或曰∶半身不遂，古人风火湿痰之论，诸家层次议驳，有证据可凭乎？余曰∶即以仲景
《伤寒论》中风篇云，中风则令人头疼身痛，发热恶寒，干呕自汗。《金匮要略》论伤风则
令人鼻塞喷嚏，咳嗽声重，鼻流清涕。中风本门又云∶夫风之为病，当令人半身不遂。今请
问何等风，何等中法，令人头疼身痛，发热恶寒，干呕自汗？何等风，何等中法，则令人鼻
塞喷嚏，咳嗽声重，鼻流清涕？何等风，何等中法，则令人半身不遂？半身不遂若果是风，风
之中人，必由皮肤入经络，亦必有由表入里之症可查。尝治此症，初得时并无发热恶寒，头
疼身痛，目痛鼻干，寒热往来之表症。既无表症，则知半身不遂，非风邪所中。再者，众人
风火湿痰之论立说更为含混。如果是风火湿痰，无论由外中，由内发，必归经络。经络所藏
者，无非气血。气血若为风火湿痰阻滞，必有疼痛之症。有疼痛之症，乃是身痛之痹症，非
是半身不遂。半身不遂，无疼痛之症。余平生治之最多，从未见因身痛痹症而得半身不遂者
，由此思之，又非风火湿痰所中。
或曰∶君言半身不遂，亏损元气，是其本源，何以亏至五成方病？愿闻其说。余曰∶夫
元气
气衰，则无力；元气绝，则死矣。若十分元气，亏二成，剩八成，每半身仍有四成，则无病。若
亏五成，剩五成，每半身只剩二成半，此时虽未病半身不遂，已有气亏之症，因不疼不痒，人自
不觉。若元气一亏，经络自然空虚，有空虚之隙，难免其气向一边归并，如右半身二成半，归并
于左，则右半身无气；左半身二成半，归并于右，则左半身无气，无气则不能动，不能动，名曰
半身不遂。不遂者，不遂人用也。如睡时气之归并，人不能知觉，不过是醒则不能翻身，惟睡醒
时气之归并，自觉受病之半身，向不病之半身流动，比水流波浪之声尤甚，坐时归并，身必歪倒
，行走时归并，半身无气，所以跌仆。人便云因跌仆得半身不遂，殊不知非因跌仆得半身不遂，
实因气亏得半身
有人问：半身不遂，古人有关于风、火、湿、痰的论述，各家层层辨析驳斥，这些观点有证据可以依据吗？我说：就拿张仲景《伤寒论》中风篇来说，中风会导致人头痛身痛，发热恶寒，干呕自汗。《金匮要略》论伤风则导致人鼻塞喷嚏，咳嗽声重，鼻流清涕。中风本门又说：风这种病，应当使人半身不遂。现在我请问，是什么样的风，什么样的中法，会导致人头痛身痛，发热恶寒，干呕自汗？什么样的风，什么样的中法，会导致人鼻塞喷嚏，咳嗽声重，鼻流清涕？什么样的风，什么样的中法，会导致人半身不遂？如果半身不遂果真是风邪所致，风邪侵入人体，必定从皮肤进入经络，也一定会有由表入里的症状可以查证。我曾治疗这类病症，刚发病时并没有发热恶寒，头疼身痛，目痛鼻干，寒热往来的表证（外感病的初期症状）。既然没有表证，就知道半身不遂不是风邪所中。再者，众人关于风火湿痰的立说更加含糊不清。如果是风火湿痰致病，无论是由外侵入，还是由内引发，必定归于经络。经络所容纳的，无非是气血。如果气血被风火湿痰阻滞，必然会有疼痛的症状。有疼痛的症状，那就是身体疼痛的痹症（以肢体关节疼痛、麻木、重着、屈伸不利为主要表现的疾病），而不是半身不遂。半身不遂，没有疼痛的症状。我平生治疗这类病症最多，从未见过因为身体疼痛的痹症而得半身不遂的，由此思考，这又不是风火湿痰所中。
有人问：您说半身不遂，亏损元气是其本源，为什么亏损到五成才会发病？希望听听您的说法。我说：元气衰微，就没有力气；元气断绝，就会死亡。如果十分元气，亏损二成，剩下八成，每半身仍有四成，那么就没有病。如果亏损五成，剩下五成，每半身只剩二成半，此时虽然没有发生半身不遂，但已经有气亏的症状，因为不疼不痒，人们自己察觉不到。如果元气一亏损，经络自然空虚，有空虚的间隙，难免气向一边归并，比如右半身二成半的气，归并于左半身，那么右半身就没有气；左半身二成半的气，归并于右半身，那么左半身就没有气，没有气就不能活动，不能活动，叫做半身不遂。不遂，就是不能听从人的使唤。比如睡觉时气的归并，人不能知觉，不过是醒来时不能翻身，只有睡醒时气的归并，自觉受病的半身，向未病的半身流动，比水流波浪的声音还要明显，坐着时归并，身体必定歪倒，行走时归并，半身无气，所以跌倒。人们便说是因为跌倒得了半身不遂，殊不知不是因为跌倒得半身不遂，实在是因为气亏导致半身不遂。
It is asked: Regarding hemiplegia, the ancients discussed wind, fire, dampness, and phlegm. Various schools have analyzed and refuted these theories layer by layer; do these views have evidence to rely upon? I say: Take Zhang Zhongjing's *Shanghan Lun* (Treatise on Cold Pathogenic Diseases), chapter on Wind-Stroke, which states that wind-stroke causes headache and body pain, fever and aversion to cold, dry retching and spontaneous sweating. The *Jingui Yaolue* (Essential Prescriptions of the Golden Cabinet) discusses wind-cold causing nasal congestion and sneezing, cough with heavy voice, and clear nasal discharge. The chapter on wind-stroke itself also states: "The disease of wind should cause hemiplegia." Now I ask, what kind of wind, and what method of invasion, causes headache and body pain, fever and aversion to cold, dry retching and spontaneous sweating? What kind of wind, and what method of invasion, causes nasal congestion and sneezing, cough with heavy voice, and clear nasal discharge? What kind of wind, and what method of invasion, causes hemiplegia? If hemiplegia were indeed caused by wind pathogen, wind invading the human body must enter from the skin into the meridians, and there must be symptoms indicating progression from exterior to interior that can be verified. I have treated this condition many times; at the onset, there were no exterior symptoms such as fever and aversion to cold, headache and body pain, eye pain and dry nose, or alternating chills and fever. Since there are no exterior symptoms, it is known that hemiplegia is not caused by wind pathogen invasion. Furthermore, the theories of wind, fire, dampness, and phlegm proposed by others are even more vague. If it were wind, fire, dampness, or phlegm, whether invading from outside or originating from inside, it must affect the meridians. What the meridians store is nothing but Qi and Blood. If Qi and Blood are obstructed by wind, fire, dampness, or phlegm, there must be pain symptoms. Pain symptoms indicate Bi syndrome (a condition characterized by pain, numbness, heaviness, and limited movement of limbs and joints), not hemiplegia. Hemiplegia has no pain symptoms. I have treated this condition most frequently in my life and have never seen anyone develop hemiplegia due to body pain from Bi syndrome. Reflecting on this, it is again not caused by wind, fire, dampness, or phlegm.
It is asked: You state that hemiplegia originates from the depletion of Yuan Qi (Original Qi). Why does the disease manifest only when Yuan Qi is depleted by half? I wish to hear your explanation. I say: When Yuan Qi declines, there is a lack of strength; when Yuan Qi is exhausted, death occurs. If there is ten units of Yuan Qi, and two units are depleted, leaving eight units, each half of the body still retains four units, so there is no disease. If five units are depleted, leaving five units, each half of the body retains only two and a half units. At this time, although hemiplegia has not yet occurred, there are already symptoms of Qi deficiency. Because there is no pain or itching, people do not perceive it themselves. Once Yuan Qi is depleted, the meridians naturally become empty. In these empty spaces, it is inevitable that Qi will shift to one side. For example, if the two and a half units of Qi in the right half of the body shift to the left, the right half of the body will have no Qi; if the two and a half units of Qi in the left half of the body shift to the right, the left half of the body will have no Qi. Without Qi, movement is impossible. This inability to move is called hemiplegia. "Bu Sui" (not following) means not obeying human command. For instance, during sleep, the shifting of Qi is imperceptible to the person; they simply find they cannot turn over upon waking. Only upon waking does the person feel the Qi in the affected half flowing towards the unaffected half, a sensation more pronounced than the sound of water waves. When sitting, the shifting causes the body to tilt; when walking, the lack of Qi in one half leads to falling. People claim that hemiplegia is caused by falling, but little do they know that it is not the fall that causes hemiplegia, but rather the depletion of Qi.