李氏曰∶肠覃乃寒气客于大肠,与胃相搏,大肠为肺传送,肺主气,气得热则行,得冷
则凝,凝则清气散,而浊气结为瘕,覃延日久不已,息肉乃生。始如鸡卵,久如怀胎,按之
坚,推之移,月事时下,或多或少,气病而血未病也,宜二陈汤加香附以开之,或香粉丸。
准绳云∶古方有五积六聚七 八瘕之名,五脏之气积,名曰积,故积有五;六腑之气聚,
名曰聚,故聚有六,杂病《准绳》,言之详矣( 瘕积聚,并起于气,故有气积、气聚之说,然
谓瘕属血病者,气聚而后血凝也,其夹食夹痰,又各随所积而变见矣。夫痰与血食,皆赖
气以为之行化,故气行物生,气病物病,此百病所以皆生于气,而破血、消痰、消食之剂,必
用气药者以此)。若夫七 八瘕,则妇人居多,七者火数,属心,盖血生于心,八者木数,
数肝,盖血归于肝,虽曰强分,理似不混。夫 者,坚也,坚则难破;瘕者,假也,假物成形。
古人将妇人病为痼疾,以蛟龙等为生瘕,然亦不必如此执泥。妇人 瘕并属血病,龙蛇鱼
鳖肉发虱瘕等事,皆出偶然,但饮食间误中之,留聚腹脏,假血而成,自有活性。亦犹永徽
中僧病噎者,腹中有一物,其状如鱼,即生瘕也。与夫宿血停凝,结为痞块,虽内所感之不
同,治法当以类相从,所谓医者意也,如以败梳治虱瘕(败梳败篦同用盖取义耳,或未必
尽善);铜屑治龙瘕;曲柏治米瘕;锻石治酒瘕;如此等类,学人可以理解也。
Li stated: Changqin (intestinal polypoid mass) is caused by cold pathogenic qi invading the Large Intestine and struggling with Stomach qi. The Large Intestine serves as the transmitting organ for the Lung, and the Lung governs Qi movement. Qi flows freely when heated but coagulates when exposed to cold. Upon coagulation, clear Yang qi scatters, while turbid Yin qi knots to form a Jia mass (a movable abdominal mass). If this condition persists for a long time, polyps will grow. Initially, it is the size of a chicken egg; later, it becomes as large as a pregnancy abdomen. It feels firm upon palpation and can be moved upon pushing. Menstruation occurs on schedule, though the volume may vary. This indicates a disorder of Qi without yet affecting Blood. It is appropriate to use Erchen Tang (Two-Aged Decoction) added with Xiangfu (Cyperus Rhizome) to open and regulate Qi, or alternatively, Xiangfen Wan (Xiangfen Pill).
Zhunsheng states: Ancient formulas mention the names of Wuji (Five Accumulations), Liuju (Six Gatherings), Qixia (Seven Hysteromas), and Baxia (Eight Hysteromas). The accumulation of Qi in the Five Zang organs is called "Ji" (Accumulation), hence there are five types of Ji; the gathering of Qi in the Six Fu organs is called "Ju" (Gathering), hence there are six types of Ju. These are discussed in detail in the miscellaneous diseases section of *Zhunsheng* (The Standard of Medicine). (Hysteroma [Jia], Accumulation [Ji], and Gathering [Ju] all originate from Qi dysfunction, hence the terms Qi-Ji and Qi-Ju exist. However, regarding the view that Hysteroma belongs to Blood disorders, it is because Qi gathering leads subsequently to Blood coagulation. Cases involving夹杂 food stagnation or Phlegm vary according to the accumulated substance. Phlegm, Blood, and Food all rely on Qi for their transformation and movement; thus, when Qi moves, substances generate; when Qi is diseased, substances become diseased. This is why all diseases arise from Qi, and why agents for invigorating Blood, resolving Phlegm, and digesting Food must necessarily include Qi-regulating herbs.) As for Qixia and Baxia, they occur mostly in women. "Seven" is the number of Fire, associated with the Heart, since Blood is generated by the Heart; "Eight" is the number of Wood, associated with the Liver, since Blood returns to the Liver. Although these distinctions are somewhat forced, the principles seem distinct. "Qian" (referring to hard masses like Shi-Qian) means firm/hard, which is difficult to break; "Jia" means false/provisional, taking shape by borrowing external matter. Ancients regarded women's diseases as stubborn conditions, attributing the formation of Hysteroma to creatures like dragons and jiao. However, one need not adhere rigidly to such views. Women's Qian and Jia both belong to Blood disorders. Matters such as Longxia (Dragon Hysteroma), Shexia (Snake Hysteroma), Yuxia (Fish Hysteroma), Biexia (Turtle Hysteroma), Roufa (Flesh Emission), and Shixia (Lice Hysteroma) are accidental occurrences. They result from mistakenly ingesting certain items during diet, which remain in the abdominal viscera and take form by borrowing Blood, possessing their own vitality. This is similar to a monk in the Yonghui era who suffered from dysphagia; he had an object in his abdomen shaped like a fish, which constituted a living Hysteroma. Although the internal pathogens differ from those causing stagnant Blood to condense into痞块 (stubborn masses), the treatment methods should follow similar categories. As the saying goes, "The physician relies on intuitive understanding." For example, using worn-out combs to treat Shixia (using worn-out combs and hairpins together, likely based on symbolic resonance, though perhaps not entirely optimal); using copper filings to treat Longxia; using Qu Bai (fermented wheat and cypress leaves) to treat Mixia; using Duanshi (calcined iron oxide) to treat Jiu Xia (Alcohol Hysteroma). Scholars can understand such methods through analogy.