泻此即补彼，（如泻火即是补水。）补此即泻彼，（如补火即是驱寒。）故泻即补也，补即泻也。
寒以补阴，故夏月饮水，热以补阳，故冬日饮汤。必以温热为补，寒凉为泻者，谬
也。张子和谓∶良工治病，先治其实，后治其虚，亦有不治其虚时。庸工治病，
纯补其虚，不敢治其实。以为先固其气，元气实，邪自去。不知邪之中人，轻则传
久而自尽，颇甚则传久而难已，更甚则暴死。补之，真气未胜，邪已交驰横骛，
而不可制矣。惟脉虚下脱，无邪无积之人，方可议补。其余有邪积之人，必以吐、
汗、下三法，先攻其邪，邪去而元气自复也。又曰∶汗、吐、下，以药石草木治病
者也，犹君之刑罚。补者，以谷肉果菜养口体者也，犹君之德教。故曰∶德教兴平
之粱肉，刑罚治乱之药石。若人无病，粱肉而已，及其有病，当先诛伐，病之去也，
粱肉补之。如世已治矣，刑措而不用，岂可以药石为补哉。又曰∶胸以上大满
大实，病如胶粥，微丸微散，皆儿戏也，非吐，病安能出。又曰∶风寒暑湿之气，
入于皮肤之间而未深，欲亟去之，莫如发汗。又曰∶人知下之为泻，而不知下
之为补，陈 去而肠胃洁， 瘕尽而荣卫昌，不补之中有真补者存焉。又曰∶
人之食饮，酸咸甘苦，百味皆聚于胃，壅而不行，荡其旧而新之，亦脾胃之所
望也。其言可谓名通。按子和治病，不论何证，皆以吐、汗、下三法取效，此有至理
存焉。盖万病非热则寒，寒者气不运而滞，热者气亦壅而不运，气不运则热郁痰生，
血停食积，种种阻塞于中矣。人身气血，贵通而不贵塞，非三法何由通乎？又去邪
即所以补正，邪去则正复，但以平淡之饮食调之，不数日而精神勃发矣。故妇人不
孕者，此法行后即孕，阴阳和畅也。男子亦阳道骤兴，（子和云∶病久否闭，忽得涌泄，血气冲
和，心肾交媾，阳事必举，宜切戒房室。）非其明验乎？丹溪倒仓法，实于此得悟。后人不明其
理，而不敢用，但以温补为稳，杀人如麻，可叹也。
泻法即是补法，（例如泻火即是补水。）补法即是泻法，（例如补火即是驱寒。）所以泻就是补，补就是泻。
用寒凉药物来补阴，所以在夏天喝水；用温热药物来补阳，所以在冬天喝汤。认为必须用温热药才算补、寒凉药才算泻的观点，是错误的。
张子和说：高明的医生治病，先治疗实证，后治疗虚证，也有不治疗虚证的时候。平庸的医生治病，只单纯地补其虚证，不敢治疗其实证。他们认为先要固护正气，元气充实了，邪气自然就会去除。却不知道邪气侵入人体，轻则经过一段时间会自行消退，较重则经过一段时间难以痊愈，更重则会突然死亡。如果此时进补，真气尚未战胜邪气，邪气已经纵横肆虐，就无法控制了。只有脉象虚弱且下脱、体内没有邪气和积滞的人，才可以讨论使用补法。其余有邪气和积滞的人，必须用吐、汗、下三种方法，先攻逐邪气，邪气去除后元气自然恢复。
又说：汗、吐、下三法，是用药物石草木来治病的，就像君主的刑罚。补法，是用谷肉果菜来滋养口体和身体的，就像君主的道德教化。所以说：道德教化是太平盛世的粮食肉类，刑罚是治理动乱的药石。如果人没有病，只需粮食肉类即可；等到有了病，应当先进行诛伐（攻邪），病去之后，再用粮食肉类来补益。就像国家已经治理好了，刑罚搁置不用，怎么能把药石当作补品呢？
又说：胸以上出现严重胀满和实热，病情像胶粥一样黏稠难解，只用少量的丸药散剂，都是儿戏，如果不使用吐法，病邪怎么能排出？
又说：风寒暑湿等外邪，侵入皮肤之间但尚未深入，想要迅速去除它们，没有比发汗更好的方法了。
又说：人们知道下法是泻法，却不知道下法也是补法，陈腐之物去除而肠胃洁净，癥瘕积聚消除而营卫气血昌盛，在不补之中存在着真正的补益作用。
又说：人的饮食，酸咸甘苦各种味道都汇聚于胃，如果壅滞而不运行，荡涤陈旧之物而更新之，这也是脾胃所期望的。他的言论可以说是名理通达。
考察张子和治病，不论什么证候，都用吐、汗、下三法取得疗效，这其中蕴含着至深的道理。大概万病不是热证就是寒证，寒证导致气机不运而停滞，热证导致气机也壅滞而不运，气机不运则热郁痰生，血停食积，种种阻塞在中焦了。人身的气血，贵在通畅而贵在不堵塞，不用这三种方法由什么途径来通畅呢？
另外，去除邪气也就是为了扶助正气，邪气去除则正气恢复，只要用平淡的饮食来调理，不出几天精神就会焕发。所以妇女不孕者，此法施行后即能怀孕，这是阴阳和畅的表现。男子也会阳气骤然兴起，（张子和说：久病闭塞之人，忽然得到涌泄之法，血气冲和，心肾交媾，阳事必举，应当切忌房事。）这不是明显的验证吗？朱丹溪的倒仓法，实际上是从这里悟出的。后人不明白其中的道理，而不敢使用，只以温补为稳妥，导致杀人无数，令人叹息。
To drain (reduce) this is to tonify (supplement) that, (e.g., draining Fire is equivalent to tonifying Water.) To tonify this is to drain that, (e.g., tonifying Fire is equivalent to dispelling Cold.) Therefore, draining is tonifying, and tonifying is draining.
Using cold-natured substances to tonify Yin explains why one drinks water in summer; using warm-natured substances to tonify Yang explains why one drinks hot soup in winter. The notion that only warm substances constitute tonification and cold substances constitute reduction is erroneous.
Zihehe stated: "A skilled physician treats excess patterns first and deficiency patterns later, and sometimes does not treat the deficiency at all. An mediocre physician treats only deficiency, daring not to treat excess. They believe that by first consolidating Qi, when Yuan Qi (Original Qi) becomes sufficient, pathogenic factors will naturally depart. They do not realize that when pathogens invade the human body, if mild, they may resolve spontaneously after a period; if severe, they may persist for a long time without healing; if even more severe, sudden death may occur. If tonification is applied at this stage, before Zheng Qi (Upright Qi) can overcome the pathogen, the pathogen will have already spread wildly and become uncontrollable." Only those with weak pulses indicating sinking/collapse, and who lack pathogens or accumulations, are candidates for discussion of tonification. For others harboring pathogens and accumulations, the three methods of emesis (inducing vomiting), diaphoresis (sweating), and purgation must be used first to attack the pathogens; once the pathogens are eliminated, Yuan Qi will recover naturally.
He further stated: "The methods of diaphoresis, emesis, and purgation utilize herbs and minerals to treat disease, analogous to a ruler's punishments. Tonification utilizes grains, meats, fruits, and vegetables to nourish the mouth and body, analogous to a ruler's moral education." Thus it is said: "Moral education is the grain and meat of a peaceful era; punishments are the medicinal stones for managing chaos." If a person is healthy, grain and meat suffice; but when illness occurs, one must first employ punitive measures (attack pathogens); after the illness is gone, grain and meat are used for tonification. Just as when a state is well-governed, punishments are set aside and unused, how can medicinal stones be considered tonics?
He also stated: "When there is severe fullness and excess heat above the chest, with conditions resembling sticky porridge, using small doses of pills or powders is child's play. Without emesis, how can the pathogen be expelled?"
He further stated: "For wind, cold, summer-heat, and dampness pathogens entering the skin but not yet deep, there is no better way to quickly eliminate them than diaphoresis."
He also stated: "People know that purgation is a draining method, but do not realize that purgation is also tonifying. When stale matter is removed and the intestines and stomach are cleansed, and when masses and accumulations are cleared and Ying (Nutritive) and Wei (Defensive) Qi flourish, true tonification exists within what appears to be non-tonification."
He further stated: "Dietary flavors—sour, salty, sweet, bitter—all gather in the Stomach. If they stagnate and fail to circulate, sweeping away the old to make way for the new is what the Spleen and Stomach desire." His words demonstrate profound logical coherence.
Examining Zihehe’s treatment approach, he achieved efficacy with the three methods of emesis, diaphoresis, and purgation regardless of the syndrome, implying profound principles at work. Generally, diseases are either Heat or Cold. Cold causes Qi stagnation and obstruction; Heat also causes Qi congestion and failure to circulate. When Qi fails to circulate, Heat stagnates and Phlegm generates, Blood stasis and Food retention occur, leading to various obstructions in the middle jiao. Human Qi and Blood value free flow over blockage; without these three methods, how can flow be restored?
Moreover, eliminating pathogens is tantamount to supporting Zheng Qi; once pathogens are gone, Zheng Qi recovers. With simple dietary regulation, spirit and vitality revive within days. Thus, women suffering from infertility may conceive after this method is applied, indicating harmonious Yin and Yang. Men also experience a sudden resurgence of Yang function. (Zihehe noted: "For those suffering from prolonged closure/stagnation, sudden relief via emesis or purgation harmonizes Qi and Blood, causing Heart and Kidney to interact, resulting in erection; sexual intercourse should be strictly avoided.") Is this not clear evidence? Zhu Danxi’s Daocang Method was actually inspired by these insights. Later generations, failing to understand the principle, dared not use these methods, relying instead on warm tonification as a safe option, resulting in countless deaths—a lamentable situation.