典藏书目

The pathways for urination and ejaculation are different. Lin syndrome (dysuria) occurs in the urinary pathway, so *Bencao Gangmu* (Compendium of Materia Medica) categorizes it under the Liver and Gallbladder sections. Zhuo syndrome (cloudy discharge) occurs in the seminal pathway, so *Bencao Gangmu* categorizes it under the Kidney and Bladder sections.

Currently, patients suffering from Zhuo syndrome experience pain in the urethra during urination as if cut by a knife or burned by fire, yet the urine itself remains clear. Only at the meatus is there occasional foul discharge, resembling pus from an abscess or ocular discharge from the eyes, dripping continuously. Initially, this secretion does not mix with urine or feces, remaining clear like river water, making it easy to distinguish. However, I often observe contemporary physicians treating it using methods for Lin syndrome, indiscriminately administering Wuling San (Five-Ingredient Poria Decoction) and Bazheng San (Eight-Herb Corrective Decoction), thereby exacerbating the condition; such cases are countless. Whenever I correct this practice, the remaining causes are difficult to speculate upon arbitrarily. Generally, nine-tenths are caused by degenerated semen rotting, while one-tenth is due to damp-heat flowing into the channels accompanied by deficiency.

One might ask: In the past, it was believed that red Zhuo resulted from Heart deficiency with heat, caused by excessive overthinking; white Zhuo resulted from Kidney deficiency with cold, caused by excessive sexual desire. Why does *Yuanbing Shi* (Treatise on the Original Causes of Diseases) state that both types of Zhuo belong to Heat? Danxi also stated: "Damp-heat with phlegm," can you refute this? I reply: To discern the merits and demerits of ancient and modern theories, one must verify them against the *Huangdi Neijing* (Yellow Emperor's Inner Canon). Since *Chishu Bingyaolun* (Catalogue of Pathogenesis of Various Diseases) claimed that white Zhuo results from labor injury leading to Kidney deficiency and cold, generations have followed this view, albeit with varying nuances. This has not only failed to clarify the mechanism of white Zhuo but also led to erroneous treatment methods. One fails to realize that the *Neijing* originally had no term for "white Zhuo"; it only mentioned "endless thoughts and excessive intercourse leading to Baiyin (white leukorrhea/discharge)," "Spleen transferring heat to the Kidney causing white discharge," and "Shaoyin ruling the year resulting in white urine." These constitute the origins of white Zhuo. *Yuanbing Shi*, based on the *Neijing*'s principle that "all turbid fluids belong to Heat," posited that hot weather makes water turbid while cold weather keeps it clear; furthermore, water is inherently clear, while fire is inherently turbid. Just as clear water naturally becomes cloudy when boiled, this theory elucidates the sage's intent and corrects millennia of errors. Those who do not read this work remain largely unaware.

Danxi discussed damp-heat, phlegm, and deficiency together. However, cases of deficiency-cold cannot be said to be entirely non-existent; rather, heat predominates over cold. Thus, the *Ling Shu* (Spiritual Pivot) states: "Deficiency of Middle Qi leads to changes in urination and defecation." Therefore, one should first tonify Middle Qi to raise and lift it, and subsequently treat according to the specific conditions of Qi and Blood. If Kidney deficiency is severe, or if Fire pathogen is extremely hyperactive, harsh bitter-cold herbs should not be used aggressively; instead, counter-assistance methods (fan zuo) must be employed. The key lies in weighing the severity of the condition.