甚哉。阴阳之理微而阴阳之治难也。阴阳之病则变乱。闪烁而莫可捉摸者也。今以失血
言之
。血主阴气主阳。阳之性动。阴之体静。阳之气热。阴之性寒。而阴阳则相维为既济之。水
火也。故气行则血亦行气止则血亦止。气盛则血亦盛。气衰则血亦衰。气热则血燥。气寒则
血凝。气盛而逆。则血因从上见。血虚而陷。则气亦随下脱。其为治也。逆于上者降之。陷
于下者升之。初病阴阳错乱者平之。寒热不调者和之。嗣究其原。应寒则寒。应热则热。应
补则补。应泻则泻。法难定执。治随人施耳。夫血既外溢则阳动之太过也。治专主寒则阴制
之。有余也。益气固云救血未免动而复动。了无归息之日。泻阴虽曰抑阳乃至静而益静殊。
绝
生发之机均非有得乎。治血之。 而亦未识其所以为静之。体矣。虽然、血固种种不一。总
当
循元气脉气形气病气而精辨之也。独怪河涧作俑。谬称诸血无寒。致今庸流混治杀人。遗
不小。殊可悲恨。岂知寒剂治血。惟上古形病俱实者宜之。犀角地黄汤。乃专治胃经积热实
证。只可暂用。中病便止而非疗血之纲剂也。四物汤虽为血药。用芎归则通血之壅滞也。白
芍则收血之耗散也。生地则制火动之阳光也。而非益阴之品。且芍性酸寒。尚伐生气。亦惟
血凝滞及耗散者用之相应。设使阳焰正炽。而辛窜之 归。不益助其上炎之火性乎。失血
甫
定尚留停瘀。最忌固敛。若生地芩连。虽赋性沉寒。固可扑未灭之余焰。独不思脾虚而血不
统血脱而脾愈虚敢用此。而轻泻药脾阳乎。脾本虚而复虚则阴不受摄。而血愈脱矣。察唯诸气
俱实。得有犀角四物本症始可用耳。又有阳焰。未熄而遽投补气之剂是反以动乎。阴尤非
福也。亦须察果元气顿虚色脉两亏。而补中归脾四君十全之属。是所必需。甚至虚寒与气俱
脱。参附八味。忍缓投乎。此则一偏于凉泻。一偏于温补乃为通变之机权。而非正治之活法
也。惟必明乎。为静之体与夫失静之。由庶可语乎。治静之之方矣。血主乎。阴以静为体阴
中蕴。阳静处寓动盖此。静非沉寂之静。乃生化之静。今立一方不专以寒者。恐愈痼真阴也
。又不骤以温者。恐益助邪阳也。议以不濡不燥中和恬静之品。非惟天一可复。且令水火两
平。得葆其静之体。而益完其静之。神者也。治本常法。药非奇草。推求仲景之肾气。允为
疗血之佳珍。设曰熟地膏润。不宜遽补。岂知血脱阴亏内伤。非补何以填阴。丹皮甘香生新
消瘀之良药也。且制燎原。然真阴既耗。元阳少附脾失。资生土气馁矣。必用山药茯苓。平
扶胃气。而非归术温补之比也。泽泻引虚热以下行。石枣固藏血之本经。加炙草则平五火。
益黑栀以敛二络。术无逾此试亦屡效。倘逢肺胃郁热。方增麦芩而减山萸。若疗肝肾实焰。
不
辞连柏而佐芍药。即君主凡火之动。苦寒必需。倘命宫真阳将谢。温热恐后。久饵平剂不愈
。必加益气之参术。错投降火增剧。莫缓升阳之蒡 。第病情变幻。而成方难守。当熟察元
气之虚实。色脉之吉凶。与夫病气之重轻。阳中阴易扶阴中阴难疗阴属经易。治阳属藏亦危
及至用药温凉补泻。新久顺逆。随宜辄应。庶了然无疑于胸中。方可逃枉治之重愆。此特鄙
人蠡见。宜详立斋全案。
It is indeed subtle that the principles of Yin and Yang are profound, yet the treatment to harmonize them is difficult. When Yin and Yang are diseased, they become chaotic and fluctuating, making them elusive and hard to grasp. Taking hemorrhage as an example: Blood belongs to Yin, and Qi (Vital Energy) belongs to Yang. The nature of Yang is movement, while the substance of Yin is stillness; the quality of Yang Qi is heat, whereas the nature of Yin is cold. Yin and Yang sustain each other, akin to the relationship between Water and Fire in a state of mutual interaction (Ji Ji). Therefore, when Qi moves, Blood also moves; when Qi stops, Blood also stops. When Qi is abundant, Blood is abundant; when Qi is deficient, Blood is deficient. When Qi is hot, Blood becomes dry; when Qi is cold, Blood coagulates. If Qi is excessive and rebellious upward, Blood will manifest by flowing upwards. If Blood is deficient and sinking, Qi will also follow it into downward collapse. In treatment, for those rebellious upward, one must descend them; for those sinking downward, one must elevate them. For initial diseases where Yin and Yang are disordered, one must pacify them; for disharmonious Cold and Heat, one must harmonize them. Subsequently, investigating the root cause, if Cold is indicated, use Cold methods; if Heat is indicated, use Heat methods; if tonification is indicated, tonify; if purgation is indicated, purge. Treatment methods cannot be rigidly fixed but must be applied flexibly according to the individual.
Since blood has extravasated externally, it indicates that Yang movement has been excessive. If treatment focuses solely on using Cold herbs to suppress it, although Yin controls Yang, this addresses excess. Tonifying Qi to secure it may save blood, but it risks causing Qi to move again and again, leaving no time for rest. Purging Yin to suppress Yang leads to extreme stillness, which unfortunately cuts off the mechanism of vital generation. None of these truly grasp the essence of treating blood or understand the substance of "stillness." Nevertheless, although hemorrhage presents in various forms, one must always carefully distinguish based on Yuan Qi (Primal Qi), pulse characteristics, form-Qi, and disease-Qi. It is particularly strange that Liu Wansu (Hejian) initiated the error of claiming that all hemorrhages lack Cold patterns, leading modern mediocre physicians to treat indiscriminately and kill patients, leaving significant harm, which is truly tragic and regrettable. One should know that Cold-natured drugs for treating hemorrhage are only suitable for cases from ancient times where both the physical constitution and the disease pathogen were excess/real. Xi Jiao Di Huang Tang (Rhinoceros Horn and Rehmannia Decoction) is specifically for treating excess syndromes of accumulated heat in the Stomach Meridian. It can only be used temporarily and stopped once the disease is addressed; it is not a general formula for treating hemorrhage. Si Wu Tang (Four Substance Decoction), although composed of blood-invigorating herbs, uses Xiong Gui (Chuanxiong and Danggui) to unblock blood stasis; Bai Shao (White Peony Root) to astringe blood dispersion; and Sheng Di Huang (Raw Rehmannia Root) to control the blazing fire of Yin deficiency. However, these are not primarily Yin-tonifying agents. Moreover, Bai Shao is sour and cold, which may damage the generating Qi, so it is only appropriate for cases with blood stagnation or dispersion. If Yang fire is blazing intensely, wouldn't the pungent and dispersing nature of Dang Gui further assist its flaming upward tendency? Once hemorrhage has just stabilized, residual blood stasis remains, making astringency highly contraindicated. Although Sheng Di Huang, Huang Qin (Scutellaria Root), and Huang Lian (Coptis Rhizome) possess heavy cold natures capable of extinguishing lingering heat, one must consider: if Spleen deficiency fails to control blood, and blood loss further weakens the Spleen, how can one dare lightly use such cold purgatives to damage Spleen Yang? If the already deficient Spleen becomes more deficient due to cold, Yin blood cannot be retained, and hemorrhage will worsen. Only when all Qi aspects are excess and the specific indications for Xi Jiao Di Huang Tang and Si Wu Tang are present can they be used. Furthermore, administering Qi-tonifying formulas prematurely while Yang fire has not subsided disturbs Yin, which is detrimental. One must observe if there is indeed sudden Yuan Qi deficiency with compromised complexion and pulse; in such cases, Bu Zhong Yi Qi Tang (Tonify the Middle and Augment the Qi Decoction), Gui Pi Tang (Restore the Spleen Decoction), Si Jun Zi Tang (Four Gentlemen Decoction), and Shi Quan Da Bu Tang (Comprehensive Great Tonifying Decoction) are necessary. Even in cases of deficiency-cold with simultaneous Qi collapse, Shen Fu Wan (Ginseng and Aconite Pill) or Ba Wei Wan (Eight-Ingredient Pill) must be administered cautiously and slowly. These represent deviations towards cooling/purging or warming/tonifying, serving as flexible adaptations rather than standard active treatments. Only by understanding the substance of "stillness" and the causes of losing stillness can one discuss formulas for stabilizing blood.
Blood governs Yin and takes stillness as its substance; within Yin lies Yang, and within stillness lies movement. This "stillness" is not inert silence but the stillness of biological transformation. The proposed formula does not specialize in Cold herbs to avoid further damaging True Yin, nor does it abruptly use Warm herbs to avoid aiding Evil Yang. Instead, it recommends neutral, tranquil substances that are neither cloying nor drying. This not only restores Tian Yi (Heavenly One/Kidney Yin) but also balances Water and Fire, preserving the substance of stillness and perfecting the spirit of stillness. This is the fundamental method, using common herbs rather than rare ones. Studying Zhang Zhongjing's Shen Qi Wan (Kidney Qi Pill) proves it to be a valuable remedy for hemorrhage. If one argues that Shu Di Huang (Prepared Rehmannia Root) is too rich and greasy for immediate tonification, one fails to realize that for blood loss and Yin deficiency due to internal injury, tonification is essential to fill the Yin. Mu Dan Pi (Moutan Cortex) is sweet and aromatic, a fine herb for generating new tissue and resolving stasis, and it controls raging fire. However, since True Yin is depleted and Yuan Yang lacks attachment, the Spleen loses its source of nourishment, and Earth Qi becomes feeble. One must use Shan Yao (Dioscorea Rhizome) and Fu Ling (Poria) to peacefully support Stomach Qi, which differs from the warming tonification of Dang Gui and Bai Zhu (Atractylodes Rhizome). Ze Xie (Alisma Rhizome) guides deficient heat downward; Shan Zhu Yu (Cornus Fruit) secures the root meridian of blood storage. Adding Zhi Gan Cao (Honey-fried Licorice Root) pacifies the Five Fires; adding Hei Zhi Zi (Black Gardenia Fruit) converges the two collaterals. No method surpasses this, and trials have shown frequent efficacy. If lung and stomach stagnant heat occur, increase Mai Dong (Ophiopogon Tuber) and Huang Qin while reducing Shan Zhu Yu. If treating liver and kidney excess flames, do not hesitate to use Huang Lian and Huang Bo (Phellodendron Bark) assisted by Shao Yao. Even for movements of ministerial fire, bitter-cold herbs are necessary. If Ming Men (Gate of Life) True Yang is fading, warm-hot herbs may lag behind; if long-term neutral formulas fail, add Qi-tonifying Shen (Ginseng) and Bai Zhu. Incorrectly using descending-fire herbs may worsen the condition; better to delay ascending-Yang Niu Bang Zi (Arctium Fruit). Disease conditions are variable, and fixed formulas are hard to maintain. One must carefully examine the deficiency/excess of Yuan Qi, the auspiciousness/inauspiciousness of complexion and pulse, and the severity of disease Qi. Yin patterns within Yang are easier to support; Yin patterns within Yin are harder to treat. Yin patterns in meridians are easier to cure; Yang patterns in zang organs are also critical. Regarding medication—warming/cooling, tonifying/purging, new/old, smooth/rebellious—one must respond appropriately. Only then can one be clear and doubtless in mind, avoiding the grave fault of misdiagnosis and mistreatment. This is merely my limited insight; for detailed cases, refer to Xue Li Zhai's complete records.