寒热同形者,寒极似热,阴寒逼其微阳外越也;热极似寒,所谓热深厥深也。更有久服
温补
,清浊混处,畏寒异常,攻以寒下之剂,而阳达寒退者。前人之名论、治案伙矣。同病者,
真寒、真热二气并见也。如伤寒大青龙证,是寒束于外,卫陷于内,而化热也。其人必胃热
素盛者。太阳中 ,是先伤于暑,后伤冷水,乃寒热两感之病也。《内经》论疟,义亦如此
。此表寒里热也。须辨其浅深轻重,气分血分,而分治之。表热里寒,则有内伤生冷,外伤
烈日,发为霍乱者;瓜果酒肉,杂然并食,发为痢疾者。至于上热下寒,是肺热肾寒,内虚
之病也;亦有下受寒湿,逼阳上升者;前人皆有名论。独有上寒下热,真阳怫郁之证,近日
极多。其脉沉之见滑,或兼大;浮之见弦,或兼细。其病因,或由久受湿寒,阳气不得流通
,或因微热,过服清肃之剂。每怪前贤,绝无论及,及读许叔微破阴丹一案,乃深叹其独具
只眼也。又有气寒血热、血寒气热之辨,即仲景荣寒卫热、卫寒荣热之事也。血热则脉形缓
大,气寒则起伏不大而无力,血寒则脉形紧小,气热则来势盛大而有力矣。此亦前人之所未
及也,惟叶天士通络之说,于此等病治法甚合。吾每窃取而用之,其效殊捷。又有其人本寒
而伤于热,及本热而伤于寒,日久往往与之俱化。若初起未化,与邪盛而不化者,其治法须
仿《内经》治胜安伏之义,恐得药后复化也。
"Same appearance of cold and heat" refers to situations where cold and heat syndromes present with similar manifestations. Extreme cold may resemble heat, which is caused by Yin-cold pathogenic factors forcing the faint Yang-Qi to float outward; extreme heat may resemble cold, known as "the deeper the heat, the deeper the厥 (cold limbs)." Furthermore, there are cases where long-term use of warming and tonifying herbs leads to a mixture of clear and turbid Qi, resulting in abnormal aversion to cold. In such instances, treating with cold purgative formulas can allow Yang-Qi to penetrate and cold pathogens to recede. There are numerous famous discussions and clinical records by predecessors on this topic.
"Same disease" refers to the simultaneous presence of true cold and true heat pathogenic factors. For example, the Da Qing Long Tang syndrome in Shanghan (Cold Damage) involves external constraint by cold pathogens and internal depression of Wei-Qi (Defensive Qi), leading to transformation into heat. Patients with this condition typically have a pre-existing excess of stomach heat. Taiyang Zhong Yue (Heatstroke in the Taiyang stage) occurs when one is first injured by summer-heat and subsequently exposed to cold water, constituting a disease of simultaneous cold and heat invasion. The discussion on malaria in the Neijing (Classic of Internal Medicine) follows a similar logic. This represents exterior cold and interior heat. One must distinguish the depth and severity of the condition, as well as whether it affects the Qi level or Blood level, to apply differentiated treatment.
Exterior heat and interior cold may result from internal injury due to raw and cold foods combined with external exposure to scorching sun, leading to Huoluan (Cholera-like vomiting and diarrhea); or from indiscriminate consumption of fruits, melons, wine, and meat, leading to Liji (Dysentery). As for upper heat and lower cold, this is an internal deficiency disease characterized by lung heat and kidney cold. Alternatively, it may arise from lower body exposure to cold-dampness forcing Yang-Qi to ascend. Predecessors have provided famous discussions on these scenarios. However, the syndrome of upper cold and lower heat, representing the stagnation of True Yang, has become extremely common in recent times. The pulse is slippery or large upon deep palpation, and wiry or fine upon superficial palpation. The etiology may stem from long-term exposure to cold-dampness obstructing the free flow of Yang-Qi, or from excessive use of cooling and descending agents for minor heat symptoms. I often marvel that previous sages rarely mentioned this, until I read Xu Shuwei's case record involving Po Yin Dan, at which point I deeply admired his unique insight.
There is also a distinction between Qi-cold/Blood-heat and Blood-cold/Qi-heat, which corresponds to Zhang Zhongjing's concepts of Ying-cold/Wei-heat and Wei-cold/Ying-heat. When Blood is hot, the pulse form is slow and large; when Qi is cold, the pulse fluctuation is slight and forceless; when Blood is cold, the pulse form is tight and small; when Qi is hot, the pulse momentum is grand and forceful. This area was also overlooked by predecessors, except for Ye Tianshi's theory of unblocking collaterals, which aligns very well with the treatment methods for such diseases. I frequently borrow and apply his methods, achieving remarkably swift results.
Additionally, individuals whose constitution is inherently cold but suffer from heat injury, or those whose constitution is inherently hot but suffer from cold injury, often undergo mutual transformation over time. If the initial stage has not yet transformed, or if the pathogen is strong and does not transform, the treatment method should emulate the principle of "treating the dominant to pacify the latent" from the Neijing, to prevent recurrence or transformation after medication administration.