《经》曰∶精神内守，病安从来？又曰∶邪之所凑，其正必虚。不治其虚，安问其
余？可见，虚为百病之由，治虚为去病之要焉。故风寒外感，表气必虚；饮食内伤，中
气必弱∶易感寒者，真阳必亏；易伤热者，真阴必耗。正气旺者，虽有强邪，亦不能
感，感亦必轻，故多无病，病亦易愈。正气弱者，虽即微邪，亦得易袭，袭则必重，故
最多病，病亦难痊。治之者，明此标本轻重之道，以投顾主逐客之方，则重者轻，而轻
者愈。要知精神内长于中，邪气自解于外，精神耗散于内，即我身之津液气血无所主
军，皆可内起为火，为痰而成邪，岂必待外因所致哉！倘不知此，徒知或从表以发散，
或从里以克削，现下已有之虚，不为补救，未来无影之邪，妄肆祛除，有是病者，病受
何妨？无是病者，正气益困，以致精神疲惫，性命昏沉。若不急为猛省，峻加挽救之
功，何以续一息于垂绝！奈俗以虚极，不可大补，些小调益，何异深沉海底，轻扶一臂
之力，以望援溺之功哉！况有复加峻削寒凉者，更似入井而反下石耳。且诸病不论虚
实，未有不发热者，然此热非从外来，即我所仗生生之少火，有所激而成壮火，为壮热
也，犹人天禀和平之性，有所触而为恼怒。不平之气，如物之不得其平而鸣，鸣之者，
即是物也，调之者，和其物则宁，非必去是物也。壮火者，少火受伤，发泄之时也。恼
怒者，和性受伤，乖变之际也。不为调之、益之，反为攻之、逐之，虚虚之祸，势不旋
踵，故壮火即由少火之变，少火非火，乃丹田生生真元之阳气，一呼一吸，赖以有生，
即人之受胎，先禀此命。《经》曰∶一息不运则机缄穷。故此火也、气也，皆为无形，
有神有情，而为生身之至宝，是真阳之宗也，元气之本也，化生之源也，长生之基
也。命门坎宫，是其宅也，蒸腐水谷，化生精华，得其平则安其位，万象泰然，生生无
穷。失其平，则离其位而为壮火，反为元气之贼，浮游乎三焦，蒸烁乎脏腑，炮炽乎肌
肉而为病矣。不治此火，则何以去病？然欲去此火，更河以得生？只有因所因以调之，
安之、从之、抚之，以平为已。则火不去，而安全无恙，病既退而元气无伤，则火原为
我用之至宝矣。若恶其热而欲直灭其火，非灭火也，是犹灭气也。鱼一刻无水即死，人
一刻无气即亡，气可灭乎！况以有形无情之药，妄攻有情无形之气，欲不受伤，其可得
乎！但火空则发，若不大为填塞其空，焉可御其乘空炎上之势？若欲火退而后补，孰知
火之为害甚速，而与元气势不两立，所谓壮火蚀气，火炽气日消亡。且火之为用，每挟
风木之象，力穷乃止，止则火息，阳亡脱症具备，方议补之，已无受补之具矣。况有进
浓云骤雨之药，益令龙雷妄炽，以速焚灼之害哉！倘禀受壮盛，或从寒凉折之而愈
者，但病愈之后，必真气渐衰，精神不长，纵先天真元不足者，若从本调治，则病去之
后，发生之势日隆，后天之长反旺，故曰∶识中标，只取本治于人，无一损，正重此
也。古人治病，重于求本，故令人寿命弥长。今人勿察其源，近从肤见，以寒治热，
以热治寒，阴阳真假之象，从治正治之宜，顾本穷源之要，置之勿问，以致近害天柱日
多，远害先后并薄矣。凡业司命者，可不潜心默会其旨乎？！
《黄帝内经》说：精神内守，病安从来？又说：邪气聚集的地方，正气必然虚弱。如果不治疗正气的虚弱，还谈什么其他的病症呢？由此可见，虚损是各种疾病的根源，治疗虚损是去除疾病的关键。所以，风寒外感，体表的卫气必然虚弱；饮食内伤，中焦脾胃之气必然虚弱；容易感受寒邪的人，真阳必然亏损；容易感受热邪的人，真阴必然耗损。正气旺盛的人，即使有强烈的邪气侵袭，也不能致病，即使被侵袭也病情轻微，所以大多没有疾病，即使生病也容易痊愈。正气虚弱的人，即使是轻微的邪气，也容易受到侵袭，一旦受袭病情必然严重，所以最容易生病，且疾病难以痊愈。治病的人，明白了标本轻重的道理，采用扶正祛邪的方剂，那么重症就会减轻，轻症就会痊愈。要知道，精神在体内充盈，邪气自然会在体外消散；如果精神在体内耗散，那么我身体的津液气血就失去了主宰，都会在内部化为火、化为痰而成为邪气，哪里一定要等待外因所致呢！如果不知道这个道理，只知道或者从体表发散，或者从体内攻伐削减，对现在已经存在的虚损不加以补救，对尚未出现的无形邪气妄加祛除，对于有病的人来说，病邪或许无妨；但对于没有病的人来说，正气会更加困顿，导致精神疲惫，性命危在旦夕。如果不紧急醒悟，大力进行挽救之功，怎么能在生命垂绝之际延续一口气呢！无奈世俗之人认为虚损到了极点，不能大补，只是稍微调益，这就像在深沉的海底，只轻轻扶一下手臂的力量，却希望达到援救溺水者的功效啊！况且还有人再加上峻烈攻伐、寒凉的药物，这更像是把人推下井后又往井下扔石头。而且各种疾病不论虚实，没有不发热的，然而这种热不是从外面来的，就是我赖以生存的少火（生理之火），有所激惹而变成了壮火（病理之火），成为壮热，就像人天生平和的性格，受到触动而变成恼怒。不平之气，就像物体失去平衡而发出声音，发出声音的，就是物体本身，调和它，让物体恢复平衡就安静了，不一定非要去掉这个物体。壮火，是因为少火受伤，发泄的时候产生的。恼怒，是因为平和的本性受伤，乖变的时候产生的。不调和它、补益它，反而去攻伐它、驱逐它，造成“虚虚”（使虚者更虚）的祸患，势必要立刻发生。所以壮火是由少火变化而来的，少火并不是普通的火，而是丹田生生不息的真元阳气，依靠一呼一吸维持生命，人在受胎之初，先禀赋了这种命根。《内经》说：一息不运则机缄穷（呼吸停止，生命机能就穷尽）。所以这种火、这种气，都是无形的，有神有情，是生成身体的至宝，是真阳的宗主，元气的根本，化生的源头，长生的基础。命门坎宫，是它的宅舍，蒸腐水谷，化生精华，得到平衡就安守其位，万象泰然，生生无穷。失去平衡，就离开其位变成壮火，反而成为元气的贼寇，浮游在三焦，蒸灼脏腑，炮炽肌肉而成为疾病了。不治疗这种火，怎么能去除疾病？然而想要去除这种火，又凭什么得以生存？只有顺着病因来调和它，安抚它、顺从其性、抚慰它，以平静为最终目的。那么火不去除，身体也能安全无恙，疾病既然退去而元气没有损伤，那么火原本就是我们使用的至宝了。如果厌恶它的发热而想要直接扑灭它，这不是灭火，这是灭气。鱼一刻没有水就会死，人一刻没有气就会亡，气可以灭吗！况且用有形无情的药物，妄自攻伐有情无形的气，想要不受损伤，怎么可能呢！但是火在空虚处就会爆发，如果不大为填塞其空虚，怎么能抵御它乘空炎上的气势？如果想要等火退了再进补，谁知道火的危害非常迅速，它与元气势不两立，所谓壮火蚀气，火炽盛则气日渐消亡。而且火的作用，常常挟带风木之象，力量耗尽才停止，停止则火熄灭，阳气亡脱的症状全部具备，这时才商议进补，已经没有接受补益的身体条件了。况且有人进服如浓云骤雨般峻烈的药物，更加令龙雷之火妄动炽盛，加速焚灼的危害啊！如果禀赋强壮，或者通过寒凉药物折服而痊愈的，但病愈之后，真气必然逐渐衰弱，精神不能生长，即使是先天真元不足的人，如果从本源调治，那么在病去之后，发生生长的势头日益隆盛，后天的滋养反而旺盛，所以说：识得标与本，只取本治于人，没有任何损害，正是重视这一点。古人治病，重于求本，所以让人寿命更长。今人不考察源头，局限于肤浅的见解，以寒治热，以热治寒，阴阳真假的现象，从治正治的适宜原则，顾本穷源的要领，置之不问，导致近害天柱（指支撑生命的支柱）的日子越来越多，远害先后天（先天与后天）都薄弱了。凡是从事医生职业的人，能不潜心默会其中的旨意吗？！
The *Classic* (Huangdi Neijing) states: "If spirit and essence are kept within, how can disease arise?" It also states: "Where pathogenic factors gather, the righteous qi must be deficient." If one does not treat the deficiency, what is there to ask about other matters? Thus, it is evident that deficiency is the origin of all diseases, and treating deficiency is the key to eliminating disease. Therefore, in cases of external contraction of wind-cold, the defensive qi at the exterior must be deficient; in cases of internal injury from diet, the middle qi must be weak. Those easily susceptible to cold have a definite deficiency of true yang; those easily injured by heat have a definite consumption of true yin. When righteous qi is vigorous, even strong pathogens cannot cause disease; if contracted, the condition will necessarily be mild, so most people remain healthy, and if ill, they recover easily. When righteous qi is weak, even slight pathogens can easily attack; once attacked, the condition will necessarily be severe, so illness occurs most frequently and is difficult to cure. The practitioner, understanding the principles of root and branch, severity and lightness, and administering formulas that support the host and expel the guest, will see severe conditions become mild, and mild conditions resolve. One must know that when spirit and essence grow within, pathogenic qi naturally resolves externally; when spirit and essence dissipate internally, the body's fluids, blood, and qi lose their commander, and can transform internally into fire and phlegm, becoming pathogenic. Must one wait for external causes? If one does not understand this, and merely knows to either disperse from the exterior or purge from the interior, without remedying existing deficiencies, but rashly removing future, shadowless pathogens, then for those with disease, the pathology may suffer little harm; but for those without disease, righteous qi becomes further constrained, leading to spiritual exhaustion and life sinking into darkness. If one does not urgently awaken and exert drastic rescue efforts, how can one sustain a single breath on the verge of death! Yet, common practice holds that extreme deficiency cannot be greatly tonified; slight adjustment and benefit are like lightly supporting an arm in deep sea waters, hoping to achieve the merit of rescuing a drowning person. Moreover, adding drastic purging and cooling herbs is like pushing someone into a well and then throwing stones after them. Furthermore, regardless of whether various diseases are excess or deficiency, none do not present with fever. However, this heat does not come from outside, but is the shengsheng (life-generating) minor fire (Shaohuo), provoked into major fire (Zhuanghuo), resulting in high fever. It is like a person's naturally peaceful temperament being triggered into anger. Unbalanced qi is like an object out of balance making a sound; the thing making the sound is the object itself. To harmonize it, one calms the object, one does not necessarily remove the object. Major fire arises when minor fire is injured and vents. Anger arises when the harmonious nature is injured and deviates. Not harmonizing or tonifying, but instead attacking and expelling, leads to the disaster of "making deficiency more deficient," which happens instantly. Thus, major fire is a transformation of minor fire. Minor fire is not ordinary fire, but the true yuan yang qi of life generation in the dantian, relied upon for life through inhalation and exhalation. At conception, this life root is first endowed. The *Classic* states: "If one breath does not move, the mechanism is exhausted." Therefore, this fire and qi are formless, possess spirit and emotion, and are the supreme treasure of the body, the patriarch of true yang, the root of yuan qi, the source of transformation, and the foundation of longevity. The mingmen (Gate of Life) kan palace is its residence. It steams and rots food and drink, transforming them into essence. When balanced, it remains in its position, all phenomena are peaceful, and life generation is endless. When unbalanced, it leaves its position and becomes major fire, turning into a thief of yuan qi, floating through the sanjiao, steaming and scorching the zang-fu organs, and roasting muscles, causing disease. If this fire is not treated, how can disease be removed? But to remove this fire, how can one survive? One must only follow the cause to harmonize it, settle it, accord with it, and soothe it, taking peace as the goal. Then, without removing the fire, safety and health are maintained; since the disease recedes and yuan qi is undamaged, the fire was originally a supreme treasure for our use. If one dislikes the heat and wishes to directly extinguish the fire, this is not extinguishing fire, but extinguishing qi. A fish dies without water for a moment; a person dies without qi for a moment. Can qi be extinguished! Moreover, using tangible, emotionless drugs to rashly attack intangible, emotional qi, hoping to avoid injury, is impossible! But fire flares up in emptiness; if one does not greatly fill the emptiness, how can one resist its momentum of flaming upward? If one waits for the fire to retreat before tonifying, who knows that the harm of fire is very rapid, and it is incompatible with yuan qi. As stated, "Major fire erodes qi"; as fire blazes, qi daily diminishes. And the function of fire often carries the image of wind-wood, stopping only when power is exhausted. When it stops, fire ceases, and symptoms of yang collapse appear. Only then is tonification considered, but there is no vessel left to receive tonification. Moreover, administering dense, sudden-rain-like harsh drugs further incites dragon-thunder fire to blaze wildly, accelerating the harm of burning. If constitutionally robust, or cured by cooling drugs to subdue it, after recovery, true qi gradually declines, and spirit does not grow. Even for those with congenital yuan deficiency, if treated from the root, after the disease leaves, the momentum of generation increases daily, and postnatal nourishment becomes prosperous. Thus it is said: "Recognizing the branch and root, treating only the root in humans, causes no damage." This emphasizes precisely this point. Ancient healers valued seeking the root in treating disease, thus extending human lifespan. Modern people do not examine the source, relying on superficial views, treating heat with cold and cold with heat. They ignore the images of true and false yin and yang, the appropriateness of following and opposing treatments, and the essentials of attending to the root and tracing the source, leaving them unasked. This results in increasing days of harming the heavenly pillar (vital support) and thinning both pre-heaven and post-heaven in the long run. Should those engaged in the art of healing not deeply contemplate and understand its meaning?!