人火分明势缓然，寒凉灭伏药相兼，两途虚实应须别，莫使差讹致倒颠。经云∶微者逆
之。
也。（张东扶曰∶心之真阴伤，然后君火炽，用寒以益心，非为心属火而用凉以折之也。亦
救其心之真阴而火自静耳。）且真阴藏于离宫，故曰神阴。与相火治法大相远矣。（复言可以
用寒之故，张东扶曰∶火旺于南，南，离也，心也，而真火实生于肾。水旺于北，北，坎也
，肾也，而真水实生于心。）名虽曰逆，实正治之法也。
龙火飞腾大速，遇寒光焰滔天，惟其推折势难兼，邪退正随
管见。（钱本作“难将凉剂
经云∶甚者从之，从者，从其性也。盖龙火者，相火也，其势大烈，不可水灭湿折，从
其性而伏之，惟桂、附、姜之属，可以治之。庸工不识此理，凡见火病，不分阴阳，不辨虚实，
确谓知母黄柏，独能补肾滋阴，不知阴气化火，火势愈强，是不明龙雷之性，逆从之道也。
（末二句钱本作“真阴在坎，却与心火同治”，谬矣。）
呕逆声频气有余，欲餐难入费踌躇，寒因热用无他技，姜制栀连倍竹茹。求者，求心火
之有余也。盖心为君火，不戢则自焚，自焚则死。况真精所藏之位，性喜寒而恶热。太仆云∶寒
以益心，诚哉是言也。又云∶呕逆生而食不得入，有火之病，宜求所谓寒因热用，是其法也
The fire of humanity (Jun Fire, i.e., Heart Fire) presents with a distinct but relatively mild momentum; treatment should combine cooling herbs with methods to subdue it. The two approaches must be distinguished by deficiency and excess, lest diagnostic errors lead to reversed pathology. The Classic states: "For minor conditions, treat contrary to the disease nature." (Zhang Dongfu stated: When the true Yin of the Heart is injured, Jun Fire becomes blazing. Using cold herbs benefits the true Yin of the Heart; it is not because the Heart belongs to Fire that one uses cool herbs to suppress it. This is also saving the true Yin of the Heart, so that when the true Yin is restored, the Fire naturally calms.) Moreover, true Yin resides in the Li Palace (Heart), hence it is called Shen Yin. This differs greatly from the treatment of Xiang Fire (Ministerial Fire). (Explaining again why cold can be used, Zhang Dongfu stated: Fire prospers in the South, which corresponds to the Li trigram and the Heart; yet true Fire actually originates from the Kidney. Water prospers in the North, corresponding to the Kan trigram and the Kidney; yet true Water actually originates from the Heart.) Although named "contrary," it is essentially the method of orthodox treatment (treating contrary to the disease nature).
Dragon Fire (Xiang Fire) ascends rapidly; encountering cold makes its flames roar like the sky. Only by pushing back its momentum can it be managed, as simply using cold agents is difficult to balance; once evil recedes, healthy Qi follows. (Qian's edition reads "difficult to use cold decoctions" instead of "difficult to manage together"). The Classic states: "For severe conditions, treat according to the disease nature." "According to" means following its nature. Dragon Fire refers to Ministerial Fire, whose momentum is extremely fierce and cannot be extinguished by water or dampness. One must follow its nature to subdue it; only herbs such as Guizhi Tang (Cinnamon Twig Decoction) components like Cinnamomi Ramulus (Guizhi), Aconiti Lateralis Radix Praeparata (Fuzi), and Zingiberis Rhizoma (Ganjiang) can treat it. Quack doctors do not understand this principle. Whenever they see fire diseases, without distinguishing yin/yang or deficiency/excess, they firmly believe that Anemarrhenae Rhizoma (Zhimu) and Phellodendri Cortex (Huangbai) alone can tonify Kidney Yin. They do not know that when Yin qi transforms into fire, the fire intensity increases further. This shows ignorance of the nature of Dragon-Thunder Fire and the principles of contrary and compliant treatment. (The last two sentences in Qian's edition read "True Yin is in Kan, yet treated together with Heart Fire," which is erroneous.)
Frequent retching with excessive Qi (excess syndrome), desiring food but unable to swallow causes hesitation. There is no other skill than using cold for heat (treating heat with cold drugs administered hot), employing Gardeniae Fructus (Zhizi) processed with Ginger, Scutellariae Radix (Huanglian), and doubling the dosage of Bambusae Folium (Zhuru). "Seeking" refers to seeking the excess of Heart Fire. Since the Heart is Jun Fire, if unchecked it will self-combust, leading to death. Moreover, the location where true essence resides (the Heart) naturally prefers cold and dislikes heat. Taipu (Li Zhongzi) said: "Using cold to benefit the Heart" is indeed correct. He also said: "When retching arises and food cannot enter, it is a disease of fire; one should seek the method of 'using cold for heat,' which is the proper approach."