梅花苞于盛冬,梅实成于初夏。得木气之全而味酸,谓为肝药,夫何待言。然非专入肝
不兼走他经也。其气平属金,其味酸中有涩,涩为辛酸之变亦属金。实熟则色黄而味带甘,
乌梅乃半黄时所熏,则亦入脾胃。濒湖谓舌下有四窍,两窍通胆液,故食梅则津生。不知胆
液上潮,口中必苦。观素问味过于酸,肝气以津。可知津生是生于肝不生于胆,津生亦不是
肝升。譬之手巾,用热汤浸过,绞之则热气四出,巾已就敛。酸敛之能生津,理亦如是。肝
何至升,且得之而复其下行之常矣,夫胆主动主升,肝主静主降。梅实熏黑,味酸而苦,虽
是由肝归肾,然能激肝中之津以止渴,不能壮肾中之水以灭火。素问酸苦涌泄为阴。核之于
梅,涌即津生之谓;泄则气为之下,热烦满为之除,气下热烦满除而心以安。本经固贴切之
至。至止肢体痛、偏枯不仁、死肌。邹氏谓古今方书无用梅治肢体痛偏枯不仁之方,宜连下
死肌读,为治此等之死肌。窃谓止字疑有误。或即下文去字而复出一字耳。肢体痛偏枯不仁,
不过血络凝瘀,虽死肌尚有可为,故与青黑痣并足以去之也。诸家之论,有与愚相反者焉,
有可以印证者焉,试胪举之∶张隐庵云∶其味酸,其气温平而涩,涩附于酸。主下气者。得
春生肝木之味,生气上升,则逆气自下。除热烦满者,禀冬令水阴之精,水精上滋,则烦热
除而胸膈不满。乌梅无生木气起肾阴之能,上已言之。张氏执是以用乌梅,必有为所误者,
其弊在温平酸涩之用,全置不讲,而徒以空谈为超妙也。陈修园拾张之唾余,别无所见。卢
子繇则以本经主治,一归之生津,至谓吮肾液以润筋膜。邹氏所见又与卢同,以生津为吸寒
水以制火。不知本经之除热,是泄热非制热(叶氏亦云乌梅泄热,见临证指南)。酸苦涌泄
之义不明,便无处不窒。其论乌梅丸治蛔厥也,曰吐蛔为阳气烁津,致蛔无所吸受而上出,
则梅生津于上,岂是养蛔于上,肾阴虚不能上济者,不得用梅,则蛔本在下,何以有肾阴而
不知吸,此既窒滞鲜通矣。又谓蛔厥非脏寒,即气上撞心,心中疼热之现据,不知厥阴病多
阴阳错杂。沈尧封云厥阴于卦为震,一阳居二阴之下,病则阳泛于上,阴伏于下,而下寒上
热之证作。蛔上入膈,是下寒之据。消渴心中疼热,是上热之据。凡吐蛔气上撞心,皆是厥
阴过升之病,治宜下降其逆上之阳。乌梅丸,无论黄连乌梅黄柏为苦酸咸纯阴下降之药,即
附子直达命门,亦何非下降,可谓精审之至矣。邹氏于厥非脏寒句,自注云从医宗金鉴,不
知金鉴于林氏主脏寒之论,仍列于下,并未删驳。又尤在泾解心中疼热,食则吐蛔,统谓之
邪热,姑无论于乌梅丸之治不合,即厥阴病之阴阳错杂,亦似有未察者。惟唐容川以西人空
气冷热发明厥阴之道,足以上契圣心,下迪学人。空气非愚所知,不具述。其析疼热吐蛔为
下寒上热也,曰消渴、气上撞心、心中疼热饥(句),为厥阴包络挟心火之热发动于上;不
欲食、食则吐蛔、下之利不止,为厥阴肝气挟寒水之寒相应而起。夫吐蛔一也,知此条非纯
热,即知彼条亦非纯寒。乌梅丸所以寒热并进,而非脏寒蛔不上而入膈,尚何疑乎。
Plum blossoms bud in the depth of winter, and plum fruits mature in early summer. The plum tree fully embodies the Qi of Wood and possesses a sour taste; thus, describing it as a herb for the Liver (Gan) needs no further explanation. However, it does not exclusively enter the Liver channel, nor does it fail to traverse other meridians. Its nature is neutral (Ping), belonging to Metal; its taste is sour with an astringent quality, and astringency is a transformation of sour and pungent, also belonging to Metal. When ripe, the fruit turns yellow and tastes slightly sweet. Wumei (Smoked Plum) is smoked when half-yellow, so it also enters the Spleen and Stomach channels. Li Shizhen (Binhu) stated that there are four orifices under the tongue, two of which connect to gallbladder fluid, hence eating plums generates saliva. This is incorrect; if gallbladder fluid were surging upward, the mouth would surely taste bitter. Observing the *Suwen* statement "Excessive sourness causes Liver Qi to overflow," we can deduce that saliva generation originates from the Liver, not the Gallbladder, and saliva generation does not imply Liver Qi ascending. It is like a hand towel: after soaking in hot water and wringing it out, heat radiates outward while the towel itself contracts and gathers. The astringent property of sourness generates fluids through contraction, following the same logic. How could Liver Qi ascend? Rather, obtaining the astringent nature of the plum restores its normal downward flow. The Gallbladder governs movement and ascent, while the Liver governs stillness and descent. Smoked plum fruits are black, with a sour and bitter taste. Although they travel from the Liver to the Kidney, they can stimulate Liver fluids to quench thirst but cannot strengthen Kidney water to extinguish fire. The *Suwen* states: "Sour and bitter induce vomiting and purgation, which are Yin." Verifying this with plums, "inducing" refers to generating saliva; "purgation" means causing Qi to descend, thereby eliminating heat, vexation, and fullness. Once Qi descends and heat, vexation, and fullness are eliminated, the Heart (Xin) becomes tranquil. The *Shennong Bencao Jing* describes this extremely accurately. Regarding treating limb pain, hemiplegia with numbness, and necrotic muscle tissue, Zou argued that ancient and modern formularies contain no prescriptions using plums for limb pain or hemiplegia; he suggested reading "necrotic muscle" as connected to the preceding text, referring to treating such necrosis. I suspect the character "stop" (Zhi) is erroneous, perhaps a repetition of characters from the subsequent text regarding "remove" and "restore." Limb pain and hemiplegia with numbness result merely from blood collaterals coagulating and stasis; even necrotic muscle can be addressed, so these conditions can be removed alongside green-black nevi. Various scholars' discussions on Wumei contradict mine or corroborate it; let us list them: Zhang Yinan said: Its taste is sour, its temperature is neutral and astringent, with astringency attached to sourness. It directs Qi downward. By acquiring the flavor of Spring-generating Liver Wood, the generating Qi ascends, causing rebellious Qi to descend naturally. Eliminating heat, vexation, and fullness occurs because it inherits the essence of Winter Water Yin; as water essence nourishes upward,烦热 (vexation-heat) is eliminated and chest/epigastric fullness resolves. Wumei lacks the ability to generate Wood Qi or raise Kidney Yin, as previously stated. Zhang's rigid application of this view must lead to errors; his flaw lies in ignoring the practical use of neutral-warmth and sour-astringency, relying solely on empty talk of subtlety. Chen Xiuyuan merely echoed Zhang without independent insight. Lu Ziyao attributed all *Bencao Jing* indications to generating fluids, even claiming it sucks Kidney fluid to moisten sinews. Zou shared Lu's view, equating fluid generation with drawing cold water to control fire. They fail to realize that the *Bencao Jing*'s "eliminating heat" refers to draining heat, not controlling it (Ye Tianshi also stated Wumei drains heat, seen in *Linzheng Zhinan*). If the meaning of "sour and bitter induce vomiting and purgation" is unclear, everything becomes obstructed. In his discussion of Wumei Wan treating Ascariasis Jue (Hui Jue), he claimed vomiting worms results from Yang heat scorching fluids, leaving worms nowhere to attach, forcing them upward. Thus, if plums generate fluids above, are they nourishing worms above? If Kidney Yin deficiency prevents upper jiao nourishment, plums should not be used; yet worms reside below, so why would they possess Kidney Yin yet fail to absorb? This argument is obstructed and illogical. He further claimed Hui Jue is not due to Zang Cold, citing "Qi rushing up to the heart and burning pain in the heart" as evidence, failing to recognize that Jueyin diseases often involve mixed Yin and Yang. Shen Yaofeng stated that Jueyin corresponds to the Zhen hexagram, with one Yang line below two Yin lines. In disease, Yang floats upward and Yin sinks downward, creating lower-cold and upper-heat patterns. Worms entering the diaphragm indicate lower cold. Polydipsia, Qi rushing to the heart, and burning pain in the heart indicate upper heat. All cases of vomiting worms and Qi rushing to the heart are Jueyin over-ascending pathologies, requiring treatment to descend the rebellious Yang. Wumei Wan, whether considering Coptis Rhizome (Huanglian), Wumei, and Phellodendron Bark (Huangbai) as purely Yin herbs that are bitter, sour, and salty to descend, or even Aconite Root (Fuzi) reaching the Mingmen, all serve descending functions. This analysis is extremely precise. Zou annotated "Jue is not Zang Cold" by citing *Yizong Jinjian*, unaware that *Yizong Jinjian* lists Lin's theory of Zang Cold below without refuting it. You Zaijing explained burning pain in the heart and vomiting worms after eating as entirely evil heat; aside from conflicting with Wumei Wan's treatment, this overlooks the mixed Yin-Yang nature of Jueyin disease. Only Tang Rongchuan used Western concepts of air temperature to elucidate Jueyin principles, aligning with sage wisdom and guiding students. I do not understand air theory and will not elaborate. His analysis of burning pain and vomiting worms as lower-cold and upper-heat states: polydipsia, Qi rushing to the heart, burning pain in the heart, and hunger (sentence break) represent Jueyin Pericardium carrying Heart Fire heat activating upward; lack of appetite, vomiting worms after eating, and diarrhea after purgation represent Jueyin Liver Qi carrying Cold Water cold responding simultaneously. Both involve vomiting worms; knowing this clause is not pure heat implies the other is not pure cold. Wumei Wan uses both cold and heat herbs; it is not that worms only ascend to the diaphragm due to Zang Cold, so what is there to doubt?