仲景《伤寒论》,编次者不下数十家,因致聚讼纷纭。此皆不知仲景作书之旨故也。观
《伤
寒》叙所述,乃为庸医误治而设。所以正治之法,一经不过三四条,余皆救误之法,故其文
亦变动不居。读《伤寒论》者,知此书皆设想悬拟之书,则无往不得其义矣。今人必改叔和
之次序,或以此条在前,或以此条在后;或以此症因彼症而生;或以此经因彼经而变,互相
诟厉。孰知病变万端,传经无定,古人因病以施方,无编方以待病。其原本次序,既已散亡
,庶几叔和所定为可信,何则?叔和《序例》云∶今搜采仲景旧论,录其症候、诊脉、声色
,对病真方有神验者,拟防世急。则此书乃叔和所搜集,而世人辄加辨驳,以为原本不如此
,抑思苟无叔和,安有此书?且诸人所编,果能合仲景原文否耶?夫六经现症,有异有同,后
人见阳经一症,杂于阴经之中,以为宜改入阳经之内,不知阴经亦有此症也。人各是其私,
反致古人圆机活法,泯没不可闻矣。凡读书能得书中之精义要诀,历历分明,则任其颠倒错
乱,而我心自能剌会贯通,否则徒以古羽纷更互异,愈改愈晦矣!
《金匮要略》乃仲景治杂病之书也。其中缺略处颇多,而上古圣人,以汤液治病之法,
惟赖
此书之存,乃方书之祖也。其论病皆本于《内经》,而神明变化之。其用药悉本于《神农本
草》,而融会贯通之。其方则皆上古圣人历代相传之经方,仲景间有随症加减之法。其脉法
亦皆《内经》及历代相传之真诀。其治病无不精切周到,无一毫游移参错之处,实能洞见本
源,审察毫末。故所投必效,如桴鼓之相应,真乃医方之经也!惜其所载诸病,未能全备,
未知有残缺与否?然诸大症之纲领,亦已粗备,后之学人,以其为经而参考推展之,已思过
半矣。自此以后之书,皆非古圣相传之真诀,仅自成一家,不可与《金匮》并列也。
张仲景的《伤寒论》,经过不同人编次整理的版本不下数十家,因此导致学术界争论不休。这都是因为不了解张仲景编写这本书的宗旨所致。观察《伤寒论》序例中的叙述,可知该书是为庸医误治的情况而设立的。所以,正确的治疗方法,每一经不过三四条,其余都是纠正误治的方法,因此其文字内容也变化不定。阅读《伤寒论》的人,如果知道这本书是设想和模拟的情境之书,那么无论遇到什么情况都能领会其中的义理。现在的人一定要改变王叔和确定的次序,有的把这一条放在前面,有的把这一条放在后面;或者认为这一症状是由那一症状产生的,或者认为这一经的病是由那一经转变而来的,互相指责诘难。谁也不知道病变有万种端绪,传变没有定法,古人是根据病情来施用方剂,而不是编制好方剂来等待疾病出现。既然原本的次序已经散失亡佚,那么王叔和所定的次序或许是可以信赖的,为什么呢?王叔和在《序例》中说:“如今搜集采择张仲景的旧论,记录其症候、诊脉、声色,针对病症真实有效且有神验的方子,拟以防备世间的急难。”那么这本书就是王叔和所搜集整理的,而世人却随意加以辩驳,认为原本不是这样的,试思考如果没有王叔和,哪里会有这本书呢?况且众人所编的版本,果真能符合张仲景的原文吗?六经现存的症候,有相同也有不同,后人看到阳经的症状混杂在阴经之中,认为应该改入阳经之内,却不知道阴经也有这种症状。人们各自坚持自己的私见,反而导致古人圆融机变、灵活运用的方法,被埋没得无法听闻了。凡是读书能领悟书中的精义要诀,条理清晰分明,那么任凭它颠倒错乱,我内心自然能够融会贯通,否则只是让古籍杂乱更改、互不相同,越改越晦涩难懂了!
《金匮要略》是张仲景治疗杂病的书籍。其中缺漏遗漏的地方很多,而上古圣人用汤液治病的方法,唯独依靠这本书的保存,它是方书的始祖。书中论述疾病都基于《黄帝内经》,并从中神明变化。用药完全基于《神农本草经》,并融会贯通。书中的方剂都是上古圣人历代相传的经典方剂,张仲景偶尔有随症状加减的方法。其脉法也都是《黄帝内经》及历代相传的真诀。书中治疗疾病无不精切周到,没有丝毫游移差错之处,确实能洞察本源,审察细微。所以所投用的方药必定有效,如同鼓槌击鼓立即回应一样,真是医学方剂的经典啊!可惜其中记载的各种疾病,未能全部完备,不知道是否有残缺?然而各种大症的纲领,也已经大致具备,后世的学人,把它当作经典来参考推展,就已经思虑过半了。从此以后的书籍,都不是古圣相传的真诀,仅自成一家,不能与《金匮要略》并列。
Zhang Zhongjing's *Shanghan Lun* (Treatise on Cold Pathogenic Diseases) has been compiled and arranged by no fewer than dozens of editors, leading to endless controversies. This is all due to a failure to understand the purpose behind Zhang Zhongjing's writing. Observing the preface and examples in the *Shanghan Lun*, it is evident that the text was established to address cases of misdiagnosis and mistreatment by mediocre physicians. Therefore, the correct treatment methods comprise only three or four entries per meridian, while the remainder consists of methods to rectify errors; consequently, the text itself is variable and not fixed. Readers who understand that this book is a work of hypothetical scenarios and simulations will be able to grasp its meaning in any situation. Modern scholars insist on altering the sequence established by Wang Shuhe, placing certain entries before others, or claiming that one symptom arises from another, or that disease transmission between meridians follows specific patterns, thereby criticizing each other. Few realize that pathological changes are myriad and transmission along meridians is indefinite. The ancients prescribed formulas based on the illness at hand, rather than compiling formulas in anticipation of diseases. Since the original sequence has long been lost, perhaps the arrangement by Wang Shuhe is trustworthy. Why? In his "Preface and Examples," Wang Shuhe stated: "I have now collected and selected Zhang Zhongjing's old theories, recording their symptoms, pulse diagnosis, and visual/auditory signs, selecting those true formulas that proved effective against specific diseases to guard against emergencies." Thus, this book was compiled by Wang Shuhe, yet people casually refute it, claiming the original was different. Consider: without Wang Shuhe, how would this book exist? Moreover, can the versions compiled by various individuals truly match Zhang Zhongjing's original text? The manifestations of the Six Meridians vary in similarity and difference. Later scholars seeing Yang meridian symptoms mixed within Yin meridian chapters assumed they should be moved to the Yang sections, unaware that Yin meridians also present such symptoms. Each person adheres to their private view, causing the flexible and adaptive methods of the ancients to be obscured and unheard. One who grasps the essential principles of a text clearly can comprehend it regardless of disordered arrangements; otherwise, merely changing and conflicting with ancient texts will only make them more obscure!
The *Jingui Yaolue* (Essential Prescriptions of the Golden Cabinet) is Zhang Zhongjing's treatise on miscellaneous diseases. It contains many omissions, yet the method of treating diseases with decoctions by ancient sages relies solely on the preservation of this book, making it the ancestor of formula literature. Its discussions on diseases are based on the *Huangdi Neijing* (Yellow Emperor's Inner Canon) but apply divine transformation and variation. Its use of herbs is entirely based on the *Shennong Bencao Jing* (Divine Farmer's Materia Medica), integrating and mastering it. The formulas presented are classical prescriptions passed down through generations of ancient sages, with Zhang Zhongjing occasionally employing methods of adding or subtracting ingredients according to symptoms. Its pulse diagnosis methods are also true secrets passed down from the *Huangdi Neijing* and subsequent generations. Its treatments are precise and thorough, lacking any hesitation or error, truly penetrating the root cause and examining minute details. Thus, every prescription applied yields efficacy, like a drumstick striking a drum with immediate response; it is indeed the classic of medical formulas! Regrettably, the diseases recorded therein are not fully comprehensive, and it is unknown if there are missing parts. However, the general outlines of major diseases are roughly prepared. Later learners, treating it as a classic for reference and expansion, have already achieved half their understanding. Books written after this period are not the true secrets transmitted by ancient sages but represent individual schools of thought, and cannot be ranked alongside the *Jingui Yaolue*.