梅花苞于盛冬，梅实成于初夏。得木气之全而味酸，谓为肝药，夫何待言。然非专入肝
不兼走他经也。其气平属金，其味酸中有涩，涩为辛酸之变亦属金。实熟则色黄而味带甘，
乌梅乃半黄时所熏，则亦入脾胃。濒湖谓舌下有四窍，两窍通胆液，故食梅则津生。不知胆
液上潮，口中必苦。观素问味过于酸，肝气以津。可知津生是生于肝不生于胆，津生亦不是
肝升。譬之手巾，用热汤浸过，绞之则热气四出，巾已就敛。酸敛之能生津，理亦如是。肝
何至升，且得之而复其下行之常矣，夫胆主动主升，肝主静主降。梅实熏黑，味酸而苦，虽
是由肝归肾，然能激肝中之津以止渴，不能壮肾中之水以灭火。素问酸苦涌泄为阴。核之于
梅，涌即津生之谓；泄则气为之下，热烦满为之除，气下热烦满除而心以安。本经固贴切之
至。至止肢体痛、偏枯不仁、死肌。邹氏谓古今方书无用梅治肢体痛偏枯不仁之方，宜连下
死肌读，为治此等之死肌。窃谓止字疑有误。或即下文去字而复出一字耳。肢体痛偏枯不仁，
不过血络凝瘀，虽死肌尚有可为，故与青黑痣并足以去之也。诸家之论，有与愚相反者焉，
有可以印证者焉，试胪举之∶张隐庵云∶其味酸，其气温平而涩，涩附于酸。主下气者。得
春生肝木之味，生气上升，则逆气自下。除热烦满者，禀冬令水阴之精，水精上滋，则烦热
除而胸膈不满。乌梅无生木气起肾阴之能，上已言之。张氏执是以用乌梅，必有为所误者，
其弊在温平酸涩之用，全置不讲，而徒以空谈为超妙也。陈修园拾张之唾余，别无所见。卢
子繇则以本经主治，一归之生津，至谓吮肾液以润筋膜。邹氏所见又与卢同，以生津为吸寒
水以制火。不知本经之除热，是泄热非制热（叶氏亦云乌梅泄热，见临证指南）。酸苦涌泄
之义不明，便无处不窒。其论乌梅丸治蛔厥也，曰吐蛔为阳气烁津，致蛔无所吸受而上出，
则梅生津于上，岂是养蛔于上，肾阴虚不能上济者，不得用梅，则蛔本在下，何以有肾阴而
不知吸，此既窒滞鲜通矣。又谓蛔厥非脏寒，即气上撞心，心中疼热之现据，不知厥阴病多
阴阳错杂。沈尧封云厥阴于卦为震，一阳居二阴之下，病则阳泛于上，阴伏于下，而下寒上
热之证作。蛔上入膈，是下寒之据。消渴心中疼热，是上热之据。凡吐蛔气上撞心，皆是厥
阴过升之病，治宜下降其逆上之阳。乌梅丸，无论黄连乌梅黄柏为苦酸咸纯阴下降之药，即
附子直达命门，亦何非下降，可谓精审之至矣。邹氏于厥非脏寒句，自注云从医宗金鉴，不
知金鉴于林氏主脏寒之论，仍列于下，并未删驳。又尤在泾解心中疼热，食则吐蛔，统谓之
邪热，姑无论于乌梅丸之治不合，即厥阴病之阴阳错杂，亦似有未察者。惟唐容川以西人空
气冷热发明厥阴之道，足以上契圣心，下迪学人。空气非愚所知，不具述。其析疼热吐蛔为
下寒上热也，曰消渴、气上撞心、心中疼热饥（句），为厥阴包络挟心火之热发动于上；不
欲食、食则吐蛔、下之利不止，为厥阴肝气挟寒水之寒相应而起。夫吐蛔一也，知此条非纯
热，即知彼条亦非纯寒。乌梅丸所以寒热并进，而非脏寒蛔不上而入膈，尚何疑乎。
梅花在深冬含苞，梅果在初夏成熟。梅树禀受了木气的完整特性且味道酸，说它是入肝的药物，这有什么好说的呢？然而它并非专门只入肝经，也不排斥兼走其他经络。它的性气平，归属于金；它的味道酸中带涩，涩是辛酸变化而来的，也归属于金。果实成熟时颜色变黄且味道带甘，乌梅是在半黄的时候经过熏制而成的，所以它也入脾胃经。李时珍（濒湖）说舌下有四窍，其中两窍通连胆液，所以吃梅子会生津液。却不知道胆液上潮，口中必定发苦。观察《素问》中“味过于酸，肝气以津”的论述，可知生津液是生于肝而不是生于胆，生津液也不是肝气上升的表现。这就好比手巾，用热汤浸泡后，绞拧它则热气四处散发，而毛巾本身已经收缩收敛。酸敛的功能能够生津液，道理也是这样的。肝气何至于上升，况且得到梅子的酸敛之性反而使其恢复了下行的常态。胆主动、主升，肝主静、主降。梅果熏黑后，味道酸而苦，虽然是由肝归肾，但它能激发肝中的津液来止渴，却不能壮大肾中的水液来灭火。《素问》说：“酸苦涌泄为阴。”验证于梅子，“涌”就是指生津液；“泄”就是使气机下行，从而消除热、烦、满的症状，气机下行、热烦满消除后，心神得以安宁。《本经》对此描述确实贴切至极。至于治疗肢体疼痛、半身不遂麻木、肌肉坏死等症状，邹氏认为古今方书中没有使用梅子治疗肢体痛、偏枯不仁的方剂，应该连着下面的“死肌”一起读，作为治疗这类“死肌”的方法。我私下认为“止”字恐怕有误。或许是下文“去”字和“复”字又重复出现了一个字罢了。肢体疼痛、半身不遂麻木，不过是血络凝滞瘀阻所致，即使是坏死的肌肉尚有办法处理，所以与青黑痣并列足以去除它们。各家对于乌梅的论述，有与我观点相反的，也有可以互相印证的，试列举如下：张隐庵说：它的味道酸，气温平而涩，涩依附于酸。主治下气。因为得到了春季生发肝木的味道，生气上升，那么逆气自然下降。消除热烦满，是因为禀受了冬季水阴的精气，水精上滋，那么烦热除却而胸膈不满。乌梅并没有生发木气、起发肾阴的能力，上面已经讲过了。张氏固执地以此观点使用乌梅，必然会被所误导，其弊端在于完全不讲温平酸涩的实际作用，而只是空谈超妙。陈修园拾取了张氏的余唾，别无所见。卢子繇则将《本经》的主治功效全部归结为生津液，甚至说是吮吸肾液来滋润筋膜。邹氏的看法与卢氏相同，认为生津液是吸取寒水来制约火邪。却不知道《本经》所说的除热，是泄热而不是制热（叶天士也说乌梅泄热，见于《临证指南医案》）。如果不明白酸苦涌泄的含义，就会处处窒塞不通。他论述乌梅丸治疗蛔厥时说，吐蛔是因为阳气灼烧津液，导致蛔虫无处吸附而上出，那么梅子在上方生津液，难道是养蛔虫于上方吗？如果肾阴虚不能上济，就不能使用梅子，那么蛔虫本来在下部，为什么有肾阴却不知道吸收呢？这种说法既窒塞又不通顺。他又说蛔厥不是脏寒，而是依据“气上撞心，心中疼热”的现象，却不知道厥阴病多是阴阳错杂的。沈尧封说厥阴卦象为震，一阳爻居于二阴爻之下，发病则阳气泛滥于上，阴气潜伏于下，从而产生下寒上热的证候。蛔虫上入膈部，是下寒的证据。消渴、气上撞心、心中疼热，是上热的证据。凡是吐蛔、气上撞心，都是厥阴过升的病证，治疗应当下降其上逆的阳气。乌梅丸，无论黄连、乌梅、黄柏是苦酸咸纯阴下降的药物，就连附子直达命门，又何尝不是下降作用呢？可以说分析得非常精审了。邹氏对“厥非脏寒”一句，自注说引用自《医宗金鉴》，却不知道《医宗金鉴》在林氏主张脏寒的理论之后，仍然将其列在下面，并未删除驳斥。另外尤在泾解释心中疼热、食则吐蛔，统称为邪热，姑且不论这与乌梅丸的治疗不合，即便对于厥阴病阴阳错杂的特点，似乎也未能察觉。只有唐容川用西方人的空气冷热理论来阐发厥阴之道，足以上合圣人心意，下启学者智慧。空气理论不是我所能知晓的，不再详述。他分析疼热吐蛔为下寒上热，说：消渴、气上撞心、心中疼热、饥（句），是厥阴包络挟带心火之热发动于上；不欲食、食则吐蛔、下之利不止，是厥阴肝气挟带寒水之寒相应而起。同样是吐蛔，知道这一条不是纯热，就知道另一条也不是纯寒。乌梅丸之所以寒热并用，而不是因为脏寒蛔才不上入膈，还有什么可怀疑的呢？
Plum blossoms bud in the depth of winter, and plum fruits mature in early summer. The plum tree fully embodies the Qi of Wood and possesses a sour taste; thus, describing it as a herb for the Liver (Gan) needs no further explanation. However, it does not exclusively enter the Liver channel, nor does it fail to traverse other meridians. Its nature is neutral (Ping), belonging to Metal; its taste is sour with an astringent quality, and astringency is a transformation of sour and pungent, also belonging to Metal. When ripe, the fruit turns yellow and tastes slightly sweet. Wumei (Smoked Plum) is smoked when half-yellow, so it also enters the Spleen and Stomach channels. Li Shizhen (Binhu) stated that there are four orifices under the tongue, two of which connect to gallbladder fluid, hence eating plums generates saliva. This is incorrect; if gallbladder fluid were surging upward, the mouth would surely taste bitter. Observing the *Suwen* statement "Excessive sourness causes Liver Qi to overflow," we can deduce that saliva generation originates from the Liver, not the Gallbladder, and saliva generation does not imply Liver Qi ascending. It is like a hand towel: after soaking in hot water and wringing it out, heat radiates outward while the towel itself contracts and gathers. The astringent property of sourness generates fluids through contraction, following the same logic. How could Liver Qi ascend? Rather, obtaining the astringent nature of the plum restores its normal downward flow. The Gallbladder governs movement and ascent, while the Liver governs stillness and descent. Smoked plum fruits are black, with a sour and bitter taste. Although they travel from the Liver to the Kidney, they can stimulate Liver fluids to quench thirst but cannot strengthen Kidney water to extinguish fire. The *Suwen* states: "Sour and bitter induce vomiting and purgation, which are Yin." Verifying this with plums, "inducing" refers to generating saliva; "purgation" means causing Qi to descend, thereby eliminating heat, vexation, and fullness. Once Qi descends and heat, vexation, and fullness are eliminated, the Heart (Xin) becomes tranquil. The *Shennong Bencao Jing* describes this extremely accurately. Regarding treating limb pain, hemiplegia with numbness, and necrotic muscle tissue, Zou argued that ancient and modern formularies contain no prescriptions using plums for limb pain or hemiplegia; he suggested reading "necrotic muscle" as connected to the preceding text, referring to treating such necrosis. I suspect the character "stop" (Zhi) is erroneous, perhaps a repetition of characters from the subsequent text regarding "remove" and "restore." Limb pain and hemiplegia with numbness result merely from blood collaterals coagulating and stasis; even necrotic muscle can be addressed, so these conditions can be removed alongside green-black nevi. Various scholars' discussions on Wumei contradict mine or corroborate it; let us list them: Zhang Yinan said: Its taste is sour, its temperature is neutral and astringent, with astringency attached to sourness. It directs Qi downward. By acquiring the flavor of Spring-generating Liver Wood, the generating Qi ascends, causing rebellious Qi to descend naturally. Eliminating heat, vexation, and fullness occurs because it inherits the essence of Winter Water Yin; as water essence nourishes upward,烦热 (vexation-heat) is eliminated and chest/epigastric fullness resolves. Wumei lacks the ability to generate Wood Qi or raise Kidney Yin, as previously stated. Zhang's rigid application of this view must lead to errors; his flaw lies in ignoring the practical use of neutral-warmth and sour-astringency, relying solely on empty talk of subtlety. Chen Xiuyuan merely echoed Zhang without independent insight. Lu Ziyao attributed all *Bencao Jing* indications to generating fluids, even claiming it sucks Kidney fluid to moisten sinews. Zou shared Lu's view, equating fluid generation with drawing cold water to control fire. They fail to realize that the *Bencao Jing*'s "eliminating heat" refers to draining heat, not controlling it (Ye Tianshi also stated Wumei drains heat, seen in *Linzheng Zhinan*). If the meaning of "sour and bitter induce vomiting and purgation" is unclear, everything becomes obstructed. In his discussion of Wumei Wan treating Ascariasis Jue (Hui Jue), he claimed vomiting worms results from Yang heat scorching fluids, leaving worms nowhere to attach, forcing them upward. Thus, if plums generate fluids above, are they nourishing worms above? If Kidney Yin deficiency prevents upper jiao nourishment, plums should not be used; yet worms reside below, so why would they possess Kidney Yin yet fail to absorb? This argument is obstructed and illogical. He further claimed Hui Jue is not due to Zang Cold, citing "Qi rushing up to the heart and burning pain in the heart" as evidence, failing to recognize that Jueyin diseases often involve mixed Yin and Yang. Shen Yaofeng stated that Jueyin corresponds to the Zhen hexagram, with one Yang line below two Yin lines. In disease, Yang floats upward and Yin sinks downward, creating lower-cold and upper-heat patterns. Worms entering the diaphragm indicate lower cold. Polydipsia, Qi rushing to the heart, and burning pain in the heart indicate upper heat. All cases of vomiting worms and Qi rushing to the heart are Jueyin over-ascending pathologies, requiring treatment to descend the rebellious Yang. Wumei Wan, whether considering Coptis Rhizome (Huanglian), Wumei, and Phellodendron Bark (Huangbai) as purely Yin herbs that are bitter, sour, and salty to descend, or even Aconite Root (Fuzi) reaching the Mingmen, all serve descending functions. This analysis is extremely precise. Zou annotated "Jue is not Zang Cold" by citing *Yizong Jinjian*, unaware that *Yizong Jinjian* lists Lin's theory of Zang Cold below without refuting it. You Zaijing explained burning pain in the heart and vomiting worms after eating as entirely evil heat; aside from conflicting with Wumei Wan's treatment, this overlooks the mixed Yin-Yang nature of Jueyin disease. Only Tang Rongchuan used Western concepts of air temperature to elucidate Jueyin principles, aligning with sage wisdom and guiding students. I do not understand air theory and will not elaborate. His analysis of burning pain and vomiting worms as lower-cold and upper-heat states: polydipsia, Qi rushing to the heart, burning pain in the heart, and hunger (sentence break) represent Jueyin Pericardium carrying Heart Fire heat activating upward; lack of appetite, vomiting worms after eating, and diarrhea after purgation represent Jueyin Liver Qi carrying Cold Water cold responding simultaneously. Both involve vomiting worms; knowing this clause is not pure heat implies the other is not pure cold. Wumei Wan uses both cold and heat herbs; it is not that worms only ascend to the diaphragm due to Zang Cold, so what is there to doubt?