典藏书目

Gentlemen do not enjoy debating with ancients to seek fame. It is because if an ancient text contains one error, it may become a calamity for thousands of generations; if its falsehood is not proven, although one might claim humility and forbearance, what would be the consequence for human life? For instance, in Volume 23 of the selected *Shenghui Fang* (Holy Benefit Formulas), discussing leukorrhea (vaginal discharge) of red and white colors in women, it states: "Leukorrhea in women arises from excessive mental labor, which damages the menstrual blood, causing bodily deficiency. The body then receives wind-cold, which enters the bladder collaterals, transmitting to the blood formed therein." Additionally, in Volume 44 of the Internal Section of Chao Yuanfang's *Zhubing Yuanhou Lun* (General Treatise on the Origins and Symptoms of All Diseases), it discusses the Ren Mai (Conception Vessel) as the sea of the meridians. When the Ren Mai is diseased, women present with leukorrhea. The Hand-Taiyang Meridian is the meridian of the Small Intestine, and the Hand-Shaoyin Meridian is the meridian of the Heart. The Heart is a Zang organ, governing the interior; the Small Intestine is a Fu organ, governing the exterior. The blood of these two meridians, in women, transforms upward into milk and downward into menstruation, both governed by the Chong Mai (Penetrating Vessel) and Ren Mai. Since the Chong and Ren vessels originate within the uterus, excessive sexual intercourse can damage the uterine collaterals. Thus, wind-pathogens enter the uterus vacuously, damaging the Chong and Ren vessels and injuring the blood of the Taiyang and Shaoyang meridians. This causes foul matter and blood to mix and flow down as leukorrhea; when cold predominates, white discharge is abundant; when heat predominates, red discharge is abundant. Both schools of thought are incorrect.

In treating disease, one must first understand the meridians. In the Twelve Meridians of the *Ling Shu* (Spiritual Pivot), there are "Diseases of Movement" (*Shi Dong*) and "Diseases of Generation" (*Suo Sheng*). There are twelve major meridians and eight extraordinary vessels. This means that besides the twelve major meridians, there are these eight additional pathways. The twelve major meridians and eight extraordinary vessels circulate throughout the body. Together, there are twenty meridian pathways, flowing up and down, interconnecting and circling continuously without rest, mirroring the degrees of heavenly movement. Starting from the Hand-Taiyin Lung Meridian, qi travels through the yang twenty-five degrees and through the yin twenty-five degrees, finally returning to the Hand-Taiyin Lung Meridian. However, among these twenty meridian pathways, only nineteen actually circulate up and down. Only the Dai Mai (Girdle Vessel) originates at the end of the lateral hypochondrium of the lower abdomen, specifically at the Zhangmen (LR13) acupoint. It circles the body once, having no beginning or end, passing through the bladder collaterals, binding the body like a sash. The *Nan Jing* (Classic of Difficult Issues) states: "When the Dai Mai is diseased, the patient feels loose and weak, as if sitting in water." The Chong and Ren vessels are the seas of the meridians, following the abdomen and flanks, flanking the umbilicus, flowing to the Qichong (ST30) acupoint, connecting to the Dai Mai, and linking to the Du Mai (Governor Vessel). The Du Mai originates at the Guanyuan (CV4) acupoint; the Ren Mai is the site where women nourish the fetus. The Du Mai is the governor and leader of the women's meridian sea. The Chong, Ren, and Du vessels share a common origin but different paths, branching from one source into three, all linking to the Dai Mai. These three vessels are all controlled by the Chuankou (perineal area), patrol the genitalia, and run along the upper ends of the urethral and anal openings. The Chong, Ren, and Du vessels are bound by the Dai Mai.

Because other meridians circulate up and down, they leave residual heat in the Dai Mai. Heat refers to blood. If blood accumulates for many days without flowing, fire follows the transformation of Metal. Metal is described as changing and becoming white. Riding on the stagnant heat in the lower abdomen, white slippery substances overflow and flow down with urine, continuously without stopping, usually without pain. If there is pain, it is due to obstruction and blockage, causing pain from stagnation. The *Nei Jing* (Inner Canon) states: "Stagnant heat in the lower abdomen causes white fluid to exit via urination." 'Yuan' (stagnation/oppression) implies屈曲滞塞 (bending and stagnation); the disease does not originate in this meridian but is caused by oppression from another meridian. 'Yuan' is sometimes written as 'Ke' (guest). 'Guest' implies lodging. Residual guest-heat lodged in the lower abdomen, remaining for a long time, transforms into white via Metal. If considering dysentery with red and white stools, the red represents new accumulation originating from Heart Fire; the white represents old accumulation originating from Lung Metal. Therefore, dysentery with red and white stools should not be arbitrarily divided into cold and heat, but treated based on whether the accumulation is new or old. Consider abscesses and boils: initially red blood appears, followed by white pus upon ulceration; how could this be considered a cold condition? Yet patients do not believe this; this is a point frequently made by Liu Hejian of today! Everyone claims that more cold results in white discharge, using Ganjiang (Dried Ginger), Chishizhi (Halloysitum Rubrum), and Taohua Wan (Peach Blossom Pill) to treat dysentery. Although cured, blood diseases will inevitably arise later. Similarly, for leukorrhea, directly using Baishao (White Peony Root) and Ganjiang (Dried Ginger) may cure the discharge, but urination will certainly become difficult. In treating diarrhea/dysentery and leukorrhea, one must never abruptly use harsh hot medicines to dry dampness. Drying with heat depletes internal fluids; depleted internal fluids cause vexation and thirst; vexation and thirst lead to difficult urination; difficult urination leads to swollen feet and puffy face, gradually progressing to an incurable state.

The *Nei Jing* states: "Endless thoughts and unfulfilled desires, with lustful intentions directed outward, and excessive sexual activity, lead to Sinew Withering (Jin Wei)." Excessive discharge of white material, resembling semen, exits with urine in men and flows continuously in women. The *Zuo Zhuan* (Commentary of Zuo) states: "A young man bewitched by an older woman creates the image of wind falling from the mountain, which is the disease of Gu (poison/charm)." The character 'Gu' consists of three insects in a vessel. This arises from longing for sexual desire, leading to internal erosion; it is extremely inadvisable to attack it with drying-hot medicines. Gradually, if the body becomes emaciated and the pulse large, death is inevitable and untreatable. Furthermore, dysentery with red and white stools involves pathogenic heat transmitting to the Large Intestine, exiting the Guangchang (rectum) as red and white. Leukorrhea involves transmission to the Small Intestine, entering the bladder meridian to discharge red and white. Based on these two conditions, both can be treated using methods for dampness. First, use Daoshui San (Water-Guiding Powder) and Yugong San (Yu Gong Powder) to purge downwards; then use bland agents to descend Heart Fire and benefit Kidney Water, promoting urination and separating water pathways, after which the disease will heal spontaneously.

Previously, a woman from Dunqiu suffered from continuous leukorrhea, with white discharge occurring intermittently, for three years. She asked me to diagnose her pulse. Palpating both hands, the pulses were slippery, large, and forceful, beating six to seven times per breath. She frequently experienced upper-body heat, dry mouth, and dizziness, often vomiting acidic water. I knew she had cold phlegm stagnating in the chest. Using Genti San (Melon Seed Powder) to induce vomiting, she expelled two to three sheng of cold phlegm, mostly acidic water, occasionally yellow saliva resembling rotten glue. Next, porridge was used to nourish Stomach Qi; then Daoshui and Yugong powders were used to purge the lower jiao; finally, bland diuretic herbs were used to promote water metabolism. Within a few days, she recovered.

I truly comprehended what the *Nei Jing* says: "For disease above, treat below; for disease below, treat above." It also states: "What is high, lower it; what is low, raise it." Although this method exists, one must not adhere to it rigidly; one must carefully distinguish deficiency and excess before applying it. Thus, I know that the discussion of wind-cold in leukorrhea in the selected *Shenghui Fang*, and Chao's theory of red-heat and white-cold, contradict the *Nan Jing* and *Su Wen*. I dare not recklessly criticize sages, but fear that future students will become confused and blindly follow them. If ignorant people, without examining the patient's pulse or investigating their meridians, rashly judge cold and heat and trust in violent hot prescriptions, and make a mistake, regret will come too late. Alas! Once human life is lost, can it be restored? Dysentery with red and white stools and leukorrhea with red and white discharge do not directly cause death. The *Nei Jing* only states that bloody stool with warm blood and feverous body indicates death. Leukorrhea, white fluid, Gu disease, and Kidney Consumption cannot directly cause death. Those who die do so due to medication errors.