《脉经》曰∶“上气喘急候何经，手足温暖脉滑生。若得沉涩肢逆冷，必然归死命须倾。”试申论之，人
之所赖以生者，元气、宗气，而其所以生者，则真气也。统一身而言，则为元气。元气充足，呼吸自循常度，
如涉虚怯，阴阳之气乱矣。经曰∶“阴争于内，阳扰于外，魄汗未藏，四逆而起，起则熏肺，使人喘息。”体
犹温暖，脉多虚滑，人参能回元气于无何有之乡（独参汤。经验方∶黄 一两，秦归三钱，姜枣引），喘息自
止。据中焦而言，则为宗气，宗气转运升
降，自无窒碍，如沾痰滞，阳明之气郁矣。经曰∶“邪客于阳阴之络，令人气满，胸中喘息。”体虽温暖，脉
则弦滑，法夏和胃而燥痰（四七汤∶人参、肉桂、法夏、炙草、姜枣引），喘急随除。至于先天一点真元之气，
是为真气，至无而含至有，至虚而统至实。鼓荡于太虚者，雷也；而其所以默运乎鼓荡者，非雷也，真气
也。吹嘘乎万物者，风也；而其所以驱使乎吹嘘者，非风也，真气也。外护于表，内行于里，周流一身者，气
也；而所为主宰以周流者，非气也，真气也。释氏调气以悟空，调此气也；老氏炼气以归真，炼此气也；儒者
养气以为圣为贤，养此气也。释氏谓之真如（钱起赠怀素诗∶“醉里得真如。”刘禹锡诗∶“心会真如不读经
”），老氏谓之绵绵（《道德经》∶“绵绵若存”）；儒者谓之浩然。其为气也，天地得之，万古不老；生人
守之，寿算常存。人而以酒为浆，以妄为常，醉以入房，真气散矣。真气散，一身之元气、宗气，以致营气、
卫气、中气、胃气，一齐奔上，为喘为急，肢之所以逆冷，脉之所以沉涩也，而命有不倾焉者乎？彼水肿之喘，
以水肿论；风寒之喘，以风寒论；哮症之喘，以哮症论。热病之喘，以热病论。经中言喘，层见迭出，各有其
本，单言喘者，止有数条。撇开各症方言喘，寻到源头始见医。
《脉经》说：“上气喘急的症状属于哪一经？如果手足温暖且脉搏滑利，说明病情尚有生机。如果脉搏沉涩且四肢逆冷，那么必然面临死亡的危险。”对此试作进一步论述：人赖以生存的是元气和宗气，而真正维持生命活动的是真气。统括全身而言，称为元气。若元气充足，呼吸自然遵循正常规律；一旦涉及虚损怯弱，阴阳之气就会紊乱。医经说：“阴气在内争竞，阳气在外扰动，魄汗不能固藏，四肢厥逆随之而起，厥逆之气上熏于肺，使人发生喘息。”此时身体尚觉温暖，脉象多呈虚滑之象，用人参能将元气挽回于虚无缥缈之中（独参汤。经验方：人参一两，当归三钱，生姜大枣为引），喘息自然停止。从中焦而言，称为宗气，宗气负责转运升降，本应毫无阻碍；若沾染痰湿停滞，阳明之气便会郁结。医经说：“邪气客居于阳阴之络，令人气机壅满，胸中喘息。”此时身体虽然温暖，脉象却呈弦滑之象，治法宜用半夏和胃并燥化痰湿（四七汤：人参、肉桂、法夏、炙甘草、生姜大枣为引），喘急随即消除。至于先天的一点真元之气，就是真气，它至虚无物却蕴含至有，至虚空灵却统摄至实。在太虚中鼓荡的是雷；但使其默默运行鼓荡的，不是雷，而是真气。吹嘘万物的是风；但驱使这吹嘘力量的，不是风，而是真气。在外护卫体表，在内运行脏腑，周流一身的是气；但作为主宰使气周流的，不是气本身，而是真气。佛教徒调息以证悟空性，调的是此气；道教徒炼气以回归真道，炼的是此气；儒家修养正气以成为圣人和贤人，养的也是此气。佛教徒称其为“真如”（钱起赠怀素诗：“醉里得真如。”刘禹锡诗：“心会真如不读经”）；道教徒称其为“绵绵”（《道德经》：“绵绵若存”）；儒家称之为“浩然”。这种气，天地得到它，万古长青不老；人类守住它，寿命便常存。人如果把酒当水喝，把妄动当作常态，醉酒之后行房事，真气就会耗散。真气耗散后，一身的元气、宗气，以及营气、卫气、中气、胃气，一齐向上奔冲，导致喘息急促，这就是四肢逆冷、脉象沉涩的原因，难道性命还能不倾覆吗？那些因水肿引起的喘息，应按水肿病论治；因风寒引起的喘息，应按风寒病论治；哮症引起的喘息，应按哮症论治；热病引起的喘息，应按热病论治。医经中关于喘息的记载层出不穷，各有其根本原因，单纯只谈喘息的条文只有少数几条。撇开各种病症单独谈论喘息，只有寻找到源头才能见到真正的医学道理。
The *Mai Jing* (Pulse Classic) states: "Regarding the symptom of upper body asthma and rapid breathing, which meridian does it belong to? If the hands and feet are warm and the pulse is slippery, life is sustained. If the pulse is deep and choppy and the limbs are cold, death is inevitable." Let us elaborate on this. What humans rely on for survival is Yuan Qi (Original Qi) and Zong Qi (Chest Qi), but what truly sustains life is Zhen Qi (True Qi). Speaking of the whole body in unity, it is called Yuan Qi. When Yuan Qi is sufficient, respiration naturally follows its normal rhythm; however, if deficiency and timidity arise, the Yin and Yang Qi become chaotic. The Classics state: "Yin contends within, Yang disturbs without, Pore Sweat fails to be stored, and Four Reversals begin to rise; rising, they smoke the Lungs, causing people to pant." At this stage, the body remains warm, and the pulse is mostly deficient and slippery. Ren Shen (Ginseng Root) can restore Yuan Qi from the realm of nothingness (Du Shen Tang [Single Ginseng Decoction]. Empirical Formula: Ren Shen 1 liang, Dang Gui 3 qian, with Sheng Jiang and Da Zao as guides), and the panting will cease spontaneously. Speaking from the Middle Jiao, it is called Zong Qi. Zong Qi transports and ascends/descends, naturally without obstruction; if it becomes encumbered by phlegm stagnation, the Qi of the Yangming becomes depressed. The Classics state: "Evil lodges in the collaterals of Yangyin, causing Qi fullness and panting in the chest." Although the body is warm, the pulse is wiry and slippery. The method should use Fa Xia (Prepared Pinellia Rhizome) to harmonize the Stomach and dry phlegm (Si Qi Tang [Four Seven Decoction]: Ren Shen, Rou Gui, Fa Xia, Zhi Gan Cao, with Sheng Jiang and Da Zao as guides), and the asthma and urgency will be eliminated immediately. As for the single point of True Primal Qi from the congenital origin, this is Zhen Qi. It is supremely empty yet contains supreme existence, supremely void yet governs supreme reality. What drums and surges in the Great Void is Thunder; but what silently operates the drumming is not Thunder, but Zhen Qi. What blows upon all things is Wind; but what drives the blowing is not Wind, but Zhen Qi. Protecting the exterior, traveling within, circulating through the entire body is Qi; but that which acts as the master to circulate it is not Qi itself, but Zhen Qi. Buddhists regulate Qi to realize emptiness, regulating this Qi; Daoists refine Qi to return to truth, refining this Qi; Confucians cultivate Qi to become sages and worthies, cultivating this Qi. Buddhists call it "Zhen Ru" (True Suchness) (Qian Qi's poem to Huaisu: "In drunkenness, one attains Zhen Ru." Liu Yuxi's poem: "The mind grasps Zhen Ru without reading scriptures"); Daoists call it "Mian Mian" (Continuous/Unbroken) (*Daodejing*: "Continuous as if it exists"); Confucians call it "Hao Ran" (Noble Spirit). This Qi, Heaven and Earth obtain it and remain ageless for ten thousand ages; humans guard it and their lifespan often endures. If humans treat wine as water, treat recklessness as routine, and engage in sexual intercourse while drunk, Zhen Qi scatters. Once Zhen Qi scatters, the Yuan Qi, Zong Qi, Ying Qi (Nutritive Qi), Wei Qi (Defensive Qi), Zhong Qi (Middle Qi), and Wei Qi (Stomach Qi) of the entire body rush upward together, causing asthma and urgency. This is why the limbs become cold and the pulse becomes deep and choppy. Can life possibly not collapse? Those asthmatic cases caused by edema should be discussed according to edema; those caused by wind-cold should be discussed according to wind-cold; those caused by asthma syndrome should be discussed according to asthma syndrome; those caused by heat diseases should be discussed according to heat diseases. The Classics mention asthma in layers and repetitions, each having its own root cause. There are only a few passages that speak solely of asthma. To discuss asthma alone while setting aside various syndromes, one must trace back to the source to see true medicine.