醇酒之性,大热大毒,清香美味,既适于口,行气和血,亦宜于体,由是饮者不自觉其过于多也,不思肺属金,性
畏火,其体脆,其位高,为气之主,肾之母,木之夫。酒下咽膈,肺先受之。若是醇者,理宜冷冻饮料,过于肺入于胃,然
后渐温肺,先得温中之寒,可以补气,一益也;次得寒中之温,可以养胃,二益也;冷酒行迟,传化以渐,不可恣饮,
三益也。古人终日百拜,不过三爵,既无酒病,亦免酒祸。今余稽之于礼经则曰∶饮齐视冬时。饮齐,酒也。视,犹比
也。冬时,寒也。参之《内经》,则曰热因寒用。厥旨深矣!今则不然,罔顾受伤,只图取快。盖热饮有三乐存焉,膈滞
通快,喉舌辛美,盖行可多。不知酒性喜升,气必随之,痰郁于上,溺涩于下,肺受贼邪,金体必燥。恣饮寒凉,其热
内郁,肺气得热,必大伤耗。其始也病浅,或呕吐,或自汗,或疮痍,或鼻查,或自泄,或心脾痛,尚可发散而去之。
若其久也。为病深矣,为消,为渴,为内疸,为肺痿,为内痔,为鼓胀,为失明,或喘哮,为劳嗽,为癫痫,亦为难明
之病,倘非具眼,未易处治,可不谨乎?或曰∶人言一盏冷酒,须二盏血乃得行,酒不可冷冻饮料明矣。余曰∶此齐东之语
耳!今参之于经,证之以理,发之为规戒,子以为迂耶?
The nature of pure wine is extremely hot and highly toxic. Its clear fragrance and delicious taste suit the palate, and its ability to regulate Qi and invigorate blood benefits the body; thus, drinkers often unconsciously overindulge without considering that the Lung belongs to Metal, fears Fire in its nature, has a fragile constitution, occupies the highest position, serves as the master of Qi, the mother of the Kidney, and the husband of Wood (Liver). When wine passes through the diaphragm, the Lung is affected first. If it is high-quality wine, logic dictates it should be consumed chilled. Passing through the Lung into the Stomach, it then gradually warms the Lung. First, obtaining the coldness from the middle Jiao can tonify Qi, which is one benefit; second, obtaining warmth from the cold can nourish the Stomach, which is another benefit; third, cold wine moves slowly, allowing digestion and transformation to proceed gradually, preventing reckless drinking, which is a third benefit. In ancient times, people drank only three cups during all-day banquets, avoiding both wine-induced illnesses and disasters. I have consulted the Ritual Classics, which state: "The quantity of drinking should correspond to the winter season." "Yin Qi" refers to wine. "Shi" means to compare or correspond. "Winter season" implies coldness. Consulting the *Neijing* (Classic of Internal Medicine), it states: "Use heat with cold administration." The purport is profound! However, nowadays people act otherwise, disregarding bodily injury and seeking only immediate pleasure. There are three pleasures in drinking hot wine: clearing chest stagnation brings relief, the throat and tongue enjoy a spicy flavor, and one tends to drink more. They fail to realize that wine's nature tends to ascend, carrying Qi with it; this causes phlegm to stagnate above and urinary difficulty below, subjecting the Lung to pathogenic factors and drying out the Metal constitution. Indulging in cold drinks causes internal heat retention; when Lung Qi is heated, it suffers significant depletion. Initially, the disease is superficial, manifesting as vomiting, spontaneous sweating, sores, epistaxis, spontaneous diarrhea, or Heart-Spleen pain, which can still be treated by dispersing methods. If prolonged, the disease becomes deep, turning into Xiao Ke (wasting-thirst), thirst, internal jaundice, Fei Wei (lung atrophy), internal hemorrhoids, Gu Zhang (drum-like distension), blindness, wheezing asthma, Lao Sou (consumptive cough), or epilepsy—conditions that are difficult to understand and treat unless one possesses insight. Can one not be cautious? Some say, "People claim that one cup of cold wine requires two cups of blood to circulate, proving wine should not be chilled." I reply, "This is merely absurd talk from the eastern suburbs of Qi! Now, referencing the classics and verifying with reason, I issue these regulations and warnings. Do you consider this pedantic?"