问曰∶厥逆何以属传经厥阴证？答曰∶伤寒之邪，自表入里，邪在三阳，则手足热，传
至太阴，则手足温，至少阴，则渐冷，至厥阴，则逆冷矣，所谓热深厥亦深是也。盖自热至
温，自温至厥，自厥而至逆冷，乃传经之邪，由浅入深，是知厥逆属传经厥阴证。又问曰∶
寒证厥逆者，何也？答曰∶直中寒邪，初时即厥，不比传经之厥，以渐而至也。又问曰∶仲
景云发热四日，厥反三日，复热四日，厥少热多，其病当愈；厥四日，热反三日，复厥四日
厥多热少，其病当进。何谓也？答曰∶此指热厥而言也。伤寒发热者，其热尚浅，伤寒发
厥者，其热更深，所谓热深厥亦深，热微厥亦微者此也。厥少热多，则热渐退；厥多热少，则热
更进也。至于直中寒邪，初起即厥，不比传经热邪，初时发热而后至于厥，厥与热复相间互
发，而进退无常也。
问曰∶消渴何以属厥阴热证？答曰∶消渴者，热甚能消水也。邪传太阴，则嗌干，未甚
渴也；至少阴，则口燥舌干而渴；至厥阴则消渴矣。消渴者，饮水多而小便少，不知消归何
有也。可见厥阴热甚，则大渴而能消水也。又问曰∶三阳经亦口渴，何也？答曰∶太阳证本
无渴，其小便不利而渴者，太阳腑病也。外显太阳证，而又兼口渴，故用五苓散以分利之，
俾小便通而渴自止矣。阳明经病亦无渴，不过唇焦漱水尔，其有渴者，则阳明腑病也。邪未
结聚，热势散漫而口渴者，白虎汤，邪已结实，腹胀便闭而口渴者，承气汤，此阳明腑病
之治法也。至于少阳，乃表里交界之所，在表为寒，在里为热，兼有口渴者，
乎欲入里矣。故于小柴胡中，去半夏，加栝蒌根以清其热，倍人参以生津液，此少阳经之治
法也。至于太阴，虽嗌干，而渴犹未甚也；少阴则燥渴，渴渐甚矣；厥阴则消渴，渴之至而
无复加者也。又问曰∶阳明腑病，口大渴，与厥阴消渴，何以别之？答曰∶阳明居中土也，
万物所归也，三阳三阴之邪，皆得传之。今厥阴经消渴者，阳明胃中消之也。夫饮与食，皆
入胃者也。胃热则消，胃寒则不能消也。厥阴邪热极盛，攻入胃腑，则消渴之证生，非厥阴
肝经另有一口而能饮能消也，因其有囊缩、烦满、厥逆诸证，故名曰厥阴。因其由厥阴证而
发消渴，故以消渴属厥阴也。又问曰∶热甚亦有不渴者，何也？答曰∶此热极神昏，不知渴
也。其始极渴，其后则不知渴，口燥唇焦，身如槁木，势亦危矣。又问曰∶直中寒证，亦有
渴者，何也？答曰∶此阴盛隔阳于上，渴欲饮水而不能饮，名曰假渴，其人烦躁，欲坐卧泥
水之中，此内真寒而外假热也。又或因汗下重亡津液，胃中干燥，致令思水，所饮常少而喜
温。又少阴证，肾经虚寒，频饮热汤以自救，乃同气相求之理，但小便色白，而外见清谷、
厥逆诸寒证。以上诸证，与厥阴囊缩而消渴者，相隔千里，是不可以不辨。
问：为什么厥逆属于传经的厥阴证？答：伤寒的病邪，从体表传入体内，邪气在三阳经时，手足发热；传到太阴经时，手足温暖；到达少阴经时，逐渐变冷；到了厥阴经，就出现逆冷了，这就是所说的“热深厥亦深”。从发热到温暖，从温暖到厥逆，从厥逆到逆冷，这是传经的病邪由浅入深的过程，因此知道厥逆属于传经的厥阴证。又问：寒证厥逆是怎么回事？答：这是直中寒邪，一开始就出现厥逆，不同于传经的厥逆是逐渐形成的。又问：张仲景说发热四天，厥逆反而三天，再次发热四天，厥少热多，病应当痊愈；厥逆四天，发热反而三天，再次厥逆四天，厥多热少，病应当进展。这是什么意思？答：这是指热厥而言。伤寒发热，其热势尚浅；伤寒发厥，其热势更深，这就是所说的“热深厥亦深，热微厥亦微”。厥少热多，说明热势逐渐消退；厥多热少，说明热势更加深入。至于直中寒邪，初起就出现厥逆，不同于传经的热邪，初起发热而后才出现厥逆，厥与热交替发作，进退无常。
问：为什么消渴属于厥阴热证？答：消渴，是因为热盛能够消耗水分。邪气传到太阴经，咽喉干燥，但口渴不严重；到达少阴经，口燥舌干而渴；到了厥阴经，就出现消渴了。消渴的症状是饮水多而小便少，不知道水被消耗到哪里去了。可见厥阴热盛，就会大渴并能消耗水分。又问：三阳经也有口渴，怎么回事？答：太阳证本来没有口渴，如果小便不利而口渴，那是太阳腑病。外显太阳证，而又兼有口渴，所以用五苓散来分利水湿，使小便通畅而口渴自止。阳明经病本来也没有口渴，只是嘴唇焦燥想含水漱口而已，如果有口渴的，那是阳明腑病。邪气未结聚，热势散漫而口渴的，用白虎汤；邪气已结实，腹胀便秘而口渴的，用承气汤，这是治疗阳明腑病的方法。至于少阳，是表里交界的地方，在表为寒，在里为热，兼有口渴的，说明邪气将要入里了。所以在小柴胡汤中去掉半夏，加入栝蒌根以清热，倍用人参以生津液，这是治疗少阳经的方法。至于太阴，虽然咽喉干燥，但口渴还不严重；少阴则燥渴，口渴逐渐加重；厥阴则消渴，是口渴的极致，不会再加重了。又问：阳明腑病的大口渴，与厥阴的消渴，如何区别？答：阳明居中属土，是万物归聚的地方，三阳三阴的病邪，都能传到阳明。现在厥阴经的消渴，实际上是胃中的消灼作用。饮食都进入胃中。胃热则能消化，胃寒则不能消化。厥阴邪热极盛，攻入胃腑，就产生消渴的病症，并不是厥阴肝经另外有一个口能饮能消，因为伴有囊缩、烦满、厥逆等症状，所以名叫厥阴。因为是由厥阴证引发消渴，所以将消渴归属于厥阴。又问：热盛也有不口渴的，怎么回事？答：这是热极导致神志昏迷，不知道口渴。起初极度口渴，后来就不觉得渴了，口燥唇焦，身体像枯木一样，病情也很危险了。又问：直中寒证也有口渴的，怎么回事？答：这是阴盛格阳于上，口渴想喝水但不能喝，名叫假渴，其人烦躁，想坐在泥水中，这是内真寒而外假热。或者因为汗下过度损伤津液，胃中干燥，导致思水，所喝的水通常很少且喜欢温热。还有少阴证，肾经虚寒，频繁饮用热汤以自救，这是同气相求的道理，但小便颜色白，且外见完谷不化、厥逆等寒证。以上各种证候，与厥阴的囊缩而消渴相比，相差甚远，是不可以不辨别的。
Question: Why is Jue Ni (cold extremities) classified as a Jue Yin syndrome resulting from transmitted disease? Answer: The pathogenic factor of Shang Han (Cold Damage) enters from the exterior to the interior. When the pathogen is in the Three Yang meridians, the hands and feet are hot; when it transmits to the Tai Yin meridian, the hands and feet are warm; when it reaches the Shao Yin meridian, they gradually become cold; and when it arrives at the Jue Yin meridian, cold extremities occur reversely. This is what is meant by "the deeper the heat, the deeper the cold extremities." From heat to warmth, from warmth to Jue (cold extremities), and from Jue to reverse coldness, this represents the transmitted pathogen progressing from shallow to deep. Thus, we know that Jue Ni belongs to the Jue Yin syndrome of transmitted disease. Another question: What about Jue Ni in cold syndromes? Answer: This is due to direct invasion by cold pathogens, where Jue occurs immediately, unlike the Jue of transmitted disease which develops gradually. Another question: Zhang Zhongjing stated, "Fever for four days, Jue for three days, then fever for four days; less Jue and more heat indicates the disease should heal; Jue for four days, fever for three days, then Jue for four days; more Jue and less heat indicates the disease should progress." What does this mean? Answer: This refers to Heat Jue. In Shang Han, fever indicates the heat is relatively superficial; Jue indicates the heat is deeper. This is the principle of "the deeper the heat, the deeper the Jue; the milder the heat, the milder the Jue." Less Jue and more heat means the heat is gradually receding; more Jue and less heat means the heat is advancing further. As for direct invasion by cold pathogens, Jue appears at the onset, unlike transmitted heat pathogens which start with fever before developing into Jue. In direct cold invasion, Jue and heat alternate irregularly without fixed progression or regression.
Question: Why is Xiao Ke (wasting-thirst) classified as a Jue Yin heat syndrome? Answer: Xiao Ke occurs because intense heat consumes water. When the pathogen transmits to the Tai Yin meridian, there is dryness in the throat but thirst is not severe; when it reaches the Shao Yin meridian, there is dry mouth and tongue with thirst; when it arrives at the Jue Yin meridian, Xiao Ke manifests. Xiao Ke is characterized by drinking much water but producing little urine, with no obvious place for the consumed water to go. This shows that when Jue Yin heat is intense, there is great thirst and the ability to consume water. Another question: The Three Yang meridians also present with thirst. Why? Answer: Tai Yang syndromes originally do not have thirst. If there is thirst accompanied by difficult urination, it is a Tai Yang Fu-organ disease. When Tai Yang exterior symptoms are present along with thirst, Wu Ling San (Five-Ingredient Powder with Poria) is used to promote diuresis, allowing urine flow to resume and thirst to cease. Yang Ming meridian diseases originally do not have thirst, only dry lips and a desire to rinse the mouth with water. If there is thirst, it is a Yang Ming Fu-organ disease. If the pathogen has not yet condensed and the heat is diffuse causing thirst, Bai Hu Tang (White Tiger Decoction) is used; if the pathogen has solidified causing abdominal distension and constipation with thirst, Cheng Qi Tang (Order the Qi Decoction) is used. These are the treatment methods for Yang Ming Fu-organ diseases. As for Shao Yang, it is the junction of exterior and interior. On the exterior it presents as cold, on the interior as heat. If accompanied by thirst, it indicates the pathogen is about to enter the interior. Therefore, Ban Xia (Pinellia Rhizome) is removed from Xiao Chai Hu Tang (Minor Bupleurum Decoction), Gua Lou Gen (Trichosanthes Root) is added to clear heat, and Ren Shen (Ginseng Radix) is doubled to generate fluids. This is the treatment method for Shao Yang meridian diseases. Regarding Tai Yin, although there is throat dryness, thirst is not severe; Shao Yin presents with dry thirst, which becomes increasingly severe; Jue Yin presents with Xiao Ke, which is the extreme of thirst and cannot worsen further. Another question: How to distinguish the great thirst of Yang Ming Fu-organ disease from the Xiao Ke of Jue Yin? Answer: Yang Ming resides in the center and corresponds to Earth, the gathering place of all things. Pathogens from the Three Yang and Three Yin meridians can all transmit to it. Now, the Xiao Ke of the Jue Yin meridian is actually caused by consumption in the Stomach. Food and drink enter the Stomach. Stomach heat leads to digestion/consumption, while Stomach cold prevents it. When Jue Yin pathogenic heat is extremely intense and attacks the Stomach Fu-organ, the symptom of Xiao Ke arises. It is not that the Liver meridian of Jue Yin has a separate mouth capable of drinking and consuming. Because it is accompanied by symptoms such as retraction of the genitals, irritability and fullness, and Jue Ni, it is named Jue Yin. Since Xiao Ke arises from the Jue Yin syndrome, Xiao Ke is attributed to Jue Yin. Another question: Intense heat sometimes presents without thirst. Why? Answer: This is due to extreme heat causing confusion of the spirit, where the patient is unaware of thirst. Initially, there is extreme thirst, but later the patient feels no thirst. With dry mouth and scorched lips, and a body like dead wood, the condition is critical. Another question: Direct invasion by cold syndromes can also present with thirst. Why? Answer: This is due to excess Yin repelling Yang to the upper part. The patient desires to drink but cannot swallow, termed false thirst. The patient is irritable and desires to sit in mud or water. This is true cold inside and false heat outside. Alternatively, excessive sweating or purgation may severely deplete body fluids, causing dryness in the Stomach and leading to a desire for water. The amount drunk is usually small, and the water is preferred warm. Additionally, in Shao Yin syndrome, deficiency-cold of the Kidney meridian leads to frequent drinking of hot liquids for self-rescue, following the principle of similar qi attracting each other. However, the urine is white, and exterior signs include undigested food in stool and Jue Ni. All the above conditions differ vastly from the genital retraction and Xiao Ke of Jue Yin, and must be distinguished clearly.