能长年者，必有独盛之处。阳独盛者，当补其阴；
阴独盛者，当益其阳。然阴盛者十之一二，阳盛者十
之八九。而阳之太盛者，不独当补阴，并宜清火以保
其阴。故老人无不头热、耳聋、面赤、便燥，现种种
阳症。乃医者为老人立方，不论有病无病，总以补阳
为主，热盛生风，必生类中等病，是召疾也。若偶有
风寒痰湿等因，尤当急逐其邪，盖老年气血不甚流利，
岂堪补住其邪，以与气血为难。故治老人之有外感者，
总与壮年一例，或实见其有虚弱之处，则用轻淡之品
而量为补托。若无病而调养，则当审其阴阳之偏胜而
损益使平。盖千年之木，往往自焚；阴尽火炎，万物
尽然也。故治老人者，断勿用辛热之药，竭其阴气，
助其亢阳，使之面红、目赤、气塞、痰壅、脉洪、肤
燥，当耆艾之年，而加以焚如之惨也。
妇人怀孕，胞中一点真阳，日吸母血以养，故阳
日旺而阴日衰。凡半产滑胎，皆火盛阴衰，不能全其
形体故也。近人有胎前宜凉之说，颇为近理。至于产
后则阴血尽脱，孤阳独立，脏腑如焚，经脉如沸，故
仲景专以养血消瘀为主，而石膏、竹茹亦不禁用，余
每遵之，无不立效。乃近人造为产后宜温之邪说，以
姜、桂为主药。夫果阴阳俱脱，脉迟畏寒，血水淋漓，
面青舌白，姜、桂亦有用时；乃血干火燥，纯现热症，
亦用热药，则经枯脉绝，顷刻而毙，我见以百计。更
有恶露未净，身热，气塞，烦躁，不寐，心烦，腹
痛，皆由败血为患，亦用姜、桂，助其火而坚其瘀，
重则即死，轻则变成蓐劳。世之所谓女科名家，一例
如此。盖胎产乃天地生育之机，绝少死症，其死皆药
误也。造为此等邪说者，九死不足以蔽其辜。又胎产
药中，不用生地而用熟地，亦全失用药之理，不可不思也。
能够长寿的人，必定有某一方面特别旺盛。如果是阳气特别旺盛，就应当滋补阴液；如果是阴气特别旺盛，就应当补益阳气。然而，阴气特别旺盛的情况只占十分之一二，阳气特别旺盛的情况却占十分之八九。而对于阳气过于旺盛的人，不仅应当滋阴，还适宜清泻火热以保护阴液。所以老年人没有不出现头部发热、耳聋、面色发红、大便干燥等种种阳热症状的。但是医生为老人开方，不论是否有病，总是以温补阳气为主，导致热盛生风，必然引发类似中风的疾病，这是招致疾病的做法。如果偶尔因为风寒、痰湿等原因致病，尤其应当急切地祛除邪气，因为老年人的气血本来就不甚流畅，哪里能承受得住将邪气补留在体内，从而与气血相争呢？所以治疗患有外感病的老人，总体方法与壮年人一样，或者确实看到他们有虚弱的地方，才使用轻清淡薄的药物并酌情进行补益托毒。如果没有生病而进行调养，就应当审视其阴阳偏胜的情况，通过增减药物使其恢复平衡。就像千年的老树，往往容易自燃；阴液耗尽则火势炎上，万物都是如此。所以治疗老年人，千万不要使用辛热性质的药物，耗竭他们的阴气，助长他们亢盛的阳气，使他们出现面红、目赤、气塞、痰壅、脉洪大、皮肤干燥等症状，在应该享受高寿的年纪，却遭受被焚烧般的痛苦。
妇女怀孕时，胞宫中的一丝真阳，每天吸收母血来滋养胎儿，所以阳气日益旺盛而阴血日益衰退。凡是半产（小产）或滑胎（习惯性流产），都是因为火盛阴衰，不能保全胎儿形体的缘故。近来有人提出“胎前宜凉”的说法，颇为接近事理。至于产后，则是阴血大量脱失，孤阳独立无依，脏腑如同焚烧，经脉如同沸腾，所以张仲景专门以养血和消除瘀血为主，而且石膏、竹茹也不禁止使用，我每次遵循这种方法，没有不立刻见效的。然而近来有人制造出“产后宜温”的错误说法，把干姜、肉桂作为主药。如果真的阴阳俱脱，出现脉迟、畏寒、血水淋漓、面色青白、舌色淡白等情况，干姜、肉桂也有使用的时机；但如果是血干火燥，完全呈现热症，也使用热性药物，就会导致经血枯竭、脉搏断绝，顷刻间死亡，我见到的数以百计。更有恶露未净，身体发热，气机堵塞，烦躁，失眠，心烦，腹痛等症状，这都是由败血（瘀血）引起的，如果也用干姜、肉桂，就会助长火热并使瘀血凝固，重的立即死亡，轻的变成产后劳损（蓐劳）。世间所谓的妇科名家，全都这样。大概胎产是天地生育的关键机制，极少有死症，那些死亡的案例都是用药错误造成的。制造这种错误说法的人，死九次也不足以抵偿他们的罪过。另外在胎产用药中，不使用生地黄而使用熟地黄，也完全违背了用药的道理，不可不深思啊。
Those who can live to an old age must have a particular aspect that is exceptionally vigorous. If Yang Qi (Vital Energy) is exceptionally vigorous, Yin Fluids should be tonified; if Yin is exceptionally vigorous, Yang Qi should be augmented. However, cases of exceptional Yin vigor account for only one or two out of ten, while cases of exceptional Yang vigor account for eight or nine out of ten. For those with excessive Yang, not only should Yin be tonified, but fire should also be cleared to protect the Yin. Therefore, elderly people invariably present with various Yang-heat symptoms such as heat in the head, deafness, flushed face, and dry stools. Yet, physicians prescribing for the elderly, regardless of whether they are ill or well, always focus on tonifying Yang. This leads to heat generating wind, inevitably causing diseases similar to stroke, which is inviting illness. If there is an occasional pathogenic factor such as Wind-Cold, Phlegm, or Dampness, it is especially urgent to expel the pathogen quickly. Since the Qi and Blood of the elderly are not very smooth, how can they bear having pathogens retained by tonification, thereby conflicting with their Qi and Blood? Thus, treating elderly patients with exterior contractions follows the same general approach as for young adults. Only if there is evident deficiency should light and bland herbs be used sparingly to tonify and support. For health maintenance without disease, one must examine the bias of Yin and Yang and adjust the prescription to restore balance. Just as ancient trees often burn from within; when Yin fluids are exhausted, fire flares up, which applies to all things. Therefore, when treating the elderly, one must absolutely avoid using acrid-hot herbs that deplete Yin Qi and assist hyperactive Yang, causing symptoms like red face, red eyes, chest oppression, phlegm congestion, surging pulse, and dry skin, subjecting them to the misery of being "burned" at an age where they should enjoy longevity.
During pregnancy, the true Yang within the uterus absorbs maternal blood daily to nourish the fetus, so Yang becomes increasingly vigorous while Yin declines. Spontaneous abortion or habitual miscarriage are all due to excessive fire and deficient Yin, failing to sustain the fetal form. The recent theory that "cooling is suitable before delivery" is quite reasonable. As for after delivery, Yin and Blood are largely depleted, leaving isolated Yang standing alone; the Zang-Fu organs are like burning, and the meridians are like boiling. Therefore, Zhang Zhongjing specifically focused on nourishing Blood and eliminating stasis, and did not prohibit the use of Shi Gao (Gypsum Fibrosum) or Zhu Ru (Bambusae Caulis in Recens). I always follow this method, achieving immediate results every time. However, recently, erroneous theories claiming "warming is suitable after delivery" have been created, using Jiang (Zingiberis Rhizoma) and Gui (Cinnamomi Ramulus) as main herbs. If there is indeed depletion of both Yin and Yang, presenting with slow pulse, aversion to cold, dripping blood and water, cyanotic face, and pale tongue, then Jiang and Gui may have their place; but if Blood is dry and Fire is燥 (dry/hot), presenting purely with heat symptoms, using hot herbs will lead to exhaustion of menstruation/Blood vessels and cessation of pulse, resulting in death within moments. I have seen hundreds of such cases. Furthermore, when lochia is not yet clear, accompanied by fever, chest oppression, irritability, insomnia, heart vexation, and abdominal pain, these are caused by pathological blood (stasis). Using Jiang and Gui here assists fire and solidifies stasis; severe cases result in immediate death, while mild cases develop into postpartum consumption (Churu Lao). So-called experts in gynecology all act this way. Pregnancy and childbirth are mechanisms of heaven and earth for reproduction; deaths are extremely rare, and those that occur are due to medication errors. Those who create such erroneous theories deserve death many times over for their crimes. Additionally, in prescriptions for pregnancy and childbirth, using Shu Di Huang (Rehmanniae Radix Praeparata) instead of Sheng Di Huang (Rehmanniae Radix) completely violates the principles of herbal medicine and requires deep reflection.