草木寒不黄陨，及花发于冬者，得冬令寒水之资也。木生于水，水通于天，水火相济，水由地行，水
气之通于四脏者也。如麦门冬、款冬花、枇杷叶、侧柏叶、山豆根、巴戟天之类，肾之肺药也；黄连、菖
蒲、山桅、南烛、茶花、梅花之类，肾之心药也，浓朴、豆蔻、丁香、枳橘之类，肾之脾药也，菌桂、
竹、密蒙花、女贞实之类，肾之肝药也。夫肾为水脏，受藏五脏之精，而复还出于四脏，入肝为泪，入
心为血，入脾为涎，入肺为涕，上下交通，而外注于九窍。是以得寒水之草木，能启阴气上滋四脏，复能
导四脏之气而下交于阴，又匪独肾气之通于四脏。五脏之气，皆相贯通，而药性亦然。如枣仁脾之心药
也，石斛脾之肾药也，芍药脾之肝药也，桑皮脾之肺药也。类而推之，总不出五行之生化。
经云∶升降浮沉则顺之，寒热温凉则逆之。谓春宜用升，以助生气；夏宜用浮，以助长气，秋时宜
降，以顺收令；冬时宜沉，以顺封藏。此药性之宜顺四时者也。春气温，宜用凉；夏气热，宜用寒；秋气
凉，宜用温；冬气寒，宜用热。此用气之宜逆四时者也，而病亦如之。然时气、病气，又皆有常有变，知其
常变，反其逆从，可以把握阴阳，裁成造化矣。
枣色黄、味甘，脾家果也。夫木末之实，而为心家果者，生化之道也；木末之实，而为脾家果者，制
化之道也。盖天地所生之万物，咸感五运六气之生化，明乎阴阳、生克之理，则凡物之性，可用之而生化于
五脏六腑矣。元如曰∶桃为肺之果，核主利肝血；杏
为心之果，核主利肺气。亦制化之理然与！
草木在寒冷季节不枯黄凋落，以及在冬季开花的，是因为得到了冬季寒水之气的滋养。木气生于水，水气通达于天，水火相互济助，水在地中运行，这是水气通达于四脏（肝、心、脾、肺）的表现。例如麦门冬、款冬花、枇杷叶、侧柏叶、山豆根、巴戟天等，是入肾而作用于肺的药物；黄连、石菖蒲、山栀子、南烛、茶花、梅花等，是入肾而作用于心的药物；厚朴、豆蔻、丁香、枳壳与橘皮等，是入肾而作用于脾的药物；菌桂、竹类、密蒙花、女贞子等，是入肾而作用于肝的药物。肾为水脏，受藏五脏的精气，并将精气返还输布至四脏，进入肝脏化为泪液，进入心脏化为血液，进入脾脏化为涎液，进入肺脏化为鼻涕，上下交通，并外注于九窍。因此，得到寒水之气滋养的草木，能够开启阴气上滋四脏，又能引导四脏之气下交于阴，这不仅仅是肾气通达于四脏的作用。五脏之气，都是相互贯通的，药物的性质也是如此。例如酸枣仁是入脾而作用于心的药物，石斛是入脾而作用于肾的药物，白芍是入脾而作用于肝的药物，桑白皮是入脾而作用于肺的药物。类推此类规律，总不出五行生化之理。
《内经》说：升降浮沉顺应药性趋势，寒热温凉逆对病邪性质。意思是春季适宜使用升散之药，以助长生发之气；夏季适宜使用浮越之药，以助长盛长之气；秋季适宜使用沉降之药，以顺应收敛之令；冬季适宜使用沉潜之药，以顺应封藏之令。这是药物性质适宜顺应四时变化的原则。春天气候温暖，适宜用凉性药；夏天气候炎热，适宜用寒性药；秋天气候凉爽，适宜用温性药；冬天气候寒冷，适宜用热性药。这是运用药气适宜逆对四时气候的原则，疾病的治疗也是如此。然而时令之气和病邪之气，都有常法和变局，通晓其常与变，反向运用逆从之法，就可以把握阴阳，裁成造化之功了。
大枣颜色黄、味道甘，属于脾家的果实。树木末梢结出的果实，却成为心家的果实，这是生化之道；树木末梢结出的果实，却成为脾家的果实，这是制化之道。大概天地所生的万物，都感应五运六气的生化作用，明了阴阳、生克之理，那么万物的性质，就可以用于在五脏六腑中产生生化作用了。元代医家朱丹溪曾说：桃是肺的果实，桃核主要利于肝血；杏是心的果实，杏核主要利于肺气。这也是制化之理的体现吧！
Herbs and trees that do not wither or turn yellow in the cold season, and those that bloom in winter, obtain their nourishment from the cold water energy of winter. Wood is born from Water, Water connects to Heaven, Fire and Water mutually assist each other, Water flows through the earth; this represents the passage of Water Qi (vital energy) to the four Zang organs (Liver, Heart, Spleen, Lung). For instance, Ophiopogonis Radix (Maidong), Daphne Flower (Kudonghua), Loquat Leaf (Pipaye), Biota Leaf (Cebaiye), Kudzu Root (Shandougen), and Morinda Officinalis Root (Bajitian) are herbs entering the Kidney but acting on the Lung; Coptis Rhizome (Huanglian), Acorus Tatarinowii Rhizome (Changpu), Gardenia Fruit (Shanzhi), Myrsine Branch (Nanzhu), Camellia Flower (Chahua), and Plum Blossom (Meihua) are herbs entering the Kidney but acting on the Heart; Magnolia Bark (Houpo), Cardamom Seed (Doukou), Clove (Dingxiang), Aurantium Fruit (Zhiju) are herbs entering the Kidney but acting on the Spleen; Cinnamon Twig (Jun Gui), Bamboo species, Freesia Bulb (Mimenghua), and Ligustrum Lucidum Fruit (Nvzhenzi) are herbs entering the Kidney but acting on the Liver. The Kidney is the Water organ, storing the essence of the five Zang organs, and returning it to circulate to the four Zang organs: entering the Liver as tears, entering the Heart as blood, entering the Spleen as saliva, entering the Lung as nasal mucus. They communicate vertically and horizontally, and externally pour into the nine orifices. Therefore, herbs and plants receiving the nourishment of cold water can initiate Yin Qi to moisten the four Zang organs upwards, and can also guide the Qi of the four Zang organs to descend and connect with Yin. This is not merely the connection of Kidney Qi to the four Zang organs. The Qi of the five Zang organs are all interconnected, and so are the properties of medicines. For example, Schisandra Seed (Zaoren) is an herb entering the Spleen but acting on the Heart; Dendrobium Stem (Shihu) is an herb entering the Spleen but acting on the Kidney; Paeonia Lactiflora Root (Shaoyao) is an herb entering the Spleen but acting on the Liver; Mulberry Root Bark (Sangpi) is an herb entering the Spleen but acting on the Lung. Extending this logic, it all falls within the generation and transformation of the Five Elements.
The Classic states: "Ascending, descending, floating, and sinking should follow the nature [of the disease/herb]; Cold, Heat, Warmth, and Coolness should oppose [the nature of the disease]." This means that in Spring, ascending herbs should be used to aid the Sheng (growth) Qi; in Summer, floating herbs should be used to aid the Zhang (proliferation) Qi; in Autumn, descending herbs should be used to comply with the Shou (harvest/convergence) command; in Winter, sinking herbs should be used to comply with the Cang (storage) command. This refers to the appropriateness of herb properties following the Four Seasons. The climate of Spring is warm, so Cool herbs are appropriate; the climate of Summer is hot, so Cold herbs are appropriate; the climate of Autumn is cool, so Warm herbs are appropriate; the climate of Winter is cold, so Hot herbs are appropriate. This refers to the appropriateness of using Qi to oppose the Four Seasons. Disease treatment follows this principle as well. However, seasonal Qi and pathogenic Qi both have constant patterns and variable changes. Understanding these constants and variables, and reversing the application of opposition and compliance, allows one to grasp Yin and Yang and shape creation.
Jujube has a yellow color and sweet taste, belonging to the fruits of the Spleen. The fruit at the tip of the wood branch becoming the fruit of the Heart represents the Dao of Generation and Transformation; the fruit at the tip of the wood branch becoming the fruit of the Spleen represents the Dao of Restriction and Transformation. Generally, all things born of Heaven and Earth are influenced by the generation and transformation of the Five Movements and Six Qi. Understanding the principles of Yin-Yang and Generation-Overcoming allows the properties of all things to be utilized for generation and transformation within the Five Zang and Six Fu organs. Zhu Danxi once said: Peach is the fruit of the Lung, and its pit primarily benefits Liver Blood; Apricot is the fruit of the Heart, and its pit primarily benefits Lung Qi. Is this not also due to the principle of restriction and transformation?