凡久病服寒凉。气伐过多。以至三阳气衰。痰凝气滞。以调元之剂治之。阳气一动。则
少阳先升。少阳欲先出。前有太阳。后有阳明。遏截不能伸。少阳之气至太阳。太阳与之并
则寒。与阳明并则热。适成寒热疟状。非真疟也。其太阳气达。遂有伤风之状。鼻塞恶风寒
之症见矣。阳明气达。则有作泻之症。此时正当调脾补元。分头施治。则旧病尽脱矣。
损病。六脉俱数。声哑口中生疮。昼夜发热无间。经云。数则脾气虚。此真阴虚也。用
四君。加黄 山药莲肉白芍五味子麦冬煎。去头煎不用。止服第二三煎。此为养脾阴秘法也。
服十余日。发热渐退。口疮渐好。方用丸剂。如参苓白术散。亦去头煎。晒干为末。陈米锅
焦打糊为丸。如绿豆大。每日服三钱。或上午一钱。百沸汤下。盖煎去头煎。则燥气尽。遂
成甘淡之味。淡养胃气。微甘养脾阴。师师相授之语。毋轻忽焉。
愚按。煎去头煎不用。黄履素（讳承昊）折眩漫录。亦云神妙秘法。
又按。以淡补脾之说。余一时亦不能会悟。后得徐灵胎书。谓五味各有所属。味甘属土。
然土实无味也。故洪范论五行之味。润下作咸。炎上作苦。曲直作酸。从KT 作辛。皆即
其物言之。惟于土则曰稼穑作甘不指土而指土之所生者。可知土本无味也。无味即为淡。淡
者。五味之所从出。即土之正味也。故味之淡者。皆属于土。如茯苓山药石斛之类是也。五
脏皆受气于脾。故脾为五脏之本。五味皆托始于淡。故淡为五味之本。慎柔黄履素煎去头煎。
取无味之味以补脾。诚秘法也。
In cases of chronic illness where cold-cooling herbs have been taken excessively, leading to an over-attack on vital energy and resulting in the decline of Qi in the Three Yang channels (Taiyang, Shaoyang, Yangming), with phlegm coagulation and Qi stagnation, one should treat it with formulas that regulate and replenish primordial Yuan Qi. Once Yang Qi is activated, the Qi of the Shaoyang channel rises first. As Shaoyang Qi attempts to emerge, it is blocked by Taiyang ahead and Yangming behind, preventing its free expansion. When Shaoyang Qi reaches Taiyang and merges with it, chills occur; when it merges with Yangming, heat occurs. This creates a pattern resembling the alternating chills and fever of malaria, but it is not true malaria. Once Taiyang Qi becomes unobstructed, symptoms of wind-strike appear, such as nasal congestion and aversion to wind and cold. Once Yangming Qi becomes unobstructed, diarrhea ensues. At this stage, one should regulate the Spleen and tonify Yuan Qi, treating each aspect separately, so that the old ailments will be completely resolved.
In consumptive diseases, if all six pulses are rapid (Shu), accompanied by hoarseness, oral ulcers, and continuous day-and-night fever without respite, the Classics state: "Rapid pulses indicate deficiency of Spleen Qi." This is actually a deficiency of True Yin. Use Si Jun Zi Tang (Four Gentlemen Decoction) supplemented with Huang Jing (Polygonatum Rhizome), Shan Yao (Dioscorea Rhizome), Lian Rou (Lotus Seed Flesh), Bai Shao (White Peony Root), Wu Wei Zi (Schisandra Fruit), and Mai Dong (Ophiopogon Tuber). Discard the first decoction and consume only the second and third decoctions. This is a secret method for nourishing Spleen Yin. After taking this for more than ten days, the fever gradually subsides, and the oral ulcers heal. Subsequently, switch to pill preparations, such as Shen Ling Bai Zhu San (Ginseng, Poria, and Atractylodes Macrocephala Powder). Also discard the first decoction, dry and powder it, then use the charred residue from cooking aged rice in a pot as a binder to form pills the size of mung beans. Take three qian daily, or one qian in the morning, washed down with boiling water. By discarding the first decoction, the drying properties are removed, leaving a sweet and bland flavor. Blandness nourishes Stomach Qi, while slight sweetness nourishes Spleen Yin. These are teachings passed down from master to disciple; do not neglect them lightly.
My commentary: Discarding the first decoction is also described as a miraculous secret method by Huang Lv Su (courtesy name Cheng Hao) in his *Zhe Xuan Man Lu*.
Further commentary: I initially could not comprehend the theory of using blandness to tonify the Spleen. Later, I read works by Xu Ling Tai, which stated that the Five Flavors correspond to specific elements: Sweetness belongs to Earth. However, Earth itself has no flavor. Thus, in the *Hong Fan* (Great Plan), the flavors of the Five Elements are described as follows: Water's nature is moistening and downward, yielding Saltiness; Fire's nature is flaming upward, yielding Bitterness; Wood's nature is bending and straightening, yielding Acidity; Metal's nature is cutting and transforming, yielding Pungency. These descriptions refer directly to the substances themselves. Only regarding Earth does it say "cultivation and harvesting yield Sweetness," referring not to Earth itself but to what Earth produces. This indicates that Earth inherently has no flavor. No flavor is equivalent to Blandness. Blandness is the source from which the Five Flavors arise and is the true flavor of Earth. Therefore, herbs with a bland taste belong to Earth, such as Fu Ling (Poria), Shan Yao (Dioscorea Rhizome), and Shi Hu (Dendrobium Stem). The Five Zang organs derive their Qi from the Spleen; thus, the Spleen is the root of the Five Zang. The Five Flavors all originate from Blandness; therefore, Blandness is the root of the Five Flavors. Chen Rou and Huang Lv Su discarded the first decoction to extract the flavorless flavor to tonify the Spleen. This is indeed a secret method.