天地所生万物，皆感五运六气之化，故不出五气、五味、五色、五行、寒热温凉、升降浮沉之别。
经云∶五味阴阳之用，辛甘发散为阳，酸苦涌泄为阴，淡味渗泄为阳，咸味涌泄为阴，六者或收、或
散、或缓、或急、或燥、或润、或软、或坚，随所利而行之。此物性之纲领也。五气、五味，各归所喜。
酸先入肝，苦先入心，甘先入脾，辛先入肺，咸先入肾。肝色青，宜食甘；心色赤，宜食酸；肺色白，宜
食苦；脾色黄，宜食咸；肾色黑，宜食辛。辛散，酸收，甘缓，苦坚，咸软。毒药攻邪，五谷为养，五果
为助，五畜为益，五菜为充，气味合而服之，以补益精气。四时五脏之病，随五味所宜也。又肝苦急，急
食甘以缓之，欲散，急食辛以散之，用辛补之，酸泻之，心苦缓，急食酸以收之，欲软，急食咸以软之，用
咸补之，甘泻之，脾苦湿，急食苦以燥之，欲缓，急食甘以缓之，用苦泻之，甘补之；肺苦气上逆，急食
苦以泄之，欲收，急食酸以收之，用酸补之，辛泻
之；肾苦燥，急食辛以润之，（辛又能润，为能开发腠理，致津液
通气也。）欲坚，急食苦以坚之，用苦补之，咸泻之。又辛走气，气病无多食辛；咸走血，血病无多食咸；苦走
骨，骨病无多食苦；（《灵枢》苦走血，咸走骨。）甘走肉，肉病
无多食甘；酸走筋，筋病无多食酸。此五味补泻宜忌之纲领也。夫百病之生也，不出乎表里、阴阳、寒
热、虚实。虚者补之，实者泻之，寒者热之，热者寒之，坚者削之，客者除之，劳者温之，（凡甘温、辛温，皆从
补。）结者散之，留者攻之，燥者濡之，急者缓之，散者收之，损者温之，逸者行之，盛者折之，惊者平
之，高者抑之，下者举之，微者逆之，甚者从之，上之下之，摩之浴之，薄之劫之，开之发之，适事为
故，逆者正治，从者反治。此治病之纲领也。万物各有自然之性，凡病自有当然之理，即物以穷其性，即
病以求其理，得其性理，豁然贯通，则天地所生之万物，人生所患之百病，皆归一致矣。用之可十可百，
推之可万可千，岂不绰然有余裕哉！
天地所生的万物，都受到五运六气变化的影响，因此不出于五气、五味、五色、五行以及寒热温凉、升降浮沉的区别。
《内经》说：五味是阴阳作用的表现，辛味和甘味具有发散作用，属于阳；酸味和苦味具有涌吐和泄下的作用，属于阴；淡味具有渗湿和泄下的作用，属于阳；咸味具有涌吐和泄下的作用，属于阴。这六种味道有的收敛、有的发散、有的缓和、有的急迫、有的燥湿、有的润燥、有的软坚、有的坚坚，随着对机体有利的方面而发挥作用。这是药物性质的纲领。五气和五味，各自归属于它们所喜好的脏腑。
酸味先入肝，苦味先入心，甘味先入脾，辛味先入肺，咸味先入肾。肝脏颜色青，适宜食用甘味食物；心脏颜色赤，适宜食用酸味食物；肺脏颜色白，适宜食用苦味食物；脾脏颜色黄，适宜食用咸味食物；肾脏颜色黑，适宜食用辛味食物。辛味能发散，酸味能收敛，甘味能缓和，苦味能坚阴，咸味能软坚。毒药用来攻逐邪气，五谷用来滋养身体，五果用来辅助营养，五畜用来补益身体，五菜用来充实饮食，将气味配合起来服用，以补益精气。四季五脏的疾病，要根据五味的适宜性来调理。
另外，肝气急迫时，急切食用甘味来缓和它；肝气郁结欲散时，急切食用辛味来疏散它，用辛味为补，酸味为泻；心气涣散时，急切食用酸味来收敛它；心气坚凝欲软时，急切食用咸味来软化它，用咸味为补，甘味为泻；脾脏苦于湿困，急切食用苦味来燥湿它；脾气缓弱欲舒缓时，急切食用甘味来缓和它，用苦味为泻，甘味为补；肺脏苦于气机上逆，急切食用苦味来泄降它；肺气耗散欲收敛时，急切食用酸味来收敛它，用酸味为补，辛味为泻；肾脏苦于干燥，急切食用辛味来滋润它（辛味又能滋润，是因为它能开发腠理，使津液通达运行），肾气不固欲坚固时，急切食用苦味来坚固它，用苦味为补，咸味为泻。
另外，辛味走气分，气病不要多吃辛味；咸味走血分，血病不要多吃咸味；苦味走骨，骨病不要多吃苦味（《灵枢经》中说苦走血，咸走骨）；甘味走肌肉，肉病不要多吃甘味；酸味走筋脉，筋病不要多吃酸味。这是五味补泻适宜与禁忌的纲领。
大凡疾病的产生，不出乎表里、阴阳、寒热、虚实的范畴。虚证用补法，实证用泻法，寒证用热药，热证用寒药，坚硬者削之，外邪客者除之，劳倦者温之（凡是甘温、辛温的药物，都属于补法），结聚者散之，留滞者攻之，干燥者濡润之，急迫者缓之，散失者收之，亏损者温之，安逸者行之，盛实者折之，惊恐者平之，上逆者抑之，下陷者举之，病轻者逆治，病重者从治，在上者使之吐出或向下引导，在外者按摩洗浴，在里者攻逐劫夺，闭塞者开通发散，根据病情适当处理为原则，逆其病势为正治，顺其病势为反治。这是治疗疾病的纲领。
万物各有其自然的本性，凡是疾病自有其必然的道理，通过事物来穷究其本性，通过疾病来探求其道理，掌握了事物的本性和疾病的道理，就能豁然贯通，那么天地所生的万物，人所患的各种疾病，都可以归结为一理了。运用它可以灵活多变，推演它可以无穷无尽，难道不是宽绰有余吗！
All things born of heaven and earth are influenced by the transformations of the Five Movements (Wu Yun) and Six Qi (Liu Qi); therefore, they do not transcend the distinctions of Five Qi, Five Flavors, Five Colors, Five Elements, Cold, Heat, Warmth, Coolness, Ascending, Descending, Floating, and Sinking.
The Classics state: The application of Yin and Yang in the Five Flavors is such that Pungent (Xin) and Sweet (Gan) flavors have a dispersing action and belong to Yang; Sour (Suan) and Bitter (Ku) flavors have a vomiting and purging action and belong to Yin; Bland (Dan) flavors have a leaching and purging action and belong to Yang; Salty (Xian) flavors have a vomiting and purging action and belong to Yin. These six flavors may act to astringe, disperse, relax, accelerate, dry, moisten, soften, or harden, acting according to what is beneficial. This is the general principle of drug properties. The Five Qi and Five Flavors each return to their preferred organs.
Sour flavor enters the Liver first; Bitter flavor enters the Heart first; Sweet flavor enters the Spleen first; Pungent flavor enters the Lung first; Salty flavor enters the Kidney first. The Liver's color is Green, so it is suitable to eat Sweet foods; the Heart's color is Red, so it is suitable to eat Sour foods; the Lung's color is White, so it is suitable to eat Bitter foods; the Spleen's color is Yellow, so it is suitable to eat Salty foods; the Kidney's color is Black, so it is suitable to eat Pungent foods. Pungent disperses, Sour astringes, Sweet moderates, Bitter solidifies, and Salty softens. Toxic drugs attack pathogenic factors; Grains nourish; Fruits assist; Meat benefits; Vegetables fill. When taken with combined Qi and Flavor, they tonify Essence and Qi. Diseases of the Zang-Fu organs in the four seasons are regulated according to the suitability of the Five Flavors.
Furthermore, when the Liver suffers from tension (Ji), urgently consume Sweet flavor to moderate it; when the Liver desires dispersion, urgently consume Pungent flavor to disperse it; use Pungent for tonification and Sour for sedation. When the Heart suffers from flaccidity (Huan), urgently consume Sour flavor to astringe it; when the Heart desires softening, urgently consume Salty flavor to soften it; use Salty for tonification and Sweet for sedation. When the Spleen suffers from Dampness, urgently consume Bitter flavor to dry it; when the Spleen desires moderation, urgently consume Sweet flavor to moderate it; use Bitter for sedation and Sweet for tonification. When the Lung suffers from rebellious Qi ascending, urgently consume Bitter flavor to drain it; when the Lung desires astringency, urgently consume Sour flavor to astringe it; use Sour for tonification and Pungent for sedation. When the Kidney suffers from Dryness, urgently consume Pungent flavor to moisten it (Pungent can also moisten because it opens the interstices, allowing fluids to circulate); when the Kidney desires firmness, urgently consume Bitter flavor to firm it; use Bitter for tonification and Salty for sedation.
Furthermore, Pungent travels to Qi; in Qi diseases, do not consume much Pungent. Salty travels to Blood; in Blood diseases, do not consume much Salty. Bitter travels to Bone; in Bone diseases, do not consume much Bitter (The *Ling Shu* states Bitter travels to Blood, Salty travels to Bone). Sweet travels to Flesh; in Flesh diseases, do not consume much Sweet. Sour travels to Sinews; in Sinew diseases, do not consume much Sour. This is the general principle of the indications and contraindications for the tonification and sedation of the Five Flavors.
The generation of all diseases does not go beyond Exterior/Interior, Yin/Yang, Cold/Heat, and Deficiency/Excess. Tonify Deficiency; Drain Excess; Treat Cold with Heat; Treat Heat with Cold; Reduce hardness; Eliminate invaders; Warm exhaustion (all Sweet-Warm and Pungent-Warm substances belong to tonification); Disperse knots; Attack stagnation; Moisten dryness; Moderate urgency; Astringe scattering; Warm damage; Promote movement in lethargy; Break excess; Calm fright; Suppress upward rebellion; Lift downward collapse; Treat mild cases by opposing the disease pattern; Treat severe cases by following the disease pattern; Use emetics or descending methods for upper conditions; Use rubbing and bathing for external conditions; Use drastic measures for internal conditions; Open and vent obstructions; Adapt to the situation as the goal. Opposing the disease pattern is Zheng Zhi (Orthodox Treatment); Following the disease pattern is Fan Zhi (Rebellious Treatment). This is the general principle of treating diseases.
All things have their natural nature; all diseases have their inherent logic. By investigating things to exhaust their nature, and by investigating diseases to seek their logic, once one grasps their nature and logic, one achieves sudden comprehension. Then, all things born of heaven and earth and all diseases suffered by humans can be unified into one principle. Applying this allows for flexibility in tens and hundreds, and deducing it allows for infinity in thousands and ten-thousands. Is this not abundant and sufficient?