医寄死生，斯术之大。须资贤智，勿信庸愚。最要变通，不宜固执。洞明脉病药治之理，详
悉望闻问切之情药推寒热温凉平和之气，辛甘淡苦酸咸之味；升降浮沉之性，宣通补泻之能。脉
究浮沉迟数滑涩之形，表里寒热虚实之应；阿阿春柳之和，弦钩毛石之顺。药用君臣佐使，脉分
老幼瘦肥。药乃天地之精，药宜切病；脉为气血之表，脉贵有神。病有外感内伤，风寒暑湿燥火
之机；治有宣通补泻，轻重滑涩燥湿之剂。外感异乎内伤，寒证不同热证。外感宜散而内伤宜补，
寒证可温而热证宜清。清温得宜，须臾病愈；补泻失度，顷刻人亡。外感风寒，宜分经而解表；
（外感风寒，传变不一，宜分经络散解方可。）内伤饮食，可调胃以消溶。（内伤饮食，只在一
处，不过调胃消导而已。）胃阳主气司纳受，阳常有余；脾阴主血司运化，阴常不足。胃乃六腑
之本，脾为五脏之源。胃气弱则百病生，脾阴足而万邪息。调和脾胃，为医中之王道；节谨饮食，
为却病之良方。
病多寒冷郁气，气郁发热；或出七情动火，火动生痰。有因行藏动静以伤暑邪，或者出入雨
水以中湿气。亦有饮食失调而生湿热，倘或房劳过度而动相火。制伏相火，要滋养其真阴；祛除
湿热，欲燥清其脾胃。外湿宜表散，内湿宜淡渗。阳暑可清热，阴暑可散寒。寻火寻痰，分多分
少而治；究表究里，或汗或下而施。痰因火动，治火为先；火因气生，理气为本。治火，轻者可
降，重者从其性而升消；理气，微则宜调，甚则究其源而发散。实火可泻，或泻表而或泻里；
（指外感也。）虚火宜补，或补阴而或补阳。（指内伤也。）暴病之谓火，怪病之谓痰。寒热湿
燥风，五痰有异；清凉燥润散，五治不同。有因火而生痰，有因痰而生火。或郁久而成病，或病
久而成郁。金木水火土，五郁当分；泻折达发夺，五法宜审。郁而生火生痰而成病，病则耗气耗
血以致虚。
病有微甚，治有逆从。微则逆治，甚则从攻。病有标本，急则治标，缓则治本；法分攻补，
虚而用补，实而用攻。少壮新邪，专攻是则；老衰久病，兼补为规。久病兼补虚而兼解郁；陈
或荡涤而或消溶。积在胃肠，
可下而愈；块居经络，宜消而痊。
女人气滞于血，宜开血而行气；男子阳多乎阴，可补阴以配阳。苁蓉山药，男子之佳珍；香
附缩砂，女人之至宝。气病血病，二者宜分；阳虚阴虚，两般勿紊。阳虚气病，昼重而夜轻；血
病阴虚，昼轻而夜重。阳虚生寒，寒生湿，湿生热；阴虚生火，火生热，热生风。阳盛阴虚而生
火，火逼血而错经妄行；阴盛阳虚则生寒，寒滞气而周身浮肿。阴虚生内热，阳虚畏外寒。
补阳补气，用甘温之品；滋阴滋血，以苦寒之流。调气贵用辛凉，和血必须辛热。阳气为阴
血之引导，阴血为阳气之根据归。阴阳两虚，惟补其阳，阳生而阴长；气血俱病，只调其气，气和
而血随。藏冰发冰，以节阳气之燔；滋水养水，以制心火之亢。火降水升，斯人无恙；阴平阳秘，
我体长春。
小儿纯阳而无阴，老人气多而血少。肥人气虚有痰，宜豁痰而补气；瘦人血虚有火、宜降火
以滋阴。膏粱无厌发痈疽，燥热所致；淡薄不堪生肿胀，寒湿而然。北地耸高，宜清热而用燥，
南方污下，可散湿以温寒。
医生寄托着患者的生死，这是医术的重大责任。必须依靠贤能智慧之人，不要相信平庸愚昧之辈。最重要的是懂得变通，不应当固执己见。要透彻明白脉象、病机、药物和治疗原理，详细考察望、闻、问、切四种诊法的情况，推究寒、热、温、凉、平和之气，以及辛、甘、淡、苦、酸、咸之味；升降浮沉的药性，宣散、通利、补益、泻下的功效。脉象要探究浮、沉、迟、数、滑、涩的形态，以及表、里、寒、热、虚、实的对应关系；像阿阿春柳那样柔和（指平脉），弦、钩、毛、石那样顺应四时（指四季平脉）。用药讲究君、臣、佐、使的配合，诊脉要区分老、幼、瘦、肥的不同体质。药物是天地精华，用药必须切合病情；脉象是气血的外在表现，脉象贵在有神。疾病有外感和内伤之分，涉及风、寒、暑、湿、燥、火的病机；治疗有宣通、补泻之法，使用轻、重、滑、涩、燥、湿不同的剂型。外感不同于内伤，寒证不同于热证。外感宜用发散法，内伤宜用补益法；寒证可用温法，热证宜用清法。清热与温阳得当，片刻之间病愈；补益与泻下失度，顷刻之间人亡。外感风寒，应当分经论治以解表；（外感风寒，传变不一，应当分经络疏散解表方可。）内伤饮食，可以调理脾胃以消导。（内伤饮食，病位局限在一处，不过是调理脾胃、消食导滞而已。）胃阳主气，主管受纳，阳气常有余；脾阴主血，主管运化，阴气常不足。胃是六腑的根本，脾是五脏的源头。胃气虚弱则百病丛生，脾阴充足则万邪平息。调和脾胃，是医学中的王道；节制谨慎饮食，是祛除疾病的良方。
疾病多由寒冷郁结或气机郁滞引起，气郁可化为发热；或者是由于七情（喜、怒、忧、思、悲、恐、惊）动火，火动则生痰。有的因为起居动静不当而损伤于暑邪，或者因为出入雨水之中而中伤湿气。也有因饮食失调而生湿热，倘若房事过度而动相火。制伏相火，关键在于滋养真阴；祛除湿热，想要通过燥湿和清热来调理脾胃。外湿适宜用表散法，内湿适宜用淡渗利湿法。阳暑可清热，阴暑可散寒。寻找火邪与痰邪，根据多少不同而治疗；探究病位在表在里，采用汗法或下法施治。痰因火动，治疗火邪为先；火因气生，调理气机为本。治疗火邪，轻症可降火，重症顺从其性质而升散消除；调理气机，轻微者宜调畅，严重者探究其根源而发散。实火可泻，或泻表或泻里；（指外感实证。）虚火宜补，或补阴或补阳。（指内伤虚证。）突发急病称为火，怪异难治之病称为痰。寒、热、湿、燥、风五种病因产生的痰有所不同；清凉、燥湿、润燥、发散五种治法各不相同。有的因火而生痰，有的因痰而生火。或者郁结日久而成病，或者患病日久而成郁结。金、木、水、火、土五郁应当区分；泻、折、达、发、夺五种治法应当审慎运用。郁结而生火、生痰进而成病，生病则耗气耗血导致虚损。
疾病有轻重之分，治疗有逆治和从治之别。轻症用逆治法，重症用从攻法。疾病有标和本之分，急则治标，缓则治本；治法分为攻法和补法，虚证用补法，实证用攻法。年少体壮的新病，专一用攻法是准则；年老体衰的久病，兼用补法是规范。久病需兼补虚并兼解郁；陈旧积滞或荡涤清除或消食溶积。积滞在胃肠，可用下法治愈；肿块居于经络，宜用消法痊愈。
女子气滞于血，宜活血行气；男子阳气多于阴气，可补阴以配阳。肉苁蓉、山药，是男子的佳珍；香附、缩砂仁，是女子的至宝。气病与血病，二者应当分清；阳虚与阴虚，两类情况不要混淆。阳虚气病，白天重夜间轻；血病阴虚，白天轻夜间重。阳虚生寒，寒生湿，湿生热；阴虚生火，火生热，热生风。阳盛阴虚而生火，火逼迫血液导致月经错乱妄行；阴盛阳虚则生寒，寒阻滞气机导致周身浮肿。阴虚生内热，阳虚畏外寒。补阳补气，使用甘温性质的药物；滋阴滋血，使用苦寒性质的药物。调气贵在用辛凉之品，和血必须用辛热之品。阳气是阴血的引导，阴血是阳气的根本依托。阴阳两虚，只补其阳，阳生则阴长；气血俱病，只调其气，气和则血随。藏冰发冰（比喻调节阳气），以节制阳气的炽盛；滋水养水（比喻滋阴），以制约心火的亢奋。火降水升，此人便无灾无恙；阴平阳秘，我的身体便能长春不老。
小儿纯阳而无阴（指生机旺盛，阴气未充），老人气多而血少。肥胖人气虚有痰，宜豁痰而补气；消瘦人血虚有火，宜降火以滋阴。嗜好膏粱厚味易发痈疽，这是燥热所致；饮食淡薄不堪易生肿胀，这是寒湿造成。北方地势高峻，宜清热而用燥湿药；南方地势低洼污浊，可散湿以温寒。
The physician entrusts life and death; this is the great responsibility of the art. One must rely on the wise and virtuous, and not trust the mediocre and foolish. The most important thing is flexibility; one should not be stubborn. One must thoroughly understand the principles of pulse diagnosis, disease pathology, medicinal properties, and treatment methods, and carefully examine the conditions revealed by observation, auscultation/olfaction, inquiry, and palpation (Wang, Wen, Wen, Qie). One must deduce the qualities of Cold, Heat, Warmth, Coolness, and Peaceful Qi, as well as the flavors of Pungent, Sweet, Bland, Bitter, Sour, and Salty; the nature of Ascending, Descending, Floating, and Sinking; and the abilities to Disperse, Unblock, Tonify, and Purge. Pulse investigation should focus on the forms of Floating, Deep, Slow, Rapid, Slippery, and Choppy, and their correspondence to Exterior, Interior, Cold, Heat, Deficiency, and Excess; [pulse qualities] should be harmonious like "A-A" or spring willows, and smooth like String, Hook, Hair, and Stone [corresponding to seasons]. Medicinal use requires the hierarchy of Sovereign, Minister, Assistant, and Envoy; pulse differentiation must account for age (old/young) and body type (thin/fat). Medicine is the essence of Heaven and Earth; medication must fit the disease. The pulse is the manifestation of Qi and Blood; the pulse values Spirit (Shen). Diseases are categorized into External Contraction and Internal Injury, involving the mechanisms of Wind, Cold, Summerheat, Dampness, Dryness, and Fire. Treatments include Dispersion, Unblocking, Tonification, and Purging, using agents that are Light, Heavy, Slippery, Astringent, Dry, or Moist. External contraction differs from internal injury; Cold patterns differ from Heat patterns. External contraction is suitable for dispersion, while internal injury is suitable for tonification; Cold patterns can be warmed, while Heat patterns are suitable for clearing. If clearing and warming are appropriate, the disease heals in an instant; if tonification and purging are mismanaged, death occurs in a moment. For external contraction of Wind-Cold, one should differentiate by meridian to release the Exterior; (External contraction of Wind-Cold varies in transmission; it is necessary to disperse and resolve according to the affected meridians.) For internal injury due to diet, one can regulate the Stomach to digest and dissolve. (Internal injury due to diet is localized; it merely requires regulating the Stomach and promoting digestion.) Stomach Yang governs Qi and reception; Yang is often in excess. Spleen Yin governs Blood and transformation; Yin is often insufficient. The Stomach is the root of the Six Fu Organs; the Spleen is the source of the Five Zang Organs. When Stomach Qi is weak, myriad diseases arise; when Spleen Yin is sufficient, myriad evils subside. Harmonizing the Spleen and Stomach is the King's Way in medicine; being cautious with diet is a good prescription for dispelling disease.
Diseases often arise from Cold stagnation or Qi stagnation; Qi stagnation generates Heat. Or, Seven Emotions (Joy, Anger, Worry, Thought, Grief, Fear, Fright) stir Fire, and Fire stirring generates Phlegm. Some are injured by Summerheat due to improper activity or rest; some contract Dampness from exposure to rain and water. Others develop Damp-Heat due to dietary irregularity, or stir Ministerial Fire due to excessive sexual activity. To subdue Ministerial Fire, one must nourish True Yin; to eliminate Damp-Heat, one desires to dry and clear the Spleen and Stomach. External Dampness is suitable for surface dispersion; Internal Dampness is suitable for bland leaching. Yang Summerheat is cleared; Yin Summerheat is dispersed to remove Cold. Seeking Fire and Phlegm, treat according to their quantity; investigating whether the pathogen is in the Exterior or Interior, apply Sweating or Purging methods accordingly. Phlegm moves due to Fire; treating Fire is the priority. Fire arises from Qi; regulating Qi is the foundation. Treating Fire: mild cases can be descended; severe cases follow its nature to ascend and dissipate. Regulating Qi: slight cases should be harmonized; severe cases investigate the source and disperse. Excess Fire can be purged, either from the Exterior or Interior; (Refers to external contraction.) Deficient Fire is suitable for tonification, either Yin or Yang; (Refers to internal injury.) Acute illness is termed Fire; strange illness is termed Phlegm. The five types of Phlegm caused by Cold, Heat, Dampness, Dryness, and Wind differ; the five treatments of Cooling, Drying, Moistenning, and Dispersion are distinct. Some generate Phlegm due to Fire; some generate Fire due to Phlegm. Stagnation lasting long becomes disease; disease lasting long becomes stagnation. The five stagnations of Metal, Wood, Water, Fire, and Earth must be distinguished; the five methods of Purging, Breaking, Reaching, Issuing, and Snatching should be carefully considered. Stagnation generates Fire and Phlegm, leading to disease; disease consumes Qi and Blood, leading to Deficiency.
Diseases have severity; treatments have counter-intuitive (Ni) and following (Cong) approaches. Mild cases use counter-intuitive treatment; severe cases use following attack. Diseases have Root (Ben) and Branch (Biao); in emergencies, treat the Branch; in stability, treat the Root. Methods divide into Attack and Tonification; Deficiency uses Tonification, Excess uses Attack. Young and strong with new pathogens: exclusively attacking is the rule. Old and frail with chronic illness: combining tonification is the standard. Chronic illness combines tonifying Deficiency and resolving stagnation; old accumulations are either swept away or dissolved. Accumulations in the Intestines and Stomach can be cured by purging; masses in the meridians heal by dissolving.
In women, Qi stagnates in Blood; open Blood to move Qi. In men, Yang exceeds Yin; tonify Yin to match Yang. Cistanche (Rou Cong Rong) and Chinese Yam (Shan Yao) are fine treasures for men; Cyperus (Xiang Fu) and Amomum (Suo Sha) are supreme treasures for women. Qi diseases and Blood diseases must be distinguished; Yang Deficiency and Yin Deficiency must not be confused. Yang Deficiency Qi disease: heavy by day, light by night. Blood disease Yin Deficiency: light by day, heavy by night. Yang Deficiency generates Cold; Cold generates Dampness; Dampness generates Heat. Yin Deficiency generates Fire; Fire generates Heat; Heat generates Wind. Yang Excess and Yin Deficiency generate Fire; Fire forces Blood to flow recklessly (e.g., abnormal uterine bleeding). Yin Excess and Yang Deficiency generate Cold; Cold stagnates Qi causing generalized edema. Yin Deficiency generates Internal Heat; Yang Deficiency fears External Cold. Tonifying Yang and Qi uses Sweet-Warm substances; nourishing Yin and Blood uses Bitter-Cold substances. Regulating Qi values Pungent-Cool; harmonizing Blood requires Pungent-Hot. Yang Qi guides Yin Blood; Yin Blood is the foundation of Yang Qi. With both Yin and Yang Deficiency, only tonify Yang; when Yang grows, Yin grows. With both Qi and Blood disease, only regulate Qi; when Qi harmonizes, Blood follows. Storing ice and emitting ice metaphorically regulates the blazing of Yang Qi; nourishing Water controls the hyperactivity of Heart Fire. When Fire descends and Water rises, the person remains safe; when Yin is peaceful and Yang is secure, the body enjoys eternal youth.
Children are Pure Yang without Yin (vitality is vigorous, Yin is not yet full); the elderly have much Qi but little Blood. Fat people have Qi Deficiency with Phlegm; resolve Phlegm and tonify Qi. Thin people have Blood Deficiency with Fire; descend Fire and nourish Yin. Those who cannot refuse rich foods develop carbuncles and sores due to Dryness-Heat; those who endure bland food develop swelling due to Cold-Dampness. Northern regions are high and cold; clear Heat and use drying agents. Southern regions are low and damp; disperse Dampness and warm Cold.