治虚有三本，肺、脾、肾是也。肺为五脏之天，脾为百骸之母，肾为性命之根，治肺、
治脾
症之宗；立斋究明补火，谓太阳一照，阴火自弭。斯三先生者。皆振古之高人，能回一时之
习尚，辟岐黄之心传者。然皆主于一偏，而不获全体之用。是以脾胃之论，出于东垣则无
弊
执丹溪以治者，全以苦寒降火，有碍于中州之土化。至于“阳常有余，阴常不足”，此实一
偏之见，难为古人讳者，而后人沿习成风，偏重莫挽，凡遇虚火虚热，阴剧阳亢之病，辄以
黄柏补肾、知母清金，未能生肾家真水，而反以熄肾家真火。夫肾者，坎象，一阳陷于二阴
之间。二阴者，真水也。一阳者，真火也。肾中真水，次第而上生肝木，肝木又上生心火。肾
中真火，次第而上生脾土，脾土又上生肺金。故生人之本，从下而起，如羲皇之画卦然。盖肾
之为脏，合水火二气，以为五脏六腑之根。真水不可灭，真火独可熄乎？然救此者，又执立斋
补火之说，用左归、右归丸，不离苁蓉、鹿茸、桂、附等类，而罔顾其人之有郁火无郁火，有
郁热无郁热，更不虑其曾经伤肺不伤肺。夫虚火可补，理则诚然。如补中益气汤，用参、 、
术、草之甘温以除大热。然苟非清阳下陷，犹不敢轻加升、柴、归、姜辛热之品，乃反施之郁
火郁热之症，奚啻抱薪救火乎！余唯执两端以用中，合三部以平调。一曰清金保肺，无犯中州
之土。此用丹溪而不泥于丹溪也。一曰培土调中，不损至高之气。此用东垣而不泥于东垣也。
一曰金行清化，不觉水自流长。乃合金水于一致也。三脏既治，何虑水火乘时，乃统五脏以同
归也。但主脾、主肾，先贤颇有发明，而清金保肺一着，尚未有透达其精微者，故余于论肺也
独详。此治劳之三本，宜
治疗虚损病证有三个根本，即肺、脾、肾三脏。肺是五脏的“天”（主宰呼吸与气机），脾是百骸的“母”（化生气血以滋养全身），肾是性命的“根”（藏精主生殖与生长发育）。治疗肺、治脾、治肾，是治疗各类病症的根本原则；李中梓（号立斋）深入探究了补益命门之火的方法，认为如同太阳一出，阴寒之火自然平息。这三位先生都是古代的高明医家，能够扭转当时的不良医风，发扬岐黄之术的心法传承。然而，他们的观点都侧重于某一方面，未能获得全面运用的功效。
因此，关于脾胃的论述，出自李东垣则没有弊端；但那些拘泥于朱丹溪学说进行治疗的人，完全使用苦寒药物降火，损害了中焦脾胃的运化功能。至于“阳常有余，阴常不足”这一观点，确实是一种片面的见解，难以为古人避讳，但后人沿袭这种风气，偏执严重无法挽回。凡是遇到虚火、虚热、阴虚阳亢的病证，就随意使用黄柏补肾、知母清金，这不仅不能滋生肾中的真水，反而熄灭了肾中的真火。
肾在卦象上属坎卦，一阳陷于二阴之间。二阴代表真水，一阳代表真火。肾中的真水依次向上滋生肝木，肝木又向上滋生心火。肾中的真火依次向上滋生脾土，脾土又向上滋生肺金。所以，人生之本，是从下而上生成的，就像伏羲氏画八卦一样。可以说，肾作为脏腑，融合了水火二气，是五脏六腑的根本。真水不可灭，难道真火就可以单独熄灭吗？
然而，救治此类病症的人，又执着于李立斋补火的说法，使用左归丸、右归丸，离不开肉苁蓉、鹿茸、桂枝、附子等类药物，而不顾患者是否有郁火、是否有郁热，更不考虑其肺部是否曾经受损。虚火可以用补法治愈，道理确实如此。例如补中益气汤，用人参、黄芪、白术、甘草的甘温性质来消除大热。但是，如果不是清阳下陷的情况，还不敢轻易加入升麻、柴胡、当归、生姜等辛热升提的药物，何况反而将其用于郁火、郁热的病证，这岂不是抱薪救火吗！
我唯独坚持折中调和的原则，综合上、中、下三部进行平衡调理。第一是清金保肺，不侵犯中焦脾胃之气。这是运用朱丹溪的理论但不拘泥于他。第二是培土调中，不损伤至高（肺）之气。这是运用李东垣的理论但不拘泥于他。第三是使肺金行清肃化源之令，不知不觉肾水自然流长。这是将金与水统一起来。肺、脾、肾三脏既已治好，何必担心水火失调乘时而发呢？这是统摄五脏使其共同归于和谐。只是以往主张脾、主张肾的先贤多有阐发，而关于清金保肺这一方面，还没有人能透彻地揭示其精微之处，所以我对于论肺的部分特别详细。这就是治疗劳损病的三个根本，应当……
The treatment of deficiency syndromes has three fundamental organs: the Lung, the Spleen, and the Kidney. The Lung is the "Heaven" (governing respiration and Qi mechanism) of the Five Zang organs; the Spleen is the "Mother" (transforming and transporting nutrients to nourish the whole body) of the hundred bones; the Kidney is the "Root" of life and nature (storing Essence and governing reproduction and growth). Treating the Lung, treating the Spleen, and treating the Kidney are the fundamental principles for treating various diseases. Li Zhongzi (styled Lizhai) thoroughly investigated the method of tonifying Mingmen Fire, stating that just as the sun rises, Yin-Fire naturally subsides. These three gentlemen were all outstanding physicians of ancient times who could reverse the medical trends of their era and carry forward the heart-to-heart transmission of the Qi-Huang school. However, their views all leaned towards one aspect and failed to achieve comprehensive application.
Therefore, regarding the discussion on the Spleen and Stomach, when derived from Li Dongyuan, there are no flaws; but those who rigidly adhere to Zhu Danxi's theories in treatment entirely use bitter-cold herbs to descend fire, which hinders the transformation function of the Middle Jiao Earth. As for the view that "Yang is often in excess, while Yin is often insufficient," this is indeed a biased perspective, difficult to excuse for ancients, yet later generations have followed this trend, becoming so entrenched that it is hard to correct. Whenever encountering deficiency-fire, deficiency-heat, or Yin-extreme with Yang-hyperactivity conditions, practitioners indiscriminately use Huangbai (Phellodendri Cortex) to tonify the Kidney and Zhimu (Anemarrhenae Rhizoma) to clear Metal, failing to generate the True Water of the Kidney and instead extinguishing the True Fire of the Kidney.
The Kidney corresponds to the Kan trigram, where one Yang line is trapped between two Yin lines. The two Yin lines represent True Water, and the one Yang line represents True Fire. The True Water in the Kidney sequentially generates Liver Wood upwards; Liver Wood further generates Heart Fire upwards. The True Fire in the Kidney sequentially generates Spleen Earth upwards; Spleen Earth further generates Lung Metal upwards. Thus, the root of human life arises from below upwards, similar to how Fuxi drew the Eight Trigrams. Essentially, the Kidney, as an organ, integrates Water and Fire energies, serving as the root of the Five Zang and Six Fu organs. Can True Water be extinguished, while True Fire alone is allowed to be quenched?
However, those attempting to treat such conditions again cling to Lizhai's theory of tonifying fire, using Zuogui Wan (Left Restoring Pill) and Yougui Wan (Right Restoring Pill), relying heavily on Rongrongsu (Cibotii Rhizoma), Lurong (Deer Antler), Guizhi (Cinnamomi Ramulus), and Fuzi (Aconiti Lateralis Radix Praeparata), without considering whether the patient has constrained fire or heat, nor worrying about whether the Lung has previously been injured. It is true that deficiency-fire can be treated by tonification. For instance, Buzhong Yiqi Tang (Tonify the Middle and Augment the Qi Decoction) uses the sweet-warm properties of Renshen (Ginseng Radix et Rhizoma), Huangqi (Astragali Radix), Baizhu (Atractylodis Macrocephalae Rhizoma), and Gancao (Glycyrrhizae Radix et Rhizoma) to eliminate significant heat. Yet, unless there is sinking of Clear Yang, one still dares not lightly add Shengma (Cimicifugae Rhizoma), Chaihu (Bupleuri Radix), Danggui (Angelicae Sinensis Radix), and Shengjiang (Zingiberis Rhizoma Recens)—pungent-hot ascending agents—to treat constrained fire or heat conditions. Doing so would be akin to carrying firewood to save a fire!
I exclusively adhere to the principle of moderation, harmonizing the Upper, Middle, and Lower Three Burners. First, clear Metal and protect the Lung, without violating the Earth of the Middle Jiao. This applies Danxi's theory without being bound by it. Second, cultivate Earth and regulate the Middle, without damaging the Supreme Qi (Lung Qi). This applies Dongyuan's theory without being bound by it. Third, allow Lung Metal to perform its clearing and transforming function, causing Kidney Water to flow long naturally. This unifies Metal and Water. Once these three organs are treated, why worry about Water and Fire disrupting the balance according to time? This unifies the Five Zang organs to return to harmony. Although previous sages have elaborated extensively on the Spleen and Kidney, few have thoroughly elucidated the subtleties of clearing Metal and protecting the Lung. Therefore, my discussion on the Lung is particularly detailed. These are the three fundamentals for treating consumption (Lao disease), which should...