盐有五色之异，惟青盐尤佳。味咸，气寒，无毒。堪洗下部慝疮，能吐中焦痰癖，苏心
腹卒
痛，塞齿缝来红，驱蚯蚓毒伤，杀鬼蛊邪疰。少用，接药入肾；过多，动咳伤金。走血损筋
，黑肤失色。水肿宜忌，咳嗽须禁矣。
青盐益气，去气蛊，明目，却目疼，止吐血，坚筋骨，尤胜各盐。尤能益人，以咸走肾
也。
况盐能软坚，故又补而兼攻。肾有补而无泻，故肾虚者不忌盐。然水肿之人，亦肾虚也，
何
以忌盐乎，似乎盐亦泻肾也。不知水肿之病，乃土克水也。土克水，惟宜恶土，而何以恶水
。水，阴物也。土，亦阴物也。盐补肾必补阴，故走肾而必兼走脾。水肿之病，乃阴虚之至
也。盐补肾，自然直入于肾。然而脾亦欲得盐以相资，盐不得已欲分味以与脾，而肾又不肯
与脾也。于是，肾与脾相战，而水症不能愈，即愈者，必且重发而不可救，以脾之益怒而不
可解也。然则水肿之忌盐，非盐之泻肾亦明矣。（〔批〕此段议论，前人未言。）
或问《内经》有云∶盐走血，血病无多食盐，多食则脉凝泣而色变。盐非咸乎。吾子何
以未
言也？曰∶人生斯世，不能舍五味而资生。不食盐，安能增益肾水乎。况吐血、衄血、便血
之后，所亏者，正咸之味也。使禁之而不食咸，又将何物以助其生血、生精乎。然则《内经
》之言不足尽信乎？亦非也。盖《内经》言其常，而余言其变。况《内经》亦止教人无多食
咸，非教人尽忌夫盐也。今世医人，一见血症，毋论其虚实初久，一概禁人不得食盐，与水
肿禁盐相同，往往人益病而血愈多。此过忌盐之失，予所以因问而增入之，原人勿固执《内
经》以治血症也。
盐有五种颜色之分，其中青盐最为优良。其味咸，性寒，无毒。可用于清洗下部的隐蔽疮疡，能涌吐中焦的痰饮积滞，缓解心腹突发疼痛，填补齿缝出血，驱除蚯蚓毒伤，杀灭鬼蛊邪气注病。少量使用，可引导药物入肾；过量则引发咳嗽，损伤肺金。走散血液，损伤筋脉，使皮肤变黑、失去光泽。水肿患者应当禁忌，咳嗽患者必须禁止食用。
青盐能益气，去除气蛊，明目，消除眼痛，止住吐血，坚固筋骨，功效胜过其他各类盐。尤其能够补益人体，这是因为咸味入肾的缘故。
况且盐能软化坚结，所以具有补益兼攻伐的作用。肾脏只宜补益而不宜泻下，所以肾虚者并不禁忌食盐。然而水肿之人，也是肾虚，为何要禁忌食盐呢？这似乎表明盐也会泻肾。其实不然。水肿这种病症，是土克水的病理表现。土克水，适宜厌恶“土”邪，为何要厌恶“水”呢？水，属于阴物；土，也属于阴物。盐补肾必然补阴，所以入肾的同时必然兼入脾经。水肿之病，乃是阴虚到了极点。盐补肾，自然直接入于肾。然而脾也需要盐来资助，盐不得已要将味道分给脾，但肾又不肯将精气给予脾。于是，肾与脾相互争斗，导致水症不能痊愈，即使暂时痊愈，也必定会再次复发且不可救治，因为脾的愤怒无法化解。既然如此，水肿患者禁忌食盐，并非因为盐会泻肾，这也是很明显的了。（〔批注〕这段议论，前人未曾提及。）
有人问：《内经》中说：“盐走血，血病患者不宜多吃盐，多吃则血脉凝涩而面色改变。”盐不是咸的吗？您为什么没有提到这一点呢？回答说：人生活在世上，不能舍弃五味来维持生命。不吃盐，怎么能增益肾水呢？况且在吐血、鼻衄、便血之后，亏损的正是咸味。如果禁止吃咸，又将用什么东西来帮助生成血液和精液呢？那么，《内经》的话就不值得完全相信吗？也不是这样。大概《内经》说的是常理，而我讲的是变通。况且《内经》也只是教导人们不要多吃咸，并不是教导人们完全禁忌食盐。现在的医生，一见到血症，不论虚实初久，一概禁止病人吃盐，这与水肿禁盐相同，往往导致病情加重，出血更多。这是过度禁忌食盐的错误，我因此通过问答增加这一内容，原意是劝诫人们不要固执地依据《内经》来治疗血症。
Salt varies in five colors, among which Qingyan (Green Salt) is the most excellent. It tastes salty, is cold in nature, and is non-toxic. It can be used to wash hidden sores in the lower body, can induce vomiting to expel phlegm-stagnation in the middle jiao, relieve sudden pain in the heart and abdomen, stop bleeding from tooth gaps, drive out earthworm poison injuries, and kill gu-poison and epidemic pestilence qi. Used in small amounts, it guides medicines into the Kidney; used in excess, it triggers coughs and damages Lung Metal. It disperses blood, damages sinews, darkens the skin, and causes loss of luster. It is contraindicated for edema and strictly prohibited for coughs.
Qingyan (Green Salt) benefits Qi, removes Qi-gu (abdominal mass caused by pathogenic qi), brightens the eyes, relieves eye pain, stops hematemesis, strengthens bones and sinews, and surpasses other salts in efficacy. It particularly benefits the human body because the salty flavor enters the Kidney.
Moreover, salt can soften hardness, thus possessing both tonifying and attacking properties. The Kidney is suited for tonification but not for purging; therefore, those with Kidney deficiency are not contraindicated from eating salt. However, patients with edema also suffer from Kidney deficiency. Why should they avoid salt? This seems to suggest that salt purges the Kidney. In fact, this is not the case. The disease of edema is a pathological manifestation of Earth overcoming Water. When Earth overcomes Water, one should abhor "Earth" pathogens, why abhor "Water"? Water is a Yin entity; Earth is also a Yin entity. Salt tonifies the Kidney and necessarily tonifies Yin; thus, entering the Kidney, it inevitably also enters the Spleen. Edema disease is extreme Yin deficiency. Salt tonifying the Kidney naturally enters directly into the Kidney. However, the Spleen also desires salt for support. Salt, reluctantly, must distribute its flavor to the Spleen, but the Kidney refuses to yield to the Spleen. Consequently, the Kidney and Spleen contend with each other, preventing the cure of water disorders. Even if cured temporarily, it will surely relapse severely and become incurable, due to the unresolvable anger of the Spleen. Thus, it is clear that the prohibition of salt for edema is not because salt purges the Kidney. ([Commentary] This discussion was not mentioned by predecessors.)
One might ask: *The Inner Canon* states: "Salt travels through the blood; patients with blood diseases should not eat much salt. Excessive consumption causes blood vessels to coagulate and stagnate, leading to changes in complexion." Is salt not salty? Why did you not mention this? I reply: Humans living in this world cannot sustain life without the Five Flavors. Without eating salt, how can one benefit Kidney Water? Moreover, after hematemesis, epistaxis, or hematochezia, what is deficient is precisely the salty flavor. If one prohibits the intake of saltiness, what substance will assist in generating blood and essence? Does this mean the words of *The Inner Canon* are not entirely trustworthy? Not at all. Generally, *The Inner Canon* discusses the normal state, whereas I discuss the variable state. Furthermore, *The Inner Canon* only teaches people not to consume excessive saltiness, not to completely abstain from salt. Modern physicians, upon seeing blood diseases, regardless of their excess/deficiency or acute/chronic nature, universally prohibit salt intake, similar to the prohibition for edema. This often exacerbates the condition and increases bleeding. This is the error of overly prohibiting salt. I added this section through question and answer to advise against rigidly applying *The Inner Canon* to treat blood diseases.