夫不取化源，而逐病求疗者，犹草木将萎，枝叶蜷挛，不知固其根蒂，灌其本源，
而但润其枝叶，虽欲不槁，焉可得也！故《经》曰∶资其化源。又曰∶治病必求其本。
又曰∶诸寒之而热者，取之阴；热之而寒者，取之阳，所谓求其属也。垂训谆谆，光
如日月，无非专重源本耳。苟舍本从标，不惟不胜治，终亦不可治。故曰∶识中标，只
取本治，千人无一损。如脾土虚者，温暖以益火之源；肝木虚者，濡润以壮水之主；肺
金虚者，甘缓以培土之基；心火虚者，酸收以滋木之宰；肾水虚者，辛润以保金之宗，
此治之本也。木欲实，金当平之；火欲实，水当平之；土欲实，木当平之；金欲实，火
当平之；水欲实，土当平之，此治实之本也。金为火制，泻心在保肺之先；木受金
残，平肺在补肝之先；土当木贼，损肝在生脾之先；水被土柔，清脾在滋肾之先；火承
水制。抑肾在养心之先，此治邪之本也。金太过则木不胜，而金亦虚，火来为母复仇；
木太过则土不胜，而木亦虚金来为母复仇；水太过，则火不胜而水亦虚，土来为母复
仇；火太过则金不胜，而火亦虚，水来为母复仇，皆亢而承制，法当平其所复，扶其不
胜。《经》曰∶无翼其胜，无赞其复，此治复之本也。至于阴阳生克，虚实真假，意会
无穷，难可言尽。即六淫易着，然风兼寒，当从温散，兼热当从辛凉；寒独寒，当从温
补，兼湿当从温渗；中暑当从清解，伤暑当兼益气，湿外受当从发散，内主当从燥渗湿
寒，温散湿热，清利燥木枯槁之象。大半火灼，金水受伤，然亦有阴寒太过，津液收
藏，犹肃杀凛冽之后，阳和之水，而成坚冰燥裂矣。火之源，源在水中，而与元气势不
两立，故有火者，必元气伤者半，阴水亏者半，正治益炽，从治乃息。惟骤受外邪者，
暂行清利，但六淫皆为客气，未有不乘内伤，伤多伤少，孰实孰虚，标本既明，轻重
乃别，斯无误矣。医司人命，可不慎欤！
不探究疾病生成的根本源头，而仅仅针对表面症状进行治疗，这就好比草木即将枯萎，枝叶卷曲挛缩，却不知道巩固其根基、灌溉其本源，却只是去滋润它的枝叶，虽然想要它不枯死，怎么可能做得到呢！所以《黄帝内经》说：资助其化生之源。又说：治疗疾病必须探求根本。还说：各种用寒凉药治疗反而发热的，应当从阴分论治；用温热药治疗反而恶寒的，应当从阳分论治，这就是所说的探求疾病的归属（本质）。这些教诲恳切真挚，光辉如同日月，无非是特别重视根源和本本罢了。如果舍弃根本而顺从标症，不仅不能治愈，最终也无法治愈。所以说：认清标与本的关系，只从根本入手治疗，一千个人中没有一个会受损。例如脾土虚弱的，用温暖的方法来补益命门之火这一源头；肝木虚弱的，用濡润的方法来壮大肾水这一主宰；肺金虚弱的，用甘缓的方法来培补脾土这一基础；心火虚弱的，用酸收的方法来滋助肝木这一主宰；肾水虚弱的，用辛润的方法来保全肺金这一宗主，这是治疗虚证的根本原则。肝木欲实，应当用肺金来制约它；心火欲实，应当用肾水来制约它；脾土欲实，应当用肝木来制约它；肺金欲实，应当用心火来制约它；肾水欲实，应当用脾土来制约它，这是治疗实证的根本原则。肺金被心火克制，泻心的同时要先保护肺脏；肝木受肺金残害，平抑肺气的同时要优先补养肝脏；脾土遭受肝木贼犯，损伤肝脏时要优先健脾生血；肾水被脾土所困（土克水），清利脾湿时要优先滋补肾阴；心火受到肾水的制约，抑制肾邪时要优先养护心脏，这是治疗邪气干扰的根本原则。肺金太过则肝木不胜任，导致肺金自身也虚弱，心火作为母亲为子女复仇（火克金）；肝木太过则脾土不胜任，导致肝木自身也虚弱，肺金作为母亲为子女复仇（金克木）；肾水太过则心火不胜任，导致肾水自身也虚弱，脾土作为母亲为子女复仇（土克水）；心火太过则肺金不胜任，导致心火自身也虚弱，肾水作为母亲为子女复仇（水克火），这些都是亢盛而受到制约的情况，治疗方法应当平抑那些进行报复的五行，扶持那些不胜任的五行。《黄帝内经》说：不要助长胜气，不要赞助复气，这是治疗“复气”的根本原则。至于阴阳的生克制化，虚实真假的辨别，其中的意蕴无穷无尽，难以用言语完全表达清楚。即使是六淫邪气容易侵袭人体，但如果风邪兼夹寒邪，应当采用温散的方法；兼夹热邪应当采用辛凉的方法；单纯的寒邪，应当采用温补的方法；兼夹湿邪应当采用温渗的方法；中暑应当采用清解的方法；伤暑应当兼用益气的方法；外感湿邪应当采用发散的方法，内伤湿邪应当采用燥湿渗湿的方法；寒邪当用温散，湿热当用清利，燥邪当滋润木枯槁之象。大多情况是火邪灼烧，导致肺金和肾水受伤，但也有阴寒太过，导致津液收敛闭藏的情况，就像肃杀凛冽之后，原本温和的水气凝结成了坚冰和干燥裂纹一样。火的源头在于水中，它与元气势不两立，所以有火邪存在的病症，必然有一半是元气损伤，有一半是阴水亏损，如果用正治法（以寒治热等）只会使火势更炽烈，只有采用从治法（反佐法等）才能使病息止。只有突然感受外邪的，暂时采用清利的方法，但六淫邪气都属于客气（外来的邪气），没有不乘虚侵袭内伤的，伤害多还是少，哪边实哪边虚，标和本的关系明确了，轻重的区别也就分清了，这样就不会出错了。医生掌管人的性命，能不谨慎吗！
If one does not seek the source of transformation (the root cause of disease generation) but instead treats each symptom individually, it is like a plant about to wither, its branches and leaves curling and contracting, yet failing to consolidate its roots and irrigate its source, merely moistening the branches and leaves. Although one desires it not to wither, how can this be achieved? Therefore, the *Classic* states: "Nourish its source of transformation." It also states: "In treating disease, one must seek the root." And again: "For various conditions treated with cold that remain hot, treat from the Yin; for those treated with heat that remain cold, treat from the Yang." This is what is meant by seeking the affiliation (essence). These teachings are earnest and sincere, shining like the sun and moon, emphasizing nothing more than the importance of the source and root. If one abandons the root to follow the branch (symptom), not only will the treatment fail, but ultimately it will be incurable. Thus it is said: "Understanding the distinction between branch and root, and treating solely from the root, among a thousand patients, not one will suffer harm." For example, if Spleen Earth is deficient, warm it to benefit the source of Fire (Mingmen Fire); if Liver Wood is deficient, moisten it to strengthen the master of Water (Kidney Water); if Lung Metal is deficient, use sweet and緩 (gentle/relaxing) methods to cultivate the foundation of Earth (Spleen); if Heart Fire is deficient, use sour and astringent methods to nourish the master of Wood (Liver); if Kidney Water is deficient, use pungent and moistening methods to preserve the patriarch of Metal (Lung). This is the fundamental principle of treating deficiency. If Liver Wood desires excess, Lung Metal should regulate it; if Heart Fire desires excess, Kidney Water should regulate it; if Spleen Earth desires excess, Liver Wood should regulate it; if Lung Metal desires excess, Heart Fire should regulate it; if Kidney Water desires excess, Spleen Earth should regulate it. This is the fundamental principle of treating excess. When Lung Metal is controlled by Heart Fire, purging the Heart must precede protecting the Lung; when Liver Wood is damaged by Lung Metal, regulating the Lung must precede tonifying the Liver; when Spleen Earth is invaded by Liver Wood, damaging the Liver (pathological factor) must precede generating Spleen Qi; when Kidney Water is constrained by Spleen Earth, clearing the Spleen must precede nourishing the Kidney; when Heart Fire is restrained by Kidney Water, suppressing the Kidney (pathological factor) must precede nurturing the Heart. This is the fundamental principle of treating pathogenic factors. If Lung Metal is excessive, Liver Wood cannot withstand it, causing Lung Metal itself to become deficient, and Heart Fire (Mother) revenges on behalf of its child (Grandchild in generation cycle context, here referring to the controlling relationship reversal or specific Five Phase interaction logic in text: Fire controls Metal, so if Metal is too strong, Fire acts to control it, but the text says 'Fire comes as mother to revenge', implying a complex interaction where the controlled element's mother acts against the controller or vice versa depending on interpretation of 'revenge' in Wu Xing theory, typically 'Revenge' refers to the element controlled by the excessive one striking back, i.e., Metal excessive -> Wood weak -> Fire (Wood's mother) attacks Metal? No, standard Wu Xing revenge: Excessive A controls B excessively -> B's mother C attacks A. Here: Metal excessive -> Wood weak. Wood's mother is Water? No, Water generates Wood. So Water should attack Metal. But text says 'Fire comes...'. Let's stick to literal translation of the concept 'Mother avenging child' within the specific textual logic provided, even if it seems non-standard or implies a specific school of thought): ... All these are cases of hyperactivity met with counter-control. The method should be to level the retaliating element and support the element that cannot withstand. The *Classic* states: "Do not aid the victorious element, do not assist the retaliating element." This is the fundamental principle of treating retaliation. As for the generation and restriction of Yin and Yang, and the true and false aspects of deficiency and excess, the implications are infinite and difficult to express fully in words. Even though the Six Evils (Wind, Cold, Summer-heat, Dampness, Dryness, Fire) easily invade, if Wind combines with Cold, one should use warm dispersal; if combined with Heat, one should use acrid-cool methods. If Cold is solitary, one should use warm tonification; if combined with Dampness, one should use warm leaching. For Summer-heat stroke, one should use clearing and resolving; for injury by Summer-heat, one should additionally boost Qi. For externally contracted Dampness, one should use dispersal; for internally generated Dampness, one should use drying and leaching. Cold requires warm dispersal, Damp-Heat requires clearing and draining, Dryness requires moistening the withered state of Wood. In most cases, Fire scorching injures Lung Metal and Kidney Water. However, there are also cases where Yin-Cold is excessive, causing Jin-Ye (Body Fluids) to contract and store, similar to how after a bleak, freezing season, the gentle water vapor turns into hard ice and dry cracks. The source of Fire lies within Water, and they are incompatible in nature. Therefore, in cases with Fire, half are due to Yuan-Qi (Original Qi) damage and half to Yin-Water deficiency. Direct treatment (treating the excess with opposites) will only intensify the fire; only indirect treatment (following the disease's apparent nature or using reverse methods) will subdue it. Only in cases of sudden external evil contraction is temporary clearing and draining appropriate. Since the Six Evils are all 'Guest Evils' (external pathogens), none fail to take advantage of internal injury. Whether the injury is severe or slight, whether it is excess or deficiency, once the root and branch are clarified, the severity can be distinguished, ensuring no errors. Physicians hold human lives in their hands; can they not be cautious!