夫药之五味，皆随五脏所属，以人而为补泻，不过因其性而调之。五味一定之性，
本定而不可变。在人以五脏四时，迭相施用，行变化而补泻之。然药之形有形，其气
味寒热则无形，人之神无形，动而变，变而病，则有形，故以有形之药，而攻有形之
病，更以无形之气味，而调无形之神气。大抵善攻克削之药，皆无神而与人气血无情，
故可只为糟粕之需。善调元气之药必有神，而与人气血有情，故堪佐助神明之用。且五
脏皆有精，五脏之精气充足，始能输归于肾，肾不过为聚会关司之所，故《经》曰∶
五脏盛乃能泻。设一脏之精气不足，则水谷日生之精，正堪消耗于本脏，焉有余力输归
及肾哉！故补之之法，务调脏。脏平和，则肾水之化源自得，然轻清象天，《经》曰∶
形不足者，温之以气。浊阴象地，《经》曰∶精不足者，补之以味。补者，谓彼中所少何
物，我即以此补之，偿其不足也。味者，重浊浓味之谓，如地黄枸杞膏之类是也。奈何
近用味药者，仅存其名，体重之药每同体轻者等分，或用钱许几分，是有名而无实效
且欲峻补肾家者，用牛膝、杜仲之类，下趋接引，尚虑不及，反加甘草缓中，药势难以
趋下，泥滞中脘矣。至如血少者养血，归地芍药之类是也；气虚者益气，参 苓术之类
是也；真阴亏者补真阴，地茱麦味之类是也；真阳损者补真阳，桂附之类是也。如饥
者与食，渴者与水，无不附应得宜。其血脱补气者，虽谓阳旺，能生阴血，究竟因当脱
势危迫，而补血难期速效，故不得已为，从权救急之方，苟非命在须臾，还须对症调
补，气虚补气，血虚补血，阴亏补阴，阳亏补阳，虚之甚者补之甚，虚之轻者补之轻。
虚而欲脱者，补而还须接，所以有补接二字，书未详明。盖脱势一来，时时可脱，今
用大补之剂，挽回收摄，若药性少，过药力一缓，脱势便来，故峻补之药。必须接续，
日夜勿间断也，俟元气渐生于中，药饵方可少缓于外。虚病受得浅者，根本壮盛者，少
年血气未衰者，还元必快。衰败者，还元自迟，必须补足，不可中止，工夫一到，诸侯
霍然向来，所有之病、大病内可除，向来不足之躯、大病内可壮。故人不求无病，病中
可去病，病复可知调理樽节也。
药物的五味，都随着五脏的归属，根据人体情况来进行补泻，不过是顺应药物的本性来调理罢了。五味的固定性质，本来确定而不可改变。在人身上，通过五脏与四季的配合，交替施用，进行变化并实施补泻。然而，药物有形体，其气味的寒热则是无形的；人的神也是无形的，但运动而变化，变化后生病，病就有了形体。所以用有形体的药，去攻治有形体的病，再用无形的气味，去调理无形的神气。大抵善于攻克削伐的药物，都没有“神”（灵性/效力），且与人体的气血无情（不亲和），所以只能作为糟粕的需求（指仅能解决表面或排泄问题）。善于调理元气的药物必然有“神”，且与人体的气血有情（亲和），所以能够辅助神明的作用。况且五脏都有精气，五脏的精气充足，才能输送归藏于肾，肾不过是一个聚会和关隘管理的场所，所以《内经》说：五脏精气旺盛之后才能泻（实）。如果某一脏的精气不足，那么每天由水谷化生的精气，正足以消耗在本脏，哪里还有余力输送归及于肾呢！所以补益的方法，务必调理脏腑。脏腑平和，那么肾水的化生之源自然得到补充。然而，轻清之气象天，《内经》说：形体不足的，用气来温养它。浊阴之气象地，《内经》说：精气不足的，用味道来补益它。所谓补，是指对方缺少什么，我就用什么来补它，偿还它的不足。所谓味，是指沉重、浑浊、浓烈的味道，比如地黄枸杞膏之类的。为什么现在使用味药的人，仅仅保留其名，体重重的药往往同体轻的药等量，或者只用几钱几分，这是有名而无实效。而且想要峻补肾家的人，使用牛膝、杜仲之类，引导药力下行，还担心力度不够，反而加上甘草缓和其中焦的作用，药势难以趋向下行，导致停滞在中脘了。至于如血少的养血，用当归、地黄、芍药之类；气虚的益气，用人参、茯苓、白术之类；真阴亏损的补真阴，用地黄、山茱萸、麦冬、五味子之类；真阳损伤的补真阳，用肉桂、附子之类。就像饥饿的人给食物，口渴的人给水，没有不相应得当的。至于血脱证补气，虽然说是阳气旺盛，能化生阴血，终究是因为当血脱之势危急紧迫，而补血难以期待快速见效，所以不得已采取权宜救急的方法。如果不是命在旦夕，还需要对症调补，气虚补气，血虚补血，阴亏补阴，阳亏补阳，虚得厉害的补得厉害，虚得轻微的补得轻微。虚而想要脱失的，补的同时还需要接续固摄，所以有“补接”两个字，书中没有详细说明。因为脱失之势一来，随时可能脱失，现在用大补的药剂，挽回收摄，如果药性太少，药力一缓，脱失之势就会到来，所以峻补的药物必须接续服用，日夜不要间断。等到元气逐渐生于中焦，药饵在外表方可稍微减缓。虚病感受较浅的，根本壮盛的，少年气血未衰的，恢复元气必然快。衰败的，恢复元气自然慢，必须补足，不可以中止，功夫到了，诸症霍然向愈，所有的病在大病内可消除，向来不足的躯体，在大病内可强壮。所以人不求无病，病中可以去除病，病后还可以知道调理节制啊。
The five flavors of medicines correspond to the Five Zang organs and are used for tonification or purging based on the individual's condition, essentially adjusting according to their inherent nature. The fixed nature of the five flavors is established and unchangeable. In humans, through the interplay of the Five Zang organs and the four seasons, they are applied alternately to effect changes and perform tonification and purging. However, medicines have physical forms, while their qi (vital energy) and flavors—cold or hot—are formless. Human spirit (Shen) is also formless; it moves and changes, and when disease arises from this change, it takes on a form. Thus, using medicines with physical forms to attack diseases with physical forms, and employing formless qi and flavors to regulate formless spirit and qi. Generally, medicines that are good at attacking and reducing excess lack "Shen" (efficacy/spiritual quality) and have no affinity with human blood and qi, so they serve merely as needs for waste elimination. Medicines good at regulating primordial qi must possess "Shen" and have affinity with human blood and qi, thus capable of assisting the functions of the spirit. Moreover, each of the Five Zang organs possesses essence and qi. Only when the essence and qi of the Five Zang organs are sufficient can they be transported and stored in the Kidney. The Kidney serves merely as a gathering and regulatory hub. Therefore, the *Classic* states: "Only when the essence of the Five Zang organs is abundant can there be purging." If the essence and qi of one Zang organ are insufficient, then the essence generated daily from food and water is just enough to be consumed within that same Zang organ; how could there be surplus strength to transport it to the Kidney? Therefore, the method of tonification must focus on regulating the Zang organs. When the Zang organs are harmonious, the source of transformation for Kidney water will naturally be replenished. Light and clear qi resembles Heaven; the *Classic* states: "For deficiency of form, warm with qi." Heavy and turbid yin resembles Earth; the *Classic* states: "For deficiency of essence, tonify with flavor." Tonification means identifying what is lacking in the patient and using specific substances to compensate for that deficiency. "Flavor" refers to heavy, turbid, and strong tastes, such as preparations like Rehmannia and Goji Berry paste. Why do contemporary practitioners who use flavor-based medicines retain only the name? Heavy medicines are often prescribed in equal doses to light medicines, or in small amounts like a few qian or fen. This results in having the name but lacking actual efficacy. Furthermore, those wishing to vigorously tonify the Kidney use herbs like Achyranthes Root (Niuxi) and Eucommia Bark (Duzhong) to guide the action downward, yet still worry about insufficient force, and instead add Licorice Root (Gancao) to moderate the middle jiao. This makes it difficult for the medicinal force to descend, causing stagnation in the Zhongwan region. For example, to nourish blood in cases of blood deficiency, herbs like Angelica Sinensis (Danggui), Rehmannia Root (Dihuang), and White Peony Root (Shaoyao) are used; to benefit qi in cases of qi deficiency, herbs like Ginseng (Renshen), Poria (Fuling), and Atractylodes Macrocephala Rhizome (Baizhu) are used; to tonify true yin in cases of true yin deficiency, herbs like Rehmannia (Dihuang), Cornus Fruit (Shanzhuyu), Ophiopogon Tuber (Maidong), and Schisandra Berry (Wuweizi) are used; to tonify true yang in cases of true yang damage, herbs like Cinnamon Twig (Guizhi) and Prepared Aconite Root (Fuzi) are used. This is like giving food to the hungry and water to the thirsty, always responding appropriately. Regarding the principle of benefiting qi in cases of blood collapse, although it is said that robust yang can generate yin blood, ultimately, because the situation of blood collapse is critical and urgent, and replenishing blood cannot be expected to yield rapid results, this is resorted to as a temporary emergency measure. Unless life is hanging by a thread, one should still treat according to the syndrome: tonify qi for qi deficiency, tonify blood for blood deficiency, tonify yin for yin deficiency, and tonify yang for yang deficiency. Severe deficiency requires severe tonification; mild deficiency requires mild tonification. In cases of deficiency approaching collapse, tonification must be accompanied by securing and anchoring. Hence the term "tonify and secure," which is not detailed in books. Because once the tendency toward collapse begins, it can happen at any moment. Using major tonifying formulas to retrieve and secure, if the dosage is too low or the medicinal force slows down, the collapse will occur. Therefore, vigorous tonifying medicines must be administered continuously without interruption day and night. Only after primordial qi gradually regenerates in the interior can the external administration of medicine be slightly relaxed. For deficiency diseases that are shallowly contracted, with strong roots, or in youths whose blood and qi have not yet declined, restoration of yuan (primordial state) will be rapid. For those in decline, restoration will naturally be slow; one must continue tonifying until complete, without stopping. Once the treatment effort is sufficient, all symptoms will vanish suddenly. Major illnesses can be eliminated internally, and previously deficient constitutions can become robust. Therefore, people should not seek to never get sick; rather, one can eliminate illness during sickness, and after recovery, one should know how to regulate and moderate lifestyle.