Cortex* (Huangbai) and *Anemarrhenae Rhizoma* (Zhimu), it is feared that the condition will worsen with each administration. (Wang Xushan stated: Zhu Danxi used Siwu Tang added with Huangbai and Zhimu as an excellent formula for nourishing Yin and descending fire, which is indeed a valid method. However, applying Zhu Danxi’s method to the specific syndrome described by Shenzhai is highly inappropriate. Bingzhang notes: The statement is profound, but using it to disparage Zhu Danxi is unjustified; Wang’s commentary is very apt.) When encountering such a syndrome, warming and tonifying the lower region is appropriate, allowing the fire to return to its origin, and the disease will heal. If Original Qi suddenly collapses, Ministerial Fire also declines, presenting with faint pulse, cold feet, and cold limbs (Jue Ni)—various signs of Yang collapse—then large doses of warming and tonifying agents are urgently required; delay renders rescue impossible.
The Lung acts as the Imperial Canopy covering the organs above, governing the skin and hair; the nature of Metal inherently fears burning. If fluids exhaust and skin withers due to dryness, the efficacy of moistening dryness becomes apparent. Formulas for moistening treatment operate on the principle of nourishing Yin, moistening dryness, and promoting the circulation of Qi and Blood. Within the human body, Water is one and Fire is five; Yang is substantial while Yin is deficient. Unrestrained desires injure Kidney Water, causing Deficient Fire to become pathological. Kidney deficiency dislikes dryness, potentially leading to constipation of both bowels, or phlegm stuck in the throat with dryness and difficulty expectorating; all these result from insufficient Body Fluids. Furthermore, if Fire agitates and damages Original Yang, how can transformation and generation be preserved? It is proper to tonify Lung Metal, enabling Metal and Water to generate each other. (Lung Metal, in Qian’s version, is annotated as Metal within the Kidney.) Naturally, this facilitates the ascending, descending, exiting, and entering physiological functions.