经曰∶揆度奇恒,道在于一,得一之精,以知死生,此即斯道中精一执中之训也。凡天
人之学,总无出此。矧医之为道,性命判于呼吸,祸福决自指端,此于人生关系,较之他事
为尤切也。以此重任,使不有此见此识,诚不可猜摸尝试以误生灵。矧立法垂训,尤难苟且
,倘一言失当,则遗祸无穷,一剂妄投,则害人不浅。此误谬之不容不正也。
宾自从斯道,常稽往古,所见轩岐之下,凡明良继出,何代无之。然必欲求其得中者,
则舍《灵》《素》之外,似亦不多其人。盖窃见相传方论,每多失经意,背经旨,断章取义
。假借数语以饰一偏之诡说者,比比其然。此总属意见有不到,至理有未明,故各逞胸臆,
用示已长。致令斯道失中,大违精一之义。此则医之于人,亦何赖焉。是岂知道本一源,理
无二致。自一源而万变,则万变仍归于一,自二致而错乱,则错乱遂其为两。故言外有理,
理外亦有言。如理有在而言不能达者,此言外之理也;有可以言而不可以行者,此理外之言
也。然理外岂别有言乎?第以疑似之间,加之便佞,则真为伪夺,而道傍之筑,从来有矣。
如古之杨墨异端,今之传奇小说,谓皆非理外之言乎?言可假借,则是非乱而强辩出。由是
贤者固执,愚者亦固执。如择善固执,则精一之谓,君子时中,则执中之谓,此贤者之固执
也;其有言伪而辩,行僻而坚,必不知反,必不可移者。此愚者之固执也。执中者,见事之
舛,则不得不言,以利害所关,不容已也;邪僻者,见人之长,则反诋其短,以鄙陋不伸,
不肯已也。千古来是非邪正,每为此害,矧以惟类知类,而当局者亦难其人耳。然此辈虽云
偏拗,犹知傍理,自非曳白者所能。其奈此中尚有全不知脉络,而止识皮毛者,亦且嚣嚣,
偏能宜俗,是不过见热则用寒,见寒则用热,见外感则云发散,见胀满则云消导。若然者,
谁不得而知之。设医止于是,则贱子庸夫皆堪师范,又何明哲之足贵乎?嗟!嗟!朱紫难辨,
类多如此。
予因溯源稽古,即自金元以来为当世之所宗范者,无如河间、丹溪矣。而且各执偏见,
左说盛行,遂致医道失中者,迄今四百余年矣。每一经目,殊深扼腕,使不速为救正,其流
弊将无穷也。兹姑撮其数条,以见倍理之谈,其有不可信者类如此,庶乎使人警悟,易辙无
难,倘得少补于将来,则避讳之罪,亦甘为后人而受之矣。
The *Huangdi Neijing* (Yellow Emperor's Inner Canon) states: "To measure the unusual and the ordinary, the Dao lies in unity; grasping the essence of this unity allows one to know life and death." This is precisely the teaching of "refined unity and holding the mean" within the medical Dao. All studies concerning Heaven and humanity do not transcend this principle. Moreover, medicine as a discipline determines life and death in the span of a breath, and decides fortune or misfortune by the tip of the fingers (diagnosis and treatment). Its relationship to human life is more critical than any other matter. To bear such heavy responsibility, without such insight and understanding, it is indeed impossible to rely on guessing and experimentation, which would only harm living beings. Furthermore, establishing laws and transmitting teachings requires utmost seriousness; one cannot be casual. If a single statement is inappropriate, it may cause endless disaster; if a prescription is blindly administered, it will severely harm people. This is why errors and fallacies must not go uncorrected.
Since I began studying this path, I have often examined ancient texts. From Xuanyuan (Yellow Emperor) and Qibo downwards, whenever wise rulers and virtuous physicians emerged successively, which dynasty lacked them? However, if one seeks those who truly grasp the "mean," apart from the *Ling Shu* (Spiritual Pivot) and *Su Wen* (Basic Questions), there seem to be very few. I privately observe that transmitted formulas and theories often deviate from the original meaning of the classics, contradict their principles, and take passages out of context. Borrowing a few phrases to embellish one-sided, erroneous theories is common everywhere. This generally stems from incomplete insights and an unclear understanding of profound truths, leading individuals to display their own opinions to show off their strengths. Consequently, this discipline loses its balance, greatly violating the meaning of refined unity. What reliance can medicine offer to humanity under such circumstances? Does one not realize that the Dao originates from a single source, and truth has no dual directions? From one source arise ten thousand changes, yet these changes still return to unity; from dual directions arise confusion, leading to division into two. Thus, there is reason beyond words, and words beyond reason. For instance, when reason exists but words cannot express it, this is reason beyond words; when something can be spoken but not practiced, this is words beyond reason. But is there really separate speech beyond reason? Only when ambiguity is exploited with flattery does falsehood usurp truth, just as baseless arguments ("building walls by the roadside") have always existed. Consider the heterodox schools of Yang Zhu and Mo Di in ancient times, or legendary novels today; can they be said not to be words beyond reason? When words are borrowed falsely, right and wrong become confused, and strong辩论 (strong argumentation) arises. As a result, the wise become stubborn, and the foolish also become stubborn. Choosing goodness and adhering firmly to it is called "refined unity"; the gentleman maintaining appropriateness at all times is called "holding the mean"—this is the stubbornness of the wise. Conversely, those whose words are false yet eloquent, whose actions are perverse yet firm, who refuse to reflect and cannot be moved, exhibit the stubbornness of the foolish. Those who hold the mean speak up when they see errors because of the stakes involved; those who are perverse criticize others' strengths due to their own petty frustrations. Throughout history, right and wrong, orthodoxy and heresy, have often suffered from this. Moreover, among peers, it is difficult to find qualified individuals. Although these biased individuals still claim to follow reason, unlike those who submit blank papers (know nothing), there are still those within the field who completely ignore meridians and collaterals, knowing only superficial aspects, yet they boast loudly and cater to popular tastes. They merely apply cold remedies for heat signs, hot remedies for cold signs, dispersing methods for exterior syndromes, and resolving stagnation for fullness. Who does not know this? If doctors stop here, even humble and mediocre persons could serve as models, rendering the wisdom of the enlightened worthless. Alas! Alas! It is hard to distinguish cinnabar from purple (right from wrong); most are like this.
Therefore, tracing back to the sources and examining antiquity, since the Jin and Yuan dynasties, the figures revered as paradigms by the contemporary world were none other than Liu Wansu (Hejian) and Zhu Zhenheng (Danxi). Yet each held biased views, causing left-leaning theories to prevail, resulting in the medical Dao losing its balance for over four hundred years to date. Every time I read these works, I feel deeply frustrated. If we do not swiftly correct these errors, their detrimental effects will be endless. Here, I briefly excerpt a few points to demonstrate how absurd these claims are, showing that the unbelievable is similar to this, hoping to awaken people so that changing course is not difficult. If this can provide slight benefit to the future, I am willing to bear the blame of taboo-breaking for the sake of later generations.