阴阳者是气于血也。气者卫也。血者荣也。荣行脉中。卫行脉外。相并周流。循环
无端。莫知其纪。一日一夜一百刻。凡气行一万三千五百息。脉行八百一十丈。是其常也。
气为阳热。滞于气。固无寒滞也。血为阴寒。滞于血。固无热滞也。气得热则行速而太过。
血得寒则凝迟而不及。人之居处。七情之偏。五
味之过。六气之胜。感之则气血凝塞。隧道不通。升降有妨。运化失宜。如气为滞则津液
稠粘。为饮为痰。渗入脉内。血为所乱。因而为泣。或为沸腾。此阴滞于阳也。正是血滞
于气也则为疽也。如血为滞。隧道壅塞日增。溢出脉外。升降有碍。运化失令。此阳滞于阴
也。正是气滞于血也。则为壅也。病分寒热者。是人素禀之偏。虚邪杂染。岂可以阳为热。
阴为寒耶。浮洪弦数者。乃气病之脉。岂可遽作热论。沉细弱涩。乃血病之脉。岂可遽作
寒论。虽万病莫越于此。岂止痈疽疔肿乎。余熟推评至此悉矣。
夫疮之五善者。即疮之五吉也。七恶者。即疮之七凶也。五吉见三则瘥。七凶见四则危。
言其一善者。动息自宁。饮食如常是也。二善者。便利调匀。无诸痛苦也。三善者。服药
灵应。肿消脓少是也。四善者。神气清爽。语音清亮是也。五善者。气体和平。起居如旧
是也。一恶者。烦躁渴甚。腹痛时嗽。泄利无度。小便如淋是也。二恶者。脓血大泻。肿
痛甚腐臭
坏。广烂难禁是也。三恶者。喘粗短气。恍惚嗜卧是也。四恶者。黑睛紧小。白睛青赤。
斜视或上视也。五恶者。四肢不便。神昏色暗也。六恶者。不能饮食。亦不能服药。口不
知味也。七恶者。声嘶色败。面浮肢肿。唇鼻青黑。滞气也。然疮有七恶。而观其皮肤紧
急。脉无止数。微有神气善能会调摄者。亦可保其生命。此凶中变吉也。然疮虽有五善。
见其皮肤肉缓。又不能善会调养。多欲多劳。亦伤生命。此吉内生凶。后学人不可不知也矣。
Yin and Yang refer to the relationship between Qi (Vital Energy) and Blood. Qi corresponds to Wei Qi (Defensive Qi). Blood corresponds to Ying Qi (Nutritive Qi). Ying Qi circulates within the vessels. Wei Qi circulates outside the vessels. They combine and flow throughout the body, circulating endlessly without a fixed beginning or end, making them difficult to count. In one day and night, there are one hundred ke (time units). Qi circulates 13,500 breaths (xi) in this period. The vessels circulate 810 zhang (a unit of length) in this period. This is the normal physiological state.
Qi possesses the nature of Yang and Heat. If Qi becomes stagnant, it inevitably manifests as Cold stagnation. Blood possesses the nature of Yin and Cold. If Blood becomes stagnant, it inevitably manifests as Heat stagnation. When Qi encounters Heat, its movement accelerates excessively. When Blood encounters Cold, it coagulates and moves slowly, failing to reach its destination. Factors such as living environment, emotional imbalances (Seven Emotions: Joy, Anger, Worry, Thought, Sorrow, Fear, Fright), excessive intake of Five Flavors, and pathogenic influences of Six Qi (Wind, Cold, Summer-heat, Dampness, Dryness, Fire) can cause Qi and Blood to coagulate and block, leading to obstruction of the meridians and collaterals. This hinders ascending and descending functions and disrupts transformation and transportation. For instance, if Qi is stagnant, body fluids become thick and sticky, forming Yin fluid or Phlegm, which seep into the vessels, disturbing the Blood. This causes Blood to stagnate or boil recklessly. This is Yin stagnating within Yang, specifically Blood stagnating within Qi, resulting in Ju (deep-seated abscesses/necrosis). Conversely, if Blood is stagnant, the meridians and collaterals become increasingly obstructed, causing Blood to extravasate from the vessels. This hinders ascending and descending functions and disrupts transformation and transportation. This is Yang stagnating within Yin, specifically Qi stagnating within Blood, resulting in Yong (swelling/abscesses). Diseases are classified into Cold and Heat patterns due to individual constitutional predispositions and mixed pathogenic factors. One cannot simply equate Yang with Heat and Yin with Cold. Pulse characteristics such as Floating, Surging, String-taut, and Rapid belong to Qi diseases; they cannot be immediately diagnosed as Heat patterns. Pulse characteristics such as Deep, Fine, Weak, and Choppy belong to Blood diseases; they cannot be immediately diagnosed as Cold patterns. Although all diseases fall within this framework, it applies not only to carbuncles, sores, and furuncles. I have carefully deduced and commented on this matter exhaustively.
The "Five Goods" (Wu Shan) of sores refer to five auspicious signs indicating a favorable prognosis. The "Seven Evils" (Qi E) refer to seven ominous signs indicating a poor prognosis. If three of the Good signs appear, the condition will improve. If four of the Evil signs appear, the condition becomes critical. The first Good sign is calm breathing and regular appetite. The second Good sign is regular bowel movements and urination, free from pain. The third Good sign is effective response to medication, with reduced swelling and pus. The fourth Good sign is clear spirit and bright voice. The fifth Good sign is balanced physical energy and normal daily routine.
The first Evil sign is severe irritability and thirst, abdominal pain with occasional coughing, uncontrolled diarrhea, and dysuria resembling strangury. The second Evil sign is profuse discharge of pus and blood, severe swelling and pain, foul-smelling necrosis, and extensive ulceration that is difficult to contain. The third Evil sign is coarse and rapid breathing, shortness of breath, mental confusion, and lethargy. The fourth Evil sign is constriction of the black pupil, cyanosis or erythema of the white sclera, strabismus, or upward gaze. The fifth Evil sign is immobility of the limbs, coma, and dark complexion. The sixth Evil sign is inability to eat or take medicine, and loss of taste sensation. The seventh Evil sign is hoarseness, deteriorated complexion, facial edema, limb swelling, cyanosis of the lips and nose, and Qi stagnation. However, even if a sore presents with the Seven Evils, if the skin is tight, the pulse is rapid but without intermittent pauses, and the patient retains some Shen Spirit (Spirit/Mind) and practices proper self-care, life can still be preserved. This represents a transformation from Ominous to Auspicious. Conversely, even if a sore presents with the Five Goods, if the skin and muscles are lax, the patient fails to practice proper care, indulges in desires, and overworks, life may still be endangered. This represents the generation of Ominous outcomes from an Auspicious base. Students of later generations must be aware of this.