医以活人为心，故曰医仁术。有疾而求疗，不啻求救焚溺于水火也，医当仁慈之术，须披发
撄冠而往救之可也。否则焦濡之祸及，宁为仁人之安忍乎？切有医者，乘人之急而诈取货财，是
则孜孜为利，跖之徒也，岂仁术而然哉！比之作不善者尤甚也。天道岂不报之以殃乎！今见医家
后裔多获余庆，荣擢高科。此天道果报之验，奚必计一时之利而戕贼夫仁义之心？甚与道术相反
背，有乖生物之天理也。从事者可不鉴哉！（陆宣公论）
宣和间有一士人，抱病缠年，百治不瘥。有何澄者善医。其妻召至，引入密室，告之曰∶外家
以良人抱疾日久，典卖殆尽，无以供医药，愿以身酬。澄正色曰∶娘子何以出此言？但放心，当
为调治取效，切毋以此相污。不有人诛，必有鬼神谴责。未几，良人疾愈。何氏一夕梦入神祠，
判官语之曰∶汝医药有功，不于艰急之际以色欲为贪。上帝令赐钱五万贯，官一员。未几月，东
宫疾，国医不能治，有诏召草泽医。澄应诏进剂而愈，朝廷赐钱一如梦。（《医说》）
夫病之所由来虽多端，而皆关于邪。邪者，不正之因，谓非人身之常理，风寒暑湿、饥饱劳
逸皆各是邪，非浊鬼气疫疠者矣。人生气中，如鱼在水。水浊则鱼瘦，气昏则人病。邪气之伤人，
最为深重。经络既受此气，传入脏腑，脏腑随其虚实冷热，结以成病。病又相生，故流通遂广。
精神者，本宅身以为用。身既受邪，精神亦乱；神既乱矣，则鬼灵斯入。鬼力渐强，神守渐弱，
岂得不至于死乎！古人譬之植杨，斯理当矣。但病亦别有先从鬼神来者，则宜以祈祷祛之。虽曰
可祛，犹因药疗致益，李子豫有赤丸之例是也。其药疗无益者，是则不可祛，晋景公膏肓之例是
也。大都鬼神之害则多端，疾病之源惟种，盖有轻重者尔（《三说本草》）
医生以救活人为宗旨，所以说医学是仁爱的技艺。有了疾病而寻求治疗，这就像是在水火之中求救一样紧急，医生应当用仁慈的方法去救治，甚至需要披散头发、戴着帽子（不顾仪容）地赶去救援才行。否则，如果因为犹豫不决导致患者像被火烧焦或水淹死一样的灾祸发生，作为仁人君子怎么忍心呢？
况且有些医生，利用别人的危急情况来欺诈索取财物，这是孜孜不倦地追求利益，是盗跖那一类的人，这难道是仁爱之术所应有的吗？这比那些医术不精的人还要恶劣。天道难道不会降下灾祸来回报他们吗？如今看到许多医家的后代多获得福报，荣耀地登上高位。这是天道因果报应的验证，何必计较一时的利益而残害自己的仁义之心呢？这严重违背了道术，有违于上天化生万物的天理。从事这个行业的人怎能不以此为鉴呢！（出自陆宣公的论述）
宋徽宗宣和年间有一位读书人，患病缠绕多年，经过各种治疗都没有痊愈。有个叫何澄的人擅长医术。患者的妻子将他请到家中，引入密室，告诉他说：“我的丈夫长期抱病，家里的财产已经典当变卖殆尽，没有钱供医药费用，我愿意用身体来酬谢。”何澄严肃地说：“夫人怎么能说出这种话？请放心，我会为您调理治疗使其见效，千万不要以此玷污我。”如果不这样做，不仅会受到人的谴责，也必有鬼神的惩罚。不久，患者的病就好了。何氏一天晚上梦见进入神祠，判官对他说：“你的医药有功，没有在艰难危急之际贪图美色。上帝命令赐给你五万贯钱，授予一个官职。”没过几个月，东宫太子生病，御医不能治愈，朝廷下诏征召民间医生。何澄响应诏令进药方后太子痊愈，朝廷赐予的钱财完全像梦中一样。（出自《医说》）
疾病的来源虽然多种多样，但都与“邪”有关。所谓邪，就是不正的原因，指的是不符合人身正常生理规律的因素，风寒暑湿、饮食饥饱、劳逸过度等都各自属于邪气，并不仅仅是指浊气、鬼气或瘟疫疠气。人生在气中，就像鱼在水中一样。水浑浊则鱼消瘦，人气昏乱则人患病。邪气伤人，最为深重。经络既然受到这种邪气，就会传入脏腑，脏腑随着其虚实的状态以及冷热属性，结合邪气而形成疾病。疾病又会相互滋生，所以传播范围遂广。精神，原本是寄居身体以发挥作用的。身体既然受到邪气侵袭，精神也会混乱；精神一旦混乱，那么鬼灵就会侵入。鬼的力量逐渐增强，神守逐渐减弱，怎么会不至于死亡呢！古人将其比喻为种植杨树，这个道理是正确的。但是疾病也有另外一些是从鬼神那里来的，那就应该用祈祷的方法来祛除它。虽然说可以祛除，但仍然因为药物治疗而受益，李子豫使用赤丸的例子就是这样。对于那些药物治疗无效的情况，那就是不可祛除的，晋景公病入膏肓的例子就是这样。大体上鬼神的危害虽然有多种表现，但疾病的根源只有一种，只是有轻重之分罢了（出自《三说本草》）
Physicians take saving lives as their primary concern; therefore, it is said that medicine is a benevolent art. When one falls ill and seeks treatment, it is akin to crying out for help while drowning or burning in fire and water. Physicians must employ benevolent methods to rescue patients, even going so far as to rush to their aid with disheveled hair and unadjusted cap (disregarding personal appearance). Otherwise, if the disaster of being scorched or drowned occurs due to hesitation, how could a benevolent person bear to let this happen?
Furthermore, some physicians exploit others' emergencies to fraudulently extort wealth. Such individuals are diligently pursuing profit, belonging to the bandit Zhi's ilk. How can this be considered a benevolent art? This is even worse than those who practice poorly. Would not Heaven's Way repay them with calamity? Today, we see that many descendants of physicians enjoy abundant blessings and achieve high official ranks. This is indeed verification of Heaven's retribution and reward. Why calculate temporary gains at the expense of one's benevolent and righteous heart? Such behavior severely contradicts the Daoist principles and violates the Heavenly Principle of nurturing all living things. Those engaged in this profession should certainly take this as a warning! (From Lu Xianggong's Discourse)
During the Xuanhe era of Emperor Huizong of Song, a scholar suffered from an illness for years without recovery despite various treatments. A man named He Cheng was skilled in medicine. The scholar's wife summoned him, led him into a private room, and told him: "My husband has been ill for a long time, and our property has been pawned and sold off completely, leaving no funds for medical care. I am willing to offer myself in repayment." He Cheng replied solemnly: "Madam, why do you say such things? Rest assured, I will treat and cure him. Please do not defile me with such offers. If I were to act otherwise, I would face human condemnation and divine punishment." Shortly thereafter, the husband recovered. One night, He Cheng dreamed of entering a shrine where the Judge of the Underworld said to him: "Your medical efforts have merit, and you did not indulge in lust during times of hardship. The Supreme Deity commands that I bestow upon you fifty thousand strings of cash and an official position." Not long after, the Crown Prince fell ill, and the Imperial Physicians failed to cure him. An edict was issued summoning folk doctors. He Cheng responded to the edict, administered a prescription, and cured the Prince. The court bestowed upon him money exactly as he had dreamed. (From *Yi Shuo*)
Although the origins of diseases are manifold, they all relate to "Xie" (Evil Pathogenic Factors). "Xie" refers to abnormal causes, meaning factors that deviate from the normal physiological laws of the human body. Wind, cold, summer-heat, dampness, hunger, overeating, labor, and rest are each considered pathogenic factors; they are not limited to turbid qi, ghostly qi, or epidemic pestilence. Humans live within Qi, just as fish live in water. When water is turbid, fish become emaciated; when human Qi becomes chaotic, humans fall ill. Pathogenic factors harming people are particularly severe. Once the meridians are affected by these factors, they transmit to the Zang-Fu organs. The Zang-Fu organs, depending on their deficiency/excess and cold/heat conditions, combine with the pathogens to form disease. Diseases then generate one another, causing the spread to widen. Spirit (Shen) and Essence (Jing) originally reside in the body to function. Once the body is invaded by pathogens, the spirit becomes chaotic; once the spirit is chaotic, then ghosts and spirits may enter. As ghostly power gradually strengthens and spiritual guardianship weakens, death becomes inevitable. The ancients compared this to planting poplar trees, which is an apt analogy. However, some diseases originate from ghosts and spirits, requiring exorcism through prayer. Although such conditions can be expelled, medicinal treatment still brings benefit, as exemplified by Li Ziyu's use of Red Pills. For cases where medicinal treatment yields no benefit, expulsion is impossible, as exemplified by Duke Jing of Jin whose disease entered the "gaohuang" (deep interior) region. Generally, although the harms caused by ghosts and spirits are diverse, the root source of disease is singular, differing only in severity. (From *San Shuo Ben Cao*)