十论湿剂。岐伯夫子曰∶湿可去枯。夫湿与燥相宜，用湿以润燥也。然燥有在气、在血、在
脏、在腑之殊，有在内、在外、在久、在近之别，未可一概用也。气燥，辛以湿之；血燥，
甘
以湿之；脏燥，咸以湿之；腑燥，凉以湿之。内燥，寒以湿之；外燥，苦以湿之；久燥，温
以湿之；近燥，酸以湿之。燥不同，审虚实而湿之，则无不宜也。
或问燥症之不讲也久矣，幸吾子畅发燥症之门，以补六气之一。又阐扬湿剂以通治燥症，
岂
气血脏腑内外久近之湿，遂足以包治燥之法乎。嗟乎。论燥之症，虽百方而不足以治其常；
论湿之方，若八法而已足以尽其变。正不可见吾燥门之方多，即疑吾湿剂之法少也。
或疑湿剂治燥，而燥症实多，执湿剂以治燥，而无变通之法，吾恐前之燥未解，而后之
燥更
至矣。曰∶变通在心，岂言辞之可尽哉；吾阐发湿剂之义，大约八法尽之，而变通何能尽乎
，亦在人临症而善悟之耳。
或疑湿剂之少也，人能变通，则少可化多，然而能悟者绝少，子何不多举湿剂以示世乎。
嗟
乎。燥症前代明医多不发明，故后世无闻焉。铎受岐天师与张仲景之传，《内经》已补注燥
之旨，《六气》门已畅论燥之文，似不必《本草》重载燥症。然而湿剂得吾之八法，治燥有
余，又何必多举湿剂之法哉。（〔批〕须参看《内经》、《六气》之书，则治燥有余矣。）
以上十剂，明悉乎胸中，自然直捷于指下，然后细阅新注之《本草》，通经达权，以获其神
，守常知变，以造于圣，亦何死者不可重生，危者不可重安哉。
第十论论述湿剂。岐伯先生说：湿可以去除枯燥。湿与燥相互适宜，使用湿法来滋润燥邪。然而燥邪有在气分、在血分、在脏、在腑的不同，有在内、在外、病程久、病程近的区别，不能一概而论地使用。气分燥，用辛味药以湿润之；血分燥，用甘味药以湿润之；脏燥，用咸味药以湿润之；腑燥，用凉性药以湿润之。内燥，用寒性药以湿润之；外燥，用苦味药以湿润之；久燥，用温性药以湿润之；新近之燥，用酸味药以湿润之。燥证不同，审察虚实后采用湿法治疗，就没有不适宜的。
有人问：关于燥证的讨论已经很久没有深入研究了，幸好先生您畅发燥证的门径，以补充六气（风、寒、暑、湿、燥、火）中一气的理论。又阐扬湿剂用来通治燥证，难道气血脏腑内外久近的各种湿法，就足以包揽治疗燥证的所有方法吗？唉！论述燥证的症状，虽然有百种方剂也不足以治疗其常规情况；论述湿剂的方药，如果只有八法就已经足以穷尽其变化了。正不可因为看到我们燥门中的方剂多，就怀疑我们的湿剂方法少。
有人怀疑湿剂治疗燥证，而燥证实际上很多，拘泥于湿剂来治疗燥证，而没有变通的方法，我担心之前的燥邪未解，之后的燥邪更会到来。回答说：变通在于心悟，哪里是言辞所能完全表达的呢？我阐发湿剂的含义，大约八法已经涵盖其中，而变通怎么能穷尽呢？这也在于医生面对病症时善于领悟罢了。
有人怀疑湿剂种类少，人如果能变通，那么少的可以化为多的，然而能够领悟的人极少，先生为何不多列举一些湿剂来示于世人的呢？唉！前代名医大多没有阐明燥证，所以后世对此很少听闻。我陈士铎承袭岐天师和张仲景的传承，《内经》已经补注了燥的宗旨，《六气》篇已经详尽论述了燥的文章，似乎不必在《本草》中再次重载燥证的内容。然而湿剂得到我的八法指导，治疗燥证绰绰有余，又何必多列举湿剂的方法呢？（批注：必须参考《内经》、《六气》之书，则治疗燥证就绰绰有余了。）
以上十剂，如果在胸中明白透彻，自然在指下运用就会直截了当，然后细细阅读新注释的《本草》，通晓经络权变之道，从而获得神妙，坚守常规知晓变通，从而达到圣人的境界，那么还有什么死者不能重生，危者不能重新安康的呢？
Tenth Discourse on Damp Agents. Master Qibo said: "Dampness can remove dryness." Dampness and dryness are mutually suitable; using dampness to moisten dryness. However, dryness differs in whether it is in the Qi level, Blood level, Zang organs, or Fu organs; it also differs in being internal, external, chronic (long-standing), or recent. One cannot apply a uniform method. For dryness in the Qi level, pungent substances are used to moisten it; for dryness in the Blood level, sweet substances are used to moisten it; for dryness in the Zang organs, salty substances are used to moisten it; for dryness in the Fu organs, cool substances are used to moisten it. For internal dryness, cold substances are used to moisten it; for external dryness, bitter substances are used to moisten it; for chronic dryness, warm substances are used to moisten it; for recent dryness, sour substances are used to moisten it. Since dryness varies, by examining deficiency and excess before applying dampening methods, there will be no unsuitability.
Someone asked: "The discussion of dryness syndromes has long been neglected. Fortunately, you have elucidated the principles of dryness syndromes, supplementing the theory of the Six Qi (Wind, Cold, Summer-heat, Dampness, Dryness, Fire). You also promote damp agents to treat dryness syndromes generally. Do the various dampening methods corresponding to Qi, Blood, Zang, Fu, internal, external, chronic, and recent conditions suffice to cover all methods for treating dryness?" Alas! When discussing dryness syndromes, even a hundred prescriptions may not suffice to treat the common cases; when discussing damp agent formulas, if only the Eight Methods are employed, they are sufficient to exhaust their variations. One must not see that our prescriptions for dryness are numerous and thereby suspect that our methods for damp agents are few.
Someone doubted: "Damp agents treat dryness, but dryness syndromes are actually numerous. If one adheres rigidly to damp agents to treat dryness without flexibility, I fear that while the previous dryness is not resolved, subsequent dryness will arrive even more severely." The reply was: "Flexibility lies in the mind; how can words fully express it? I expound the meaning of damp agents, which are roughly encompassed by the Eight Methods, but how can flexibility be fully exhausted? It depends on the physician's ability to comprehend well when facing clinical cases."
Someone doubted: "Since damp agents are few, if people can flexibly adapt, the few can become many. However, those who can comprehend are extremely rare. Why do you not list more damp agents to show the world?" Alas! Famous physicians of past dynasties mostly did not clarify dryness syndromes, hence later generations rarely heard of them. I, Chen Shiduo, received the transmission from Master Qi Tian Shi and Zhang Zhongjing. The *Neijing* (Inner Canon) has already supplemented the principles of dryness, and the section on *Six Qi* has thoroughly discussed dryness texts. It seems unnecessary to heavily reiterate dryness syndromes in this *Bencao* (Materia Medica). However, with my Eight Methods guiding damp agents, treating dryness is more than sufficient; why is it necessary to list many damp agent methods? (Commentary: One must refer to the books *Neijing* and *Six Qi*, then treating dryness will be more than sufficient.)
If the above Ten Agents are clearly understood in the mind, naturally the application under the fingers will be direct and straightforward. Then, by carefully reading the newly annotated *Bencao*, comprehending the meridians and adapting to circumstances, one can attain spiritual efficacy; by adhering to constants and knowing changes, one can reach the sagehood. In that case, what dead person could not be reborn, and what critical patient could not be restored to health?