消导一法，原为内伤饮食而设。若外虽感冒，内不伤食，又何必消导？况有中气虚弱，不能
运化，虚痰停结，症形似实，其实因虚致是，此实中有虚之症，原用不得消导者。故胸不饱
闷，忌消导。右脉空大，胃脉双弦，忌消导。口燥消渴，久病不食，忌消导。时时泄泻，胃
素有病，忌消导。曾服克伐在前，后乃停滞不化者，忌消导。
邪之所凑，其正必虚，故凡外感症，必因元气虚，然后外邪入之。是以仲景一百一十三方，
用人参者居半。盖以元气虚弱之人，患外感必用人参三五分，或入表药之中，扶元气，助药
力，逐出表邪；或入和解药中，扶助胃气，敷布药力，和解邪气内外分消；或入清里药中，
退邪热津液得以自还。例如治太阳表邪不解，脉弱不能作汗，而用人参败毒散者；少阳半表
半里，用和解方中，加人参于柴胡汤者，阳明口干舌燥，用白虎而加人参者。夫曰补虚不过
以人参少许，加入发表、和解、清里药中，同建祛邪去病之功。原非以人参加于补气养荣四
君八物汤中，同行温补之例。
伤寒用补，必得邪散病除，然后补其正气。若邪气方盛，不用祛邪，先用补药。则邪得补愈
甚。方书云∶留而不去，反成其实。是以伤寒初起，未经汗吐下者，忌补虚。阳明胃实，燥
实痞满，忌补虚。胸膈饱闷，身痛无汗，忌补虚。热结在里，脉数沉实，忌补虚。烦躁闷
乱，六脉潜伏，忌补虚。阳症似阴，小便赤涩，忌补虚。 痧未出，忌补虚。大便结硬，忌
补虚。舌刺唇焦，忌补虚。神昏闷乱，忌补虚。热瘀发黄，忌补虚。蓄血发狂，忌补虚。
消导法，原本是为内伤饮食而设立的。如果外感风寒，但内部没有伤食，又何必使用消导法呢？况且中气虚弱，不能运化水谷，导致虚痰停聚结块，症状表现类似实证，但实际上是因为虚损才导致这样的，这是实中有虚的病证，原本就不适用消导法。所以，胸部不饱闷的，忌用消导法。右脉空大，胃脉双弦的，忌用消导法。口燥消渴，久病不能进食的，忌用消导法。时时泄泻，胃素来有病的，忌用消导法。先前服用过克伐（攻逐损伤正气）的药物，之后出现停滞不化的，忌用消导法。
邪气聚集的地方，正气必定虚弱，所以凡是外感病症，一定是因为元气虚弱，然后外邪才能侵入。因此张仲景的一百一十三首方剂中，用人参的占了一半。大概是因为元气虚弱的人，患外感病必须用人参三五分，或者加入解表药中，扶持元气，助长药力，将表邪驱逐出去；或者加入和解药中，扶助胃气，布散药力，使邪气在内外分解消除；或者加入清里药中，退去邪热，使津液得以自行恢复。例如治疗太阳表邪不解，脉弱不能发汗，而用人参败毒散的；少阳半表半里证，在和解方中，于柴胡汤中加入人参的；阳明经口干舌燥，用白虎汤而加人参的。所谓补虚，不过是在发表、和解、清里的药物中加入少许人参，共同建立祛邪治病之功。原本不是将人参加入补气养荣的四君子汤、八物汤中，一同进行温补的例子。
伤寒病使用补法，必须等到邪气消散、疾病除去之后，然后才能补益正气。如果邪气正盛，不使用祛邪方法，先用补药。那么邪气得到补益会更加严重。医书说：“邪气停留不去，反而变成实证。”所以伤寒初起，未经过汗、吐、下法治疗的，忌用补虚法。阳明胃实证，燥实痞满，忌用补虚法。胸膈饱闷，身体疼痛无汗，忌用补虚法。热结在体内，脉数沉实，忌用补虚法。烦躁闷乱，六脉潜伏，忌用补虚法。阳症似阴，小便赤涩，忌用补虚法。痧疹未出，忌用补虚法。大便结硬，忌用补虚法。舌生芒刺嘴唇焦枯，忌用补虚法。神志昏迷闷乱，忌用补虚法。热瘀发黄，忌用补虚法。蓄血发狂，忌用补虚法。
The method of digestion-promoting and food-resolving is originally established for internal injury due to diet. If there is an external contraction but no internal food stagnation, why use digestion-promoting methods? Moreover, if the Middle Jiao Qi is weak and unable to transform and transport, leading to the retention and accumulation of deficiency-phlegm, presenting symptoms resembling excess, this is actually caused by deficiency; it is a syndrome of excess containing deficiency, which originally should not be treated with digestion-promoting methods. Therefore, when there is no fullness or oppression in the chest, digestion-promoting methods are contraindicated. When the right pulse is empty and large, and the stomach pulse is double-string-like, digestion-promoting methods are contraindicated. When there is dry mouth and excessive thirst, or inability to eat after a long illness, digestion-promoting methods are contraindicated. When there is frequent diarrhea, or a pre-existing stomach disease, digestion-promoting methods are contraindicated. When previous treatment involved the use of harsh purgatives (draining and damaging healthy Qi), followed by stagnation and failure to digest, digestion-promoting methods are contraindicated.
Where pathogenic factors gather, healthy Qi must be deficient. Therefore, in all exterior contraction syndromes, it is necessary that Healthy Qi (Yuan Qi) is deficient before external pathogens can invade. Thus, among Zhang Zhongjing's 113 formulas, half contain Ginseng Radix et Rhizoma (Renshen). This is because for individuals with deficient Healthy Qi suffering from exterior contraction, one must add three to five fen of Ginseng Radix et Rhizoma (Renshen). It may be added to exterior-releasing medicines to support Healthy Qi and assist medicinal power, driving out exterior pathogens; or added to harmonizing medicines to support Stomach Qi and distribute medicinal power, harmonizing and dispersing pathogens inside and outside; or added to interior-clearing medicines to reduce pathogenic heat, allowing body fluids to return naturally. For example, in treating unresolved Taiyang exterior pathogens with a weak pulse unable to produce sweat, Ren Shen Bai Du San (Ginseng Decoction to Overcome Toxicity) is used; in Shaoyang half-exterior half-interior conditions, Ginseng Radix et Rhizoma (Renshen) is added to Chai Hu Tang (Bupleurum Decoction) within harmonizing formulas; in Yangming dry mouth and tongue dryness, Renshen is added to Bai Hu Tang (White Tiger Decoction). The term "tonifying deficiency" here refers only to adding a small amount of Ginseng Radix et Rhizoma (Renshen) to exterior-releasing, harmonizing, or interior-clearing medicines to jointly achieve the effect of expelling pathogens and curing disease. It is originally not about adding Ginseng Radix et Rhizoma (Renshen) into tonifying Qi and nourishing blood formulas like Si Jun Zi Tang (Four Gentlemen Decoction) or Ba Wu Tang (Eight Substance Decoction) for concurrent warm-tonification.
In treating Shanghan (Cold Damage) with tonification, one must wait until pathogens are scattered and diseases removed before tonifying Healthy Qi. If pathogens are abundant and one does not use methods to expel pathogens but instead uses tonifying medicines first, the pathogens will become more severe due to the tonification. Medical texts state: "If pathogens remain and do not depart, they turn into excess." Therefore, at the initial stage of Shanghan, before sweating, vomiting, or purging methods have been applied, tonifying deficiency is contraindicated. In Yangming Stomach excess syndrome with dryness, excess, fullness, and oppression, tonifying deficiency is contraindicated. With chest and diaphragm fullness/oppression, body pain, and absence of sweat, tonifying deficiency is contraindicated. With heat binding internally and a rapid, deep, and solid pulse, tonifying deficiency is contraindicated. With irritability, restlessness, and hidden pulses in all six positions, tonifying deficiency is contraindicated. In Yang syndromes resembling Yin, with red and scanty urine, tonifying deficiency is contraindicated. Before sha-rash (scarlet fever-like rash) has erupted, tonifying deficiency is contraindicated. With hard and bound stools, tonifying deficiency is contraindicated. With prickly tongue and scorched lips, tonifying deficiency is contraindicated. With mental confusion and restlessness, tonifying deficiency is contraindicated. With jaundice due to heat-stasis, tonifying deficiency is contraindicated. With blood stasis causing mania, tonifying deficiency is contraindicated.