古人服药必择水火,故凡汤液多用新汲井华水,取天真之气浮于水面也。宜文火
煎成,候温暖缓服之。《金匮》云,凡煮药饮汁以解毒者,虽云救急,不可热饮,诸毒病得
热更甚,宜冷冻饮料之。此言治热解毒及辛热药味,当确遵此例。一切调补药,即宜温饮。苦寒
祛火药,则宜热饮,热因寒用之法也。仲景煎实脾药,作甘澜水扬之万遍,取其流利不助肾
邪也。杓扬百遍名百劳水,取其激扬以除陈积也。成无己曰∶仲景治伤寒瘀热在里身黄,麻
黄连翘赤小豆汤,煎用潦水,取其味薄不助湿热也。以新汲水煮沸如麻,名麻沸汤,取其轻
浮以散结热也。以水空煎候熟极煮药,名清浆水,取其下趋不至上涌也。服涌吐药用齑水,
取其味浊引疾上窜,以吐诸痰饮宿食,酸苦涌泄为阴也。煎荡涤邪秽药,用东流水,《本经
》云,东流水为云母石所畏,炼云母用之。煎利水药,用急流水,取性走也。煎水逆呕吐药
,用逆流水,取其上涌痰涎也。煎阳盛阴虚目不得瞑药,用千里流水,取其性之疾泻也。煎
中暑神昏药,及食枫树菌笑不止,用地浆水,(急掘墙阴地作坎置水,搅澄者是也。)取救垂
绝之阴也。煎中暑亡汗药,及霍乱泄利不止,用酸浆水,(糯米酿成点乳饼者,或水磨作内
点真粉之酸水亦可。)取收欲脱之阳也。黄霉雨水洗疮疥,灭斑痕。白露雨水洗肌面,减颜
色
。秋露质清,止疟除烦。腊雪气膻,助阳摄火,治天行时气瘟疫,解丹毒。雹水性暴,动风
发癫。夏冰阴凝,发 成痞。柏叶、菖蒲上露并能明目。韭叶上露去白癜风。凌霄花上露能
损人目。浸蓝水解毒杀虫,误吞水蛭,腹面黄者,啜此水,虫下即安。瓶中养花水有毒伤人
,腊
梅者尤甚。卤水咸苦大毒,凡蚀 疥癣及毒虫生子入肉者,涂之即化,但疮有血者,不可涂
之。六畜食一合当时死,人亦然。生熟汤入盐微咸,霍乱者,饮一二升,吐尽痰食即愈。方
诸水,大蚌水也,向月取之,得至阴之精华,故能明目止渴除烦,汤火疮敷之有效。上池水
,竹篱头上水也,长桑君饮扁鹊能洞鉴脏腑,见垣一方人。东阿井水煎乌驴皮胶,治逆上之
痰血;青州范公泉造白丸子,利膈化痰。二者皆济水之分流也。至若古冢废井、泽中停水、
山岩泉水有翳,及诸水经宿面有五色者,皆有毒,非但不可服食煎药,即洗涤亦忌之。
In ancient times, when taking medicine, people would carefully select water. Therefore, for decoctions, new-drawn well water surface layer (Jinghua Shui) was mostly used, to take advantage of the natural heavenly qi floating on the water surface. It should be decocted with gentle fire, and taken slowly while warm. The *Jin Gui Yao Lue* states: "For those who boil herbs to extract juice for detoxification, although it is said to be for emergency rescue, it should not be drunk hot. Various toxic diseases become more severe with heat; it is suitable to drink them after freezing." This refers to treating heat toxins and pungent-hot medicinal flavors, which should strictly follow this example. All tonifying medicines should be drunk warm. Bitter-cold fire-clearing medicines should be drunk hot, which is the method of "using heat due to cold" (Re Yin Han Yong). Zhang Zhongjing, when decocting spleen-firming medicines, made Ganlan Water by stirring it ten thousand times, to take its fluid nature that does not assist kidney pathogenic factors. Stirring water with a ladle a hundred times is called Bailao Water, to take its agitation to remove old accumulations. Cheng Wuji said: "Zhang Zhongjing treated Shaoyang syndrome with stagnant heat in the interior causing yellow complexion using Mahlian Lianqiao Chixiaodou Decoction, decocted with Liaoshui (rainwater), to take its thin flavor that does not assist damp-heat." Boiling new-drawn water until it bubbles like hemp seeds is called Mafei Tang, to take its lightness and floatiness to scatter nodulated heat. Decocting medicine in an empty vessel until fully cooked is called Qingjiang Shui, to take its downward trend without upward surging. Taking emetic medicines requires Jishui (vinegar juice), to take its turbid flavor guiding disease upward to vomit phlegm-fluids and retained food; sour and bitter inducing vomiting and purging belongs to Yin methods. Decocting purgative medicines to eliminate evil filth uses Dongliu Shui (east-flowing water); the *Ben Jing* states that east-flowing water is feared by Yunmu Shi (Mica). Decocting diuretic medicines uses Jiliu Shui (rapid-flowing water), to take its moving nature. Decocting medicines for treating water-reversal vomiting uses Niliu Shui (counter-flowing water), to take its upward surging of phlegm-saliva. Decocting medicines for Yang-excess and Yin-deficiency causing insomnia uses Qianli Liushui (water from a thousand miles away), to take its rapid draining nature. Decocting medicines for heatstroke with coma, or uncontrollable laughter after eating maple tree mushrooms, uses Dijiang Shui (earth pool water: dig a pit in the shady wall, fill with water, stir and clarify), to take its ability to save nearly exhausted Yin. Decocting medicines for heatstroke with loss of sweat, or cholera with unceasing diarrhea, uses Suanjiang Shui (sour fermented water: made from glutinous rice fermenting tofu curds, or acid water from grinding rice paste), to take its ability to gather collapsing Yang. Yellow mold rainwater washes sores and scabies, removing macules. White Dew rainwater washes skin and face, reducing blemishes. Autumn dew is clear, stopping malaria and removing irritability. Winter snow has a mutton-like odor, assisting Yang and controlling fire, treating epidemic febrile diseases caused by seasonal pathogens, and resolving carbuncles. Hail water is violent, stirring wind and causing epilepsy. Summer ice is yin-congealing, causing stagnation and masses. Cinnabar leaf and Calamus dew both brighten the eyes. Leek dew removes vitiligo. Campion flower dew damages the eyes. Indigo-infused water detoxifies and kills insects; if leeches are accidentally swallowed and the abdomen turns yellow, drinking this water brings relief once the worms pass. Flower-vase water is toxic and harms humans, especially that of winter jasmine. Brine is salty, bitter, and highly toxic; applied to eroding sores, tinea, and venomous insect bites penetrating flesh, it dissolves them immediately, but should not be applied to bleeding wounds. Livestock dying after eating one he of it proves human mortality similarly. Raw-cooked mixed soup with slight saltiness: cholera patients drinking one or two sheng will vomit all phlegm and food and recover. Fangzhu Shui is water from large clams, collected facing the moon, obtaining the essence of extreme Yin, thus brightening eyes, quenching thirst, and removing irritability; applying it to burns and scalds is effective. Shangchi Shui is water from bamboo fence tops; Chang Sang Jun drank it, allowing Bian Que to see through organs and perceive people behind walls. Dong'e Well water decocts Wulupi Jiao (Donkey-hide gelatin) to treat rebellious phlegm-blood; Qingzhou Fanggong Spring water makes Bai Wanzi (White Pills) to benefit the diaphragm and resolve phlegm. Both are tributaries of Ji River. As for ancient tomb abandoned wells, stagnant water in marshes, mountain spring waters with turbidity, and various waters having five colors after standing overnight, all are toxic. Not only are they unsuitable for ingestion or decocting medicine, even washing with them is taboo.