天地既判，生万物者惟五气耳！五气定位则五味生，五味生则千变万化，不可穷已。故
曰∶生物者，气也。成之者，
味也。以奇生则成而耦，以耦生则成而奇。寒气坚，故其味可用以软；热气软，故其味可用
以坚；风气散，故其味可用
以收；燥气收，故其味可用以散。土者，中气所生，无所不和，故其味可用以缓。气坚则壮，
故苦可以养气；脉软则和，
故咸可以养脉；骨收则强，故酸可以养骨。筋散则不挛，故辛可以养筋；肉缓则不壅，故甘
可以养肉。坚之而后可软，
收之而后可散。欲缓则用甘，不欲则弗用。用之不可太过，太过亦病矣。治疾者，不通乎此，
而能已人之疾者，吾未之
信焉。
有单行者，不与诸药共剂，而独能攻补也，如方书所载独参汤、独桔汤之类是尔。有相
须者
，二药相宜，可兼用之也。有相使者，能为使卒，引达诸经也。此二者不必同类，如和羹调
食，鱼肉、葱豉各有宜，合共相宜发足尔。有相恶者，彼有毒而我恶之也。有相畏者，我有
能而彼畏之也。此二者不深为害，盖我虽恶彼，彼无忿心，彼之畏我，我能制伏。如牛黄恶
龙骨，而龙骨得牛黄更良；黄耆畏防风，而黄耆得防风其功愈大之类是尔。有相反者，两相
仇隙，必不可使和合也。如画家用雌黄胡粉相近便自黯，妒粉得雌则黑黄，雌得粉亦变之类
是尔。有相杀者，中彼药毒，用此即能杀除也。如中蛇虺毒，必用雄黄；中雄黄毒，必用防
己之类是尔。凡此七情共剂可否，一览即了然也。或云药有五味，以通五脏。肝藏魂而有怒
，一也；肺藏魄而有忧，二也；心藏神而有喜，三也；脾藏意与智而有思，五也；肾藏精与
志而有恐，七也。五味以治五脏，通有七情也。
天地开辟之后，生成万物的只有五气罢了！五气确立了位置，五味便由此产生；五味产生了，千变万化就无穷无尽了。所以说：生成万物的是气，成就万物的是味。以奇数之气生成，则成就时为偶数；以偶数之气生成，则成就时为奇数。寒气性质坚固，所以其对应的味道可以用来软化坚结；热气性质柔软，所以其对应的味道可以用来坚固松散；风气性质发散，所以其对应的味道可以用来收敛；燥气性质收敛，所以其对应的味道可以用来发散。土属于中气所生，无所不和，所以其对应的味道可以用来缓和急迫。气坚实则身体强壮，所以苦味可以养气；脉象柔软则气血调和，所以咸味可以养脉；骨骼收敛则强劲，所以酸味可以养骨。筋脉发散则不会痉挛，所以辛味可以养筋；肌肉舒缓则不会壅滞，所以甘味可以养肉。先使其坚固然后才能软化，先使其收敛然后才能发散。想要缓和就用甘味，不想缓和就不用。用药不可太过分，太过分也会成为疾病。治疗疾病的人，如果不通晓这些道理，却能治好别人的病，我是不相信的。
有单独使用的（单行），不与其他药物共同配伍，而能独自发挥攻补作用，如医书中记载的独参汤、独桔汤之类就是如此。有相须的，两种药物相互适宜，可以同时使用。有相使的，一种药能作为向导，引导药力到达各条经络。这两种情况不必是同类药物，就像调和羹汤食物一样，鱼肉和葱豉各有适宜的搭配，合在一起才相得益彰。有相恶的，彼药有毒而我厌恶它（指功效相减）。有相畏的，我有能力而它畏惧我（指毒性被抑制）。这两种情况并不造成深重的危害，大概是因为虽然我厌恶它，但它没有怨恨之心；它畏惧我，我能制服它。如牛黄厌恶龙骨，但龙骨得到牛黄后药效更好；黄耆畏惧防风，但黄耆得到防风后功效更大，就是这类情况。有相反的，两者如同仇敌，绝对不能混合使用。如画家用雌黄和胡粉相近就会变暗，妒粉遇到雌黄就会变成黑黄色，雌黄遇到胡粉也会变色，就是这类情况。有相杀的，中了某种药物的毒，用这种药就能消除毒性。如中了蛇虺的毒，必须用雄黄；中了雄黄的毒，必须用防己，就是这类情况。以上七情在共同配伍时是否可行，一目了然。有人说药物有五味，用来通达五脏。肝藏魂而有怒，这是一；肺藏魄而有忧，这是二；心藏神而有喜，这是三；脾藏意与智而有思，这是四（原文漏四，直接说五）；肾藏精与志而有恐，这是七。用五味来治疗五脏，通达七情。
After Heaven and Earth were separated, only the Five Qi (Five Phases/Qi) generate all things! When the Five Qi establish their positions, the Five Flavors (Wu Wei) arise; when the Five Flavors arise, myriad transformations occur without end. Thus it is said: That which generates living things is Qi; that which completes them is Flavor. Generated by odd-numbered Qi, completion results in even numbers; generated by even-numbered Qi, completion results in odd numbers. Cold Qi is firm, so its corresponding flavor can be used to soften hardness; Heat Qi is soft, so its corresponding flavor can be used to firm looseness; Wind Qi is dispersing, so its corresponding flavor can be used to astringe; Dryness Qi is converging, so its corresponding flavor can be used to disperse. Earth belongs to the Central Qi, harmonizing with nothing else, so its corresponding flavor can be used to moderate urgency. When Qi is firm, strength increases, so Bitter Flavor (Ku) can nourish Qi; when pulses are soft, harmony prevails, so Salty Flavor (Xian) can nourish vessels; when bones are firm, they become strong, so Sour Flavor (Suan) can nourish bones. When sinews are dispersed, spasms do not occur, so Pungent Flavor (Xin) can nourish sinews; when flesh is relaxed, stagnation does not occur, so Sweet Flavor (Gan) can nourish flesh. Only after firming can one soften; only after astringing can one disperse. To moderate, use Sweet Flavor; if moderation is not desired, do not use it. Usage must not be excessive; excess also causes disease. Those who treat diseases but do not understand these principles, yet claim to cure others' illnesses—I do not believe such claims.
There is "Single Action" (Dan Xing), where a herb is used alone without compounding with other drugs, capable of independently tonifying or purging, such as the Single Ginseng Decoction (Dushen Tang) and Single Platycodon Decoction (Duju Tang) recorded in medical texts. There is "Mutual Requirement" (Xiang Xu), where two herbs are mutually suitable and can be used together. There is "Mutual Assistance" (Xiang Shi), where one herb acts as an envoy, guiding medicinal power to various meridians. These two categories need not involve similar herbs, just as seasoning soup involves fish and meat paired with scallions and fermented soybeans, each having appropriate combinations that enhance each other. There is "Mutual Aversion" (Xiang E), where one herb's toxicity or effect is opposed by another. There is "Mutual Fear" (Xiang Wei), where one herb has the capacity to suppress another. These two do not cause severe harm; although one avers the other, there is no resentment; the feared one is controlled by the fearing one. For example, Realgar (Niuhuang) avers Dragon Bone (Longgu), but Dragon Bone becomes more effective with Realgar; Astragalus Root (Huangqi) fears Saposhnikovia Root (Fangfeng), but Astragalus achieves greater efficacy with Saposhnikovia, which are examples of this. There is "Mutual Incompatibility" (Xiang Fan), where two herbs are like enemies and must never be combined. Like painters using Orpiment (Cihuang) and Lead White (Hufen) nearby causing darkening, or jealousy powder turning black-yellow when meeting Orpiment, and Orpiment changing when meeting Lead White, these are examples. There is "Mutual Killing" (Xiang Sha), where taking a specific herb can eliminate the toxicity of another. For instance, to counter snake venom, Realgar (Xionghuang) must be used; to counter Realgar toxicity, Stephania Root (Fangji) must be used, which are examples. The compatibility or incompatibility of these Seven Emotions (Qi Qing) in compounding is clear at a glance. Some say herbs have Five Flavors to communicate with the Five Zang Organs. The Liver stores the Hun (Ethereal Soul) and manifests anger, this is one; the Lungs store the Po (Corporeal Soul) and manifest sorrow, this is two; the Heart stores the Shen (Spirit) and manifests joy, this is three; the Spleen stores Yi (Intellect) and Zhi (Will) and manifests overthinking, this is four (text skips to five); the Kidneys store Jing (Essence) and Zhi (Willpower) and manifest fear, this is seven. Using Five Flavors to treat Five Zang Organs communicates with the Seven Emotions.