近世之论，心火谓之君火，肾火谓之相火，此说未安。盖心属火，而位居于上，又纯阳
而为
一身之主，名曰君火，无异议也。若肾中之火，则与心相远，乃水中之火也，与心火不类，
名为相火，似属非宜。盖阴阳互藏其宅，心固有火，而肾中亦有火。心火为火中之火；肾火
为水中之火，肾火守于下，心火守于上，而三焦火之道路，能引二火相交。心火动，而肾中
之浮火亦随之。肾火动，而心中之浮火亦随之；亦有心火为动而肾火不动，其患独在心；亦
有肾火动而心火不动，其害独在肾。故治火之法，必先审其何火，而后用药有定品。治心火
，以苦寒；治肾火，以咸寒。若二脏之阴不足以配火，则又宜取二脏之阴药补之。若肾火飞
越，又有回阳之法，反宜用温热，与治心火迥然不同。故五脏皆有火，而心肾二脏为易动，
故治法宜详究也。若夫相火之说，则心胞之火参令人怔忡、面赤、烦躁、眩晕，此则在君火
之旁，名为相火，似为确切。试以《内经》参之，自有真见也。
生死于人大矣！而能于两手方寸之地，微末之动，即能决其生死。何其近于诬也？然古人
往往
百不失一者，何哉？其大要则以胃气为本。盖人之所以生，本乎饮食。《灵枢》云∶谷于胃
，乃传之肺，五脏六腑皆以受气。寸口属肺经，为百脉之所会，故其来也，有生气以行乎其
间，融和调畅，得中土之精英，此为有胃气。得者生，失者死，其大概也。其次，则推天运
之顺逆。人气与天气相应，如春气属木，脉宜弦；夏气属火，脉宜洪之类。反是则与天气不
应。又其次，则审脏气之生克，如脾病畏弦，木克土也；肺病畏洪，火克金也。反是则与脏
气无害。又其次，则辨病脉之从违。病之与脉各有宜与不宜。如脱血之后，脉宜静细，而反
洪大，则气亦外脱矣；寒热之证，脉宜洪数，而反细弱，则真元将陷矣。至于真脏之脉，乃
因胃气已绝，不营五脏。所以何脏有病，则何脏之脉独现。凡此皆《内经》、《难经》等书
言之明白详尽，学人苟潜心观玩，洞然易晓，此其可决者也。至云∶诊脉即可以知何病。又
云∶人之死生，无不能先知，则又非也。盖脉之变迁无定，或有卒中之邪，未即通于经络，
而脉一时未变者；或病轻而不能现于脉者。或有沉痼之疾，久而与气血相并，一时难辨其轻
重者；或有根据经传变，流动无常，不可执一时之脉，而定其是非者。况病之名有万，而脉之
象不过数十种，且一病而数十种之脉，无不可见，何能诊脉而即知其何病？此皆推测偶中，
以此欺人也。若夫真脏之脉，临死而终不现者，则何以决之？是必以望闻问三者合而参观之
，亦百不失一矣。故以脉为可凭，而脉亦有时不足凭。以脉为不可凭，而又凿凿乎其可凭。
总在医者熟通经学，更深思自得，则无所不验矣！若世俗无稽之说，皆不足听也。
近代人的论述，将心火称为君火，肾火称为相火，这种说法并不妥当。因为心属火，且位居于上焦，又是纯阳之体，作为一身的主宰，称之为君火，是没有异议的。至于肾中的火，则与心相距甚远，它是水中之火，与心火性质不同，如果也称之为相火，似乎不太适宜。因为阴阳互相蕴藏于彼此之中，心固然有火，但肾中也有火。心火是火中之火；肾火是水中之火。肾火守持于下焦，心火守持于上焦，而三焦（运行元气和水液的通道）作为道路，能够引导这两股火气相交。当心火发动时，肾中的浮游之火也会随之而动；当肾火发动时，心中的浮游之火也会随之而动；也有心火发动而肾火不动的情况，其病患仅在心；也有肾火发动而心火不动的情况，其危害仅在肾。所以治疗火邪的方法，必须先审察是哪一种火，然后用药才有确定的准则。治疗心火，用苦寒的药物；治疗肾火，用咸寒的药物。如果是两脏的阴液不足以制约火邪，则又应当取用补益两脏阴液的药物来治疗。如果肾火飞越（虚阳外越），又有回阳救逆的方法，反而适宜使用温热药，这与治疗心火截然不同。所以五脏都有火，而心和肾两脏的火容易妄动，因此治疗方法需要详细探究。至于相火的说法，如果是心包络（保护心脏的脉络组织）之火导致人心悸、面红、烦躁、眩晕，这位于君火之旁，称之为相火，似乎更为确切。试着以《黄帝内经》的内容来参照，自然会有真知灼见。
生死对于人来说是大事！然而能在两手寸口方寸之地，通过细微的脉动，就能决断生死。这岂不是近乎荒谬吗？然而古人往往能百次诊断不失一次，为什么呢？其主要关键在于以胃气（脾胃运化水谷精微所产生的正气）为本。人之所以生存，根本在于饮食。《灵枢经》说：食物进入胃中，然后传送给肺，五脏六腑都由此接受水谷精气。寸口（桡动脉搏动处，中医诊脉部位）属于肺经，是全身血脉汇聚的地方，所以脉搏到来时，其中有生气在运行，融合调和、通畅流利，获得了中土（脾胃）的精华，这就是有胃气。有胃气者生，无胃气者死，这是大概的原则。其次，要推究天运（自然界气候规律）的顺逆。人体之气与天气相应，如春气属木，脉象宜弦；夏气属火，脉象宜洪大之类。反之则与天气不相适应。再次，要审察脏腑之气相生相克的关系，如脾病怕见到弦脉，因为弦脉属木，木克土；肺病怕见到洪脉，因为洪脉属火，火克金。反之则对脏气没有妨害。再次，要辨别病证与脉象的从违（一致或矛盾）。病与脉各有适宜和不适宜的情况。如失血之后，脉象宜静细，如果反而洪大，说明气也向外脱逸了；寒热病症，脉象宜洪数，如果反而细弱，说明真元将要陷落。至于真脏脉（无胃气的脉象），是因为胃气已经断绝，不能滋养五脏。所以哪一脏有病，哪一脏的脉象就会单独显现。所有这些，《黄帝内经》、《难经》等书都说得明白详尽，学者如果潜心研读玩味，就能豁然开朗、容易理解，这些是可以据以决断的。至于说：诊脉就可以知道是什么病。又说：人的生死，没有不能预先知道的，这就不对了。因为脉象的变化没有定式，有的可能是突然感受外邪，尚未立即通达经络，而脉象暂时未发生变化的；或者病情轻微而不能表现在脉象上的。有的可能是久治不愈的沉疴，日久与气血纠缠在一起，一时难以辨别轻重程度的；有的是依据经络传变，流动无常，不可执着于一时的脉象来判定是非的。况且疾病的名称有上万种，而脉象不过几十种，而且一种病可能出现几十种脉象，没有不可见的，怎么能通过诊脉就立刻知道是什么病呢？这些都是推测偶然命中，以此来欺骗人的。如果是真脏脉，到了临死时始终没有出现，那又怎么决断呢？这必须将望、闻、问三种诊法结合起来观察，也能做到百不失一了。所以说脉可以作为凭据，但脉有时也不足为凭；说脉不可靠，但它又确实可靠。关键在于医生要熟通经典医理，更深切地思考并有所自得，那么就没有不验证的了！至于世俗那些无稽之谈，都不值得听信。
Discussions in recent times refer to Heart Fire as Sovereign Fire (Jun Huo, 君火) and Kidney Fire as Ministerial Fire (Xiang Huo, 相火), but this view is not entirely appropriate. The Heart belongs to Fire, resides in the Upper Jiao (Upper Burner), is purely Yang, and serves as the master of the whole body; thus, calling it Sovereign Fire is beyond dispute. However, the Fire within the Kidneys is far removed from the Heart; it is Fire within Water, which differs in nature from Heart Fire. Therefore, labeling it as Ministerial Fire seems inappropriate. Yin and Yang mutually inhabit each other's domains: while the Heart certainly possesses Fire, the Kidneys also possess Fire. Heart Fire is Fire within Fire; Kidney Fire is Fire within Water. Kidney Fire guards the Lower Jiao, while Heart Fire guards the Upper Jiao, and the San Jiao (Triple Burner, a pathway for Qi and fluid metabolism) acts as a conduit to facilitate the interaction between these two Fires. When Heart Fire agitates, the floating Fire in the Kidneys follows suit; when Kidney Fire agitates, the floating Fire in the Heart follows suit. There are cases where Heart Fire agitates while Kidney Fire remains still, with pathology confined solely to the Heart; there are also cases where Kidney Fire agitates while Heart Fire remains still, with pathology confined solely to the Kidneys. Therefore, the method for treating Fire must first ascertain which Fire is involved before prescribing specific medications. To treat Heart Fire, bitter-cold herbs are used; to treat Kidney Fire, salty-cold herbs are used. If the Yin of these two Zang organs is insufficient to control the Fire, then Yin-nourishing herbs from these two organs should be employed to tonify them. In cases of Kidney Fire flying away (floating Yang escaping outward), methods for restoring Yang are applied, utilizing warm-hot herbs, which is completely different from treating Heart Fire. Thus, all five Zang organs possess Fire, but the Fire of the Heart and Kidneys is prone to agitation, necessitating detailed investigation into treatment methods. Regarding the concept of Ministerial Fire, if it refers to the Fire of the Pericardium (Xin Bao Luo, 心包络) causing palpitations (Zhen Tong, 怔忡), facial flushing, irritability, and dizziness, located beside the Sovereign Fire, then calling it Ministerial Fire appears more accurate. Consulting the *Nei Jing* (Inner Canon) will naturally yield true insights.
Life and death are of paramount importance to humans! Yet, through minute movements at the Cun Kou (Inch Position, radial artery pulse point) on both hands, one can determine life and death. Is this not akin to fraud? However, ancient physicians often achieved accuracy without error in a hundred attempts. Why? The key lies in taking Wei Qi (Stomach Qi, vital energy derived from digestion) as the foundation. Human life depends fundamentally on diet. As stated in the *Ling Shu* (Spiritual Pivot): "Grain enters the Stomach, then transmits to the Lung, and all Five Zang and Six Fu organs receive its Qi." The Cun Kou belongs to the Lung Meridian and is the convergence of all vessels. Therefore, when the pulse arrives, there is Sheng Qi (Vital Qi) flowing within it, harmonious, smooth, and unobstructed, imbued with the essence of the Central Earth (Spleen and Stomach). This constitutes the presence of Wei Qi. Presence implies life; absence implies death—this is the general principle. Secondly, one must deduce the favorable or unfavorable trends of Heavenly Movements (natural climatic cycles). Human Qi corresponds to Heavenly Qi: for instance, Spring Qi belongs to Wood, so the pulse should be Wiry (Xian Mai, 弦脉); Summer Qi belongs to Fire, so the pulse should be Surging (Hong Mai, 洪脉), etc. Conversely, such pulses do not correspond to Heavenly Qi. Thirdly, one must examine the generation and restriction relationships among Zang Qi. For example, Spleen disease fears the Wiry pulse because Wood restricts Earth; Lung disease fears the Surging pulse because Fire restricts Metal. Conversely, such pulses do not harm Zang Qi. Fourthly, one must distinguish between conformity and deviation between disease and pulse. Diseases and pulses have their respective appropriateness and inappropriateness. For instance, after severe blood loss, the pulse should be quiet and fine; if it is instead surging and large, it indicates that Qi is also escaping outward. In cold-heat syndromes, the pulse should be surging and rapid; if it is instead fine and weak, it indicates that True Yuan (Original Qi) is about to collapse. As for Zang Organ Pulses (Zang Mai, 脏脉, pulses devoid of Wei Qi), they occur because Wei Qi has been exhausted and cannot nourish the Zang organs. Consequently, whichever Zang organ is diseased, its corresponding pulse manifests exclusively. All these points are clearly and thoroughly explained in texts such as the *Nei Jing* and *Nan Jing*. If students study them diligently and reflect deeply, they will understand them clearly and easily; these are aspects that can be reliably judged. However, claims that "pulse diagnosis alone can identify any disease" or that "one can predict life and death with absolute certainty" are incorrect. Pulse changes are variable; sometimes sudden pathogenic factors have not yet penetrated the meridians, resulting in no immediate pulse change; or the disease is mild and does not manifest in the pulse. Sometimes chronic ailments have entangled with Qi and Blood over time, making it difficult to assess severity immediately; or diseases follow meridian transmission patterns, changing unpredictably, so one cannot judge right from wrong based on a single momentary pulse. Moreover, there are tens of thousands of disease names, but only dozens of pulse images. Furthermore, a single disease may present with dozens of different pulses. How can one diagnose the specific disease merely by feeling the pulse? These assertions are often coincidental guesses passed off as truth to deceive people. What if Zang Organ Pulses do not appear even at the point of death? How then can one make a judgment? One must combine Observation (Wang, 望), Listening/Smelling (Wen, 闻), and Inquiry (Wen, 问) for comprehensive assessment, thereby achieving high accuracy. Thus, while the pulse can serve as a reference, it is not always reliable; conversely, while some say it is unreliable, it is indeed dependable. The crux lies in the physician mastering classical medical theories and engaging in deep personal reflection, ensuring universal validity. Superficial and baseless popular sayings are unworthy of attention.